7 steps to designing winning ads

awardwinningadboudicamarketing — This is a Heating and Air company newspaper ad that won a company-wide "best ad" monthly contest when I was working at Swift Communications, Greeley Tribune (Jan. 2016) I was the sales rep so I didn't do the graphic design part, only provided the images, instructions and copywriting.

Are you interested in doing paid advertising your business, but unsure of what you need to put into your actual ad?

Paid advertising is a sure-fire way to cast a wider net to reach the audience most likely to use your products and services, and you can find more success by targeting your message to the right person, at the right place at the right time.

Here are a few insider tips I've used while working in the media news industry that helped me put ads together for my clients.

Seven components for designing award-winning ads. These tips are for newspaper ads, but the principals can be applied to other advertising platforms. In all cases, less is best. Remember this, confusion repels, clarity attracts.

1. Clear Message - Do you understand what the ad is about instantly? It should target a specific audience. Make it clear, who should do what, by when and why.

2. Attention-Grabbing Headline - Does the headline tell readers what problem it solves for them? Does it draw you in and make you want to read the rest?

3. Incentive - Give the reader a reason to act. Show them what makes you different and why they should come to you. This should be an offer you have tested and already know works really well. Use your "best offer".

4. Call to action - Use a verb that captures the soul of your product or service, create urgency, and give them a reason to respond immediately.

5. Clean Layout - 50% of the ad should be for the reader, what's in it for them. Make it clear what the reader should read first, second and third. White space is your friend because it draws the eye to more important aspects of your message.

6. Impact - does the ad have a distinct voice? Will you remember it tomorrow? Does it make you feel an emotion or mentally experience the product?

7. Use images of your target audience or something relatable to them.

Combining all of these elements together, you will be able to create an ad that will attract and convert your target audience, helping you get new leads and grow awareness for your business.

Thanks for reading! If you got something from this please be sure to share it with someone that could use the info.

Becky Colvin