So, you decided it's time to grow your small business, and you think advertising is going to generate the growth you need. Whether you choose to place an ad in your local newspaper, in a trade magazine, in an e-zine, or anywhere else you can think of, there are a few things you should know beforehand.

There are basically two types of advertising: institutional advertising and direct response advertising. Institutional advertising, while being the least effective, is also the most widely used. This type of advertising focuses on name recognition, branding, company awareness. It's very difficult to track the success of institutional ads since they do not incorporate a measurable element.

I prefer to create direct response advertising. Direct response advertising is designed to, you guessed it, get the reader to respond. The response can vary from logging into a website, calling a phone number, sending money to a certain address, etc. The best direct response ads include a measurable element.

The headline is the most important part of your ad. I often have clients bring me ads that just aren't working, and they ask me to "fix" them. The single biggest mistake that I see small business owners make is with the headline. When looking at typical display ads (the type you'd find in a magazine or other print publication), you might notice that many ads (mostly institutional ads) do not incorporate a traditional headline. Unfortunately, those display ads don't work very well.

Most advertising professionals agree, 75% of readers are drawn to an ad by its headline. An effective headline will stir emotion, promise a benefit, and/or provoke curiosity. Did you know that the average person spends only four seconds on each newspaper page? And in those four seconds the reader first looks at the news headlines on the page, and then looks at the headlines in the ads. A strong headline will stop the reader from scanning the page and get him to read your ad.

The second most important component of your ad is the graphic feature. Showing a picture of your product is OK, but showing actual people using and enjoying your product is a gazillion times better. People respond to, and buy from, other people - and they respond even better to other people they can relate to. So it is important to have a good handle on the demographics and psychographics of your target audience.

If you are selling a service, remember what you are actually selling is YOU. So don't be shy, include a picture of yourself. And try to make the photo as intimate as possible. You want to imply a relationship already exists between you and the reader. Try leaning forward, as if you are holding a conversation with your reader, or tilt one shoulder slightly to portray a relaxed stance, as if you are standing there with your best friend and you are just as comfortable as can be. Assume a comfortable, friendly relationship with your reader.

Don't forget the call to action. Another important - or shall I say imperative - element that institutional ads fail to include is the call to action - what do you want your reader to do? Do you want him to place an order, make an appointment, send you money? The call to action should be a prominent feature of the ad. While some ads do include this component, it's often buried at the bottom of some other text, or hidden in teen tiny italic print. When designing your call to action, this is not the time to wimp out. After all, this is the entire purpose of running your ad in the first place.

These few simple points should get you on your way to designing an effective display ad.

Action Item:

Follow the tips above to create an effective display ad that you can use for years to come. Write an emotional headline, pair it with a compelling graphic and include a prominent call to action. Contact your local newspaper or trade journal and request a media kit that will include information on submitting your ad.

And, to keep these tips handy, request a copy of my FREE report

Now, go find some more clients!