4. Select a typeface that matches your message.

"The typeface should reflect what the ad is saying and what the ad is about," says Tom Smith, creative director at Wyse Advertising, Cleveland. "The typeface, the illustration and the headline all have to complement one another."

In most cases, straightforward typefaces make better ads. "The one that has survived since the 1940's is good old Helvetica," says Sly. "It's highly readable and can be used creatively." Avoid an "arty" typeface. Some advertisers believe that such a typeface will get the attention of the reader, since other advertisers are not using it. Wrong. Recall that there are only two ways to get your message across: through the headline or through the visual. Let those elements do that job. The typeface must fall in "lock step" behind the leaders. Fact is, the fancy typefaces are hard to read. "Don't forget that to most people, advertising is an annoyance," says Lipson. "If you throw something in their face that is even more annoying, they will turn away."

For that reason, artists suggest staying away from fancy script typeface, reverse type, or even italics. "Some studies have shown that reverse type retards readership by as much as 30 percent," cautions Benton. "And you lose the reader after the third word." Avoid at all costs using many different typefaces in an ad, in a misguided attempt to create excitement. "You end up with a ransom note effect that irritates readers," says Lipson. Headlines can be made more powerful by using large, bold versions of standard typefaces. In rare cases, you may use a wild typeface to enhance an unusual message. For example, a jagged type may be used for a headline such as "Our manager has gone insane!" (as in offering insane, low prices.) Body typeface should be as plain as possible or readers will avoid it. If you need to highlight elements in the body type, use simple techniques such as a series of plain round bullets.

Okay! We've covered the three elements that support the core message. Now let's move on to more ways to pump "sales steam" into your display ads.

The experts suggested keeping the typeface simple. Same goes for borders: simple ones make great ads.

"I always suggest a border that has one of two designs," says Benton. "The first is a hairline thin border, from one- sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch thick. The other is a bold, black border that is up to a quarter of an inch thick."

A hairline border will pull together the other elements of your ad, without distracting from the message. The thick border will help your ad stand out from others on the page, but will not be distracting.

Avoid fancy borders that might irritate a reader who is already prone to ignore advertising. A border that strings a bunch of arrowheads together, pointing toward the center of the ad, may appear to do an admirable job of grabbing the attention of a busy reader. Not likely. Only the headline or the illustration can do that. "Don't use any gimmicks that can detract from the purpose of the border," says Benton.

6. Avoid clutter.

"Don't say too much. Use white space well."  Great ads are tidy, say the experts. You'll recall that the very first suggestion in this article was to determine what message you want to communicate. The headline should zero in on that specific message and the rest of the ad should fall in line. Avoid trying to add additional thoughts that only confuse the key message and fatigue the reader.

"Advertisers usually try to squeeze too much into one ad," says Steinfeld. "The reader misses the real message."

White space can actually serve as a kind of graphic, attracting the eye of the reader in a pleasing way. "In a page crowded with ads, the eye tends to look for something comfortable to read," says Steinfeld. "White space can provide that comfort. Use it around your copy."

7. Select the right ad size.

Full page ad? Half page? A column-width ad stretching from top to bottom of a page? These are just some of the possibilities when it comes to an ad's size. Ads work better if they are proportioned in a way that catches the reader's eye.

"A three-quarter page ad is often more effective than a full page one," says Benton. "That's because ads that cover a full page have to do the complete job of arresting the reader." If your headline and graphic don't work, the reader turns the page and your investment goes down the drain.

"In contrast, a three-quarter page ad is surrounded by text," points out Benton. "The editorial content keeps the reader glued to the page for several minutes. That means there is much more time for the reader to notice your ad, get the message and take action."

Another tip: lay out your ad from left to right rather than from the top down. In other words, a half-page or quarter-page ad running along the bottom of the page would be more effective than a one-column ad. Why? "People are more comfortable reading from left to right," says Benton. "Notice that billboards, for example, are never designed vertically so the information flows from top to bottom."

That's it. If you've subjected your own display ads to analysis based on the advice of our experts, you probably have all kinds of ideas for improving what you send to the printer. Keep these seven characteristics in mind and get more bang from your advertising buck.

FL