Should I Create My Own Advertising?

Even if you have the money to hire an advertising agency, try creating your own advertising campaign first. You don’t necessarily need to design your own ads; you can hire a freelancer to assist you in this effort. But do the development work and the copywriting yourself.

Although Creating Your Own Ad Might Not Be Easy for You, It Won’t Be Any Easier for an Agency

No matter how difficult you might find this task, keep in mind that it isn’t a cinch for agencies to put together great advertising strategies and write fabulous, attention-getting copy, either! Plus, unless you are the biggest business game in town, an agency isn’t going to assign its best people to you or put its best effort into servicing your account.

Flashy Ads Don’t Necessarily Translate into Sales

Another pitfall you can get trapped in, especially when using an ad agency, is being seduced by great-looking, great-sounding ads. Ads that win awards are nice, but the purpose of advertising is to attract sales. Great ads might generate, but don’t guarantee, an increase in trade.

Producing Ads That Work Is Worth Losing Sleep Over

Creating ads takes time, but is a crucial part of your business. It is just too important a task to leave entirely up to the experts.

You need to study your competitors’ ads, get fresh ideas from other firms in other industries, test small inexpensive ads first, and keep tinkering with your graphics, message, and placement until you find the combination that works for you.

Takeaways You Can Use

  • Advertising is just too important to leave to the “experts.”
  • Just because an ad looks super doesn’t mean it’s going to sell.
  • Keep playing with every aspect of your ad until you’re happy with the response.

About Bob Adams

Bob Adams is a Harvard MBA serial entrepreneur. He has started over a dozen businesses including one that he launched with $1500 and sold for $40 million. He has written 17 books and created 52 online courses for entrepreneurs. Bob also founded BusinessTown, the go-to learning platform for starting and running a business.