Print advertisements are a tried-and-true method of advertising that have withstood the test of time and remain effective, even as the landscape of advertising has changed and evolved – Provided you’ve written an ad that will get people’s attention, of course.
Writing a print ad can be challenging if you’re new to the process, but the tangible benefits of print ads will make it worth your while to put the effort into crafting a striking and powerful ad. So don’t get discouraged and get writing instead!
Here are some tips on how you can write an ad that will get noticed and effectively convey your message.
Put thought into your headline
The headline is the first thing that a reader will see, and you want it to immediately grab their attention. Think about what would make your ad the most intriguing to a potential customer or get them excited about your business. Try posing a question or putting a great offer right there up top (e.g., 20% Off All Products!), whatever will make you standout. Brainstorm a few different options and ask for feedback from your friends or colleagues. The more ideas the better!
Keep the body text to the point
Keep your ad as simple and straightforward as possible. You’ll have a limited amount of space to work with in a print advertisement, so you want to make sure you’re including only the essential information. A good trick for keeping your ad copy brief is to write a first draft and then do a round of revisions where you see if you can cut the length by half. This should help you trim the fat off your ad and leave you with a clear and simple message.
Include a “call to action”
What should the customer do now that they’ve read your ad? Do you want them to call your business? Visit your website? Attend an event? Your advertisement needs to include a clear Call to Action, or instruction, on what the customer should do next (e.g., Call Now for a Free Consultation). You want the reader to act now, so make sure that you’re telling them how to proceed before they put the ad down. Also, ensure that you don’t neglect to include your contact information. It’s not very effective to have a call to action telling the reader to visit your store, and then forget to provide your business address.
Don’t overload your ad with images
Including attractive and compelling visuals in your ad is a great way to make it standout, but you want to make sure those images are helping to effectively deliver your message. To that end, it’s best to keep it simple and not clutter up your ad with too many images. Try selecting a single, unique image that compliments your ad copy. You want your words and visuals working together to convey the story you’re trying to tell.
Proofread your ad!
Make sure that you proofread your ad thoroughly before you submit it for print, and then have someone else look it over too. Having more than one set of eyes checking your ad can help ensure that you don’t miss any little typos or mistakes. Pay special attention to things like your contact information when checking the ad. You don’t want customers to be unable to get ahold of you because there was an error in the phone number or email address you provided.
Hopefully these tips will help you get started on creating a successful advertisement that will get readers excited about your business. If you have any questions on ad sizes or requirements for Coffee News, don’t hesitate to give us a call! 780-220-6397.