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Knockout Yellow Page Ad Design That'll Knock Your Competitors Out Cold!
By John Morana
"My Yellow Page ad just isn't bringing in the calls I need!" I've worked with Yellow Pages advertising (in one form or another) for 30 years and of all the complaints I've heard about this unique medium, this is by far the curse most often thrown at them. It's no surprise. Flip through your directory and you'll see why. Same dusty ads... telling the same tired story... to the same undefined audience (everyone). Of course prospects aren't responding – these ads speak to NO ONE powerfully!
Blame "the message" dear friends, not the messenger! When every ad speaks the same tired phrases to the same "generalized buyer," prospects have no reason to choose one ad over another, and your competitors are just as likely to be chosen and called as you are. Poor ad response is the inevitable result. But not to worry! Learn to speak to the prospects needs and fears and you'll bring competitors to their knees, while plumping up your wallet for the next 365 days.
Want to speak to the prospect? Well, who are you trying to persuade? Exactly who do you want to call you? I know, I know... you want as many calls as possible, so your answer is "everyone in town". The problem is, Yellow Page ads that try to persuade EVERY reader wind up motivating very few. People are looking for someone "special" who genuinely cares about solving their specific problem... someone they can truly trust. Speaking specifically about these needs as a specialist will allow you to connect powerfully with your target audience and create these warm, fuzzy feelings - carving a unique place in the market for your business.
Here's an example. Let's say your baseball obsession has left you with a painful arm injury and your doctor tells you that chiropractic care may help ease your pain. Soon, you're flipping through the chiropractor heading in your Yellow Page directory. Your eyes quickly glaze over as you're bombarded with a boatload of ads that look and say basically the same thing... "Are You In Pain?" Uh no, I'm browsing here because I have a thing for chiropractors! Don't waste precious space telling your prospects what they already know!
Odds are there isn't a single message that makes a personal, emotional connection with YOUR specific problem. But what if you came across an ad with the following? (Headline) "Quick, Gentle Relief For Your Sports Injury..." (Subhead) "From the Chiropractor Professional Athletes Rely On." The body copy goes on to explain how this chiropractor has earned a glowing reputation with the local sports teams AND it even includes a few of their testimonials. The ad's large, unexpected graphic (a batter smashing a ball into space) reinforces the ad's headline and conveys the benefit of calling this doctor (regained mobility). So, are you going to call one of the many chiropractors that promise pain relief for "everything under the sun" (including migraines, ear infections and scoliosis) or are you going to place your trust in a sports injury specialist who you perceive to be a sports nut, just like you?
The more tightly focused your ad is, the greater response you can expect to achieve. It's far better to persuade 10% of the audience 100% of the way, than 100% of audience only 10%. Speak only to the people you most want to attract and they WILL answer you. You'll differentiate your business from all the rest in a powerful way and basically eliminate the competition!
Speaking of being different. What kind of graphics are you using in your Yellow Page ad? Does your "unexpected" image grab the reader's eye and set you apart from the rest in a meaningful way? Or are you running the same yawn-inducing, expected images everyone else is using? The image you choose should leap off the page, reinforce your headline concept (benefit) and highlight the "solution" to the prospects problem, NOT the problem itself.
It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many chiropractic Yellow Page ads depict sad, aching individuals clutching their backs in agony! What are these doctors thinking? Probably the same thing personal injury attorneys are thinking when they place horrific car wreck photos in their ads. Or plumbers who show a panic-stricken homeowner standing in knee-high toilet water!
The image you choose for your Yellow Page ad must be positive and make your prospects feel comfortable (and safe) about calling you. There are exceptions of course, but unless you're a Yellow Page direct response ad design expert, steer clear of any images that could carry negative connotations. Show prospects an image that reinforces the reason to call you (the solution to their problem) and they WILL be much more likely to notice your ad, read it entirely, and call you!
How about the overall visual impact of your Yellow Page ad? Does your ad stand head and shoulders above all the clutter and "invite" readers in? If not, you're wasting money. Learning the secrets of effective ad design will make your ad leap off the page and draw readers into the meaty content they'll need, in order to make an informed decision. Successful Yellow Page ads usually contain 4-5 main elements. They are: a powerful headline (and possibly a sub-head), emotion-based body copy, a striking visual and a compelling call-to-action. The way in which these key elements are presented and interact with one another will largely determine your success or failure in the Yellow Pages. So hold on... Yellow Page ad design primer straight ahead...
Your primary objective in the Yellow Pages is to get noticed amidst a slew of competitors. After all, they won't ever read your content if they don't even notice your ad. Don't worry, it's not that difficult.
* Run your headline BIG and bold at the very top of your ad.
* Use a large, unique, unexpected graphic that grabs the eye and reinforces your main headline concept.
* Keep your body copy fairly small (9 to 11 point) to conserve space for your large, eye-grabbing graphic and headline.
* Watch your white space! Empty space in your ad is just as critical as the content because it makes your message stand out that much more. Ample white space also makes the layout easier to navigate, giving it an uncluttered and inviting presentation.
As you lay out the main elements of your Yellow Page ad, try to create a logical visual "eye flow" that directs the reader's eye from the "point of entry" (your main headline) at the very top, to the body copy in the middle and then gently deposits them at the call to action, which should appear at the bottom of the ad. Make note that the visual point of entry can also be your unique graphic image. Whatever your eye-grabber is, just make sure it helps identify your target audience, commands attention, conveys the solution and makes the reader want to continue reading.
These are just a few suggestions to help make your phones buzz big time. There are dozens more on the way, so stay tuned! Contrary to what most Yellow Page marketers claim, there really are no "secrets" to successful Yellow Pages advertising design. High-performance Yellow Page ads contain a few key elements that are put together using established, time-proven strategies. Incorporate them into your very next Yellow Page ad campaign and you will reap stellar results. If you could use a few pointers along the way, please don't hesitate to let me know.
About the Author
John Morana is president of MaxEffect Yellow Page Ad Design and has specialized in print advertising design for over 3 decades. He has developed advertising for Bausch & Lomb, Kodak, Time Warner Communications, Xerox, USA Today and thousands of Yellow Page advertisers around the world. For more tips and quick answers to your Yellow Page ad design questions OR to request a free, no-obligation Yellow Page ad design evaluation: Call toll-free 800-726-7006 or Visit: http://www.max-effect.com/
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