It takes more than a bold idea to produce real bottom-line results. Advertising that contains the right elements can be highly effective for getting an audience to pay attention and act.
Talk the Talk of Your Target Audience. If you want to appeal to people who frequent upscale restaurants, your ad should describe “gourmet dining and fine wine,” not “hearty chow and cheap drinks.” Creating generic ads that don’t speak the language of potential customers is a common mistake leading to subpar results. Know your market niche and preach to the choir.
Promote Your Competitive Edge. A clever ad isn’t worth much if it neglects to sell the benefits of a product or service. Remember – getting their attention is only half the battle. If your company helps its clients increase productivity and reduce downtime, make sure to say it loud and clear. If you offer something of high quality for less money than competitors, make that value proposition a central advertising theme. Promoting a competitive edge is one of the keys to creating an ad that achieves the immediate objective while reinforcing the brand’s core messages.
Always Include a Payoff. An ad may be a work of creative brilliance or a thing of breathtaking beauty, but if it fails to ask readers to take the next step, you’ve missed the opportunity to capitalize on your investment. Whether the payoff is a call to action that drives someone to a website for more information or a phone number to place an order, stay focused on the goal and follow through with a clear statement of how you want an audience to respond.
Follow these strategies for building a more productive ad, and you’ll be poised to collect the coolest prize of all: new leads and sales.
