Magazine ads promoting your herd cost a lot of money. So why are you wasting all that hard earned cash with no results? The ads that get the most attention are the ones that are eye catching, keep it simple and, most importantly, have a clear call to action.
You Can’t Have a Great Ad without a Great Photo
There is no question that dairy breeders love looking at great pictures of cattle. Instead of just a boring side shot, try to get different angles of your cattle. Three quarter rear shots are great at grabbing attention. Show multiple angles of your cow, in order to gain maximum attention.
The best ads use images that are interesting and large! As a general rule, your graphics should take up at least a quarter of your available space and can go up from there. Small graphics are distracting to your readers and do not have enough interest to draw a reader into the ad. (To learn more check out our interview with the best in the business, Patty Jones, about how to get the perfect picture).
Does it catch the readers Eye?
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Once you`ve got good photos! Make sure you get an eye-catching ad developed to go with them. Print ads must be eye-catching and attractive to draw the viewer’s attention. As Pam Nunes, the designer behind the great Ocean View Genetics ads says, “Remember…the purpose of an ad is to attract the reader’s eye enough to get them to read it…and want more.” (Read more – Ocean View Genetics: The Fine Art of Marketing Great Breeding).
There is no substitute for creativity. Yes it takes more time and effort! However, it’s required in order to stand out from the crowd. With the major dairy cattle magazines awash with ad after ad, and row after row, of cattle pictures, you need to make sure you stand out from the crowd. The best way to do this is to think about the reason why you are doing the ad in the first place. Who is the animal? What is the message that you want everyone to remember?
The”cow” is the center of your story. If the best part of your cow, or the point you want to make is your cow family’s ability to produce great udders, then make the whole ad one large shot of her udder. Keep your ad simple and put the detailed information on your website. Remember you want to accentuate how your animal is different and why they would want to buy your genetics.
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Don’t Forget Your Call to Action
Probably my biggest pet peeve in all dairy cattle advertising happens when there is no call to action. What is the point of spending all that money? Exactly! You want them to take action. That is why the best ads make it very clear what that action needs to be.
In today’s age of the internet and social media there is no need to try and tell an animal’s entire history in the ad. Instead make a clear call to action that brings them to your website or, better yet. your Facebook page to get further information. On those two sites you can have more daughter pictures and the rest of the story. Breeders love big pictures so why try to squeeze so many shots into a small ad? Instead give them one good eye catching image, with a clear call to action to come to your Facebook page to see more.
Facebook really can add a great dimension to your magazine advertising. Recently I saw the following ad by Posal Farms that really get’s it. It has two great cattle shots, not too much text and a definite call to action. Posal is really leveraging the power of Facebook and is running a contest where you can vote for your favorite (Posal Daughter Contest). In their ad, dead center and clear to all who read it, is the call for the reader to visit their Facebook page where they can be the judge.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Magazine advertising represents a large portion of many breeders’ promotional budgets. It is no longer enough merely to post an ad. To attract the buyers you’re seeking, your ad must stand out and get attention. Most of all it has to have a clear call to action. An ad that is all talk and no action, results in no revenue.
Want to take your marketing to the next level, download our free guide “The Dairy Breeders Guide to Facebook“.
Want to take your ad’s to the next level, check out our dairy ad design services.
