| Sometimes the ideas that seem so great and well | | | | everyone else is. This means around |
| thought out can really backfire. Take a lesson | | | | Valentine’s Day, don’t use the sane old |
| from the advertisers before you, and don’t | | | | shtick about Cupid piercing an arrow through your |
| use the following techniques that have bombed in | | | | deals. Don’t say it’s the luck o’ the |
| the past: | | | | Irish that’s bringing your St. Patrick’s Day |
| Using borrowed interest. Borrowed interest is | | | | sale. If you use the same wording as everyone |
| when you try to associate your business or | | | | else, you’re just going to get lost in the |
| product with something that has nothing to do | | | | crowd. |
| with either. Many people have tried jumping on | | | | Don’t change your ads because you’re |
| this bandwagon only to fall off. Some advertisers | | | | bored with them. Keep your ads the same for as |
| have even used other product’s taglines, like | | | | long as they are working. Of course, you can |
| “Got milk?” in a poster, only to say under | | | | come up with variations or improvements, but |
| that phrase “Neither do we. But now that I | | | | don’t pull an ad because you’re bored; pull |
| have your attention …” It just doesn’t | | | | an ad because research tells you customers are |
| work. Cute puppies and kittens attract a lot of | | | | bored. People haven’t seen your ad as many |
| attention, but if you don’t run a pet business, | | | | times as you have – some people |
| or if your product has nothing in common with | | | | haven’t even seen your ad. People remember |
| puppies or kittens, don’t use them. Cottonelle | | | | you by repetition, so don’t pull your ads until |
| uses a talking puppy in their ads and it works | | | | you’ve given people enough time to |
| because puppies are comforting, and comfort is | | | | remember them. The same thing goes with |
| what the company wants you to think of when | | | | business card printing– don’t change your |
| you think of its toilet paper. | | | | business card design because you’re sick of |
| Event and small-holiday sales that aren’t | | | | looking at them – if they’re working, |
| related to your business. Other than Christmas | | | | don’t change them! |
| and Thanksgiving, you shouldn’t align your | | | | Don’t create too many ads. Invest your |
| sales with holidays. It’s silly to celebrate the | | | | money wisely by creating four to five really good |
| Indy 500 with a sale – if that event has no | | | | ads. Pay more for better copywriters, better |
| relevance to your business. Now, if you sell tires | | | | graphics and better material (like quality paper). |
| or something Indy car-related, then that makes | | | | Write your ads so that people will want to know |
| sense and you should do it. But if you sell dog | | | | more and will visit your Web site or call you for |
| clothes, don’t have a sale to celebrate the | | | | more information. Don’t try to cram all your |
| Indy 500 or around small holidays, like | | | | information into your variety of ads. |
| Presidents’ Day, just because everyone else | | | | Avoid these pitfalls and you’re sure to be on |
| does. | | | | your way to a successful ad campaign! |
| Avoid running the same kind of advertising | | | | |