From Main Street to Success: Writing Ads That Capture the Small-Town Heart
Customers are trying their best to find you. YOUR ADS WILL HELP THEM!!
A large segment of the world's population watched the Super Bowl last January.
Studies show many people tuned in to watch the commercials, not the game.
The Today Show, the following Monday, featured a person who rated the commercials as to which were the best.
There's little danger that you and I, as small business owners, will do Super Bowl advertising any time soon.
But we can learn from the Super Bowl exercise by learning some techniques that will work for small-town businesses.
What Makes A Great Ad??
Great ads do a variety of things. (To see my ten favorite things, click here)
They inform, educate, and, most of all, make us react somehow.
And most important of all — they SELL.
What good is an ad that wins a wall full of awards but doesn't increase business? In my opinion, not much.
Great ads don't always feature the product. Do the horses in the Budweiser ads make you want to run out and buy beer?
Nike's message isn't "Buy shoes"; it's "Just do it.
The Steps To Writing Great Ads
You don't just sit at a table and write a great ad.
Just like anything else worthwhile, it's a step-by-step process. Here's where to start.
Assemble the facts and fallacies about your business.
What types of headlines and ads are your competitors running?
What sets you apart from the competition? What special skills services do you offer?
What are your weaknesses?
Do a business resume as outlined in Chapter Two of "How To Market, Advertise, and Promote Your Business Or Service In Your Own Backyard."
Write down everything you can think of about your business and services a customer should know.
Organize the information.
Your first instinct may be to throw your hands up in frustration at how much information you think must be put in the available ad space.
Look at all the information; what's really important? What's profitable?
Why should someone buy your product or service?
Don't worry, it'll all come together later, I promise.
You're reacquainting your subconscious mind with the facts it will use to create your ad.
Do some trial runs.
Try to think like your customer. What are they looking for?
What needs do they have you can fill? Experiment with a couple of headlines.
Would these attract your customers? Do they create interest?
Combine a headline and a visual. Do both work together? Here's a free headline evaluator.
Use AI like Chat GPT to help you create headlines.
Ask Chat GPT to create five headlines for your business, service, or sale.
Use the headline evaluator above to find the headline with the highest rating.
This story's headline got a rating of 81 when I asked, "How to make a great small-town ad."
What's the best way to present your product?
Perhaps you need a copy-only ad. This part may also be frustrating, but hang in there.
Just keep experimenting.
Take a break.
Forget this ad-creating stuff entirely.
Play golf, watch a movie, read a book, or play with the kids.
Don't think about this ad.
While you're relaxing, your subconscious works on the problem.
It tries every conceivable combination of headlines, pictures, copy, and message.
You will suddenly be hit with a bolt of inspiration when it finds the correct combination.
The idea for the ad. You're a genius. Pat yourself on the back.
This is the process for all great ideas.
Tweak it, but not too much.
Remember, you're just hit with inspiration but must still put it all together.
Pick a friend or relative you like and pretend you are talking just to them when you write your copy.
Don't drive yourself crazy trying to get it perfect. There's no ideal ad.
Anyone who creates them always wishes they had done one more minor adjustment.
Getting the ad out and working is the most crucial part.
All your advertising is going to evolve over time.
Good News!
It gets easier. That right. The more you do it, the easier it gets.
Over time, you will understand what works and what doesn't.
You will pay more attention to your customers and their comments and suggestions.
You will start to hear phrases that would make good headlines.
The Last Word On Great Ads
Keep in mind how vital advertising is. You're speaking directly to customers.
How important is that?
Do you have friends who started as customers?
This relationship is a vital function of your business. Many people reduce it strictly to dollars and cents.
I won't argue that cost is an essential factor.
However, don't forget that small-town advertising should not be for the masses.
It is a one-on-one conversation with friends. I notice that the larger the company, the less the one-on-one message.
Learn from the big guys, but don't fall into the trap of using an impersonal product or service message.
Remember, you're talking to your neighbors even if they're worldwide.
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