Marketing trends come and go, but successful ad campaigns play by some age-old rules. How can you create ads that drive action? Below are four key points to keep in mind during the creative process.

Don’t lose sight of your goal.

This may sound like a basic concept, but we’ve all been in that conference room when a brainstorm gets lost down a rabbit hole. Whether you want to increase sales or drive traffic, state your goal early on, and for every idea, consider whether the end justifies your means.

We recommend sticking with the KISS principle – Keep It Simple, Stupid – throughout the creative process. There is often a temptation to make an ad be all things to all people, which will only succeed in diluting your message. Figure out what you are selling and to whom, and deliver it to them with the simplest message possible.

Click here to read the full article on The Nashville Business Journal’s BizBlog.