What Your Ad Should Look Like
Bottom Line Management provides professional design services but we know that you need to be satisfied with the ads we create. No one design works for everyone. Different headings need different approaches. Your specific marketing goals and competition also affect format. But certain principles generally apply that you can keep in mind:
Ad Flow/Design
Generally, you should be able to place your finger wherever your eye is first drawn and then move through all of the information in the ad without lifting your finger.
• Grab the readers attention with a large photo or graphic showcasing what you do.
• While yellow pages ads can often carry more copy than other print ads, try to keep your ad clean, uncluttered, and easy to read.
• Illustrations should point into your ad -- not towards your competitor's ad.
• Reverse type can be a very effective highlight, especially for things like your company name and phone number.
• Use a distinctive company logo somewhere in your ad.
• Consistency in copy and look from book to book as well as with other media in your mix tends to reinforce and enhance all of your advertising's effectiveness.
• Keep your reader's eyes heading to the phone number.
Headlines
Headlines should capture the readers' attention, draw them into your ad and give the reader a quick summary of what services you offer or idea you want to convey.
• Simple, bold statements, humor, or questions can grab a reader's interest.
• Identify the single most important feature of your business that sets you apart from your competition.
• Unless yours is a very well known name, or your name describes a product/service which is otherwise hard to quickly understand, your name is usually not a good headline.
Copy
Keep copy succinct and to the point -- but be complete. Different people are looking for different things when they shop.
• Emphasize features and benefits of your product or service.
• Specify brand names, specialties, qualifications, and other information that makes you stand out from the competition.
• Include vital information such as location, hours, parking, credit cards, and your web site address, if applicable.
Borders
Distinctive borders can help create a mood or tie in with your products and services.
• Bold borders tend to be effective and separate you from other ads on the page.
• Allowing an illustration or other element to break the border can create visual interest and create extra "white space" around your ad.
In Conclusion
There are many things to keep in mind for successful yellow page advertising. Bottom Line Management can simplify things for you to ensure that you have the most impactful eye-catching ads on the page.