Words For Sell

As part of your sales campaign, there will be many opportunities to compose solo ads that can be used in a number of situations. In some cases, these may be general ads that are designed as part of the materials for a marketing campaign aimed at a new target group of consumers.

At other times, you may want to develop a solo ad that is aimed at appearing in a one time publication, such as an annual chamber of commerce directory. There are also situations where it may be advantageous to develop a series of solo ads that spotlight several of your high profile products or services. Here are a few tips to help you come up with solo ads that will work.

When planning an ad, it is a good idea to think about the amount of space you can afford. Obviously, you want to target print publications that will reach the types of consumers that you want to connect with.

Keep in mind that a quarter page ad in the right publication is a much better investment than a page ad in a publication that does not include a readership that would have an interest in what you have to offer.

Spend your money on ads that are geared toward the right people, and make sure the text of the ad makes that clear. Knowing where to place ads is your first step in deciding what type of copy to include in the customized solo ad.

The same type of approach can be applied to online ads as well. Creating a simple but effective solo ad that is targeted and can be placed on particular sites where potential clients visit. The text should be short, snappy, and make the point without taking more than a couple of seconds.

Generally, an online ad will also redirect visitors to your web site, so make sure that the tag or trigger you use with the ad is relevant to what the prospect will see when he or she arrives at the site.

Keep in mind that solo ads are not meant to be detailed repetitions of the information on your web site.

Instead, they are meant to call attention to some aspect of your business, and build enough interest that people will want to learn more. Don’t try to accomplish too many things with one solo ad. If the purpose for the ad is to promote a sale, then make sure the verbiage proclaims how good the sale is.

Perhaps you want to tout a new and improved product. Under those circumstances, focus on one or two new features of the enhanced offering. That is enough to act as a teaser without spilling all the details about what is so good about the new version of the product.

One easy way to create a series of solo ads is to come up with one basic format that can easily be adapted for different venues. Once the basic elements are in place, it is relatively easy to use the master ad as the template.

From that vantage point, it is easy to make some changes that will personalize each ad placement to target the specific print publication or set up web sites where the solo ads will appear. This approach also provides a sense of continuity.

Consumers who see two or more of your solo ads will easily recognize all of them as associated with the same products, based on the choice of graphics and the layout of the content.