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Yellow Pages Commando News
Advice from a Master Ad Designer

August 4, 2003
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in this issue
-- The MaxEffect Approach
-- About Dick Larkin
-- Answer to Last Week's Brainteaser
-- These are REALLY good books
-- This Week in Pictures
-- Detroit is way cool
-- Lance Wins France!
-- And you complain about bird droppings on your car
-- I LOVE my HMO!
-- Is That the North Rim of the Grand Canyon?
-- This Week's Brainteaser

The MaxEffect Approach back to top
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This week’s article was written by John Morana, president of MaxEffect Yellow Page Ad Design.

He did a cool redesign of the ad that Alan Saltz analyzed a few weeks back. I asked John to share his thoughts on Yellow Pages ad design.

This was the original (terrible) ad

Here's the spiffy ad that John created

Here’s John's advice to advertising salespeople . . .

Prove that you care about RESULTS and they will buy, BIG TIME!

So, your goal is to sell lots and lots of bigger, more colorful, more expensive ads, huh? Well, maybe that's the reason you're not selling as many big, colorful, expensive ads as you'd like.

Show your customers how to develop a tantalizing ad that'll make their phones explode with calls and they'll be chasing you down to sign on the dotted line. In fact, your sales will begin to flow like the mighty Niagara.

How do you accomplish this amazing feat? It's not that difficult. First, you need to know what really drives a prospect to make the call in the first place. Secondly, you should hone your design skills because regardless of what some may say, design skills help... IMMEASURABLY!

Take a look at the previously submitted ad and the one we're showing you today. Which one do you think is going to get your customer "hot and bothered" about advertising in the Yellow Pages? Enough said.

Here's what you should be preaching to your prospects:

Put aside color, ad size, and all that research data stuff.

Instead, focus your attention on just two vital questions:

Answer these two questions correctly and you WILL make large sums of money advertising in the Yellow Pages.

Once you've initially identified your target individuals and you've taken a stab at determining what they truly want, it's time to get real serious about your message.

If you spend a total of 10 hours developing your ad, 7 hours should be spent on your HEADLINE and body copy... it's the HEART of your ad. Go into a trance and meditate, or go fly a kite... block out the entire world and place yourself in the buyers' frame of mind. Try to feel what they're feeling and think what they're thinking at the exact moment they need your service. Jot down all of the most important benefits they seek. What's going to make them feel good about calling YOU?

List your top 3 benefits in order of importance, eliminate all but the first one, and you're left with your very own, unique HEADLINE... the single most important element of your ad! So important that if it fails (or even worse, is missing), your entire ad is doomed to fail.

Now take this #1 benefit and develop several variations. Work on your captivating headline until it practically forces people to read the rest of the ad. Then run it big and bold at the very top. Your headline should be the focus and theme of the entire ad. All of the other elements (body copy, artwork, photos, etc.) should somehow relate to and reinforce this main benefit.

Communicate your unique message (headline and body copy) to your target individual in a unique and compelling fashion, and your job is 70% complete. The remaining 30% is the design or look of your ad, but it is equally important if you want to develop the most effective ad possible. (See the Before and After examples mentioned above.)

The rest of the article is here.

John Morana is the president of MaxEffect Yellow Page Ad Design. His firm designs hard-hitting Yellow Page advertising that focuses on getting results for his clients. You can learn more by visiting http://www.max- effect.com, emailing john@max-effect.com, or calling 800- 726-7006.

Click here for John's Critical DOs and DON'Ts

About Dick Larkin back to top
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Dick Larkin is a writer and speaker who takes important business issues and makes them interesting and funny through his sharp wit.

His specialty is local marketing. Specifically, he focuses on Internet Advertising, Electronic Newsletters and Yellow Pages. Dick has helped over a quarter of a million local businesses find new customers through the Internet and the Yellow Pages.

His philosophy is, "If you can't laugh at yourself, sombody will probably do it behind your back."

More about Dick Larkin

Answer to Last Week's Brainteaser back to top
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Buford has been making moonshine out back.

He offers his half-step-brother Festus the low, low price of $5 for a gallon.

After Festus gives Buford his last $5, Buford realizes that he only has a 5-gallon bucket and a 3-gallon bucket.

How on earth can he accurately measure one gallon of "Buford's Liquid Liposuction" using the two buckets?

Apparently, a lot of my readers are familiar with measuring moonshine with buckets.

Click Here to See the Answer & Our Moonshine Master

These are REALLY good books back to top
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	This is my favorite book on Yellow Pages advertising. It helps anyone who relies on the Yellow Pages for customers to design ads that will have the maximum impact. It's specifically targeted to attorneys, but the lessons apply to every Yellow Pages advertiser. Buy it at Amazon
	This is a wonderful motivational book for people who are naturally skeptical about puffery. It was written by Barry Maher, a former Yellow Pages super star who has become one of the nation's most popular motivational speakers. Plus, he's also a Notre Dame guy like me. Buy it at Amazon
	Barry's new book is just about to ship. It's "No Lie - Truth is the Ultimate Sales Tool." He uses real world examples to show how to handle the perceived negatives of your product or service and use them to your advantage. Barry's approach makes for customer service that extends far beyond any sale. Buy it at Amazon

This Week in Pictures back to top
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Black and Decker has started making tools specifically designed for women.

How Ohio State defeated Miami to win the National Championship

Detroit is way cool back to top
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GM introduced their newest SUV this week. The "Chevy Continent" seats 6 comfortably with enough horsepower to chase most midsized sedans off the road.

It's target audience is pretty much everyone who drives in front of me during rush hour or believes that they can squeeze into a parking space marked "compact."

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Today's History Lesson

Lance Wins France! back to top
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Lance Armstrong won his 5th straight Tour de France last week.

The following day he signed an endoresement deal to promote Nike's new line of bicycle shoes.

Why the economy isn't going to hell in a handbasket

And you complain about bird droppings on your car back to top
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Dang it . . . Next time you guys better use the bathroom BEFORE we take off!

How to be a Better Kisser

I LOVE my HMO! back to top
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The White House released a report today recommending several ways to combat rising health care costs.

My HMO could show them a thing or two.

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Ross Perot arrested near Dallas

Is That the North Rim of the Grand Canyon? back to top
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I think that selling Romace Books is just a front for this crack dealer.

Speaking of butt cracks . . .

This Week's Brainteaser back to top
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Buford loves a fine cigar after a meal, but he can't buy cigars with food stamps.

Because cigars cannot be entirely smoked, Buford has come up with a solution. He collects cigar butts and can make a cigar to smoke out of every 3 butts that he finds.

Today, he has collected 27 cigar butts. How many cigars will he be able to smoke?

Email your answer to puzzler@dicklarkin.com

We'll select one entry to receive a pump action bottle-popper.

Quote of the week . . .

"Hello operator, give me the number for 911!"
- Homer Simpson




Contact Information back to top
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email: newsletters@dicklarkin.com
voice: 858-614-5425
web: http://www.dicklarkin.com
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