3 Cardinal Sins to Avoid in Your Print Ads

SIN NUMBER ONE IS TO FAIL TO
Talk about what your Reader wants
not what you would like to talk about)

Too many companies simply use advertising materials (including ads) to boast about what they believe are their accomplishments; things they’re proud of. To a Reader, this is like meeting a stranger in a bar and having to listen for the rest of the night about how wonderful this person believes they are. It’s a turn-off. You do use positive points about the business, products or service in your ads - but only in the right way, and at the right time


SIN NUMBER TWO IS TO FAIL TO
Understand that, in advertising terms,
you are “abnormal”

A normal Reader doesn’t open the paper looking for one specific ad; firstly to make sure it’s there; and secondly that it’s in the right place! Then, that Reader doesn’t spend a minute or two (or longer) working their way through the ad to make sure it’s correct. A normal Reader glances at an ad to see if it’s of interest – and, if not, they go elsewhere. If your ad doesn’t get their immediate interest (from a starting point of none), then it doesn’t matter how great the rest of your message is – or how terrific your organisation, products or services are – they’re already reading something else!


SIN NUMBER THREE IS
To present the ad in a way acceptable
only to the company placing it

This means using the jargon attached to the products, services or industry – irrespective of whether a “normal” Reader will have a clue what’s being said. It also is about a company knowing “why” they are presenting the ad in a certain way whilst forgetting that any poor Reader doesn’t have such background information. It’s also about an Advertiser who wants their ad in “reverse block” (white type on black background) or “with a big thick border round it” or “put my name at the top” – all devices that help the Advertiser find their ad in your publication – but are detrimental to actually selling anything through it! This is because these same devices hamper or prevent a “normal” person from reading, understanding and acting upon the ad


If you avoid these three "sins" - your ads at least have a better chance of doing their job for you

3 Cardinal Sins to Avoid in Your Print Ads - To learn more about this author, visit Gordon Veniard's Website.

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