How can I design my own ads for my business

Design your own ads

Despite the obvious advantages in going to an agency, many of you will design your own copy, particularly when just starting in business. I can't turn you into an expert wordsmith in a few pages but the ground rules can be spelled out fairly succinctly. There are many ways of getting the message over and fortunately there is no one sure-fire route to success. It would be a dull world if there were.

Advertising is a transient medium; no one is paid to read adverts. They compete for your vision and comprehension along with all the other ephemera of the modern world. Good advertisements follow the formula AIDA - Attention, Interest, Desire and Action. The first requirement, therefore, is to attract attention. This can be done either with a headline, a picture, colour (spot or full), special position or novelty. Some researcher has worked out that Mr or Mrs Average 'sees' over 1,000 ads each week - online, newspaper, posters, TV, etc. Your job when designing an ad is to get the reader to stop and digest what you have to say.

Research has shown that you get at most two seconds to catch the eye - and putting in a large illustration increases the chances. Making the picture take up half the space doubles the audience of ads with text alone. The brain remembers the visual image better. Words and pictures in combination can be powerful as long as the story merits it. All too often any old photo is dredged up to fill a space.

Advertisement interest

Unless the text appears of interest to the reader, then no matter how beautifully it is put together or how clever the pun, it will be passed over. Long text should be used with care, as again, modern research has shown that more text means fewer readers. The subject must be made to look attractive and compulsive reading. The best ads arouse an emotional reaction. You should strive to create desire in the reader. 'Yes, that sounds good - I'd like one of those.' It must relate to the reader's circumstances. You must always talk about user benefits, not features. And they must be readily apparent.

The ad will have achieved very little if there is no encouragement for the reader to do anything about it. This is the hard part. You need action. Coupons inviting enquiries for brochures or money off the next order are well-tried formulae. At the least, clear instructions must be printed to direct the reader to more information. The old buzz words come in here - 'Limited stocks, Sale, Limited edition to first 1,000 callers, Club members' preference, Free trial, Money back guarantee', etc. The best of all is 'New'. Don't fall into the trap of designing ads that are 'all image and no information'.

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