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Creating an Ad that Sells!

1. The Idea
· You first must decide what you want your advertisement to say about your company. Realize that your ad is your "ambassador" to your clients. Choose just one or two subjects that you would like your ad to emphasize. This can be a new product, a specific service or a broader view of how your company fits into the market.
· Look at the advertisements of Fortune 500 companies-and your competitors-to help you form the idea you want projected in your ad.

2. What to Include in your Ad
· Label your ad with a two to four word headline that catches the reader's attention and alerts them to the benefits of your product or service. Using your company name is not always the best choice.
· Make the ad eye-catching and easy to read. Include plenty of white space, and use active and precise words to sell the advantages of your product or service to the reader.
· Include the who, what, where, when and how of your company in the ad. However, keep your promotional text brief. One or two paragraphs should be ample space in which to include this information. Keep this text simple. In fact, bullet points rather than paragraph form are often very helpful to your readers and better hold their interest.
· Finally, make sure it is easy for a customer to get more information about your company. Always include your phone number, fax number, Web site address, and e-mail address.

3. The Importance of Color · Colors can help readers to more easily identify your ad.
· Select a color to match your logo, your machinery or anything else of significance to your company.

4. Choose Good Graphics
· A picture is worth 1,000 words. Choose high-quality photos and illustrations to graphically support your text.
· Do not use images from your Web site because they are low resolution and will not print properly.
· Scanned artwork or photos should be at least 300 dots per inch (dpi). In order to ensure color clarity, CMYK* format is required.
· Choose good quality originals, such as slides, transparencies, or prints. Remember: better original pictures result in better scanned images.
· Avoid using Powerpoint, Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher applications to create your ad. These file types cannot be used in standard layout applications.

5. Repetition
· Frequency is very important in advertising. Every time your ad is published, more prospective customers see it and respond. Therefore, a minimum of four ads is recommended for maximum exposure.

* Conventional printing methods separate color into four layers: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.

Source: Improve Your Marketing, 2002.