Here are 10 advertising techniques that work:

1. Always repeat the basics in your ads - These include your name, address, credit cards that your business accepts and the name of a person to ask for when calling your gallery. You never know when someone will read your ad for the first time and want more information.

2. Promise a benefit or provoke curiosity in the headline - The average person spends only four seconds before turning a newspaper page. In those four seconds, they first look at the news headlines. Then they look at the ads starting with the headline you’ve written for your gallery’s ad. Key words that will make the reader continue reading include: new, just-arrived, first-time and unique.

3. Using the word “you” in the headline increases readership - A survey taken of the most successful newspaper ads ever written revealed one word was used in these winners more than any other: “You.”

4. Try different head. lines for the same product - Advertising guru John Caples says he tried different headlines for the exact same product and one would pull as much as 20 times more business than the others. But you’ll never know which one works best until you try them.

5. Offer that which is unique, different and yours alone - These might include a specific artist and/or services such as free gift wrapping, free delivery and a must-be-satisfied guarantee. Other galleries may offer something similar–but since you said it first, you own it. By doing so, you are establishing your own brand.

6. Show a “proof” of ads you plan to use to friends without revealing that they’re yours - Ask if they think they know the name of the local gallery that’s planning to run the ads. If several mention your competition, tear up the ads and start all over again. Your advertising should “look” and “sound” like you. Readers should recognize your style and immediately associate your ad with your gallery.

7. You can’t sell more than one item (maybe two)in a 30-second TV or radio ad - If you promote your gallery’s annual sale, you can’t list a half-price sale on posters, one-third off on the following artists (you list five or six), special hours open for your sale and more information in this narrow time flame. The customer will not remember all you’ve said and will quickly forget the first items mentioned. Listing a variety of items works better in print because the potential customer is reading all of them and can refer back to the ones they find most interesting. The eye is more retentive than the ear.

8. Avoid superlatives and exaggerations - No one believes words like the greatest, unbelievable or fantastic offer.

9. Use testimonials - When you write how good you are at your selection of art, framing and customer approval–that’s you talking, and it’s not nearly as powerful as a customer saying the same things.

10. Be specific and factual - The amount of time anyone spends on reading your ad depends on how interesting it is to read. So provide facts and solid information. The more specific the information you provide, the greater the response. Put yourself in the reader’s position and consider what would make you keep on reading an ad? If you follow these ideas, you’ll be surprised at how your sales will increase.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 1st, 2007 at 9:20 am and is filed under Advertising. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.