© Gala Life Ltd 2014
Everyone has some ideas about their own advert, however if you are unfamiliar with the elements of design and
using desktop publishing software it can be a daunting task. Fear not - we can help create an advert, or even
just offer some improvement on your own ideas. It is very satisfying and rewarding to be complimented on an
advert of your own design, so give it a try…
There are many free online apps for creating adverts, some even offer templates to make it easier. We regularly receive
artwork created with Canva, or if you feel up to the challenge you can get a free 7 day trial of Adobe Photoshop and
Illustrator. However it’s probably best to work with whatever you find easy to use and it’s not unusual for us to get
adverts created on Microsoft Word, or Publisher. If all else fails, send the component parts - the logo if you have one,
text and pictures by e-mail and we will assemble it for you.
When sending your advert, our preferred format is in PDF, however we are able to accept artwork in almost any format.
Just remember that it needs to be in high resolution - 300dpi or more, otherwise the print copy will not look sharp.
Commercial print is in CMYK colour format. Your computer monitor is in RGB, so if your software allows, set up your
artwork in CMYK, otherwise the printed copy will appear slightly different, with colours more muted. CMYK will not
reproduce ‘fluorescent’ colours. The proof copy we return to you will be in CMYK.
If stuck for ideas, have a look at what others in a similar business are doing, note what they consider key points, what
picture(s) are important, then don’t copy - improve.
Size
Start by deciding what size of advert you want. This is usually determined by budget and what you would like to say. If
you feel the need to have several pictures you will need space to display them in a clear and meaningful manner. See
our advert size chart here.
Once decided, either create a new page/canvas at that size in the software you are using, or draw a box to that size and
keep within it. Regularly reduce the on-screen version to the printed size to check how it will look.
Content
Don’t be tempted to overwrite content, particularly in smaller ads. You
want the advert to be clear and concise with an effective header. This
lets the browsing reader instantly know what your business is, without
having to read the rest of the advert.
Keep it simple. Whilst you can be more creative with your titles, avoid
overly ornate fonts or text styles in the main body text and don’t write
so much that the font size becomes difficult to read. Don’t be afraid of
white space, occupying all of the white space of an advert with text
and imaging can feel overwhelming to prospective customers. Having
a proper white space ratio makes print ads more visually appealing
and reader-friendly.
Try to be unique. The text and design should help create a feeling that is unique to effectively demonstrate what sets you
apart from competitors. This is known as a “Unique Selling Proposition”. While your product or service does not have to
be the only one on the market, it’s best to promote it from the unique angle of what makes it better than the others.
Ensure Contact Information Stands Out
Make sure your contact information isn’t buried in the ad and try to provide various avenues of getting in touch (phone
number, e-mail, website etc). This ensures the customer has options, so they’ll be more likely to contact you. It can also
be a good idea to include your landline number, that lets people see you are local. Only include your Facebook if you
regularly update the entries.
Images
Many people are visual and possess relatively short attention spans, others might just scan your advert not realising they
could benefit from your services. So ads that are all text may be off-putting. For this reason, using images and/or
graphics correctly can help catch attention and get your message across. Avoid using generic photos purely for
decorative purposes and make sure any visual imagery works alongside your copy. Keep in mind that good quality
original photography often works better than stock photos, just don’t go overboard.
Try to avoid putting text over photographs. Unless you can achieve a good contrast between light text on a dark
background (or the other way round) the text becomes lost and difficult to read.
Proof Read
Check your spelling and grammar. Then check it again.
Meet the Deadline
Our print deadline is the 13th of the preceding month, however if you need assistance, get in touch as soon as possible,
or by the 10th at latest.
Whether just starting out, or already established, it is highly likely that you will need to consider not only your adverts, but
also a web page, Facebook and other social media, headed notepaper and business cards. Branding then becomes
important and a logo will make your business instantly recognisable. We recommend that to keep consistency in all your
printed and on-line presence, you consult with a professional designer. We regularly receive work from
Ellen McBride - EMB GRAPHICS LTD
www.embgraphics.co.uk design@embgraphics.co.uk 01887 829 837
Marius Bezuidenhout - Web Smart Media Ltd
www.websmartmedia.co.uk marius@websmartmedia.co.uk 07884095911 01796 470558
Kirstie Pirie - Source Marketing
www.sourcemarketing.co.uk info@sourcemarketing.co.uk 01738 583858
Local and highly recommended.
Ensure Contact Information Stands Out
Make sure your contact information isn’t buried in the ad and
try to provide various avenues of getting in
touch (phone number, e-mail, website etc).
This ensures the customer has options, so
they’ll be more likely to contact you. It can
also be a good idea to include your landline
number, that lets people see you are local.
Only include your Facebook if you regularly
update the entries.
Images
Many people are visual and possess relatively short attention
spans, others might just scan your advert not
realising they could benefit from your
services. So ads that are all text may be off
putting. For this reason, using images and/or
graphics correctly can help catch attention
and get your message across. Avoid using
generic photos purely for decorative
purposes and make sure any visual imagery
works alongside your copy. Keep in mind
that good quality original photography often
works better than stock photos, just don’t go
overboard.
Try to avoid putting text over photographs.
Unless you can achieve a good contrast
between light text on a dark background (or
the other way round) the text becomes lost
and difficult to read.
Proof Read
Check your spelling and grammar. Then check it again.
Meet the Deadline
Our print deadline is the 13th of the preceding month,
however if you need assistance, get in touch as soon as
possible, or by the 10th at latest.
Whether just starting out, or already established, it is highly
likely that you will need to consider not only your adverts, but
also a web page, Facebook and other social media, headed
notepaper and business cards. Branding then becomes
important and a logo will make your business instantly
recognisable. We recommend that to keep consistency in all
your printed and on-line presence, you consult with a
professional designer. We regularly receive work from
Ellen McBride - EMB GRAPHICS LTD
www.embgraphics.co.uk design@embgraphics.co.uk
01887 829 837
Marius Bezuidenhout - Web Smart Media Ltd
www.websmartmedia.co.uk
marius@websmartmedia.co.uk
07884095911 01796 470558
Kirstie Pirie - Source Marketing
www.sourcemarketing.co.uk
info@sourcemarketing.co.uk
01738 583858
Local and highly recommended.
© Gala Life Ltd 2014