Most Small Business Ads Are Boring (Here’s What to Do Instead)

Here’s the thing. I spend a ridiculous amount of time poring over ads in local and national media. Not because I enjoy them (I don’t), but because I’m fascinated by how utterly boring, repetitive, and useless most of them are. It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion, except instead of the wreck, it’s someone throwing piles of cash into a bonfire, all while hoping their “brilliant” ad lands them a sale.

Let me break it down for you. The average small business ad looks something like this:

• Company name
• Company logo (which, honestly, no one cares about but them)
• A never-ending list of services no one asked for
• A generic claim of being the best at…something (best prices, best service, blah blah blah)
• A “free quote” (which is like shouting “free napkins!” at a restaurant)
• Contact details no one is paying attention to

This is what I like to call “marketing by accident” the hope that, somehow, a desperate soul stumbles across your ad on the exact day they need what you’re offering.

Well, sometimes it actually works. Not because the ad is good (it’s not), but because luck, by definition, occasionally happens.

It’s like going to a casino, shoving your money into a slot machine, and hoping for the best. You pull the lever, the machine takes your cash, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll win a few bucks. You feel good about yourself for about five minutes, then realize you’re down a hundred and still need to pay rent.

This is what most businesses do with their advertising. They toss some money into the marketing slot machine, pray for a big win, and when a trickle of leads shows up, they cling to that hope like it's their lifeline. They tell themselves, “Well, at least I’m getting something. Maybe next week, I’ll hit the jackpot!”

You won’t. The house always wins, and the house, in this case, is your terrible ad strategy.

Stop Gambling—Start Marketing On Purpose

Look, it’s time to stop treating marketing like a game of chance. You don’t want a slot machine; you want a vending machine. You put money in, and you get exactly what you paid for. Predictable. Simple. Efficient. It’s not about luck; it’s about purpose.

So, how do you start marketing on purpose? Easy. You focus on two key questions:

1. What is the purpose of your ad?
2. What does your ad focus on?

Now, when I ask small business owners what the purpose of their ad is, they throw out vague answers like:

• Branding
• Getting my name out there (whatever that means)
• Letting people know about my services
• Making sales
• Getting people to call for a quote

Here’s the problem: you cannot let me repeat that you CANNOT do all of these things with one ad. Trying to achieve all of these objectives in one tiny, overpriced space is like trying to have a deep philosophical conversation while also cooking dinner, watching TV, and scrolling through Instagram. Spoiler: it’s going to suck.

One Ad. One Objective.

The rule is simple: One ad, one objective. Anything in the ad that doesn’t help you achieve that objective is dead weight. Yes, that includes your beloved company name and logo. I know, I know, that sounds blasphemous, but hear me out.

Advertising space is like beachfront property—valuable, limited, and everyone wants it. So why would you waste it on things that don’t move the needle? Your company name and logo aren’t what’s going to get someone to take action. What will? A compelling reason for them to engage. Period.

Instead of trying to sell directly from the ad, think about inviting your prospects to raise their hand and show interest. It’s a lot easier than trying to close a deal in a 30-second read. This “hand-raising” approach reduces resistance and helps you build a marketing database—one of the most valuable assets you can have.

Once you’re clear on the objective of your ad (and, no, the objective is not “everything”), you can craft a message that’s actually going to work.

So, stop praying for marketing miracles and start planning for results.

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