Crafting a trade advert that resonates with decision makers can often be the difference between landing new accounts and a fledgling quarter of stagnant sales. From promises of profit maximization and the timing of your campaign to sample designs of your programming and merchandising, there are a lot of things to consider when designing your new ad.

Trade adverts that successfully penetrate the psyche of readers are those that showcase a clear understanding of what it is your re-sale partners are really looking for. They need to go over and above traditional marketing with campaigns that include clever taglines and bold branding while also incorporating communication that incites the reader into taking you on as an important supplier.

Using the right combination of exceptional design and direct messaging in your advertisement will prompt readers into following your call-to-action and is the best chance at successfully growing your sales with new and established trade partners.

Here are ten tips to help you design your next trade advert:

1. Sample Store Display

A good way to promote your business savvy in a trade advert is to showcase a sample store display that you are ready to erect in your new accounts. Your ad should include a small outline of a modern floor display that is seasonally accurate and that retailers will feel gives added value to their floor space.

It is essential that you showcase your company as an innovative and progressive thinking supplier, but you don’t want to overdo-it with complex instalments that can’t fit into traditional retail store programs.

2. Seasonal Timing

As mentioned above, timing is very important. Make sure you update your trade adverts so that they reflect upcoming holidays and seasonal trends. If you are a summertime brand, then you need to be designing your advert well in advance of the vacation period and getting it into the right trade channels as buyers start picking the summer brands they are going to push (and before they go on holiday!) Utilize your brand’s lighter side and get behind upcoming sporting events, lake and beach culture, BBQ season and anything else that resonates with your brand.

No matter when you decide to start your campaign, create your design to reflect the strengths of your brand for the upcoming quarter. If you are targeting the October, November, December sales season, then highlight your holiday packaging and promotions early on. If you are running a summer campaign, then showcase your depletion programs like discount neck talkers and case discounts and get them out in the mid-spring issues. You want to ensure that you will be able to execute your sales strategy through the coming season – so start your promotion early!

3. Appropriate Imaging to Brand

Perhaps more important than timing is to make sure your brand is well represented by the images you choose to use [...] please login or subscribe to view complete article.