(Published in the December/January 2023 issues of the Millwater Magazine and the Orewa Magazine)
If you’re going to invest money in designing a new brochure, advert or website you better ensure the message works so it will be worthwhile in the first place.
In Part 1 last month we explained how to focus your advert and find a headline that gets attention.
This time we’re going to focus on the key components you’ll need to include for an effective advert.
- Headline – Gets attention by posing a problem or offering an important solution. Although our example here is to the point, don’t underestimate the power of humour, if possible.
- Photo/Image or visual – Gets attention, and is relevant to the headline or message of the advert. Our example introduces the expert.
- Subhead/Introduction – Only if needed to connect the headline to the advert. This justifies the headline and gives insight into why you want to read on.
- Body copy – Clarifies the customer’s problem and offers the solution.
- Final proposition – The final word, such as ‘We offer a full range of x’, or ‘Your local experts in x’.
- Call to action – What action do you want someone to take? Phone, visit the website, call in to the showroom. In our example we are wanting people to give us a call.
- Response mechanism – Phone, www, QR code, etc. This needs to be clear, easy to digest and as memorable as you can. So another example of this done well is to say 0800 Lawyer.
- Logo – Make this clear, clean of distracting backgrounds and consistent. Getting brand recognition here is crucial so each time a customer sees you it leverages the last time they noticed you. Good brands are trusted so this gives credibility to the offer.
Adding a tag line or positioning statement and including logos of well-known trusted partners are all optional, but are good for credibility if you choose to include them too.
Once you create a great advert consider carefully where you run it. A cheap spot in a magazine may be low cost, but it may also be a complete waste of money. If you print a brochure, how will you distribute it? And a website needs to be promoted through SEO, Social, links from other sites etc. However you choose to do this, again think of your customers – where are the places they would be looking?
Then ask someone to point you in the right direction for putting a plan together that gets the timing and the spend right for your type of business.
Chris Norris – Truth Seeker Cert. MKTG | MCC | Cert. Typography
Former Chairman of Business Whangaparaoa and Board Member for Silverdale Business. He is also a mentor with the Business Mentors Programme at MBIE. Now running a locally focussed branding business. Allbrand.co.nz – Revealing the truth in businesses. If you are passionate about something you already have a true story. Get in touch to seek it: Chris@allbrand.co.nz
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