Note: As a supplier member for the Kansas Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds in 2015, I wrote two Tuesday Tips for the group’s email newsletter.
“What really decides consumers to buy or not to buy is the content of your advertising, not its form.” — David Ogilvy
Advertising has certainly expanded its forms since Ogilvy became “The Father of Advertising” in the mid-20th century, but the advice is no less meaningful.
Content should be your main focus if you want to publicize your business through advertising in any form.
Whether you will create the advertising yourself or will work with a designer or consultant, consider these things:
- What do you want to say?
- Who do you want to say it to?
- Image is everything
- Those old sayings still apply
Let’s consider the first two together, because they go hand-in-hand.
Your message and audience
If you’re not sure of one of these, defining the other will help you focus. Do you want to reach new or returning customers? What is the audience for the medium your message will appear in? What do they already know about your business, and what do they need to know?
An ad in a brochure for a local festival might highlight a special rate for festival-goers and how close you are to festival, while an ad on a website to attract harvest crews or full-time RVers traveling through your area would best include the amenities of your park, for example.
It’s all about the image
You like your park to look as attractive as possible for your visitors. It should start with your advertising.
While a good image will greatly help any ad, social media in particular is driven by images. Those ads and posts appear in different sizes, though, so think about how your photo will look in Facebook’s newsfeed not only on a large desktop monitor but also on a phone (and more than likely these days, that image will be seen on a phone or tablet).
Be creative with your images, and make them look natural. Ad Age reported that a social media agency’s analysis showed Instagram-style images increased click-throughs on ads. So get out the smartphone and take some fun shots!
Old adages still work
Keep It Simple Stupid. Pictures say a thousand words. Show, don’t tell.
Don’t try to tell your entire story in your ad, no matter its size. A picture of your new, improved playground or fire pit area will get more likes on Facebook than a long description. A bullet list summarizing your amenities will be more visually attractive in a small print ad than detailed descriptions.
With so many ways today to connect to your customers — print, broadcast, websites, social media — advertising need not be difficult. Follow these guidelines and you can create a successful advertising strategy for your business.
Bio: Juno Ogle has created advertising in a variety for media and edited and designed publications for more than 20 years. Connect with her through her website, http://byjunogle.com.
By Juno Ogle 