Before we start, could you open your Yellow Pages directory?

What do most of the ads look like? To me they are nothing more than enlarged business cards. Basic contact information, logo and a slogan.

A few list a little more? Like a florist who does weddings and funerals. A limo service that drives to proms. Custom framing that does photos and art. And this one is great: massage therapist who does? massage.

It's hard to believe businesses pay so much money to tell people something they already assumed.

Sometimes, they'll give a few more details. Like what awards they've won, or how long they've been in business.

Normally the biggest items on the page are their name, logo and slogan.

Why The Most Common Form of Advertising Is the LEAST Effective for the Yellow Pages

Slogans and logos. This is the basis of ?branding.? The theory is? advertise your ?image? repeatedly before the public. Eventually, prospects automatically will think of you when a need or desire arises for what you sell.

The results are slow? They are expensive. You can't track them. You can't even be sure they work.

But you can be certain branding will not work in the Yellow Pages. Because when someone opens the Yellow Pages, they're seeking someone they can turn to NOW.

Placing your name or logo before them does not help them DECIDE. And if your business hasn't spent the millions of dollars like the McDonalds, the Coca-Colas or the Microsofts have in ?getting their name out there,? your name, logo and slogan ultimately mean nothing to the reader.

But more importantly?

The focus of these ?image ads? is completely on the business. Often, one-third of the ad is taken up by a picture or logo.

Where the Spotlight of Your Ad Should Shine In Order to Attract Eager Clients

Ready to Do Business

Yes, you often need a picture. You need to list your business name. Your logo helps. But your name and logo should not be the focus. (And unless you have an original slogan, it's probably doing more harm than good).

Rather, the focus needs to be on the prospect'their problems, their needs and their desires. You have to show how your products/services will benefit the person reading your ad.

Have you ever been at a social gathering and got stuck with someone who just talks about themselves. Compare that to someone who asks questions about you and shows an interest in your challenges.

People naturally gravitate toward those who show a sincere interest in them. As human beings.

The same goes for advertising. If you show that you are concerned about meeting a customer's needs and desires'that you understand them'then people resonate with you. They become open to your offer of help.

No One Really Cares What Services You Provide or What Products You Sell

People only care about what your services or products can do for them. The benefits? not the features.

I'm looking at a chiropractic ad right now. It mentions various techniques they perform. Interesting features, but not too helpful. The closest benefit it lists is 'relief from back and neck pain.?

The problem with that bullet point is that it's neither unique nor specific. Also, it is not written as if a real person is talking to YOU. It is simply a vague statement.

It also does not touch on the emotional issues that motivate people to act. Behind every feature is a benefit. Behind every benefit is an emotion.

What this chiropractor might do is show, through specifics, that she understands what ?back and neck pain? really are. And offer a unique way to relieve it.

Here's a rough example:

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?I wake up in the morning, and the pain is there? here in the centre of my back,? says Michael Jefferson, head chef at Toronto's XYZ Fine Dining who spends ten hours a days on his feet. ?And the raw stabbing increases two-fold by nighttime.?

If you know constant back pain? how it shortens your patience with others? leaves you exhausted and uninterested with life? a constant discomfort that dampens your mood? then let us offer some relief?.

Using S-EMG computer analysis, we can quickly locate the cause of your pain. Next, we apply gentle techniques to realign your spine? once again allowing you to relax, sit still and sleep deeply.

?After only two treatments,? says Michael, ?I'm already back to jogging in the morning instead of groaning. I've cut back on my pain medication and don't even bother with Aspirin.?

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When you read this, consider yourself in the 'spine? of the suffering prospect? Don't the extra details resonate with you more than vaguely stating 'relief from back and neck pain??

The Power of Showing Over Telling

The 'short n' snappy? ad copy I quoted first only tells the reader what is being offered. My example shows the reader. It also expresses emotions such as depression, fear, relief and comfort. By shining the spotlight on the reader, you show understanding.

You can do this for any business. A lawyer can show that he understands how confusing legalities can be for his clients. That he wants to relieve them of worries over their rights and provide a thorough defense.

A bookstore specializing in Shakespeare can demonstrate it appreciates the reader's fascination with the playwright. That the bookstore provides a venue for fans to relish in their love of Othello and King Lear.

A custom framer can show that he realizes the photos and paintings people bring to him are treasures. The framer does his outmost to exhibit the work in a way that reflects the emotional ties the customer has with the piece.

Three Steps to Creating a Content-Rich Ad That Motivates the Prospect to Call

Empathetic Focus: Make your Yellow Pages ad about the prospect'their problems, needs and desires. Write out a list of all the reasons people come to you.

Benefits Over Features: Make a chart with two columns. In the first column, list all the features of the services/products your business provides. In the second column, list the benefits of those services/products to the customer.

Show, Don't Tell: Don't tell the reader in a vague one-liner how your products/services benefit them. Show them benefits with rich detail and examples that trigger emotion. You can do this by writing out incidents that have taken place between you and your clients. Write the stories out loosely in the first draft. Pick the best one and abbreviate it down the key points for the final copy.

Acknowledge the Emotional Issues: No matter what you are selling, people are buying first for emotional reasons; and then justify it with intellectual reasons second. In Secret #4, I'll share with you a powerful way to uncover the deeper emotional reasons that motivates your prospects to seek out your services/products.

Often people are not even aware of the emotional reasons.

But you'll know. And you can use that knowledge to attract future customers and repeat business.