Posted by: Troy White
July 8, 2010
Issue #962

How to Write
Lead Generation Display Ads

In this issue:

• The Small Business ATM Machine – or the curse of the advertising sales rep?
• Silliness 101 and why most small businesses are fed up with their marketing and Yellow Pages efforts
• The three proven rules for writing a money churning display ad for any business
• And Much More!

Fellow business builder,

Over the past five years, I have noticed a very scary thing with small business owners. They tend to believe the people who are selling them advertising space! Considering that most advertising sales reps know very little about direct response (or even how to spell it), and that they are paid on the space they sell – not the results their clients get … there couldn’t be a worse place to get advertising advice.

Yet, a decent Yellow Pages ad or small display ad can bring in a constant stream of paying clients.

Today I want to discuss how effective display ads can be used for the average house painter, massage therapist, Laundromat, restaurant, printing company, etc.

These are not the type of ads that Clayton would be writing – these are much easier for the typical small business owner to write, and run themselves.

Small display ads …

You see them everywhere!

They are plastered all over the local newspapers.

They are in the phone book.

They are on the Internet.

They are used as brochures.

They are used in e-mail promotions.

They are used on eBay listings.

They are used on web pages.

They are used as handouts.

They are everywhere
and are being done COMPLETELY WRONG!

How do I know this? Testing and history. History has proven that the way most people write display ads is guaranteed to BOMB.

My own tests prove this is still applicable today.

And yet, when a small display ad is done properly – it is an automated ATM machine. It will bring you in consistent numbers of leads every time it is run. The leads will be high quality. The leads will convert easily to paid buyers – again, using as much automation as possible.

For example, I run a small display ad (you will see it below) in the local business paper. The paper comes out bi-weekly.

Every single time that ad runs –
I get 30 – 50 QUALITY leads.

Not only that, those leads convert better than leads generated via other means. And they buy more – at higher prices – and more often. Which is the panacea for most entrepreneurs: More leads, better quality leads, high conversion numbers to buyers, buyers that buy more, at higher prices, at higher frequency.

So why do people continually complain
about their ads not working?

Because they are doing them ALL WRONG.

• They listen to the advertising sales reps on what makes a good advertisement.
• They listen to the same old line – “ you have to run your ad more often, for longer periods of time before people become familiar with you and start buying.” Reality shows that if your ad generates no response the first time it runs – it will NEVER make real money. While not everyone buys from first exposure – some do – and if you cannot get them to ask for information – you will never get the hard-to-sell types.
• They copy the other ads from the same industry (again – written by people who have no clue what makes for a great advertisement).
• They run them in the wrong places.
• And they do not understand the basic fundamentals of good advertisements and sales copy.

One last thing most people do completely wrong – they SELL THE WRONG THING IN THE AD!

• They try and sell a car in an ad – would YOU buy a $50,000 car from a 200 word ad?
• They try and sell house painting from an ad – would you trust some contractor to come into your house – $3,000 check in hand – just from a small ad?

My point is – you cannot, nor should not, try and sell your main product or service from the average small display ad. People like to know what they are buying – and why they should buy from you.

To do that … you must educate them.

For example:

A house painter came to me to place his first Yellow Pages ad. He was going with a double business card style ad. The advice from the Yellow Pages sales rep? Look at all the other ads in the house painting section and make yours like that!

Funny thing, I know a couple former Yellow Pages sales reps – and THAT is the summary of their training on advertising – “look at what everyone else is doing in the section and make your clients ad similar to that.”

Sad   – but true.

Anyhow, all the other ads in that section place the company name at the top of the ad (usually taking up 20% of the space). They show a ladder and a can of paint. They say “free estimates” … “quality workmanship” … “bonded and insured” … etc. They ALL say the same thing!

Now THAT certainly makes it easy on the buyers to choose one from the other. Wrong.

To stand out – you do the OPPOSITE –  not the same. Here is the ad I wrote for him:

Notice a few things:

1. No company name as your headline – people could CARE LESS how creative you are with your company name – they want to know what you can do for them
2. If you are reading the Yellow Pages painting section, and you see all those ads looking and sounding the same – then you see the ad that says “HEY! Before you call any of these other guys – you have better read this one first” – and it looks like a newsworthy article – would you not read it?
3. Notice you are raising questions in your ad that they have never thought of. And they need to.
4. Notice it looks like an article in the midst of all these ads (articles get seven TIMES as many readers as advertisements – make it look like an article!)
5. Notice there is a testimonial. The name was not there as this was the draft ad before the person’s name was actually input. This was the ONLY house painter ad that used PROOF via testimonials.
6. Notice you are offering an education. They can learn about house painting – what they should and should not be doing. All this before they make a decision on who they are going to use.

If they are looking through the Yellow Pages and your ad is the only one who provides this information – yours will be the one that the majority call. And from that, you will close more than enough business to keep you very busy.

You want to know what’s truly sad
about this house painter?

He listened to the Yellow Pages sales rep. It was his first ad – and he got scared. Scared to be different. Scared that this way may not work. Scared that all the other painters would hate his ad and ridicule him.

He did put in the testimonial – but he also put his name at the top – the ladder – the paint can – all the same junk every other single ad had.

Which is the reason why only 3% of the population ever succeeds – the 97% does what everyone else is doing. Marc has done well because he is an exceptional painter and businessman – but he could have done much better – faster – by using the approach that is proven to pull in five – 10 times as many quality leads.

3 Rules
of Small Display Ads 

Display Ad Rule #1: You must have a powerful headline – and possibly a different font from the rest of the ad

• All Bold – NOT ALL CAPS – which is difficult to read – and never use your company name as the headline.
• Your ad must stand out from other ads. (Look at the ads in the section you’ll be advertising in and make yours look different, sounds different, and have a completely different call to action than the others.)
• Either an attention getting headline – or a benefit-based headline (WARNING! STOP! IF YOU ARE ABOUT TO … or the Fastest and Easiest Way To Lose Weight … For FREE)

Display Ad Rule #2: You must talk to the readers – not yourself

• Use normal people talk … not "advertising" talk – Make it sound like a conversation you would say to a prospect the first time you try to get their attention.
• Again, you must contrast with others in the section – talk like one of them. Don’t pretend to be a multi-million dollar empire when you aren’t. Be yourself – act like you are "one of the boys – or girls."
• Write your ad as if you are talking to one person only. Most ads are written as if they are talking to a group. (Use words like you and yours.  Actually count the use of you and your versus I and  we – there should be less than 5% of the use of I , me or we.)
• When people are looking at ads – they are typically interested in buying. You are talking to people who already have a desire for what you are offering. Take advantage of this and do what you need to force them to pick up the phone and CALL YOU RIGHT NOW.

Display Ad Rule #3: Make Your Display Advertisement As Long As It Needs To Be

• There is a false belief that you must keep your ad as short as possible. (Again – false advice from people who have never been accountable for the results they get from their advertising. The more you tell the more you sell has always been true – and it always will be.)
• Always be addressing the benefits of what you provide to them – not the features. List out everything about you, your business, your product or service – then ask “so what?” – do you answer that? Do you tell them what it means to them? What is in it for them to read your ad and to call or come by your business?
• BY FAR – the biggest mistake made – you MUST have a call to action. (Most people miss this one. Ask for them to take action – request your report – get their free coupon – book a free consultation – make it a limited time offer – or limited quantity – or a single day of the week.)

NEXT WEEK we are going to start designing your actual ads you can use in your business. Do you want to know WHY I love these little gems so much?

Because they are (for me) the most profitable and consistent stream of high paying clients I have.

Have a look at this ad:

This little gem is sooooo simple …
yet brings me in a solid 30 – 50 offline leads
every time the ad runs.

Those leads have been proven to be some of my highest return clients of ALL sources. It costs me less than $400 to run this in a highly targeted business newspaper that runs Canada-wide. Every time it runs – I build my database and I ultimately sell more products, services and seminars through the follow-up I am doing.

I can run this in as many different targeted sources as I need … and can handle (remember – too many leads can be a bad thing if they fall through the cracks and never get followed-up on).

This ad could always be improved. I have tested multiple variations of it. This one works the best, for this size.

You could easily modify it to suit your business … next week I’ll show you how.

To your success,

Troy White
Editor, Small Business Mastery
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23 Comments »

1. Comment by Jeff — July 8, 2010 @ 9:25 am

   As someone who is just finishing up Clayton’s copywriting course and has not yet landed a single copywriting assignment, this looks like an excellent way to start getting my feet wet… at the same time as getting those wet feet in the doors of companies that might eventually hire me for bigger (and more lucrative) jobs!

2. Comment by Allen Harp — July 8, 2010 @ 9:34 am

   Troy,

   Thank you so much for this article. As a consultant for small business owners it describes to a “T” the relationship I try to develop with my customers.
   They have been miisinformed by so man SEO snake oil vendors that they have trouble recognizing the truth.
   And Yes, honesty and integrity do matter to small business owners. They may get distracted sometimes because of their heavy workload, but once they find someone who they can trust and who delivrs results, you have a life long relationship.
   Thanks again Troy!

3. Comment by Jon — July 8, 2010 @ 10:43 am

   I like this Troy. Solid, illuminating example.

   This s-o-o reminds me of an A5 leaflet dropped by my postman the other morning.

   You need to understand that I live in a 21-year-old house, in a street of houses built at the same time. The leaflet is an advertising flyer for a wooden window refurbishment and renovation company. There are three houses in our street which have wooden window frames, casements etc. and maybe 40 to 50 (including mine) that have already had their windows and doors replaced with double-glazed uPVC units - after all, this is the UK.

   The heading on one side of the flyer reads: ‘We Can Help…’ without highlighting any problem or what they can help with. (Maybe I read the wrong side first.. turn over read the other side..) The other side has a heading ‘Renovate and preserve your windows with our Summertime Refurbishment’.

   Motivational, ‘jump off your seat and grab the phone’ stuff, huh?

   The leaflet is filled with lots of features like:
   Simple frame and hardware refurbishment.
   Pre-decoration repairs.
   Minimise dust ingress.
   We are specialists in timber window renovation.
   We manufacture in-house made-to-measure - to fit into your existing box sash frames.

   and my favourite (remembering this is about a windows company):
   Security and performance upgrades.
   (Maybe this is MS Wooden Windows?)

   There was little in the way of benefits.

   And their call to action?

   Contact us on 01*** 456*** for your free no-obligation survey and quotation.

   I couldn’t help thinking, these people are sending leaflets to the wrong houses, with a message centred on themselves, offering the same as everyone else (a free survey and quote). There was nothing to distinguish this piece of advertising junk mail from any other piece of advertising junk mail. They could have had a picture of a man up a ladder painting windows I guess!

   I pondered on how much money this window company was throwing down the drain, ..and then put the leaflet in my recycle bin.

   Best wishes and thanks

   Jon

4. Comment by Robert — July 8, 2010 @ 11:00 am

   I love offline direct response marketing. It seems to mean more when you have a win, compared to an online promotion (I’ll cash either check, though :-})

5. Comment by Clarke Echols (Resident scientist and rabble-rouser) — July 8, 2010 @ 11:36 am

   Excellent article. Very useful with lots of good ideas
   to work with.

   I’m going to publicly pick one nit because SO MANY PEOPLE
   GET THIS WRONG and it drives me nuts.

   When someone doesn’t care one whit, that means:

   “They Could NOT Care Less”

   NEVER say “could care less” when you really mean
   “couldn’t care less”.

   This mistake is like a disease pervading our culture.

   And it DESTROYS the credibility of the writer who writes it.

   No competent writer or aspiring writer should ever let that get past them. If they do, they deserve a ruler on the back of the hand by a cranky schoolmarm.

   A lot of mistakes are avoidable if you just stop and think about the logic behind what you’re saying…

   Clarke

6. Comment by Eric — July 8, 2010 @ 11:50 am

   You know what other disease is pervading our culture? Armchair proofreaders. Get a life, Clarke.

7. Comment by Jeff Veesenmeyer — July 8, 2010 @ 12:19 pm

   Troy - This article is dead on. I was an ad rep who sold display ads in weekly newspapers for nearly 20 years. My client base was made up from advertisers who I convinced to sign a 52 week contract. I sold them on the idea of running a small space rate holder ad every week. This would “keep their name out their” plus guarantee the lowest contract rate when they needed to run a larger sale ad. I did know how to write small space ads that worked. But, if the advertiser balked at my ideas, I would happily run their business card as an ad…week, after week, after week. This practice continues today. Most ad reps have no marketing or copywriting training. They just pick up and run whatever ad a client gives them.

8. Comment by Dave — July 8, 2010 @ 2:59 pm

   That was timely

   I just started a PPC campaign and did “me too adverts” - doh!

   Thanks for redirecting me. It’s funny, I know this stuff, yet we don’t do it. Why is that?

   It reminds me of the 2 farmers leant against the gate saying
   “You know I don’t farm as well as I know how to farm!”.

   And that’s why we have to keep reading this stuff - to remind us of what we have forgotten that we once knew.

   Thanks for a great article.

   Changing my ads right now!

   Dave

9. Comment by John Anderson — July 8, 2010 @ 6:26 pm

   Great article Troy look forward to part II!

10. Comment by Pete — July 8, 2010 @ 6:46 pm

    Another nit picking piece to pick up on - saying it’s an automated ATM machine is really saying it’s an automated. automated, teller machine machine!
    A lot of folks get this wrong.
    A good article though.

11. Comment by Nizom — July 9, 2010 @ 4:43 am

    Well, it was true education for me too…very practical and timely.

    In my view, this one is your best article so far, Troy.

    Thank you,

    Nizom

12. Comment by David G. — July 9, 2010 @ 9:22 am

    Very timely - I just got an email from my YP rep asking me to renew for the next year! I completely re-wrote my ad following your advice - we’ll see how it works! (At lease, we’ll see how it works next year when the new YP book comes out - gotta love the telephone company’s lead times … NOT!)

13. Comment by Mary Mac — July 9, 2010 @ 9:44 am

    WOW. I really liked this. Some lessons, I have to read and reread. This one I got easily. I had the creative juices flowing from it already and then I get to the end and you tell me you will show us how to modify it for whatever our business may be. I can hardly wait ’til next week. Thank you Troy.

14. Comment by Eleanor Lynar — July 9, 2010 @ 9:14 pm

    My humble thanks to you, Troy White. I have so much to learn. However with your fine examples, I am determined to get it right. It’s worth it. No matter how the bullets of sweat, bead down my face. My dues shall be paid, when I send in my homework very soon. My goal is to be the best Copywriter I can.
    Thank you for your online mentorship. It’s just what I need to send me in the right direction. Gutwise, it will be my copy that I will see on AWAI through your persuasion.
    Many Thanks,

15. Comment by J. D. Maher — July 10, 2010 @ 9:38 pm

    I read your article carefully a second time before responding. I write from 17 years experience as a successful Account Manager with one of the largest YP publishers in the nation. I can safely refute several generalized claims you have made, yet must readily acknowledge numerous other points as being not only accurate, but grossly understated.

    Not all companies (at least YP companies) train their people in the same style, or using the same theories and techniques. My initial training (many moons ago) was 7 weeks long. After 2 weeks of learning what the directory business was all about, including the various ad sizes, the thousands of directory codes, and all of the origination, ad creation, proofreading and distribution flow involved in the process, we then moved onto specifics. Another week was spent perfecting cold calling and telephone sales techniques, followed by 2 weeks of intensive ad design, layout and critiquing. The last 2 weeks we were assigned “clients” (YP trainers) we were to pitch for various YP categories. The telephone sales training was recorded and we were required to listen to our calls with a trainer in groups of 3-4 trainees. The trainers were brutal, but effective. The last 2 weeks were videotaped sales calls in which the prospect was an individual, a couple, and even a group (as though you were pitching to a management team). The videos were reviewed the following day and critiqued with advice given on how to improve. The entire training was very intense, running 11-12 hours a day, and many evenings spent creating ads, planning sales presentations or studying. In my 7 week class of 50 men and women, they graduated and retained 40. And then we returned to our assigned field offices and rode on sales calls with experienced reps for 4 weeks — 2 observing them sell and 2 with them observing us, before we ever went on a sales call alone.

    In the course of 17 years I have seen an annual turn-over rate of nearly 50%. I have taught dozens of training classes to the sales team for our local territory. I have ridden on sales calls with numerous sales reps. And I once spent an intensive 2 week period as part of a 4 person team sent to the printing company to proofread the galley sheets for two 1400-page YP directories and one 900-page White Pages directory.

    Through these years I observed a TON of horrible, boiler plate ads that were a total waste of the advertiser’s money. I also watched as most sales reps totally ignored the training they had received and gave in to the business owner’s demands, violating all of your 3 rules and then some.

    The last 7 years I handled only 90 accounts per year on average, most of which I had established a solid rapport with for years. It was not unusual to spend 4-8 hours a day with some of them, 2-3 times a directory campaign, just to totally review everything about their ad campaign. As often as possible I would have them give me a tour of their place, or have then verbally walk me through what made them truly unique or different from their competitors.

    Quite often all of your efforts in the end would be for nought when the advertiser would hand you a boilerplate ad that they or someone in-house (or worse yet, their ad agencies) would design. These, invariably, ignored everything you spent hours trying to teach them, and the results they received discouraged them over and over.

    I even went so far as spending hours simply listening in on and physically observing how the client’s secretaries, in-house sales people, counter help or whomever answered the phones, responded to telephone inquiries, and too often destroyed the potential the owner paid dearly to gain through his ads.

    So, yes, your article makes some very valid points. However, there are always multiple factors involved that, in the best of circumstances and timing, produce great results repeatedly. Any one of those factors, or a combination, can be the “Tipping Point” for either success or failure.

16. Comment by J. D. Maher — July 10, 2010 @ 10:41 pm

    After submitting my previous comment, I read your piece a 3rd time. Here are some additional thoughts that came to mind.

    When dealing with some of the larger advertisers for directive media content, there was often a “qualifying” factor that had to be weighed. Many of these product-oriented companies utilized co-op advertising $’s to cover a portion of their ad expenses — especially if they were targeting multiple directory areas in multiple YP categories. In doing so, there were always guidelines that had to be adhered to in order to be reimbursed a portion of your ad expenses by the manufacturer of the product(s) being promoted in the ad.

    Yes, this is directly contradictory to your concept of never trying to sell a product in a YP ad, but instead selling yourself. However, it truly depends on which particular category your client is placing their ads. One year I handled all of the major attorneys. Do you know how difficult it is to convince attorneys (who have HUGE egos, for the most part) to not construct their ad with a large picture of themselves or their group, along with the same copy every other group/attorney is using? One year I was successful in convincing one group to use inset testimonial panels with statements from clients — one from a client they had successfully represented on a dog bite suit. The next year they represented 13 new clients on dog bite suits…and they were thrilled. Then every other attorney added “Dog-Bite” representation to their ads the following year.

    I also used your concept of offering marketing tips/advice and DVD’s for a call or email. We put this in ads for several large advertisers. It took a lot of convincing and educating, as well as help in formatting the pieces (at no additional charge, because I was not permitted to solicit work on the side). Only one of the advertisers actually followed through on every response and reaped the rewards. The others liked the idea but were undisciplined in putting it into practice…and the next year they took it out of their ads.

    One of the best results I still remember to this day was evidenced by a very small company with an even smaller ad budget. They were doing caulking, tuckpointing, sealing and waterproofing on brick commercial structures. They were thoroughly convinced they could not afford even the smallest display ad in the larger city-wide directory. Since their business name began with the letter “B”, I sold them in-column name listings in their local community directory in superbold red print with 4 superbold lines for their 4 specialties. To them that was a MAJOR investment. The next year our marketing department developed a dynamite testimonial piece based on their success. That “perfect” ad for that client at that time resulted in their being given a very substantial caulking and tuckpointing contract for a large county hospital. And the hospital administrator was so satisfied with their work that he promoted them at a regional hospital administrators conference. This resulted in two additional jobs.

    For me it is about doing what is best for the client…even if that means no display ad.

17. Comment by Matt Perry — July 11, 2010 @ 11:18 am

    This is a great article. Two years ago, when I created my first yellow pages ad, I searched high and low for some guidance that I could believe. I couldn’t find much. My YP rep just called this week to set up a renewal meeting. After reading this post, and the comments, I’ll be sound a significant redesign.

18. Comment by walter daniels — July 11, 2010 @ 3:46 pm

    I used to print customized T-shirts (a back injury killed my business in the end), and the principles are much the same. Too few understand that a shirt is mini ad/sign. Every rule you pointed out, applies to them as well.
    When you have a small space, you either do it right, or fail altogether. I will admit, I never considered the YP ads as being worthwhile, until you pointed out how to make them work.
    In truth all ads are educational, by nature. Unless it’s an infomercial, you don’t have time to educate. All you can do is to strengthen a brand, or get the education started.
    Everyone needs to remember one simple fact. The customer has an opinion about you, Good, Bad or Indifferent, before they ever know you. The ad they see, can change that, or leave it unchanged.

19. Comment by Scott — July 12, 2010 @ 5:44 pm

    That’s real foot-in-the-door advice. Perfect.

20. Comment by Faliq — July 13, 2010 @ 9:51 am

    Well the lesson learned in this article is to focus on DIFFERENTIATION. Thats it, good work Troy!

21. Comment by Neil — July 14, 2010 @ 9:45 am

    I’m moved to comment…

    Terrific.

    Thanks.

22. Pingback by Turning Your Leads Into Buyers — July 15, 2010 @ 10:47 am

    [...] you for your excellent response to my article “How to Write Lead Generation Display Ads.” Some of your comments hit a note with me and I first wanted to address these before moving on to [...]

23. Comment by Troy White — July 19, 2010 @ 11:22 am

    Thanks to all of you for your GREAT feedback!

    Sorry on the delay for my own comments - I took 10 days off with the family and the beach.

    J.D - thank you. It is fantastic hearing the other side of the story with the yellow page reps that DO get it and DO try and help the client. Amazing to hear of the training you had - first time I have heard of that in your field.

    Funny how the best of advice goes no where if it breaks what their beliefs are.

    Even though you would have thousands of test results and case studies - they still want it to look pretty and without all that ’salesy’ stuff.

    Will comment more - right now I have 3,000 emails to delete from 2 weeks off…

    …and we wonder why it seems harder to get things done with all these ‘automation’ tools!

    Troy
    Great feedback you gave here - and you are completely righht - there are always two sides to a story.