8 Tips for making an effective ad that works!
1. Use a Call-to-Action
Don’t just expect that putting your logo in front of someone will cause them to act. Give your customers direction with what step to take next (e.g. “Bring in this Key Card for a Free Appetizer”, or “Take a Tour With Us Today”)
2. Track Your Results
Like digital, advertising on hotel key cards is trackable. Provide an exclusive offer that will allow you to accurately track your ROI, and give them an incentive to visit you instead of Google
3. Creativity is Highly Revered in Marketing
If you want to grab people’s attention, you need to STAND OUT. The best way to do this is by doing something new, fun, and unique. Perhaps offering a 12% discount, instead of a number other businesses might do (i.e. 5% or 10%)
4. Keep it Clean and Simple
Your advertisement should tell the customer what you do and what they get in as simple of an ad as possible. Think “At-A-Glance”, meaning that if someone needs more than a quick glance to determine what your message is, it’s too complicated. That includes the fonts you use.
5. Keep color schemes to THREE (3) colors –
Moving beyond this amount will overwhelm your audience subconsciously and may trigger a shorter attention span to your message.
6. Use high contrast color(s) to point out your direct-response mechanism –
The most important and vital part of a direct response advertisement is it’s trigger. You want your direct-response trigger ot stand out from the rest of your ad.
7. Use the “Rule of Thirds”
E.g. avoid placing anything in your ad dead-center. In photography and painting, studies have shown that the human eye is more enticed by subjects that are not in the center field of vision. Knowing this rule is also essential for producing something that looks professional, and will capture your audience’s attention.
8. Numbers Don’t Sell, Benefits Do
Whether you decide to offer the hotel guests a special offer/discount is one thing, but if want them to spend time and money with you, you need to give them a reason why (i.e. “Best Pizza in Town”, or “The Most Fun You’ll Have During Your Stay”)
