Action-Oriented HVAC Contractors Are Selling

Your Electrical Yellow Page Ad Works About as Well as a Fried Circuit
 But it’s so easy to mend                                                              

After asking for your yellow page critiques, my fax machine needed a vacation.  In the article I offered a free Yellow Page ad critique, and the response was enormous.  The sad part about all of this is that the vast majority of the ads choking my fax machine were, in a word, deplorable. 

After critiquing ads from all over the country, I noticed a few trends common among many. 

Trend #1: Dull, pointless copy or graphics.  Whoever made these ads did not favor coherent sentences or creativity.  Most of what I saw was lists of services laid out in scatterbrain fashion which lead me straight to nowhere.

What’s worse than the fact that 86% of the ads I read not containing a single complete sentence was that the words that were there did not convey a benefit to the customer!

Unless you are in the business of selling company trucks and vans, do not put a picture of one in your advertisement.  I know it’s harsh, but the customer just does not care.

Logos are wonderful things when used correctly.  When they are used as filler is when they lose their effect.  Two or three oversized logos do nothing but take up space.

Worn out phrases such as “For all your plumbing needs” and “Guaranteed first rate service” have been used so much that they mean nothing at all.  You’re spending money to sound just like everyone else, which is not a good thing.

Trend #2: No headline.  Anyone who knows about advertising knows that a headline is by far the most important part of the ad.  Here’s why: a headline is "the ad for the ad".  If the reader glances your ad and is not intrigued, guess what?  They turn the page.  Hints: Your company name is important, but it’s not a headline. Clip art of wrenches, leaking pipes, and fire hydrants are not headlines.  How long you have been in business might be impressive, but it is not a headline.    

A headline is a group of 8-10 words that has a relevant, clearly stated benefit for the customer.  If your ad lacks a headline, it lacks effectiveness.  An ad that isn’t effective will not make your phone ring.

Trend #3: Bad layout.  Changing the font size and style does not look good, but Yellow Page reps love to change it about every third world.  It looks even worse when it’s one big block of badly written text.  The problem is that with free ad design, you get what you pay for.  Here are some tips to combat the problems that accompany bad layout: Don't exceed 5-7 words to a line. Don't center over 3 lines in a row. Don't put smaller than 14 point type in a reverse block. Don't have more than 8-10 words in a headline.  The majority of ads that I reviewed violated these simple rules.  Don’t spend money on these ads that do not produce results. 

Trend #4: No "call to action." You must give people a reason to call you.  Instead of saying, “Open 24 Hours!!!” say, “Give us a call anytime, we’re always open!”  There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to pay any attention to an ad that has no call to action and there will never be.  

Trend #5: Bad and costly waste of space.  Look, these ads are among the most costly of all print advertisements – don’t waste expensive space. This is why Trend #5 is the biggest loser of them all.

Pictures of lightning bolts and plugs, oversized multiple logos, and absurd clusters of pointless phrases means your ad is just too scatterbrained to decipher. This ad will be representing your business every day for a whole year, don’t you want it to be more than filler?

Solution:  Craft a headline that will catch a customer’s attention.  Remodel the copy so that it makes good sense.  Make a call to action that customers will want to answer. Follow this advice and don’t let your YP ad waste its potential.

Your YP ad is supposed to generate leads and help you profit, not waste ink.  This is an investment that you want to benefit your business, so get it done right.  Hey, my free critique offer is still standing. 

You're Spending a Pile of Money on Yellow Page Ads