Do Your Ads Add To Your Bottom Line?

Creating ads that present your product or service to other businesses is much the same as creating ads for consumers. The difference, of course, is that you're selling to a tightly defined niche market as opposed to a wide swath of the public. But the basics are the same because you're trying to persuade another human being to take a closer look at what you're selling. Here are ten tips to help you create an ad that makes your audience stop, look, and take action.

1. Define what you're selling before you sit down to make an ad.

2. Know who you're selling to -- keep that person in mind as you write your ad.

3. Come up with a clear statement of your product's or service's benefit. Keep that in mind, too.

4. Write as if you're one-on-one with the reader. Think of ads you connected with. They spoke to you.

5. Stay away from ego statements unless you're skilled enough to be humble or humorous. 'With a name like Smuckers, it has to be good.'

6. Make sure there's a strong connection between your headline and main visual. Picture a sleepy guy crawling out of bed, and the words 'Time to make the donuts.'

7. Choose your ad environment carefully. Your better mousetrap may not be appreciated in Gourmet magazine.

8. Study competitive ads and make sure that yours is different. Work hard to make it stand out.

9. Solicit comments. Track results. Change your approach if there seems to be a problem.

10. Above all, be sure your product or service lives up to your claims. After all, satisfied customers and clients create your best advertising.

About the author: Gary Watson writes ads that add to the bottom line.

To learn more, visit him at http://www.GWCopy.com or call 508.651.9737