Six Tips To Help Your Small Business’s Advert Stand Out In A Crowd

We live in a global community managing ongoing sensory overload. Grabbing attention for your business may feel overwhelming, but we want to help you move through that fear to a place where people notice your efforts and want to engage with your products or services. Here are six top tips to help your small business's advert stand out and set you apart from your competitors.

1. Focus on Benefits as Well as Featuressome text
   • Features: These are the elements that distinguish your business from others. They are important for helping customers choose between suppliers. However, focusing solely on features can come across as overly "salesy" and may not resonate with a wide audience unfamiliar with your business.
   • Benefits: Instead, emphasize the benefits of your product. This can be more persuasive and leave a lasting impression. For instance, Tide effectively highlighted the benefit of clean and crisp shirts in their Superbowl advert, rather than just showcasing how their product works.
2. Only Offer One Core Message Avoid overwhelming your audience with information. To hook them, convey just one core message. By spotlighting one key benefit, you make it easy for your audience to understand your value proposition, which can lead to increased conversions. Frame your message around how your product or service will enhance your customer’s life.
3. Keep It Visual Humans are wired to process images quickly, understanding visual information in just 250 milliseconds. Therefore, your advertising design should tell a visual story that resonates emotionally with your audience. For example, a recent McDonald's campaign effectively communicated their message using emojis, suggesting that "burgers make you happy."
4. Create Effective Design While the text provides essential information, the design speaks to your audience before they even read the words. Good design is crucial for capturing attention and encouraging further engagement. Consider using user-friendly apps like Over to create eye-catching, template-based marketing material.
5. Surprise Viewers with Unexpected Images Using unexpected images can create a strong reaction from your audience, making your advertisement memorable. This approach, often referred to as "shockvertising," evokes emotions that can lead to higher engagement with your advert.
6. Channel Your Inner Comedian If it aligns with your brand, incorporate humor into your advertising. Humor captures attention, increases memorability, and enhances the persuasiveness of your message. This is one reason why brands like Nando’s have a competitive edge.

The Bottom Line Advertising is essential for any business owner. Whether online or in traditional media, it's crucial to think creatively and strategically. These six tips can make a significant difference between securing a sale and getting lost in the crowd.