by Paul Lines

Created on: December 27, 2006   Last Updated: May 04, 2007

Advertising may seem a simple process, but there is an art to effective advertising, which if one wishes it to have positive results, must be learned. The real aim of advertising is to sell more of ones product or service than one's competitor. The art is in the achievement of this aim. There are some simple steps to follow.

CONTENT AND DESIGN

The actual content and design of your advertisement is the first aspect that needs to be concentrated on.

1) The first step in the process of advertising is the description of the product or service and its application. Within an advertisement this needs to be portrayed in as few numbers of words as possible, whilst at the same time getting the message across with clarity. People are not going to read a diatribe about what you do or your product. They need to be able to understand this easily and directly.

2) Honesty. It is essential that the content of your advert is honest and that it does not contain any promises that you cannot deliver. Inaccurate and misleading advertisements are not only against the law, they will also destroy your business.

3) Secondly, you need to put across the benefits of the consumer using your organisation rather than a competitor. What makes you so special? Is it service, price, or after sales? Get that message across

4) Contact details and location are important to remember. Not only do people need to know how to get in touch with you, they also need to know how to find you. The latter is especially important if you are selling a product that cannot be despatched to the consumer.

5) Spacious. It is important to ensure that your advert is not crammed full of wording, so that it is difficult to read. This will turn consumers away. Even if you need to increase the size of the space within which the advert is placed, this is preferable if it makes the advert words stand out more.

6) Logo and image. To get the best and most consistent value out of your advertising, it is important to create an image or brand that is unique to your business. You need to work on an instantly recognisable image. Therefore, when people view it they will automatically associate it with your product or service.

INSERTION AND MONITORING

Having produced an advert, the next stage is to decide where and how to place it.

1) Targeting. Many businesses pay too little attention to where their advert is being placed, relying simply upon a general positioning in a local paper. What needs to be considered is what type of person is going

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