If you are new to the business world, you are most likely new to the world of advertising as well. Advertising is an essential factor when it comes to running a business or company. If it weren’t for advertisements, no one would ever become aware of any product or service provided by a business. The act of producing an advertisement can be expensive. So, the goal of any business is to find a cost-effective way to advertise a product or service to their target audience; while also delivering the ad in the most efficient way possible. Although being aware of cost is important, do not allow the budget of your advertisement to control your advertising decisions. Successful advertisements may be costly, but if implemented in the right way, you are going to get a great return on investment. Marketing should be making you money. Advertisements can also be simple to create, but there is a difference in a ‘normal advertisement’ and a ‘compelling advertisement’. Almost anyone is capable of creating a normal advertisement but the factors that differentiate the normal advertisements from the compelling advertisements are what is important.
Here are a few tips on how to create a compelling advertisement:
Focus on the unique selling position of your service
Focus the attention of the ad on the USP’s of the product or service being offered. This immediately creates a competitive advantage over other competitors, while also providing your advertisement with more value. Advertisements should aim to stand out in creativity, should resonate well within their specific target audience and persuade the target audience to invest in the product or service. An advertisement that has the ability to accomplish these goals is what would be considered a ‘compelling advertisement’ as it has made the customer feel connected to the product or service.
Connect with your target audience
Do not attempt to make your advertisement appealing to every possible market. Trying to make an advertisement that appeals to everyone is too broad and it will generally result in failure. It is important to know your business’s target audience and stick to it. If you stay focused on your target audience and make your product or service appeal to them, the advertisement will be more successful.
Choose the right channel
It is important to place your advertisement correctly. If you place an advertisement in the wrong type of advertising channel, the outcome will be poor. This all relates back to knowing who your target audience is and what channel will reach them best. There are many channels that a business can choose to display their advertisement, whether it be through new media - social media, web, mobile, etc - or traditional media -billboards, newspapers, television, radio, etc. Each channel of advertisement requires a different technique. Online advertising, also known as digital advertising, is extremely versatile with the type of advertisements used. Online ads are generally placed on popular websites and social media apps. Advertising a product or service online has an advantage because a business can programing keywords along with their ad and - if the client searches one of the keywords - the advertisement will appear. Online advertisements can vary in form like: blogs, interactive videos, quizzes, video-blogs (vlogs) and much more. These advertisements can be seen through a mobile device, kindle, iPad, or any electronic device that is able to connect to WiFi. Generally, advertisements that are trying to reach a younger target audience are featured digitally.
Print advertising is completely different when compared to digital, it has three categories: magazines/newspapers, direct mail, or brochures/flyers. This type of advertisement still focuses on a target audience - which is the most important aspect of all advertising, however it is usually much less targeted. People will be likely to view your advertisement if it is “eye-catching”. Print advertising is less interactive than digital advertising, which means the content and aesthetic of a print advertisement needs to be compelling. Broadcast advertising, also known as TV advertising, requires different content as well. These advertisements need to be “attention-grabbing” instead of “annoying” to the people watching. People who watch television tend to get frustrated with advertisements, so making them enjoyable and interesting is an advantage. TV ads need to bring awareness to the product or service being sold/provided, but they also need to provide another direct sales path within their ad. In our world, people are becoming used to information being given to them instantly, so without another direct sales path located within a TV advertisement, people will be less likely to invest in that particular product or service.
As a whole, advertising requires strategic thinking and placement. The key components to remember are: who your target audience is, what marketing channel you are going to place your advertisement in, and how to get your message across creatively and effectively in that particular channel. As long as you remember those tips, this will differentiate your advertisement from others and your advertisement should be compelling and successful.
