CHAPTER
4
COMMON
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
HOW MUCH
CAN A CUSTOMER REMEMBER?
The average customer will only remember ONE strong comment
or message. If the advertisement contained many more than
one, they tend only to recall the one message that interested
them the most, or they will inadvertently fuse a few messages
into one concept of their own. The best ads can have several
concepts, but they must fit together into one unifying theme.
An important key is to focus on just ONE POINT and be certain
that all the other elements in the ad conform to that point.
WHEN
SHOULD I CHANGE A SUCCESSFUL AD?
Never! Have you ever heard the saying: "If ain't broke,
don't fix it?" If the advertisement is still successful
then it is not the time to change it. When you change an advertisement
that is successful, you kill the sales that it generates.
HOW LONG
SHOULD I RUN A SUCCESSFUL AD?
Typically speaking, it would be six (6) months. Sometimes
even the strongest ads need to be reinforced - but never changed!
WHY IS
USP (UNIQUE SELLING POSITION) SO IMPORTANT?
Any effective ad will have USP. It should have three characteristics:
• The proposition must be unique, something that can't be
offered by the competition.
• The ad must make a specific proposition to the customer.
• The proposition must be so strong that it pulls the individual
and the masses.
WHEN
DOES AN AD BECOME DECEPTIVE?
While creativity and enthusiasm are important characteristics
in any ad, you must always know where to draw the line between
fact and fiction. If you can read your ad and feel comfortable
that you could offer the claims set forth to your family and
friends then that's honesty.
CAN SMALLER
ADS BE BETTER THAN LARGER ONES?
Absolutely! Smaller ads, because of their size, can be inserted
into more places than larger ads. They allow you special positioning
and can take advantage of the attention of larger ads. Many
times a smaller ad will get better visibility simply because
the ad fit into an area that needed to be filled. In addition,
you can run many small ads for the price of one big one.
IS IT
BETTER TO RUN AN AD 5 TIMES
TO 20 PEOPLE OR 20 TIMES TO 5 PEOPLE?
Research has shown that it is always better to reach more
people less often than less people more often.
COMMON
MISTAKES IN ADVERTISING
• Mistakes in
advertising are a normal process of trial and error. However,
there are a few common mistakes that are made and should be
avoided
• Don't use "say nothing" headlines. The ad must
induce interest to the reader. The headline should make the
reader want to read more.
• Don't use pictures that talk! Unless you have pictures that
are self explanatory or give meaning to the words, they should
not be used.
• Don't give the reader a reason not to read your ad. The
reader must have an incentive to read your ad. Your ad should
make a promise.
• Don't make your ad too clever. Different plays on words
and various clever sayings are rarely a plus.
• Don't leave the ad open-ended. Always make an offer and
induce a call for the customer to act! An ad must urge action
now!
TWELVE
STEPS TO FOLLOW
1. Know your
product.
2. Establish a budget.
3. Determine where and how often to run your ad.
4. Contact print publications for rates.
5. Write your headline and copy.
6. Decide which publications to advertise in based on your
copy size and budget.
7. Prepare your ad copy at the printer.
8. Place your ad order with the publication.
9. Monitor and track your responses
10. Monitor and track your sales in conversions.
11. Assess which ads are cost effective and which ones are
not.
12. Readjust and increase your advertising budget.
A FINAL
THOUGHT
The
importance of proper advertising can never be overstated.
No business can survive or grow without it. If you are to
succeed in this endeavor, you must advertise! Create a budget
by determining a specific amount of money you can commit to
advertising for a specified period of time. It is important
that you commit your entire budget for the period of time
specified. This will insure that your product and service
will maintain visibility to your target customers and, ultimately,
insure your success.
Always
remember that a good advertisement will attract attention,
stimulate interest, carry conviction, and, most importantly
induce action!
Advertising
Guide Main Page
Advertising Tips
and Advice - 1
Advertising Tips
and Advice - 2
Advertising Tips
and Advice - 3
Advertising Tips
and Advice - 4
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