A Picture Beats a Thousands Words

This following list is a great thing to keep in mind when you are trying to catch the attention of customers - particularly over your competition.

Most of these are based on testing or research by Gallup

1. When appropriate, cartoons attract most attention. They can work well on postal items like envelopes.
2. Photos convince most people. It is sensible to use them if looks or credibility matters.
3. Charts and statistics often attract interest - e.g. weight-loss figures or interest rates.
4. People look at people. 
5. Responses for can double when people can see who is talking to them in adverts.
6. Men look at attractive women; so do women. But women look at babies even more.
7. Illustrations or pictures that relate directly to the message work on average 32% better.
8. Captured TV frames from commercials are extremely effective.
9. If you don't illustrate the product or the idea, your advert can be 27% less effective than average. 
10. Generic stereotypes - smiling business people, chatting 'friends', loving couples and ecstatic eaters can kill your adverts -  they don't demonstrate and develop an uniqueness.
11. If the picture has something odd about it, people remember the message - ask a newspaper photographer!
12. One big picture usually attracts better than several small ones.
13. Pictures should demonstrate what you are saying - Before and after pictures are particularly effective.
14. Cut out pictures with 'free form' shape attract the eye better than squared-up ones.
15. Don't have pictures just for the sake of it; they cost money and can divert attention needlessly.
16. Research suggests that you should never use pictures that have nothing to with the product or service but seem a clever idea... There is a balance between number 11 and number 16!