PAID ADS ARE A FAST WAY TO GENERATE BUSINESS
While technically, you can run an ad at any time, with or without a dialed-in website, you’re likely to waste money doing so. But, if your message is sound and compelling, your website is on point and ready to convert traffic to qualified leads, paid ads are a great way to bring huge ROI.
1. Target An Insanely Specific Audience
The first step in any digital advertising is to identify your customer. I know this seems obvious, but it’s more than just determining they’re “people who need computer repair” or something along those lines. What kind of things are they into? Where do they hang out online? How do they think?
You need to know how they’re going to find you. Do they already have a need and are searching for your services, i.e. Google Search, or do they need to be inspired to find a service like yours, i.e. Facebook, social media, etc.
Once you identify your customer, who they are, where they are, and how they think, you can choose the best strategy to meet them and compel them to purchase your product or service.
2. Make Sure Your Ad Stands Out
In a sea of sameness, how do you stand out? If you’re advertising on Google Ads, see what your competition is doing, note what’s compelling, keep that and write something so unique, your prospect doesn’t see any other ad than yours.
If you’re advertising on social media, like Facebook, images that look like a friend’s post or something very eye catching tend to get attention. When combined with an engaging body of text, like a contest or an irresistible offer, you have a winning ad.
3. Make Your Ad Match Its Destination
With Google Ads, it’s super important to make sure your ad copy text relates directly to your search keywords, and just as importantly, the destination webpage the visitor is directed to. High relevance in keywords, ads and landing pages create a better quality score and in turn, cheaper costs.
For Facebook Ads, it’s important that your text compliments your visual (image or video) component closely. There are a few cases where you want to shock someone, but this rule holds true for nearly all the ads you’ll be doing. If your ad headline says, “Spring is in the air”, a natural Facebook image should have something to do with Spring, not a dog in a raincoat smoking a cigar.
4. Have A Clear, Focused Call To Action
Unless you have some grand scheme in mind, your call to action should tell your prospect exactly what you want them to do. Do you really want them to “learn more” or do you want them do buy this thing you’re selling. If it’s a product, “buy now” is a great way to get them to buy now. If it’s a more complicated product, “learn more” can definitely apply, but be as clear as you can here.
5. Demonstrate Value Clearly
This experience isn’t about you, it’s about your customer. You should always lead with what value your customer is going to receive from your product or service. If you’re an appliance repair company, selling what you do is less important than selling what feeling your customer will have when this is all done. If it’s solving a problem, help them envision the relief. If it’s a leisure product, sell the wind in their hair. Actually, always sell the wind in their hair if you can. If you own a mortuary and can find a way to sell the wind in their hair, do it. It always works.
6. Avoid Industry Jargon; Keep It Simple
In most cases, and almost always in business-to-consumer, using easy-to-understand language is the best way to convey your message without muddying the waters or alienating a potential customer, ready to buy. Even if you imagine your customer to be a well-informed pro in your industry, I’d recommend simplifying your message and playing to the lowest experienced customer. More often than not, your message will come through much clearer than it might have otherwise. Three components you should use whenever possible are:
- What you’re offering
- How it benefits them
- What action to take next
7. Demonstrate Transparency & Honesty
If you have an opportunity to be transparent in your ad, see if it fits. Sometimes showing rates and pricing, even if you know you’re higher than the competition can work. If your product and marketing are good, price may not matter. Many times, showing the price up front will weed out penny pinchers and bring more qualified, easier to close buyers your way.
8. Use Your Voice
This one is my favorite: make sure your marketing has a voice. People like buying from people. And they want to know who they’re buying from. For me, I enjoy conveying a cheerful, playful attitude when I market. It’s who I am in real life, and it seems people really take to it.
If you’re a serious authority in your industry, convey that. Worry less about Mad Men style catchiness, and more about pouring your essence into your ad copy.
Your clients have been marketed to for decades at this point, give them something fresh and real.
