Tips for Creating Ads for Your Small Business that Really Sell

If you're a small business owner, you’re likely looking for the best ways to advertise and grow your business (especially if you're just starting out). There are so many different ways to advertise your business online and offline. I myself had flyers and postcards printed online.

How do you know what makes sense for your business? What will actually work and give you the results you’re looking for? Getting posters, postcards, flyers, brochures, and so on printed is one option to consider.

If printed advertising collateral is the route you plan on taking to advertise your business, its beneficial to consider the following tips before dipping into your marketing budget.

As a small business, your advertising needs to focus on generating business. One way to do that is always include an offer with a clear and easy way for your potential customers to take advantage of it.

For example, say you run a boutique event planning company looking and you’re looking to gain more wedding clients. The brochure that you hand out at wedding show could include an offer like "Book us for your wedding by May 1st and get 15% off our services. Call or email us and mention this brochure."

Make sure everything you have printed speaks to the correct target audience, highlighting the features and benefits of your product or service that are relevant to them. What makes your product or service unique? Why is your product or service superior to others? Your address, contact information and web address should be on every printed piece you hand out.

Keep it simple, especially if you’re creating a poster, flyer or postcard. Focus on one, single message, create a catchy headline and ensure that all of the other elements (graphic and text) support your headline. With a brochure, you can go into more detail, but still keep the copy targeted and simple.

Avoid identifying and degrading your competition. If you do make claims that you offer the best service, quality or value, make sure you’re being truthful. False claims can be detrimental to your business and your investment in advertising materials a waste.

You want your potential customers to trust you. In order to gain that trust, you need to make sure your printed advertisements are professional from the design, to the copy, to the print quality.

Unless you’re a trained graphic designer, consider hiring a professional or your print shop to design your advertising collateral for you.

If you’re not a skilled writer (or even if you are), it’s a good idea to contract a copywriter to either write the copy for your collateral or provide recommendations on copy you have written yourself.

In terms of print quality, a reputable, experience printer will give you recommendations on the stock and finish you should use for your materials. Take a look at their samples before placing your order.

Although it may seem pricey when you’re working with a small business budget, hiring design and copy writing professionals as well as a reputable print shop may save you time and money in the long run and get you better results.


Jules Forde is an online writer for many blogs and newsletters. She has over 22 years experience in the printing industry and always knows how to get the best results when having Postcards Or Flyers Printed Online.