10 Ways to Make Your Advertisement Stand Out

A new rare substance has been found in the world. Getting an ounce of it, however, is a task that would give even Hercules a run for his money.

What is this substance, you ask? It’s called attention.

In this day and age, getting an ounce of attention is the proverbial needle in the haystack. Attention is the roughed up diamond begging to be refined.

We live in a global community riddled with sensory overload. As a result, it often feels like a Herculean task to try and grab someone’s attention for even a split second.

To do so, we need to advertise ourselves. Advertising, after all, is the very business of getting attention. The goal of ads is to activate the core. Polish the stone. Grab that ever-elusive attention.

But not just any advertising will do.

It needs to stand out and turn heads, regardless of the medium it’s conveyed through. In fact, refreshing ads that stand out above the din of white noise and digital oversaturation might seem like a misnomer, a dried-up well, given the proliferation of outlets.

There are still ways, however, to hydrate your thoughts and showcase stellar advertisements.

1. Create a Logline of a Headline

Headlines are the gingerbread houses of advertisement. They make all the Hansel’s and Gretel’s of the world want to peek inside! In short, headlines summarize what you’re offering inside your copy Think of them like loglines for movies. The logline has to sell the film. One line! Effective loglines build early momentum. They keep studio execs, film buffs and the viewing public thirsting to see the film, the bigger picture.

2. Like Star Trek, Go Boldly With Your Opening Sentence

This blog is about best practices for advertisement. So why did I begin by talking about rare substances and Hercules? Simple. Your opening line needs to grab the reader’s attention. It should cause readers to sit up and take note. It doesn’t have to be confrontational. It does need to make people think and draw them in. An opening line is like a fishing line. Provide space, but also provide something tasty. Get them to tug!

3. Relate to Your Consumer through Research

In advertising, knowing your audience is more than half the battle. It’s the preemptive strategy for winning hearts and minds. This means you will need to roll up your sleeves and do some research. You need to dig deep and ascertain the rights, wants and needs of your target consumer.

4. Pinpoint Your Purpose—A Target Audience

This might sound like a no-brainer, but the key to researching your target audience is knowing your target audience. Don’t get bogged down by explosive copy with no target. It’s like a beautiful bag with holes in it. It’s great to look at, but it won’t hold anything for too long. Be sure to target a specific consumer as opposed to pushing catch-all copy.

5. Know Your Competition

You don’t need to re-enact the Cold War by sending spies to rival camps, but you should have a firm grasp on what the competition is providing. The goal is to know what’s out there so that you know exactly what isn’t being done.

6. Be Original

What makes your advertisement stand out from the competition? Why is your ad the best fit for the consumer? If you’ve done the research and know both who and what you’re up against, you’ll also know exactly how to grab your client’s attention in an original and compelling way.

7. Make Your Time the Right Time

The right placement of your ad is just as important as purpose. Knowing when your audience is most receptive to your ad campaign will save you time, money and energy. Again, this may involve research and digging in to your target demographic. Ads aren’t just pretty writing, they involve planning. And lots of it.

8. Don’t Pigeonhole yourself

Earlier, when I mentioned the global community we are all a part of, I meant that, whether we like it or not, we are a part of this brave new world. In other words, be brave! Don’t limit yourself to a certain manner or style of doing things. A campaign might benefit from both long and short copy, for instance, so be sure to allow yourself leeway to switch gears if need be.

9. Understand this Digital World We Live In

The perks of multimedia platforms and the pervasiveness of the internet are not lost on consumers or competitors. Be sure to spice up your own advertisement with other forms of attention-grabbing media. Images, links and videos go a long way in selling, and ensure that you’re reaching out to a target audience through various methods of effective communication.

10. Don’t Explain Too Much

In advertising, over-explaining is just as detrimental as not explaining your point or position well enough. Novels and hefty tomes are swell, but they’re suited to specific tasks and audiences. Your ad should cut the fat and serve up only the meatiest portion for the customer.

A stand-out advertisement might seem like a hard task, indeed. It can often feel like an elusive matter, a rare substance. Rarity, however, adds value. And attention is extremely valuable. Make sure you tap into your potential for grabbing attention and hold on tight.

You have all the tools you need to succeed.