Ads and posters

[Sochin]

I live in a semi-rural area with a lot of older folks, just pre-retirement. I can't afford a real demographic study so I am somewhat guessing.

The area is changing but it will be a few years for the ditk (double income-two kids) to get settled.

So here is my poster...too direct??

[dreese]

I think it's good. Not really too direct. I am intrested in what your 8 steps are.
Good luck!

[Sochin]

That's my little inside joke - I teach traditional Shorin-ji so the 8 steps are the eight kyu to Black Belt.


I'm very interested in ads and the best way to word them. I'm sorta conservative and logical myself so appeals to emotion tend to feel like hype to me,

but if they work... :)

For exambple, do I say:

You will tone up.

You will be more flexible.

Or do I say:

You will feel great when you are toned up.

You will amaze your friends with your flexibility.

???

[ling hou]

Mr. Tuscott..... I found this website it might help you and the demographics question. http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/index.htm
good luck.

[DragonMind]

That's my little inside joke - I teach traditional Shorin-ji so the 8 steps are the eight kyu to Black Belt.


I'm very interested in ads and the best way to word them. I'm sorta conservative and logical myself so appeals to emotion tend to feel like hype to me,

but if they work... :)

For exambple, do I say:

You will tone up.

You will be more flexible.

Or do I say:

You will feel great when you are toned up.

You will amaze your friends with your flexibility.

???

Your goal is to get people to internalize your message and act on it. The last two examples don't do that. Imagine this internal conversation by your reader: Sure I would feel great IF I tone up, but what if I don't tone up? Then I'll feel worse than I do now. I better not risk it.

Think about basic writing style. Action verbs are more powerful than passive voice. You want to tell them exactly what benefit they WILL receive and not leave room for doubt. If you don't believe your message enough to say it emphatically, neither will they.

In the states, there is a local organization called the Chamber of Commerce that acts as a business proponent for the community. They often have those kinds of statistics so that they can present the community in the best light to prospective businesses. If the local college has an urban planning department of the business school has an entreprenuer program, they often have that kind of info or can help you get it. I've had luck talking to the business schools too about using me as a class project. Just some ideas.

[Sochin]

Kurt - thanks for the link. It really covers too big a region to be much help, tho.

Barry - I'm sorry I'm slow but I think you are suggesting that the first option is better?

I'm gonna start some local newspaper ads and since wording is everything and I'm no good at that, I'm in a touch of frustration... :(

[DragonMind]

Sorry, Ted, I was actually playing with you a little bit. By not stating it precisely, you weren't quite sure of the message. That's what happens with your indirect examples. Yes, your first choices were much better. They tell the reader exactly what benefit they will receive.

Second point, an ad should always have a call to action. The whole point is to get the reader to do something. I'd have something like "Get started on your new body TODAY. Call BR-549 to schedule your appointment NOW."

[Sochin]

Here's some generic ads I've got together...

they are small because that is all I can afford.

I'd almost be willing to go for just the logo and the name:

-----------------------------------------------------
LOGO HERE The Yama Neko Dojo

Traditiional Karate in a country setting
phone # (centered)
-----------------------------------------------------

since everyone comes with their own notions of what karate is anyway and nothing I can say in 2 1/4" x 5" will do much besides remind them that:

I am here.

I will be here until they are finished with training.

[DragonMind]

If I may offer some suggestions.

Generic ads don't really work. Save the money for more targeted ads.

Advertising to kids and adults in the same ad doesn't work. Their needs and benefits will not be the same and you'll end up with mixed messages.

Logos are important to establish brand identity, but require consistent, frequent exposure to be useful. A web page URL can be even more effective than a logo if your site has useful, easy to find info.

Diversification is good. Don't do one ad aimed at kids - do three. Then track which one pulls best and develop more like it. Successful ads are a constant game of tweaking and testing.

Adapt your ad to things that have people's attention. For example, if there has been a rash of violent assaults your ad should talk about safety benefits. If you have a lot of Boomers starting to join AARP, you talk about the health improvement/injury prevention benefits of your training. The more specific you are, the better your reader can envision themselves in the scenario you paint.

Use current culture as a lead-in with kids. If you teach Arnis, why aren't you advertising to the kids to train like a Jedi knight? Do you know how many kids signed up to become Ninja Turtles? OK, how many of you guys signed up at first to become Bruce Lee? :laugh:

If I may, here is a suggestion for a couple small ads for kids.

Has School Become a Struggle for Your Child?
Would you like to increase your child's:

confidence,
discipline,
independence,
grades,
study skills?


Call today for a free consultation with our experienced teaching staff and receive X% discount on your child's first month membership.

Bullies Making Your Child Miserable?
We can help by giving your child:

a stronger body,
greater confidence,
practical ways to end harassment,
life-long independence from fear.


Call today for a free consultation with our experienced staff and receive X% discount on your child's first month membership.

[Sochin]

Very good ideas Barry, I like the single focus.

But the suggested ads sound like I'm reading the ads from our local paper. They all say these same things, they've all read Graden and are into power marketing.

Since my kids class is full right now and I want to boost the adult class, I'm thinking about the ol "if you only got lemons, make lemonade" ploy.

My problem is that I'm 5k or 5 - 8 minutes from the nearest mall and the main road. I'm down a feeder road, that goes from suburban to rural between the hiway and my place. Everyone looking for a martial art who lives in town, must go past at least 4 or 5 other places to get to me.

SO, I'm thinking of focusing advertising on my place as free from the pressures of a mall traffic and crowds, no hiway traffic snarls, open parking, beautiful rural ambiance, slower pace, individual people before marketing process. etc etc. Limited enrollment to keep classes small and personl, stuff like that.

It is the only thing that sets me apart from all the others who are also offering all the same things - if I can make it a plus, might it not be attractive?

For those who already live out past my place, who love the rural setting, it would create a bond with them (hopefully) in a together against the townie hassles, idea. Why go all the way into town when I have what you are looking for here...


Neh?

[dao]

How about-

Tired of mindless repetative exercises to stay fit and healthy? Come get a great workout and learn useful self defense techniques at the same time.

That sounds lame, I tried :(

The parking and open environment sounds great to me maybe I should move to Canada....

[Sochin]

Hi dao,

my wife got her first black belt, combined judo / ju jutsu from Cahil's Judo from Willy Cahil back in the 60's.

We still visit SF area often as her brothers are there. For our place, think Half Moon Bay or somewhere out Marin.

[DragonMind]

Very good ideas Barry, I like the single focus.

But the suggested ads sound like I'm reading the ads from our local paper. They all say these same things, they've all read Graden and are into power marketing.
That's because they work. Read the other ads carefully and pay particular attention to the ones you see repeated over time. The more your ad can show the reader a specific benefit to them, the more likely they will respond to it.


Since my kids class is full right now and I want to boost the adult class, I'm thinking about the ol "if you only got lemons, make lemonade" ploy.

My problem is that I'm 5k or 5 - 8 minutes from the nearest mall and the main road. I'm down a feeder road, that goes from suburban to rural between the hiway and my place. Everyone looking for a martial art who lives in town, must go past at least 4 or 5 other places to get to me.

SO, I'm thinking of focusing advertising on my place as free from the pressures of a mall traffic and crowds, no hiway traffic snarls, open parking, beautiful rural ambiance, slower pace, individual people before marketing process. etc etc. Limited enrollment to keep classes small and personl, stuff like that.
Play to your strengths, but express it in the form of benefits to the reader. Slower pace and rural setting may not appeal to some folks, but reducing stress might.


It is the only thing that sets me apart from all the others who are also offering all the same things - if I can make it a plus, might it not be attractive?

For those who already live out past my place, who love the rural setting, it would create a bond with them (hopefully) in a together against the townie hassles, idea. Why go all the way into town when I have what you are looking for here...


Neh?
Don't worry about the other schools, they are not really your competition. Instead of fighting with them to cut a small pie into even smaller pieces, focus on bringing in the folks who aren't training. Your true competition is the other activities in their lives. Offer them a reason to trade that time to be with you. Too many schools think other schools are their enemy and focus on "beating" them. That's a sucker's game. So what if you use some of the same words they do in their ads? Consumers don't generally only check out one school before joining. Your whole goal is to get them to call you. Then you can show them why they should join you by providing world-class customer attention and support.

[Sochin]

Your true competition is the other activities in their lives. Offer them a reason to trade that time to be with you.

This is very true, I have noticed that the number of activities for folks to do for exercise, comraderie etc have gone wa yup. And now there is yoga and pilates too! :)

[mateo]

I saw a comparison of effective and less effective ads put in the yellow pages. All of the more effective ads had photographs of people in them. Putting a human face on an ad seems to be more much effective than using just print or logos alone.

[Sochin]

Now that's interesting - expensive but interesting! :)

the big chain dojos who can use the profits from one place to fund the advertising for another (and cut rate the local competition, sell at a loss etc) all use cutsie pie kids pictures and the young but experienced sensei, 18 yrs old.