I have counseled 1000's of small businesses during my 25 years as a sales consultant with the Yellow Pages. I have also designed 1000's of ads. Most of mine worked because I stayed with the basic principles of advertising success. It all boils down to just four main areas. I know that other consultants may tell you there are five, ten, or fifteen rules to follow, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. My four will at least put you on the right track. The rest are enhancements that help the ad draw more customers or help track results.
It's rather like building a house. First, you buy the land in the best "location." Second, you decide about the house's "placement" on the property. Will it face the right direction for the best views, access, etc.? Then you draw up the plans for the basic "design." Finally, you pour the foundation on which the structure or "elements" will stand. Without all of this, nothing gets done. So, let's compare that idea to your ad.
First, where is the best "location for your ad? In other words, which Yellow Page directory will bring you the best ROI, or return on your investment? Contact each of your local Yellow Page companies and ask them to supply you with their usage data. That's the information on how many people get the book and how many use it. Unless it is terribly expensive, always choose the Yellow Page book that has the highest usage and therefore reaches the most potential customers, Some books tout the fact they charge less, but that's because they also have the smallest reach, or readers. Go fishing where you'll find the most fish.
Fine, so now you have your location. The next challenge is the placement. This is determined by the size and heading. More well-developed headings that have many ads require larger ads to be seen. In other words, a small ad placed in a plumbing heading consisting of 20 pages will most likely go unnoticed. Unless you can afford a large ad, you might consider a lesser heading like "sewer and drain" or "water heaters" for your small ad. The heading gets less usage but your investment is also less.
So you have your "placement" picked out and we can move on to the "design." The ad creation depends on the size you chose. A two-inch alphabetical ad has enough room for several lines of copy and little else. That's okay if you realize that every word must be sales copy describing the benefits of using your business. If, on the other hand, you have a larger display ad that has space for a bold headline and a picture, you are now in the realm of putting together a dynamic and compelling story. That's where we can turn to the final structure.
The "elements" of a creative ad are typically the headline, a picture or photo, the sub-headline, copy, and contact information. This is where it gets interesting. The headline must provoke the viewer to read more. It should make a statement about your business. "We Sell Good Lumber" is not what I mean. "Reliable Moving" is no better. Focus on a feature or benefit that sets you apart from the competition. "Wholesale Lumber Direct to the Public" or "Free Packing Boxes with Every Move" has far more impact. Then explain the headline in a second line. "We buy lumber in huge quantities and pass the savings on to you," is one idea.
Or try "We offer FREE unlimited packing boxes for any move, local or long distance as our way of saying thanks for choosing us." Now, doesn't that make sense? Insure that your picture or photo illustrates the headline. If not, leave it out. Then in detailed bullet form, list a few other reasons to buy from you and add complete contact information. Don't forget a map for retail stores and your website or email address, Keep the phone number bold and easy to read. Those are the elements of a good ad.
There are several other things to remember that will aid in a better ad that costs less in the long run. I've spelled them out in a book I wrote about my experiences in the Yellow Page industry and how to design effective ads. It's a best-seller on amazon.com and will educate, entertain, and inform.
Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and runs a consulting and design firm, Advertising Business Consultants for Yellow Page advertisers in Phoenix, AZ. His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages." is available on amazon.com. He can be reached by email at jph948@yahoo.com.
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