On average, Americans see between 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements every single day.
That stat might sound discouraging if you're thinking about beginning an advertising campaign, but don't let the large number scare you away. Instead, think of it as a challenge to create a memorable, unique and extraordinary ad that will stand out from the crowd. Here are our five tips to help you create an advertisement that will shine.
Do your research
Before you even think about designing an advertisement, you first need to think about your audience. Who is your target audience? How old are they? Are they primarily men or women? What is their income? If you can't answer these questions, you're not ready to advertise.
Knowing your target audience means you'll be able to design and direct your advertisements toward the people that are most likely to appreciate what you're selling. Do your research before planning a campaign to ensure your ads will be seen by the right eyes.
Use a dominant, relevant image
Creating the perfect advertisement is a lot like crafting the perfect piece of jewelry: it needs to be bold; it needs to shine; and most importantly, it needs to catch the eye. You can achieve this by focusing on a dominant, relevant visual.
A clear, bright and engaging image should be the focal point of your advertisement. Stay away from creating an ad with an excessive amount of text, as our brains are hardwired to favor visual information over textual information. Shoppers are much more likely to stop and pay attention to a visually pleasing image than a page of solid text.
Additionally, don't forget to include your logo or brand somewhere in the advertisement. After all, the goal of advertising is to build brand awareness and encourage customers to shop with you.
Write a strong headline
Too much text is a sure way to get consumers to skip right past your advertisement, but that doesn't mean you should skip textual information all together. A strong headline and informative copy make a great compliment to an attractive visual.
When writing your headline, make it unique, specific and urgent. Don't open with the same old, "buy now for the low, low price" line. Consumers have heard this before, and they're bored with it. Instead, write something that encompasses your business's personality and shows shoppers why they should buy from you, not the other guy. What makes you different? Put that in your headline.
Present your Unique Selling Proposition
Now that you're thinking about what makes your business different, it's a good time to present your unique selling proposition, or USP. Your USP is what sets your business or product apart from everyone else. It's what makes a shopper buy your diamond ring instead of buying from that jeweler down the street.
This is your chance to be as specific as possible about what makes you the best. Does your jewelry have a special certification? Are you using gems from a rare location? Whatever it may be that sets you apart, that's what your advertising needs to focus on. You may even want to consider using your USP in your headline instead of just discussing it in your copy.
Provoke curiosity
There's one thing that sets good ads apart from great ads, and that's the ability to provoke consumers' curiosity.
Good ads make shoppers think, "Oh, that's nice," and turn the page. Great ads make shoppers think "I need to find out more about this product right now," and then take action. You obviously want your advertisement to be the latter. Yes, you want shoppers to think your ad is well done and visually appealing, but the ultimate goal of advertising is to encourage shoppers to take the next step: to pick up the phone, log online or visit your shop to find out more and eventually make a purchase.
Three of the best ways to provoke consumers' curiosity are:
1. Appealing to emotion
2. Doing something unexpected
3. Withholding pieces of information
Creating a memorable and unique advertising campaign isn’t as difficult as it sounds once you know how to get started. Do you research, focus on what makes your product special and don’t let that large number of advertisements scare you away.
Advertising does work, especially when it’s done well. By following these five tips, you'll ensure you create an advertising gem.
Sara Connors is the CEO and founder of H2O Media Inc., a full-service advertising agency specializing in direct-response advertising. The agency, which is located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, offers a vast array of traditional and digital advertising solutions ranging from online advertising to placement in top national and regional publications including Allure, TIME, People, Good Housekeeping and Delta Sky. Call H2O Media at 952.856.6176
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