As promised, here is the next installment of techniques for writing that powerful headline for your promotional flyer. Part 1  talked about using word play, being direct, using the best selling point, announcing exciting news, and the how-to technique.  Here are a few more headline formulas:

1. ASK A THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTION

This is a question that directly addresses your reader. It should be something that your readers have already asked themselves one way or another– not only does this show that you empathize with them, but it also indicates that you have an answer or solution. Pose the question in such a way that it will state a major benefit from your offer, and would trigger a “yes” response, or at least spark your reader’s interest to know more.

• “Ever had a flat tire in the middle of nowhere?” (roadside assistance)
• “Did your dog chew your favorite slippers again?” (pet obedience school)

2. ISSUE A COMMAND

Directly telling your readers what to do gets your message across in very few words. This type of headline allows you to provide a benefit while creating the impression that you are someone with the authority to do so – not because you are bossy or imposing, but because you are in the position to know what you are talking about. This approach is effective because it meets your readers head-on (they become involved in the message), and telling them to do something triggers that first step in making a sale. Consider these slogans that make commanding headlines:

• “Save Money. Live Better.” (Walmart)
• “Own a Jaguar at a price of a car.” (Jaguar)

3. USE TESTIMONIALS

A testimonial headline is powerful because it comes from real people. This reinforces what you are offering because you present an offer and an endorsement at the same time. Having the right testimonial also appeals to readers because it lets them know what other people think of your product or service; the testimonial is social proof. Be careful in choosing testimonials though; if it sounds too good to be true, you might risk losing your reader’s trust.

• “The best sleep I’ve had in years!” (mattress company)
• “I lost 120 pounds and won $500!” (beach body challenge)

4. EXTEND AN INVITATION

This is a more polite version to issuing a command. Being less aggressive, this technique is best reserved for products or services that have a refined or elite character. It’s not pushy, yet “invites” your readers to check out what you have to offer.

• “Come join our reading breakthrough.” (learning program)
• “Join us for a weekend of pure relaxation.” (resort and spa)

5. MAKE A LIMITED-TIME OFFER

This is similar to the direct approach headline but with emphasis on urgency. This also works well if your offer is specific to certain items, or if your offer has certain stipulations. This is especially effective for retail stores.

• “Last chance to get 50% off on silk blouses!”
• “Get free shipping through Friday.”

These are just guidelines on how to formulate a headline that will capture your reader’s attention. Paired with eye-catching design, you will get your flyers read and responded to by more potential customers.

The holidays are less than a month away and every business wants to get a piece of the holiday action. Hands down, nearly all retail stores consider Christmas as one of their peak seasons, and with consumers a lot more willing to loosen their purse strings, it becomes all about offering the best deals and discounts – or is it?

You don’t want Christmas shoppers to be everywhere – you want them in your store! These tips will show you how:

1. It’s never too late to decorate.

If you find that all other stores have put up their holidays decorations and signs and you haven’t lit a single holiday bulb– don’t despair. You have a blank canvass, and you can draw inspiration from what you see. Better yet, since you’ve seen all the other decorations, it’ll give you an idea of what’s not out there yet, and that can be your store! Be unique and creative; once you’re done, your store will have a fresh look while other stores’ may have already worn off.

2. The Calendar Crunch.

So you only have a few weeks left to plan. Whip out your calendar and mark your important sale dates.  Create your schedule (which would be tight) and stick to it. Have you ordered those flyers yet? If you want to send holiday coupons, when do you need to design and submit it for printing? If pressed for time, OnlinePrinting offers quick turnaround and Express Service for all your printing needs.

3. Hone in on those holiday cards.

Send a personalized holiday card to your loyal customers. You can even use your newly spruced up store front as part of your card design. Thank them for their support all year long, and tell them you want to spread the holiday cheer by inviting them to a special event or sale, or offer a free gift or holiday discount.

4. Help customers spend their money.

Great customer service goes a long way, especially during the holidays when people are cramming to get their Christmas shopping done. Help your customers out with personal shoppers, free-gift-wrapping stations, or even pre-wrapped gifts.

5. Sell the gift of giving.

Gift cards are one of those great things that come in small packages. Add appeal to your gift cards by having them customized into unusual sizes and holiday shapes, or offering to have them wrapped as well. You can also offer a give one-get one option so your shoppers get a gift too!

6. Use your senses!

Appeal to your shoppers’ five senses. Attract attention with holiday music and seasonal scents like pine or gingerbread, perhaps even have some cookies or eggnog to offer your shoppers. Add comfortable seating while they wait for presents to be wrapped. Pair these with festive holiday décor and your customers might shop just a little bit longer.

7. All I want for Christmas…

Many shoppers are so absorbed in completing their Christmas shopping that they forget to get a gift for themselves. Put up posters and window signage reminding your shoppers to treat themselves too! Offering high discounts or two-for-one deals might just be the treat they are waiting for.

Embrace the holiday spirit and welcome those shoppers with open arms! Cheers!

In the mad scramble to get the attention of holiday shoppers, special offers and promotions are popping up left and right. Consumers are always looking for the best deals, and businesses want to make sure that their deals are at par, if not better, than their competitors. However, offering the better deal or the best promotion will not always mean better profits. So how do you create that balance?

Here are some common promotions that will help your store get those sales without sacrificing your profit:

1. CONDITIONAL PROMOTIONS

Conditional promotions are a classic yet still effective approach to draw more customers during the holidays. What many businesses fail to take advantage of is switching the offers around to keep shoppers interested. For instance, the condition of having a minimum spend threshold in order to get a discount is a common promotion used by retail and online stores, and if your discount is lower or if the minimum threshold is higher than other retailers’, shoppers may not give your offer a second thought. Instead of offering a higher discount or lowering the spend requirement (which may obliterate your profits), offer another type of promotion, like making the purchase by a certain date, or discounts made available to loyalty card holders only – both offer discounts but the former adds urgency, while the latter adds exclusivity. Having a series of different offers help draw attention to your store.

2. CUSTOMER REFERRALS

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, you may think that you’re too busy to have a referral program or to follow up with your customers. It’s easy to get caught up in the sales that you are getting now as opposed to how you can get more business out of those existing shoppers. However, with a little extra effort and an offer that benefits both the referrer and referee, you can multiply your sales potential and reap results even beyond the holiday frenzy. For instance, offering store credit can turn that one-time holiday shopper into a repeat customer.

3. BUNDLE AND BULK ORDER DISCOUNTS

Bundle discounts only work if you have the right pair or set of items together. Nothing annoys a customer more than bundle items that make no sense together. If you’re not sure what items will sell well together, create options. The key to making a profit is to mix items with poor profit margin with items that have better margins. Bulk order discounts are also a great way of selling more than one item at a time, with just a fraction of the effort.

4. GIFT CARD DISCOUNTS

Gift cards can be one of your most profitable items, with or without the discount. Whether you are offering a percentage off the price of the card, or adding a percentage to increase its value, gift cards work because they’re a quick fix to the problems of an indecisive shopper. More importantly, gift card redemption can benefit your business in two ways: gift cards that are not redeemed for full value means the unused amount is automatically a profit, and shoppers who spend more than its value means additional profit.

It’s okay to want to be generous during the holidays, but choose your promotions wisely. Before handing out those flyers or hanging those posters, make sure that your generous offers keep your profit intact.

If you are the type that uses one set of predetermined colors for all of your marketing needs, you are missing out on a lot of other possible subconscious triggers that drive sales. Color in your design is meant to be eye-catching, but it can also be very effective in stimulating certain moods and emotions that ultimately influence how your customers spend their money.

Depending on what colors are predominant in your design and how they are used in your graphics and message, you can have the following psychological impact on your customers:

Black

Black is usually associated with sophistication and elegance. Take cosmetics for instance: the ones that come in black packaging look more expensive and upscale. Black is also associated with power, strength, and formality.

Blue

Blue is favorite among financial institutions because it exudes a feeling of security and dependability – this is due to subconsciously associating blue with clear blue skies – meaning clear, calm weather. Studies have also shown that blue (as opposed to orange) has a higher tendency to draw customers back to your store.

Green

Green is the color that least causes eyestrain, giving a feeling of calm and relaxation – which is why you will see green being used in high-stress environments like hospitals. It is also associated with optimism and freshness and general well-being. It is also used to appeal to the eco-friendly market.

Orange

Science has proven that orange increases oxygen to the brain, which partly explains why this color is related to feelings of energy and enthusiasm – customers that feel energized are more likely to give in to impulse buying. Orange is also associated with affordability and good value.

Pink

Pink appeals to the romantic, loving, and caring side of consumers and triggers feelings of nurture and (most often) femininity. Pink also has scientifically proven calming effects by relaxing tense muscles and slowing the endocrine system, and relaxed customers tend to be more willing to spend.

Red

Red evokes strong emotions like passion and intensity, danger and excitement, causing increased heart rates. You will often see this color in sales because it creates a sense of urgency and speed, which is great for impulse buying.

Yellow

This is the color of liveliness and energy and youthfulness. Yellow is very effective in window displays because it tends to grab attention.

Gray

Gray is seen as conservative and serious, as well as passive and objective. This may give off a feeling of dullness which would not be effective if you are trying to capture people’s attention, but it’s these same qualities that make gray a good color for businesses that provide legal or financial services.

Purple

Purple has always been a sign of royalty, which is why it is also associated with feelings of power, elegance, and luxury, great for marketing pieces that command authority. On the other hand, purple also exudes feelings of calm, magic and mystery, which is probably why it is successfully used in anti-aging products.

No matter what color/s you choose, be sure to keep in mind that these should support your brand. Used wisely, your color scheme can not only impact your customers’ moods, but impact your sales as well.

With holidays just around the corner, many businesses are scrambling to get the next best deal out there in the open. Customers, old and new, get bombarded with emails and flyers and marketing material in the mail. With so much competition, how does one stand out?

Flyers still remain one of the most cost effective ways to get the word out to a large group of people. Apart from a killer design, how do you ensure that your flyer actually gets read? You can increase the likelihood of effectively communicating your offer with a powerful headline.

Give your headlines edge by following these simple yet proven formulas:

1. USE WORD PLAY

Using  word play and puns in headlines are very catchy. A good pun can make your reader look twice, and perhaps read on. Some people don’t like puns because they’re badly written. Clever puns make an impact and make the product memorable in the process. Take these examples:

• “You’re broke, we’ll fix it.” (loan company)
• “Temptation on every level” (department store)

2. STATE THE SELLING POINT

What is your product’s best selling point? Stating the benefit in your headline informs your reader of what you have to offer, even if they do not read the rest of your flyer. This formula is fairly easy if you know how your product or service can best benefit your customers. If this poses a challenge, then you should get to know your product a lot more.

• “Fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” (Domino’s Pizza)
• “Widest selection of (product) in the city!”

3. KEEP IT SIMPLE AND DIRECT

If you have a strong offer, it’s best to use this formula. It’s a no fuss headline that grabs attention because it jumps out from the page. This formula also works well if you have an offer that you know is unique to your industry, or a promotion that you know beats your competition.

• “30% off on ALL products until (date).”
• “Buy 1, Get 2 while supplies last.”

4. DECLARE EXCITING NEWS

Presenting your offer in a manner that suggests news appeals to the curiosity of your readers.  Your offer or product doesn’t need to be groundbreaking or new; it just has to appear as news to your audience. You can also announce a special sale or the celebration of a milestone. Create excitement with your headline by using the words “Introducing,” “Finally,” “Announcing,” or “At last.”

• “Finally, a Caribbean cruise as good as its brochure.” (Norwegian American Line)
• “Introducing: The newest idea in cross-training.’ (NordicTrack)

5. TEASE WITH “HOW-TO”

This formula appeals to the innate need to know. This type of headline carries the promise of answers, solutions, or useful advice– you just need to make sure that the question is phrased so that it highlights the benefits of your offer for your potential customer.

• “How to get 6-pack abs in one month.”
• “How to quit smoking in 30 days or less.”

Keep practicing writing several headlines. Think of your core message and try to apply these formulas and see which gives the most edge.  Watch out for Part 2 for more headline formulas for your next flyer.

The objective of a poster is to capture your audience’s attention while they are on the go. As such, poster design and message should be eye-catching and engaging, and takes more than simply putting words and images together.

When designing an effective poster, there are several factors to take into careful consideration:

1. LOCATION

Before anything else, you should have a general idea where your posters will be placed. The location will determine how big or small your posters will need to be. The location will also help in selecting the colors to be used, especially if your poster will be competing with other advertisements in the area. Knowing the location helps you gauge how your poster will stand out against its surroundings.

2. INFORMATION

What message are you trying to convey? Keep in mind that your audience will be on the move, and though it may be possible to have a poster that stops people in their tracks, most people will spend 10 seconds or less on your poster. With such limited time, the information on your poster should be simple, direct, and brief, with the core message being the most visible, especially from a distance. As always, your message should drive your audience to take action.

3. IMAGES

Once you’ve determined what your core message is, choose the image or graphics that will best communicate your words visually. You can have one large image, or several smaller ones. Keep in mind that your graphics will be visible to your moving audience long before they can read the text on your poster. Furthermore, it is imperative that you use high resolution images so they don’t become pixelated when printed.

4. FONT

Your core message should be readable from 5 feet away, and the most important part of your message should be in the largest font. The type of font you choose dictates how clearly and easily you can communicate your message, and using too many fonts can make your poster design look cluttered and confusing. The font you choose is as much a part of your visual element as your graphics.

5. LAYOUT

How you put together your graphics and text determines how effective your poster will be. People will be typically drawn to the center of your poster, so you can place your core message there. On the other hand, you can place a bold image in the center and use a header and footer for your message. You can also align your messages on one side of the poster. Do not use the poster margins for your messages, as this creates a scattered look and your audience will not waste time trying to make sense of it.

6. COLOR

Color is what will capture and hold your audience’s attention. Great graphics and a catchy headline will be useless if your poster simply blends with its surroundings. Not everything should be in bold color though; you don’t want the poster colors to take the attention away from your message.

Keep these factors in mind when designing your next marketing poster, and have the professionals at Onlineprinting.com.au evaluate your artwork at no extra charge before printing to ensure that you get the best results from your design effort.

Effective flyers capture attention and communicate a message. However, the message usually gets lost in the attempt to put so much information in such a small piece of paper. So, how do you go about writing a flyer with the content that speaks loud and clear to your audience?

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. HEADLINE

The most prominent feature of your flyer should be your headline. You only have a few seconds to capture your audience’s attention and interest, and your headline will determine whether your flyer gets tossed or read further. Good headlines tell your potential customers what you do; effective headlines tell your customers how what you do can benefit them.

2. BENEFITS

In addition to using your greatest benefit as your headline, you can list several secondary benefits in organized fashion. What else is in it for your customer? Use “You” or “Your” to make your customers feel that you are speaking directly to them. Use bullet points that enumerate what makes your product/service so great that your potential customers will choose you above the competition.

3. CALL TO ACTION

Your flyer would be useless if it doesn’t drive your objective. Be clear in what you want your potential customers to do, whether it’s to order or call or visit your website or store. Make sure that you supply the necessary information near your call to action.

4. URGENCY

Every flyer should have a sense of urgency. Limited time offers or limited supplies are a great way to urge your potential customers to take advantage of what you are advertising at the soonest possible time.

5. SIMPLICITY

Keep your message simple and direct to the point. Use only crucial elements in your flyer and organize your details using bullet points or text boxes. Too much information and you may lose your customer’s interest.

6. TESTIMONIALS

Use testimonials when applicable. Choose testimonials that support the benefits you’ve enumerated. Good testimonials lend credibility to what you are offering.

7. CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVE

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. What information will appeal and be useful to them? Make sure that you communicate using non-technical language; jargon will only confuse your customers instead of keeping them interested.

8. USING THE BACK OF THE FLYER

While your most important information should be on the front of your flyer, you can use the back side to add supporting information. Adding helpful information like a pricelist, FAQs, or a map will be much appreciated. You can also print a coupon on the back.

9. LEGIBILITY

You will likely use different fonts and font sizes on your flyer. Practice restraint in your font choices – too many assorted fonts can be distracting and confusing. Font size should be no less than 10 to be read comfortably.

10. PROOFREAD

Proofread your information several times. It helps to have a second or third person check your content, as any typographical errors can render your flyer useless.  At the very least, errors in your flyer can distract your customer and can create a negative impression of your business.

Pair your content with a striking design and create a flyer that’s both informative and arresting.  Get your flyers printed at Onlineprinting.com.au and be confident that your flyer will spread the information that will boost your business.