Don’t ruin good copy
with lousy graphics


It happens too often. A good headline, strong copy, spoiled by graphics that kill readership. Some designers just don’t understand that we’re not just trying to look pretty or clever; we’re trying to sell stuff.

There’s a long list of things designers are taught not to do, but they do them anyway. For example, tiny, unreadable type isn’t always the fault of the legal department. When the large print giveth and the small taketh away, it looks (and sometime really is) sneaky.

If a disclaimer is hard to read, make it easier. Readers will trust you more.

Blocks of small, reverse hard-to-read type are another way to spoil good copy. Those who scan and skim will just skip it, move on--- and miss your message.

Be critical of any design element that makes your copy hard to read. You can’t sell if nobody reads your message.

Tip for the Little Guy

Whether you do it yourself, or sign off on the work of others you need a frame of reference. I recommend Looking Good in Print, by Roger C. Parker. It will get you beyond the non-helpful “It doesn’t grab me,” comments I often hear. It will give you solid reasons why you know something should be changed because of its negative impact on readership.

Writing good ad copy:

Leverage what’s already

in the reader's head

A former client is advertising a nutritional supplement for horses. That's a tough sell in a crowded field. In a an effort to come up with a unique selling proposition, they are running an ad with this weak headline: Is "Equine A.D.D." to Blame? That's it. No subhead with a clue or promise. Just an unclear question that must be explained.

Now, I know they expect busy readers to stop and ask themselves, “To blame for what?”and then go on to read the explanation. That’s not going to happen very often, if at all.

The copy is as weak as the headline. After making a tenuous link between a horse’s behavior and human Attention Deficit Disorder, the copy asks the question again, “Can horses suffer from A.D.D. as well?”

The copy then tells the reader to visit their Web site “To learn more about this possibility” and the role of their supplement in its prevention.

The ad is vague and lacks a strong selling proposition. It reminds the reader (if anyone reads it) several times that A.D.D. may be a possibility?

Expecting an ad like this to work is the height of hubris, and a waste of money. If you have a solution for a problem that’s already in my head...…a problem I understand... tell me about it. Don’t try to be clever. It only confuses me.

Tip for the Little Guy

If your product requires a lot of explanation, offer a “White Paper” a booklet or a packet of information. That way you’ll have the room you need to tell your story. And promote your Web site. Make certain your landing page is packed with helpful information and go light on the hard sell. You’ll communicate better and you’ll sell more product.

The Ultimate Marketing Strategy:

ALWAYS BE NICE!

“Nice” is a wonderful little word-of-mouth buzzer that points people your way. When a friend, relative, or acquaintance in shopping mode asks for a recommendation, the phrase, “They’re nice people to do business with,.” carries more weight than all the usual paid for crap about “world leader, state of the art, in business since,--- blah, blah, double blah..”

Your Momma’s warning to be nice or pay the price applies to life and business. But how do you get to “nice?” That’s easy. Take her other piece of advice for all situations: “Just do the right thing.”

Sam Walton understood the importance of being nice to do business with. He said, “There is only one boss. The customer. And she can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending her money somewhere else.”

L.L. Bean is another company that’s nice to do business with ---all the time. And that’s one secret of building powerful brands. They’re consistent. When I call them at 5:30 am on a Sunday morning, the rep sounds like she’s really glad to hear from me. They’re like that all the time.

The Writer’s Digest Book Club is another great outfit. A few times I forgot to opt out of their monthly selection. When it showed up in my mailbox I called to tell them I didn’t want it. They didn’t argue. They apologized because I got a book I didn’t want and sent me a postage prepaid label to return it. They’re so nice to do business with that a few times I read the book while waiting for the return label, then just kept the book and paid the invoice. I’ll bet that happens a lot.

Tip for the Little Guy

Don’t give away the store, but be kind and generous with your customers and associates. And tell your folks to always smile before they answer a call. (It’s hard to sound like a crab when you’re smiling.)

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