Caney Design Marketing Communications 101
Why B2B Ads Are Often Predictable Failures
Effective advertising is good story telling
Old-school ad savvy drives new-school success
How to analyze B2B ads to predict results
The emperor is naked but believes he is wearing clothes – and most B2B advertisers believe their ads are working just fine. From an ad-man’s perspective, however, most B2B advertising (in virtually all media) is predictably limp at generating good results. Just a cursory review of “trade” advertising in all markets reveals how most B2B ads fail to directly relate to the prospect’s known needs or fears, fail to use images that immediately project market familiarity, fail to present a differentiating obvious advantage, and fail to cause the reader to take some action.
Effective advertising is good story telling
I’ll cut to the chase: If you want to understand the basic rules and best practices of successful advertising in any media, past and present, read 1960s advertising guru and master story teller David Ogilvy. He effectively debunked many assumed conventions in advertising by better understanding how words create the strongest perceptions. Many of Ogilvy’s techniques were based on these two observations:
You can’t bore people into buying.
Give the facts, but make the truth fascinating. The same successful ad techniques that cause people to buy for themselves get people to buy for their businesses. An effective B2B ad must first demand attention and then deliver a convincing message that a qualified prospect really wants to hear.
The message must appeal to the reader’s self interest.
Promise a benefit, provide news, arouse curiosity, offer a testimonial, or give some useful information. Ogilvy often used long headlines that began with “How to…” and “What you should know about…” or challenged the reader to “Figure it for yourself…” and “Try this test…” Ogilvy also knew how to follow a headline with a compelling story that could run several hundred words!
I certainly appreciate the importance of smart media selection, smart placement, and the other skills needed for a successful campaign. Simply put, advertising value comes down to presenting a proposition that elicits the response intended! And delivering the right message trumps all others for advertising effectiveness.
Old-school ad savvy drives new-school success
Articles from advertising “experts” in virtually every media representing all B2B industries regularly provide lists of “tips” on how to write the best headline and convincingly tell your story. What’s reassuring is that the core methods claimed to be most effective today are based on the breakthrough ad savvy that was pioneered in the 1960s and 1970s.
The best B2B ads still promise a unique benefit, provide relevant news or information, and flaunt testimonials from users. And it still helps to make comparisons that differentiate your obvious advantage (See Differentiate Your Obvious Advantage), promise strong benefits specific to time or dollars saved, and lay claim to some leadership position – even if it’s just the assurance of being a reputable company.
How to analyze B2B ads to predict results
Each element of an effective B2B ad (headline, image, caption, copy, etc.) can be justified by expert knowledge of its intended and probable effect on the reader. However, a review of these basic communications guidelines can be used to generally evaluate the potential effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of an ad.
The correct message trumps all.
Effective B2B advertising prompts action with a message that evokes some “fear” that might be direct (You’re paying more than others.) or subtle (Your competition could get this advantage first.) but is almost always based on greed, desire, guilt, flattery, anger, or exclusivity. So no matter how bland the actual message, the headline, subhead, captions, and body copy must get the reader emotionally involved by telling a convincing story that makes a direct connection to the prospects needs or wants.
Consider what makes the story compelling:
- Headlines create a filter through which all else is seen
- The right headline makes the reader want the full story
- Copy should use familiar business phrasing
- Negatives (of any kind) just never work
- Wordy copy can often attract most-qualified prospects
- Captions are powerful mini ads of their own
The ad must match the placement.
Depending on product, media, and message, the “best” ad might be a conventional display layout using a headline, an image with caption, body copy, and a business signature. Best could also be a testimonial ad from a satisfied user, a wordy editorial ad that mimics news reporting, an email “blast” that clearly identifies and positions a product, a classified ad, a banner ad, and so on. Each ad format has its own additional rules that dictate content.
For example, a simple directory ad must minimally include a headline that best matches the word (or words) prospects are likely to access in a search. Next in visual importance is an image of the product with a caption that describes its obvious competitive advantage. Then minimal body copy tells the reader what to do – often simply leading a prospect to the business website.
Consider why you are advertising:
- Generate quality leads for new customers
- Support customer retention
- Drive customers and prospects to your website
- Claim an obvious differentiation with competitors
- Create brand awareness
- Establish good will
Design controls reader attention.
A seasoned art director or designer knows how to control the readers’ navigation throughout an ad – and in a predictable sequence. The first job of any ad is to immediately draw attention to itself. This visual “entry point” is most often some familiar business or industry image, but might also be a compelling word or phrase. Ads that lack a single, strong, and irresistible entry point are just not seen!
After being “hooked” by an image or headline, the reader’s eye will immediately go to a subhead or caption to better understand the product and how its advantages benefit them. When done correctly, qualified prospects will then willingly read the entire ad.
Consider what hooks those you want to reach:
- Those who directly purchase your products
- Those in company hierarchy who influence the purchase
- Those hearing your message most likely to initiate action
- Upper management
- Middle management
- Workers
Warning! Although becoming ad savvy may help you better recognize and understand these basic but critical principles of success, it is still a huge leap to being able to weave concept, copy, and design into an effective ad. Even dedicated ad people will confess it often takes years of experience to “get it right” – and some never do.
A cursory review of CaneyDesign.com will provide many examples of successful advertising campaigns and give evidence to the guidelines presented.