The Tribune

By Deidre Bastian

As a proud Bahamian I cannot begin without congratulating the Local Organising Committee, Minster Danny Johnson and his Ministry, the athletes and everyone else who contributed to making the IAAF World Relays a success. Well done, and it was a testament to teamwork and collaboration.

Speaking of collaboration, has this ever happened to you? You bought an ad in the newspaper and did not receive a single call. You aired a radio or TV commercial and nothing happened; ran a magazine ad and it was as if no one ever saw it. Or perhaps you received calls but they were not from the right people?

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, you would certainly expect your advertisement to attract sales and gain more customers. Sadly, it is not a good feeling when competitors roll over laughing at your advertisement - not because it is entertaining, but because it is so depressing.

Yet, while I believe that the dynamics of advertising require different flavouring, strategic wording and design is paramount. Here are a few snapshots on how to communicate a message via advertising and increase your response:

• Make sure the ad has one large, dark element: It can be a heavy black headline, a photograph or an illustration. Try opening a newspaper and notice which ad grabs your attention. You will discover it is the one with the largest and darkest single element. It is not always the biggest ad that draws the most attention, but a small ad with the right punch.

• Large and bold headline: Narrow typefaces are not wide enough to attract attention. Ensure that the type you choose for your headline is large, and easy to read when scanning the page.

• Simple layout: One large picture is more effective than several small ones, as it helps the prospect’s eyes flow smoothly from the top to the bottom of your ad. If you obstruct that flow, ensure the obstruction is a vital part of your advertising message.

• Never let the artwork overwhelm the message: What you say is always more important than how it looks. Meaning: “Your message is more important than the artwork”. Don’t use so many illustrations that your reader loses the message.

• Don’t print words across a photograph or illustration: Inscribe words above or below a photograph, as you shoot yourself in the foot if it is difficult to read, and it reduces the impact.

• Place the main point into the headline: Sometimes, four out of five readers hardly read past the headline, So if you depend on the body of your ad to tell your story, you are wasting 80 per cent of your money. The headline is the part most people read.

• Ensure the headline reveals the benefit of your service: All headlines have one mission: To get a prospect’s attention and offer something he/she wants. So always express the benefit of your service.

• The headline should convey how you are different from your competitors: When prospects read your “competitive advantages”, there should be good reasons to hire your services.

• Prove your claim: Support your claims with facts, figures, testimonials or case histories. Remember, words such as quality, value and results are simply unsupported claims. However, specific statements build credibility so that prospects can believe what you say.

• Get to the point FAST! A prospect’s first question is always: “What’s in it for me?”. Many ad writers take too long to get to the main benefit. Do not save your most important benefit until last. Place it in the first paragraph, as one rule in advertising is: “Fire Your Biggest Gun First.”

• Wording: Use warm, friendly or every day language, so that your prospects understand what you are saying.

• Tell people what they will lose if they do not buy. Remember this important principle: “The fear of loss is greater than the desire for gain”. Meaning that your prospect fears losing something more than he wants to gain anything. Many ads tell prospects what they will gain by buying a product or service, such as increased profits, more protection, added flavour or faster relief. What about their loss?

• Don’t waste words: Examine each word: Does it motivate your prospect to act now? If it does not help, it hurts as it distracts from the important parts of your message. If you do not need a word, get rid of it so that it can move your prospect to action.

• Say exactly what you want done: It is amazing how many ads do not ask the readers to do anything, and subsequently hope they figure it out for themselves. If you want your prospect to respond, say so. Example: “Call for free brochure” or “Register now for our free seminar.”

• Toll Free: If overseas includes a toll-free number, part of good customer service is not asking your prospect to pay money to call you.

Given these points, it saddens me to see how quickly business persons lose money on ineffective ads that do nothing. If you see that prospects do not respond to your ads, it is probably due to a few of the above oversights. Accordingly, if your desire is to make money, then consider these tips for your next advertisement. Until we meet again, fill your life with memories rather than regrets. Enjoy life and stay on top of your game!

NB: Columnist welcomes feedback at deedee21bastian@gmail.com

ABOUT COLUMNIST: Ms Bastian is a professionally trained graphic designer/marketing voordinator with qualifications of M.Sc., B.Sc., A.Sc. She has trained at institutions such as: Miami Lakes Technical Centre, Success Training College, College of the Bahamas, Nova Southeastern University, Learning Tree International, Langevine International and Synergy Bahamas