We are a do-it-yourself crazed society. Convinced we can cut corners, save money and impress our friends and neighbors with our latent abilities, we LOVE the DIY philosophy. From home remodeling to hair color, businesses everywhere cater to those of us with the confidence to tackle new tasks. Advertising is no different. As a business owner, you know your business better than anybody, so who better to design your print ads. After all, it can't be that hard...can it?
Before you step boldly into uncharted waters when it comes to designing your own magazine ads, be aware of the common pitfalls of self-designed creative. Here are 5 surefire ways of making sure your print ads fail.
- Fill every inch of your ad space. After all, you paid for it. There’s plenty of white space on an ad…so use every inch to tell everyone about everything you do. You never know what will catch someone’s interest.
- Use iPhone photos. No need to pay a professional photographer when everyone knows that “authentic” is best. Besides, it’s good to be frugal with your ad dollars
- Use lots of different fonts. Fonts are eye-catching and can help you emphasize different points.
- Cover all aspects of your business. If you focus on one thing, you alienate everyone else who has ever read the ad…or ever will read the ad in the future. Make sure you list everything you do for those readers who take time to read the entire ad.
- Make sure every ad you do is different. Don’t repeat ads. Reusing ads is boring and a waste of money. Keep your design team on their toes with a completely new concept every time. Readers will be impressed with your range of ideas.
These 5 bad practices are ones we’ve seen DIY designers do…and they’re guaranteed NOT to work. There’s no substitute for relying on the training and experience of marketing professionals when it comes to investing your money in advertising. But if you are absolutely determined to do your print ads yourself…please heed our advice and stay away from the five untruths listed above. And then, as fast as possible, download our newest eBook “10 Keys to Creative Effective Magazine Advertisements.”
And if magazine isn't in your wheelhouse, but radio is...find help with our 2-part series on the 7 Biggest Mistakes Businesses Make Trying to Write Their Own Radio Ads.
Remember, there's a professional team waiting to assist. If you get stuck or would like expert help, don’t hesitate to call. Your 20-minute consultation is free.
