How to Prepare an Effective Newspaper Ad
A newspaper ad can be an effective way to increase your sales, but you must consider two important elements before placing the advertisement. The most important element is your target market. If the newspaper isn't read by the people who need your product or service the most, your ad won't be effective. The other important consideration is the design of your advertisement. Investing the time and money in designing an effective ad will grow your business in the long run, but attempting to build sales with a poorly designed advertisement is like throwing your money away.
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Things You'll Need
- Pencil
- Notepad
- Computer
- Graphic design software
- Graphic designer (optional)
- Copywriter (optional)
Instructions
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1
Create a benefits list. Your newspaper ad should focus on the benefits that your target customer will receive from purchasing your product or service. Write down every potential benefit your customer could receive, including only the results they will receive, rather than simply listing the good features of your product or service. For example, you can list "save money on your heating bill" as a benefit for a window insulating service. On the other hand, "keeps the heat from leaking out" would be a feature, not a benefit.
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2
Number the benefits list according to value. Narrow your list down to the three most valuable benefits (from your customer's point of view). Then create three columns, with one benefit listed at the top of each column. Under each benefit, write a list of reasons why the benefit is valuable. For example, under "save money on your heating bill" you might list "use the savings to take a vacation" or "add the extra money to your child's college fund." This list will help you develop a strong headline for your advertisement.
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3
Brainstorm several headlines based on your top benefits and the reasons you've listed beneath each of them. Using the examples from Step 2, a sample headline might be "Save Money This Winter & Take Your Dream Vacation This Summer!" Create a list of as many headlines as you can think of, then leave the list for 24 hours.
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4
Review the list of potential headlines and pick the best one. At this point, you have two options. If you feel confident in your writing ability, write the rest of the ad based on the headline. If you aren't as confident in your writing skills, hire a copywriter to create copy based on the headline you've chosen. In either case, make sure the copy includes a brief description of your product or service and a call to action.
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5
Determine what, if any, graphic elements your ad will have. Once again, if you feel confident in your graphic design skills, you can design the look of your ad yourself. Otherwise, hire a freelance graphic designer to create the perfect design. Be certain to use a simple but eye catching photo or illustration--generally at or near the top of the ad--to complement your copy. When the text and illustration have been perfected, save the file in the format preferred by the newspaper and upload or send it to them per their instructions.
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