Ads in printing publications offer a real challenge. On one side the customer wants an immediate response and on the other side, the seller wants the best result for his customers and hopes a continuous advertising revenue from a satisfied client. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, especially in medium or small publications.
Basically, an ad is competing for ‘real estate’ space with other ads — usually in great number— and with editorial. Small companies care about the effectiveness of their advertising budget, they want to get the most for their money, they can’t compete with big budgeted companies with ongoing campaigns and big spaces. They can’t hire an agency that produces brainstormed creative ads.
The same goes for newspapers. My experience in community and ethnic newspapers showed me it is easier and more profitable to get an ad from a corporation. They pay more, get a big space and send the advertising already designed, ready for the printing plant. In comparison, small businesses need design, copywriting and advice. Among them there are those who are open to suggestions or others that have a fixed idea of what they want. Some want to fill the space hoping that somehow will catch the interest of the reader.
The commission of the sales team, and the pressure on their quota, made them pull as much as they can from their customers in order to meet their goals. What about the goals of their clients? I guess that’s the balance they have to confront as part of their profession.
The seller is the first contact the newspaper has with his advertisers. If all is handled correctly, they start developing a mutual trusty business relationship where the seller would become an advertising counselor, a situation ideal for everybody. Sellers possess a very good human interaction, psychology and drive to sell but sometimes they lack proper training in advertising to advise their customers.
That’s why it is important to address this necessity with training. A practical, fast training dedicated to the sales team about effective advertising in small ads is a great way for any publication to address a better service to its customers. A talk with concise points in an easy way showing simple facts, guiding without imposing (I found the sales force tend to put this kind of information aside unless it represents more dollars to them) was a good way to introduce sellers about designing proper ads. Those are some of the highlights of the training:
An effective ad
1- Identification: Instead of a myriad of cluttered and confusing information, an effective ad must present an irresistible offer that identifies a customer and captivates them.
2- Specialization: An effective ad can transmit a specific idea or message to potential customers and be good enough to stand out from competitors. One clear way is the transmission of a specific marketing strategy through special promotions or products; this is called specialization, somehow making the business unique.
3- Clarity: It is best to feature a few items rather than include everything. It many items must be mentioned select one for major emphasis. This dominant element will attract the reader and lead to a complete reading of the entire message.
Ads elements
1-The image: To reinforce an ad, and image is needed. It initially attracts the attention of readers.
• Other visual elements include the border art, white space, the type style, art style, art content and ad layout. The combination of all these elements and the image compose the whole graphic message to the reader.
Some recommendations:
- Make also use of the fact that the reader tends to look in the direction in which a model, car or other subject is looking or moving; a model looking outside the ad space may move the reader’s eyes away from the ad.
- One image is all that an ad can successfully project. The image projects the business and mirrors customers’ self-image to attract them.
2- The Headline: One good strategy is to write a strong offer that beats competitors and targets potential customers. The best way to tell them what your advertising offers is by means of a strong headline. A good written headline summarizes and telegraphs your message. A good headline don’t just grab attention; it also guides the reader into the rest of the ad.
Studies demonstrate that immediately after glancing at the visuals, the reader looks at the headline. Sometimes headlines are also the visual element through a nice typography and a smart distribution in the space.
3 Ad Copy: An ad not only advertises the best offer but also demonstrate how products or services relieve problems for customers and make them get the results they want. When a reader finally gets onto the ad’s body copy, it should clinch the deal. Copy length must be kept relative to what a prospect wants and needs to know, with specific statements short and to the point.
Some recommendations:
- When overprinting on a screen, tone keeps the screen light – no more than 20%.
- Typefaces must be so easy to read that readers don’t even notice the type. Choose a type style that makes it easy for readers to focus on the offer.
- Fonts with small end strokes or ligatures called serifs are easy to read, using more than two or three typefaces in one layout can weaken it.
- Avoid all caps, lower case words are easy to read, never deform the horizontal scale, kerning and leading, condensing or expanding is troublesome for the reader.
- As a rule of thumb, choose the largest typeface you can use without creating a crowding feeling in the ad.
- Reverse type (white type dropped out of a solid black background), should be used for accent only and make sure it is bold and bigger than 12 points.
4- Space: An effective advertisement must have enough space to communicate its message; extra space that eliminates crowding can go a long way toward capturing interest and promoting effective communication. Blank space focuses the reader’s attention on the copy and the art.
5- Composition: Ad elements should be arranged in proper sequence to unfold the offer. White space allows the readers to understand copy and art; you will lose readers if you try to cram elements or text in every corner of the ad. Great ads are simple; they’re great because they are great pieces of communication.
Small space advertisement
The small ad’s requirements incorporate the concept of a good design to create an effective ad in a small space.
Small ads are made of the following elements:
- Headline: The introduction to the ad. This is the part that telegraphs the idea or ad’s concept and introduces the reader to the rest of the ad.
- One Image: It is demonstrated that just one image is needed to attract consumer attention.
- The body copy: the text will show the offer, slogan or explanation of services. It’ll need to be short and to the point.
- The name of the business, address and telephone.
Technical Specifications.
- Avoid type smaller than 6 points,
- Avoid reverse type smaller than 12 points.
- Type over gray background denser than 25% will be hard to read.
Example
The following ad constitutes an example of a catching ad. The headline captures the reader’s attention and identifies a problem for potential customers whose tango lessons are the solution. The headline introduces properly to the body text.
The body copy is short and to the point, and gives the most important and relevant information in three ideas: the excellence of the instructors, the fun environment and the fact that lessons can be taken solo or with the couple.
The Image faces the text and introduces it effectively with a sensation of flow and elegance.