Avoid 4 Ad Traps or your Advertisement $ Are Wasted!
Unless you have a Billion $ or so to advertise on TV like Ford or AT&T, you must be careful how you spend your hard-earned money. The key is to carefully craft your advertisements using the marketing equation of Interrupt, Engage, Educate and Offer.
Here’s some excerpts found in actual, recent Ads from a national publication someone actually signed the check to publish! Does each avoid the 4 Ad traps? Listed below are reason each failed.
1- Does the Ad use platitudes?
These are words or phrases that are drearily commonplace and predictable, that lack power to grab interest because of overuse – but are never-the-less stated as though they were original and/or significant. No! They can’t describe, exhibit, demonstrate, reveal or display anything about the product. With no distinction – no differentiation – no separation from the competition, they sell nothing. Examples:
• “World Class . .” • “. . exceptional quality and reliability . . .”
• “Setting the standard” • “The new standard in” blah, blah, blah
• “Hearing is Believing” • “. . . without missing a beat”
• “A breakthrough in . . .” • ”Infinite . . .”
2- Is it easy to replace the company’s name with a competitor’s?
• “The future is _____. . .” • “Loved by Thousands . . .”
3- Can any company can make the same claim?
• “5-year warranty . .” • “. . small, powerful, natural response”
• “You can have it all.” • “Ready for the real world.”
• “Systems solutions providers . .” • “Never before . . .“
• “Behind every great speaker is a great __________. . .“
4- Can anyone could say “So What?”
• “An uplifting experience . .” • “folded ribbon driver”
• “Roads to Choose.” • “Visionary”
• “Clearly . . .” • “Focus . . .“
• “New from blah, blah, blah” • “New Family of ______“
Excellent Tests for Your Ad
Why not ask yourself these questions: “Would you mortgage your home just to raise money to run it?” If not, the Ad needs to be fixed! “Have you wondered if your Reps, Customers and Salesmen could receive better information?” Better communication always equals better results.
If your company has not made any market headway over the past year, the main problem may simply be strategic (what you say and how you say it) not where you advertise! Throwing money at the problem or pointing fingers at sales people is very, very seldom the answer
4 More Ddeas Help Create Successful Ads!
1) Write a simple questionnaire and interview potential clients to learn if the Ad will get them to buy your product.
2) Have an independent source to ask your salesmen, “Will the Ad sell the product to your customers? Are you sold on the product?” Why or Why not? What will it take them to be sold on your product?
3) Have the independent source ask the salesmen “What will sell your clients on the product?”
4) Have the independent source ask potential customers what evidence they would need to change their buying habits to your product?
This isn’t a complete list, but it should get 95% of all businesses much more effective Ads. Above all don’t be bullied into running an Ad that someone on your staff or an advertising agency dreamed up, without thoroughly checking to be certain it will sell your product profitably.
Avoid 4 Ad traps. After all it is your money!
