Our photographers who are great marketers start designing their ads, flyers, and postcards for the 2009 holiday season in August. To encourage the rest of you to get started, below are 5 tips to make sure your ads have maximum impact:

1. It’s about the customer. Go through your ad, and everywhere you use the words “I” or “we” change it to “you” or “your”. For example:

I specialize in senior photography. We guarantee satisfaction.
or
Your photos will reflect you. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

2. Make it short and simple. Take a hint from the print industry: the average newspaper is written for 6-8th graders. You should do the same. For example:

Our expert staff will take the time to insure that each and every photograph you purchase is skillfully color-corrected, printed and mounted to your exacting specifications.
or
You’re going to love your photos.

3. Cut the hype. The more you hype your specials, the more you sound cheap and insecure about your work. This applies to both ad copy, as well as fonts, uppercase and punctuation. For example:

BIG SALE!!! Limited time only.ACT NOW!!!
or
Exclusive offer just for you

4. Let others say it. Testimonials from others are the most effective form of advertising. Make a habit to collect testimonials all year, then use them in your promotional pieces. For example:

Your prints will be perfect, on time, and at a great price.
or
“JD Photo made my prints perfect, on time, and at a great price.” Joe Client

5. Call to action. At the end of every ad, your customer should know exactly what you want them to do. You have to tell them specifically. For example:

Please contact us at your convenience to set an appointment.
or
Call us now at 888.858.8084 to reserve your free, private consultation.

These tips aren’t just for new ads; if you’ve already created an ad, check it against this list to measure how well it stacks up. If you’re missing one or more of these 5 items, you should edit your ad before you use it again.

Tags: advertising, selling

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