10 Steps To Profitable Print Advertising

Our panel of advertising experts also offered these points to remember in writing good copy:

Use your unique selling proposition. Throughout your campaign, emphasize the one thing you want customers to know about your shop-price, quality, selection or convenience: "Five locations to serve you," "Your complete tanning headquarters." Remember your target audience. Write your ad as if addressing one customer. Use the word "you." Call your prospects by name: "College students ... Ask about our special discounts."

Pick the right services to advertise. The Newspaper Advertising Bureau suggests these guidelines: your most profitable services, "hot" or trendy services, your best values, services with new value, and services typical of your salon.

Decide on one goal for each ad and make sure every word in the ad reinforces that goal. Use short paragraphs, sentences, words.

Be specific. Don’t say, "Low prices," say "Tanning from $5 a session." Use proven "magic" words and phrases as high-impact, reader-stoppers. Try to get them into the headline: Free, New, You, Love, Results, Announcing, Save, 50% Off, For a Limited Time Only.

Don’t forget the basics. Include your salon name, location, phone number, hours, credit cards accepted and dates of the sale.

Close the deal. Tell the reader to act now with a call to action: "Call today for your appointment," or "Stop in this week and ask for your free gift."

You’ve decided on a central message and copy, now it’s time to design the selling package. All your ads should have a consistent "family" look-the same ad size, typeface, basic layout and illustration style.

Repetition is reputation and having a consistent tone of voice and graphic look will build audience recognition. It becomes your business’ signature.

For great looks on a budget, experts recommend hiring an artist to create one "shell" ad. Have the artist select a type style and border, and show where the headline, illustration, copy and logo will be. For future ads, you simply write your headline and copy, and drop in the appropriate illustration.

Experts offered these design tips to present your salon at its best.

Select an unusual border and use it for every ad. Borders add impact even to tiny ads, and give your business instant recognition.