Have you given up on print advertising? So many marketers seem to think that the only way to market themselves is via the Internet. While online marketing tactics seem to be the wave of the future, print advertising is still viable. Here are a few tips for you to consider when planning your advertising campaign:
- Your ad begins with a plan: Do you understand your target market? Do you know which trade journals specifically are directed to your target audience? Do some research and choose several highly targeted journals. Analyze the media kit information or ask the media rep to provide you with an analysis. The main point is that you must understand your target market and you must choose journals that hit that target.
- Copy drives the creative: How many times do you start with the design of the ad without any thought to the copy content? Probably most of the time. Turn it around and write the copy first. What are the features, benefits, and advantages of your product or service? Don’t think about how great your company is but think about how does your company’s product offer solutions to your customers’ problems. Then have your designer work on the layout, format, and creative portion of the ad to coordinate with the copy points.
- Basics of a good ad: Your ad should consist of a headline, a subhead, body copy, and a call-to-action plus graphics that correspond to the copy. And, don’t forget to place your corporate identification on the ad. So many ads these days are not adding any contact information except for their Website. Many people need that warm feeling that you’re a legitimate company so they want to see your corporate logo, address, phone number, and Website. Your headline should be compelling and attention grabbing. The subhead relates to the headline and should answer the question for your audience “What’s in it for me?” The body copy relates to the headline and subhead and is written around the specific objective for the ad. And, don’t forget the call-to-action statement. Too many ads forget to ask for the reader to do something. Make an offer of a white paper, sample of your product, or something deemed valuable by your target audience.
Remember … advertising doesn’t cost … it pays for itself … it is an investment. Print advertising still works. You just need to follow the basic rules for success.
