| |
| |
|
Mahavir Information |
| ||||||||
|
How to Critique Your Own Yellow Page Ad
Forget what you know about your business Your goal is to see your Yellow Page display advertisement the way a directory user sees it. You can't act like you know anything about your enterprise that isn't there, on the page. Look at your ad without pride or being identified with your operation. If you pretend it's someone else's, you can spot the flaws you'd otherwise overlook. Mentally put the competition's name on your ad. Does what you say apply equally well to them? If it does, you haven't effectively set yourself apart. When all the ads seem alike buyers think they can get the same thing from any of them (and are more likely to select by price). The goal isn't just to look different, but to actually be different in ways customers notice and care about. Does the ad provide the facts readers and callers need? Directory users have already decided to buy something. So they're looking in the Yellow Pages to find who provides it. This is the educational phase of the buying process. As soon as a person finds enough information to take the next step, they close the directory and move on. Customers want information. They're looking for some reason to prefer some business over the rest. Well-thought-through ads make their job much easier. So give readers the precise information they're looking for. It's hard to do that unless you understand your customers' mindset and priorities. It helps to be absolutely clear about how you're different from other businesses in the heading. Look at the ad as a whole Now squint your eyes so you can't make out the words. This lets you get the overall impression. Most ads just get scanned, so the words themselves are only read if there's a double-take that captures the reader's attention. Is the whole image pleasant to look at? Does it reveal an attractive, unique personality of the business? Is there a business-like, competent tone? Do all the parts, from the fonts and images, to messages, all mesh and express the same distinctive flavor? Are there distractions from the image or message? Does every element carry its weight and support the whole mood? Fat borders and cutesy graphics use valuable space, without much pay-off. If there's color, is it used effectively? Does it contribute or distract? Notice the business name. Does it tell you what the enterprise actually does (aside from the category it's in)? Generic names like R&J Enterprises don't cut it. If the name isn't informative, you might need a slogan or tagline - but do make it unique to you. Is the information arranged to be easy to read? Every ad is a compromise between saying enough and arranging it to clearly communicate an attractive impression. Does the most important information stand out? Is it easy to find (without being too packed in)? What catches the eye first? Second? Third? How complete is the information? Does it provide what callers are most likely to ask about? Customers are concerned about convenience. Does the ad include crucial location, hours, extra services, parking, payment options, after-hours contact, etc.? Is there a way for them to get extra information (like a booklet or from a Web site)? Give bonus points for that. Look word for word. Is every one essential? Is anything important left out? Is it organized with bullets or clusters so related information hangs together? Next, consider the ads around it A Yellow Page ad never appears in isolation. And what goes on with the nearby ads influences the way people respond to yours - more than the specifics of your ad. What else is on the page, and the pages before and after yours? Be honest now, do they do a better job of grabbing the eye? Is the whole page a blur - without a clear attention grabber? And if there is one, what makes it stand out better than yours? How can you improve on it? Assessing your ad is the first step to making a better one. The real value of critiquing your Yellow Page ad is to sharpen your own eye to pick up the crucial differences among competing ads. Practice in other categories where you don't have a stake. Soon you can tell in a glance which ads have more appeal - and why. Find free expert assistance in developing a first-rate Yellow Page ad at http://www.yellowpagesage.com. or arrange for a professional critique of your ad, so you don't miss a trick. Either way, you'll find ample ways to improve your ad that will improve its performance. And you will be ready when the next directory comes around. ©2004, Lynella Grant --Dr. Lynella Grant, an expert in visual communication. How printed materials send signals that strengthen or undo the words. Author, The Business Card Book & Yellow Page Smarts http://www.yellowpagesage.com Off the Page Press (719) 395-9450
MORE RESOURCES:
Acne - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Profit from Your Expertise (Part 1 of 2) Are you looking for a natural way to market your professional services? What if you could exponentially multiply the number of motivated, pre-qualified prospects you reach in a fraction of the time that networking and referrals require?Now what if you could be the person in a crowed room with whom everyone wants to talk about your services? And no, they don't want to sell you something?they want to buy what you've got.Too good to be true? Not if you know how to leverage the knowledge you get paid for every day as a professional service provider. Off The Shelf Software for Making Business Lists Available to all small businesses are business lists, which come on CD ROMs. This off the shelf business list software can help you in your small business. How To Conduct Effective Online Surveys Although they are inexpensive and product fast results, online surveys still need to be conducted properly to be really effective. The key steps for conducting effective online surveys are:Identify your objectiveDecide what information you needDevelop a questionnaireConduct the surveyAnalyze the responsesRecommend a course of action* Identify your objectiveOnline surveys are conducted to find out the characteristics, behaviors, opinions, and knowledge of a particular population. The M-Word It was a real eye-opener to hear the perceptions people have about what it means to market professional services, as well as the anxiety the "m-word" (marketing) conjures up. It reminded me that, just because professional service providers have a lot of expertise in their chosen field, it doesn't mean they have the same level of understanding about the business of growing a practice. Sponsorship: A Key to Powerful Marketing Sponsorship is the fastest growing form of marketing in the U.S. Tips for Trade Show Rentals Trade show rentals allow you more flexibility and the opportunity to change your booth with every expo if you wish. You can rent nearly any booth components, from portable pop-ups to completely custom looks. Meaning and Marketing - The Trigger In previous articles under "Meaning and Marketing", we have learned about the verb "To Be" and that the name of God is I AM.Stephen Hawkings, the world's greatest mathematician, and author of several books on science and the Universe, was more or less a bum during his university years in England and some years thereafter. You Must Get Going If You Want To Get Growing For many of service-based businesses out there, it's not that you don't know you should be marketing or don't want to get better at it. It's just that you don't. Niche And Grow Rich Unless you've been living under an Internet rock, you've probably heard the buzz about Niche Marketing. Right now it's the hottest marketing topic online. How To Use Humor Successfully In Your Business Communications For generations people have been saying that laughter is good medicine. And now the scientists have taken an interest it turns out great-grandma was right. How To Let Your Customers Search For YOU! - Part 2 First I want to welcome you to part two of the article 'How To Let Customers Search for YOU!', where you can learn how to attract new clients at any time you want. The techniques I describe here have proofed to work for me and a lot of other people. Provacative Research Works If you want to double your business, then you need to get inside your client's head through proprietary research and provocative results.By conducting proprietary research, you obtain special information that prospective clients can't find elsewhere. Fundraising Renewal Letters: Four Goals to Strive For With Each One You Write In the fundraising profession, appeal letters that you mail to existing donors are called renewal letters. They are designed to solicit a gift, but, more important than that, they aim to persuade your current donors to renew their support of your organization. Demographics For the Masses Information is the lifeblood of the economy. That's especially true for businesses, because the ability to identify current customers and locate new customers makes the difference between boom and bust. How to Market and Protect Your New Ideas The intellectual property transfer market is now estimated to be worth over $100 billion. If you have a new idea, a patent or an invention, you may be able to license it or sell it for millions of dollars. Referrals - How to Get Them Referrals are an extension of Networking. If people like you and like the sound of your product or service, then there's a good chance they'll tell other people about you. Attract Your Dream Customer Have you clearly defined your target audience? These are the prime buyers of your products or services. It is the people or organizations you are pursuing actively as customers. Top 5 Design Tips to Create Eye-Catching Marketing Materials Great graphic design looks effortless, but it requires lots of attention to details. Think back to an eye-catching advertisement, publication, or flyer you saw recently. Quick and Instant Marketing Soup Everything happens Quickly and Instantly on the Internet. In the blink of an eye your easily transported around a whole planet. Where Are Your Leads Coming From? Most B2B marketers spend a great deal of time analyzing the performance of their programs and initiatives. The reason is obvious: With the growing pressure on marketing to produce measurable results, it's critical that every marketing dollar is invested wisely.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Home | Site Map Copy Right 2006 Mahavir.com |
| NISL | Herbal Acne Solutions | Promotion Factory | Web Design | Online University Degree | College & University | GtpInfo | VPayU |
