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Print ArticleI play this game again and again. The next time you drive down the interstate, take a look at all the trucks and note what names are on the side of the truck. Count how many times you have no idea what product or service they are trying to advertise. You may be surprised.
The next time you sit down to write an ad, name your business or design a flier, think about how your potential customers will see it. Here are some tips to help you avoid theses common mistakes:
• Test your flier or ad. Give it to several
different people and ask them what product you’re selling. Ask for constructive criticism
and be ready to receive that criticism.
• Hand someone your flier and ask them to find your contact information. See how long
it takes. If it takes them longer than five seconds, then you may need to consider placing
your contact information more prominently.
• Hand someone else your flier and have them look at it for five seconds again. Then
hide the flier and ask what the flier said. If they had no idea, your ad or flier may need
to be rewritten to stand out. Try bolding or using a larger type face when expressing your
services or a business phone number.
• Will the ad or flier have a good call to action? In other words, does it excite the
reader to call? This can be done with a special offer, a discount, something for FREE, etc.
Remember when it comes to your dollars, you want to get the most out of your advertising. Think like you are the customer. What are you selling and why would you buy from you?
About the author: Frederick M. Hueston is a worldwide expert on stone installation, failures, fabrication and restoration. He is the founder of the National Training Center for Stone & Masonry Trades (ntc-stone.com) and Stone University (stoneuniversity.com). He can be reached at Fhueston@aol.com.
