If there’s anything that’s more difficult than convincing people print isn’t dead, it’s convincing them that print marketing works great in the B2B space. Perhaps what really drives the myth that print can’t work well for B2B advertisers is too many small business owners not knowing how to create print ads that convert and drive leads.
The truth is, creating B2B print ads that deliver a strong ROI isn’t rock science and it doesn’t cost a fortune. It simply takes understanding the right strategies and putting them into practice.
With this in mind, here are 5 strategies to get your B2B print ads to convert:
- Focus on Direct Response
Leave brand awareness ads to big companies like Coke and Nike. You know these ads: there’s a big image of the product and a line or two of clever copy. The goal of these ads is to keep that brand top of mind with consumers.
If you want your B2B print ads to work for you, you’ve got to create direct response ads instead. These ads tell the viewer exactly what to do. And, if done right, they also allow you to track the response.
So what is the big secret to developing effective direct response ads? It’s a combination of creating benefits-rich copy that includes a call-to-action. Benefits, not features, speak directly to the audience and tell them how your product or service is going to make their life easier/better. And a call-to-action tells them what step to take next, “download your free report” or “schedule a free consultation.”
- Be Customer Centric
The people who are considered charismatic and adored by the masses are the ones who generally make people feel good. Charismatic people do this by giving their full attention to the person who is speaking to them. They don’t draw attention to themselves but instead, make it about the OTHER person.
Great ad copy does the same thing. Instead of focusing on how great your company is or how many awards you’ve won, focus your copy on your customer’s pain points. Create ads with your customer in mind and how you can help them solve their problems. One simple way to do this is to not use “we” in your copy (or at least, use “we” far less) and instead fill your copy with “you” and “your.”
- Create Dedicated Landing Pages
Want to know one of the easiest ways to waste a lot of ad spend? Create a B2B print ad and include a URL that sends traffic to your home page. How exactly do you track the effectiveness of that campaign? Answer: You can’t.
What you can and should do is create a dedicated landing page where the reader can get your offer (that free report or sign up for a free demonstration) and you can easily track how many people were sent from your campaign.
- Create a Strong Headline
If your headline doesn’t grab people’s attention, they won’t read the rest of your ad and you won’t capture that lead. Think of your headline as a house’s curb appeal: without that great curb appeal, no one will come to the open house and your house won’t sell.
To create the kind of headline that gets people to stop and pay attention, you’ve got to put the biggest benefit to the customer your business offers. Don’t be clever, just be clear and lead with your biggest benefit.
- Offer Social Proof
If space allows, include a testimonial from a happy client, or list some big companies that may use your product or services. This helps business owners who are new to you trust that you may have the answer they are looking for.
Print ads can be tremendously effective for B2B businesses, provided you know how to create them. If you follow these strategies, you will easily develop B2B print ads that actually convert and bring in valuable leads.
