 Benefits NOT Features
One of the most important rules of selling is to emphasize benefits not features; this helps potential customers to understand why they might want a product or service. Without emphasizing benefits, will customers even know what the features are? Tell people what the features mean for them. For Example: Replace: “Uses a specially developed and highly efficient motor” With: “A highly efficient motor saves you money on running costs.” Replace: “New G400 components have ultra fast response time.” With: “Ultra fast response time gives you a clearer picture.”
Correct Sizing
When creating your advert you need to know what size it will be published at. Once you have chosen the size you would like, you need to make the image size the right number of pixels.
Each publication will have a different specification, and it will be your responsibility to ensure that your advert matches it.
The three important sizing elements you need to know are:
1. Dimensions
These are the exact measurements of the advert in millimetres (or centimetres); you need to set your image to these measurements in your graphics software.
Note: Some magazines will require you to set the advert to a larger size than is actually printed, if this is the case; be certain that you place the advert itself within the area that will be printed.
2. Resolution
This is the number of pixels/dots per inch (dpi) that the publication is printed at. You will need to set your image to the correct resolution in your graphics software.
A 300dpi image will be twice the size of a 150dpi image, even though they will appear the same size when printed.
For Example: An image that is 3 inches across will be 900 pixels wide at 300dpi, and 450 pixels wide at 150dpi.
It is best to start all of your images at 300dpi (the maximum normally used); as it is easier to scale images down than up.
An example of where to enter the correct size settings.
Important
If you are using photographs or other graphics in your advert, you must make sure that when they are enlarged or shrunk that they still look professional quality. If the images are too small or have not been scaled properly, then they will lack detail and look blurry or jagged when printed; they should be replaced or removed.
It is vital to print your advert to get a good idea of the picture quality when it is published; if you have set the image size and resolution up correctly it will print at the exact size.
3. ‘Bleed’
A bleed is the area outside your picture that does not get printed in the publication (It gets cut off before publication). If your advert is 10cm wide, you may have a 12cm image with 1cm bleed each side. Most magazines have a bleed area, but it is less common in newspapers.
When you have a picture or colour that goes to the edge of your advert, you are generally advised to continue it onto the bleed area. This means that if the printing or cutting of the advert is slightly out, it won’t leave your advert with a different coloured edge or sliced image.
An example of how to use the 'bleed' area of an advert image.
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