Tips for Better Business to Business Print Ads

Some top tips on designing effective B2B print advertisements.
By illustrating the benefits of a product in the ad headline, there is a better chance of gaining the reader's attention, ultimately reaping more requests for info. The benefits answer the question, 'so what?' If the reader is left asking this question, you might have described a feature instead of an actual benefit.

If your service or product is especially useful in a particular application, it's a good idea to mention this. If a reader understands the way to apply your solution effectively, they are far more likely to respond. As everyone seems to be short on free time these days, you should design your print ads so that they can be easily skimmed by readers. The message can be kept clear to skimming readers by using bulleted copy, subheads, and illustrations.

An audience will expect your advertising message to have a strong bias; although true, these same people trust their colleagues to give them more objective information. For this reason, testimonials and quotations from satisfied customers ad credibility to your message. Even so, you should be sure to concentrate on specific points; for example, list the full name and title of those who are being quoted, and if you use statistics, these would be backed up with referenced data.

Instead of putting a large ad into a publication infrequently, it can be better to keep a fractional advertisement running in every issue of a publication. A wrap-ad refers to a series of fractional ads that look like a series of announcements which run on a single page. This type of advertising is effective in regular size publications although we most often see them in smaller, tabloid-sized publications.

You'll need to offer your readers a compelling reason to respond to your message. When offering a call to action, address the reader's self-interest. If you do, you'll notice significant improvement in your B2B sales lead generation programs. The amount of responses are dramatically increased by offering an ad special or valuable premium. To be most effective, keep these offers within your audience's specific interests. The majority of your prospects would appreciate the chance to try out your offering before going ahead with the final purchase. If you're able to cost-effectively offer a sample or demo of some kind, you may be able to generate more inquiries.

An experienced salesperson knows that one can't get the sale without first asking for it. Benefit-driven offers which call for action work well; for example, receive a free guide for responding to the ad by email, fax, or phone. An incentive for those who act immediately will help generate more responses. However, as a prospect is collecting information for a decision, they often prefer print material at the outset, but aren't ready to pick up the phone. As the time of purchasing approaches, however, a prospect becomes more eager to speak with sales people or to discuss pricing. By creating offers that appeal to prospects in varied stages of the purchasing process, you will be able to increase the overall amount of inquiries.

The method in which the offer is presented is equally important as the offer itself. If you're offering literature, for example, consider including an illustration of what they will receive upon making an inquiry. If the prospect must present a coupon, show a little pair of scissors cutting along a serrated border. Put telephone numbers in bold lettering, and always remember to list all the ways that prospects can contact you to inquire. You can positively affect B2B lead generation by providing multiple choices.

Make sure that your web site is simple to use for gathering info about your product. Then you can refer your prospects there with confidence. It can also be beneficial to place an information-request button on each web page, which redirects the user to a web form where they can answer some questions and tell you a bit about them. At this page, they should be able to choose a preferred contact method and receive a timely response from you - in the correct method, of course. As you add more of these types of strategies into practice, you will see your B2B sales lead generation programs continue to grow.
   By Mac McIntosh
Published: 5/5/2008
 
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