The creative on any ad is the life blood of the advertiser. The brand, offer and the response avenue all go hand-in-hand. The performance of both branding and direct response offers depends on efficient and effective use of the space no matter how small. Classified ads can bring in responses just as well as national magazines if the creative is properly done. Here are a few tips directed to the retail or direct response advertiser.

Creative Tips:

1. Identify your audience – You must know who you are selling to and what consumers want to see. Do they want a low monthly price? Do they want to see the actual product? Talk to your customers via focus groups and surveys to find out what is important to identify their buying habits.

2. Make the creative unique – Advertisers should be accentuating the positives of the product and the company. The company logo and identifying color scheme can connect the consumer to the brand. Having some consistency in the look of ongoing creative builds a brand image, as well as loyalty.

3. Experiment – Don’t use the same creative over and over again. Maintain some consistency with logos and wording, but rotate in holiday themes or special events. This will give your brand diversity.

4. Track your results – Use different tracking codes or phone numbers (if possible) for different media programs. This is more of a direct response tool to track which programs are performing well. If a program is not paying out because there is a low volume of calls, considering alternative programs and focusing on the better performing media for your campaign is a smart option.

5. Clear and concise – Get to the point with your offer. If the ad is heavy on the wording, you will lose the customer. Consumers need to be drawn to the creative and understand what the offer is with a quick glance. There are too many other offers that are vying for their attention and yours must stand out.

Talk with your creative and design team to develop what your company’s look will be if you don’t already have one, as your ad should reflect the company’s personality. Use these guidelines when looking ahead towards the next campaign.