Many businesses attempt DIY advertising, sometimes with disastrous results ranging from the absurd to the offensive. The reasons vary: some lack marketing knowledge, while others act on outdated or incorrect information – often clinging to tired clichés like “sex sells.” Let’s be clear: unless you’re in a specific industry in Nevada, relying on sex appeal is unlikely to boost your brand. If you’re managing your own advertising, steer clear of these common pitfalls:
Irrelevant Imagery: Your visuals should always relate to your product or service. If you run a carpet cleaning business, a picture of a baby is completely out of place. No one will see a cute baby and suddenly decide to hire you to clean their carpets. Similarly, avoid using suggestive images of people if they don’t add value to your offering.
Cringeworthy Headlines: An actual advertisement once featured the headline, “We might be able to afford a bigger ad if you’d buy something from us.” While this might grab attention, is that the kind of attention you want? Do you want to be known as the company struggling financially?
Unreadable Fonts: Potential customers won’t waste time trying to decipher an ad riddled with illegible fonts. Even the most compelling copy is useless if it’s unreadable. Stick to simple, clean fonts for headlines and body text. Reserve artistic fonts for minor design elements or accents.