Image, Credibility, and Trust

 You want action at the cash register. You want customers to read your ads, be impressed by your advertising image, and march straight into your business.

 OK.  

 Professional print advertising works because each critical component that generates that desired customer reaction is in place. The advertisement, and your advertising image, is designed to create that customer reaction; it is not just thrown together.

 Your advertising image must build credibility and engender trust. Your message must be clear and focused. Your offer must be highly desirable. Your advertising image must be carefully crafted to meet your customer’s desires and expectations. Your ad must be better than your competition's. And of course your timing needs to be right on. Building this ad is what Professional Advertising is all about.

Advertising Image, Credibility & Trust Part 1

 Why should your customers believe you? Are you an expert in your field, like a scientist or a medical doctor? Are you a friendly neighbor or confidant? Are you the respected president of the company? Are you a concerned parent? Are you Michael Jordan or Crazy Eddie? All of these spokespeople have created a believable advertising image for different companies.

 People tend to believe an overheard conversation, an expert, a celebrity, and friends and family. People tend not to believe interested parties, politicians, or people who do not fit the expected profile of an information provider. And often enough, people do not believe people who do not look like them. This is the hard truth about your advertising image.

 You want to target your prospects with the most credible message that you can from the most credible source that you can. If your source [spokesperson] is not believable, or if your advertising image doesn't match what you are selling, then it doesn’t matter how good your offer is, or how often you run your ads.

 Why should your customers believe you? What industry related advertising images do your customers expect to see in your ads? Can you (or should you) break the rules? Does your product or service have aspects, features, or disadvantages that must be addressed to be believable?

 What is your unique selling position? What is the one thing that makes you special and separates your business from the competition? Unique positioning makes your special, and it can give you a believable advertising image.

 The media you select and the size of your ad also have a great influence on your advertising image and believability. What is the difference between an ad in the newspaper and a flyer on your car? Advertising image and believability. 

 What is the difference between a column listing and a display ad in the yellow pages? Advertising image and believability. What is the difference between a small display ad and a large display ad in the yellow pages? Large commercial clients call the big ad. (And advertising image and believability.) See Using Media More Effectively for more.

 And how important is the design and production quality of your advertising and promotional materials? They are the first, and possibly the last, impression you make with your potential clients. Your marketing materials are your advertising image. You are judged by the professionalism of your advertisements long before you ever get the chance to communicate face to face. Professional advertising makes you look professional.

Advertising Image, Credibility & Trust Part Two

 Consistent Advertising = Familiarity = Trust = Customers. Nothing will give you more credibility with prospects than consistent, long-term advertising. Your ads and your company name will become familiar. After a while you will be a reliable, trusted friend, even though the client has never done business with you. When their need arises, you will get the business. Consistent Advertising = Familiarity = Trust = Customers.

  Companies fail to follow this rule far more often than you might think. 

 Consistent advertising has two aspects. First, you need to run your ads on a regular basis. An inconsistent advertising schedule equals wasted money. And let's not talk about what it does to your advertising image.

 Consistent advertising also means that your ads should have a consistent look or theme. You need to pick a character and a tone, and absolutely stick to it. If you change in mid-sentence, no one will believe you. If you are formal, stay formal. If you are casual, stay casual. Always stay in character. If you want to build an advertising image, you must always stick to that image.

 Clarity of message also leads to credibility. This may be the most common mistake made in advertising. You must be clear and easy to understand. Use small words and short sentences. Really. 

 And your graphics must match your message. If people look at your pictures and say “Huh?” then you have the wrong pictures. Remember, if one out of four people don’t get it, then you just lost 25% of your customers. And their confusion will destroy your advertising image.

 The offer you make must also be believable, and it must match your advertising image. As the old saying goes, if an offer is too good to be true, it probably is. Your best strategy is to give a solid reason for your offer. Saying “sale” is fine, but people will believe you if you say “over-stocked sale” or “going out of business sale” or “end of season sale.” If you give a reason for your offer, and if it matches your advertising image, it will be believed.  

 The perceived value in your offer also needs to make sense. People must believe that they are making a fair trade, and that you are getting something out of the deal, or they won’t trust you. See Pricing Strategy in Advertising for more.

 And there is more. Testimonials will make your ads believable.  And 57% of people believe ads that carry an official third party endorsement. 46% of consumers believe claims based on survey results. And 60% of consumers believe ads that offer a money-back guarantee.

 People believe independent tests and outside reviews. Limited time offers are believable, and so are non-paid endorsements.

 And people will believe you when you stand up and say that you are the best. If you can make an absolute statement of standing behind your work 100%, or beating the lowest price, or providing the absolute best quality, consumers will believe what you say. Your advertising image will be golden. And that is what Professional Advertising is all about.

Your Advertising Image - Ask for Help

 As always, we strongly recommend that you contact a marketing professional for assistance. In an hour, a professional can give you some real insight into the quality of your marketing materials, and how to increase the response to your advertisements.

 Hire a high quality designer, and ask a marketing professional to help plan and review the work. It’s a very small investment for something you are going to reprint endlessly. And it’s the best investment you can make if you can modify what your prospective clients see and think about your advertising image versus your competitor's. Please contact Professional Advertising for these services and additional assistance.  

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