If you advertise your business, then what you’re about to read could change the way you use this promotional strategy.
A couple of days ago, I received the Clipper Marketplace in the mail.
It’s basically a small catalog of advertisements for local businesses. You probably get something similar every so often in your mailbox.
I scanned several headlines as I flipped the pages.
Beat the Heat Sale!
Simply … The Very Best!
Remodel … Redesign … Revive …
Lock in Your Price for One Year!
Don’t Pay Retail!
25th Anniversary Sale
Build the Best for Less
My headline review left me questioning the success of most advertisements in the publication.
The above headlines offer little clue of what each company is promoting. From a prospect perspective, there’s little reason to continue reading.
Keep in mind, studies show about 8 out of 10 people only read headlines in advertisements, while just 2 out of 10 read the remaining copy.
Countless companies throw away millions of dollars each year on print advertising because they use vague headlines that lack benefits and fail to deliver reasons for people to continue reading.
What’s worse is when ego-driven executives use their company names as headlines on advertisements and marketing materials. A not-so-surprising 10 companies used this tactic in the Clipper Marketplace.
The truth is prospects could care less about your company name. They only want to know what you can do for them.
If you fail to reveal this information — beginning with your headline — then you’re just padding the pockets of any publication you advertise in.
Here are a couple of other quick advertising tips:
- People are naturally drawn to pictures of other people. We’re taught at an early age to look at faces for feedback — this carries over to our viewing habits on advertisements.
- Similar to headlines, people read text under pictures. Use this valuable space to explain the big benefits your readers receive when they respond to your call to action.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Good writing. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed my Google News Reader..
Matt Hanson
September 29th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Hey dumbass… Dont bash something you know nothing about. Have you personally advertised here. Just a update. I only advertise through Clippers and my business does 100K a month on there Ad’s. Your bald, your lonely, and wanting to look for a reason too write. Write about facts, not BS. This is one of the best coupon books in AZ. Do you live in AZ. Just by coming across this article makes me laugh at your credibility. I dont work for the Clippers, just Advertise with them. You know nothing. Go ahead and delete this post so your readers don’t see it. Why would you even write about something so stupid. Your a bald idiot. The Clipper has made my company lots of money.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Jeff,
Why would I delete your comment? You’re entitled to your opinion — just as I’m entitled to mine.
If you read the article or watched the video completely, you’ll see my comments were not directed toward the Clipper. Instead, I pointed out how many businesses don’t use their advertising space wisely — and are losing out on opportunities to attract more buyers.
I’m sure there are plenty of businesses generating sales using the publication (and yes, I live in Phoenix, so I get the Clipper regularly).
If you have an ad generating $100,000 a month, I congratulate you. In fact, I’d be more than happy to post it here. I’m sure many business owners could learn from your copywriting and advertising strategies.
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:05 pm
In response to Jeff Sprague’s posting:
Jeff,
I highly doubt you write your own advertisements in the Clipper because you write like a first-round castoff from “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” Have you lost a couple of fingers laying tile with your flooring company, or do you really let the entire world read your laughable rants full of spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors?
Make sure to grab a dictionary and a professional typist when you reply to my post, so I can actually read your thoughts … or maybe I’ll just take it to the nearest preschool for translation. Thanks for the laughs — at your expense!
October 8th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Jeff is right about the Clipper. I did read in TechCrunch last month that “The Clipper” is forecast to outpace Internet ad revenue by 2019. We’re moving all of our clients to Clipper ads ASAP.
Wake up Internet fools!
PS Amazing what people will write when they are hiding behind a computer.
October 8th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Excellent post. The same principles apply to web copy — and they are disregarded online even more than in print. On your home page, you have about 7 seconds to answer the visitors’ three unspoken questions:
Who is this for?
What is the big idea?
What’s in it for me?
Ideally, all three questions should be answered in your headline — the single most important (and most commonly neglected) component of the home page.
Keep writing, Tom!
October 11th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Tom …
I read this the first time around, but had to come back, reference the rant … You are right … Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, however, everyone also … Has the right to remain silent, as anything you say can and will be used against you in a court …; In this case, of the public … I applaud your posting the rant … It helps me see I am not the only one that gets these things … See You At The Top!
March 29th, 2010 at 7:33 am
Print Media is dying a slow but sure death, look at any local phone book, newspaper or even the Clipper, the merchants are getting tired of paying an astronomical price for ads that most people throw in the trash.
Marketing your business online is absolutely one of the best things a local brick and mortar business can do. But the next big player for marketing your business is Mobile Marketing, the iPhone was the tipping point on the way people shop locally.