https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SVrbI7S5KdPfGcPWwXo7qnzP4XZYlmNHg3NubbS8EqgIVvY59JR7Ubxj-TDoIytdo5DdZym3WH6zCoIIbKtUhMzckg7bNQADNON8X6eC884AFs2j2wcQ8BYn6CTp5BDCWGGsAwDJ
https://www.loom.com/share/69ae9e438eff4ac6aff4330fb639abe9
Suppose you asked me what’s the perfect location to have a weekend getaway is. There will only ever be one place I recommend: the Strawhouse Resort and Cafe near the Trinity County River and surrounded by the gorgeous Trinity wilderness. Whether it is hosting friends’ weddings or giving me a place to have a nice cup of coffee. The Strawhouse has always been one of my favorite spots to relax.
The Strawhouse doesn’t put a lot of effort into marketing the resort, mostly relying on word of mouth or sites like Tripadvisor. So in response to that, I made some ads myself.
Even though I am pretty familiar with the resort’s services and who they market to, I knew that I needed to do some extra digging before making the ads. While I was on their site, I identified three primary clients: Tourists, engaged couples, locals.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/YdRjY0KNr5U8-IbovqAX0d_V_vWlAZLkMv-zhGobc_gz9MXVSpSqm5ibFTRcc2XvTGx4mFAP57wrWwa6-ep8ICY5bO8sW5e6TfiM2892MLMYJE3Q3ECe6PbxxXZDWGVvq6vzsNqx
Target: Facebook users ages 25-30 who are looking for hotels and resorts.
Targeted keyword searches: resort, tourist guides, summer vacation, Northern California, hotels, etc
Goal: Find new clients and build awareness
Tourism is the primary source of business for the Strawhouse, so attracting passers-by and visitors is a vital source of revenue. This ad, while pretty straightforward, is the most important one to nail. Find potential clients and convince them to come to the resort. But before building the ad, I needed to ask myself two questions. Who and why? The “who” being the easier one to answer. Just target those who are searching for resorts and hotels, etc. Simple.
The “why” being the kicker. To answer that question, I used the carousel format. This format allows you to present a lot of information in a short amount of time. Letting me show the “why” through images and descriptions of the resort’s main draws while also encouraging them to visit the site by adding the learn more button to the ad. Doing this allows the resort to present its main draws and find new customers far more quickly than a single static image would.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KTJycal8EUdVTUW9ANZll7bq0nl-Fau1KnKcyswawriskPIZcclpM_-HtWCRCz7J2SyKSL4mx-2DMsTahvvxouOxfLhBUCc-IIMcR0WCphGHymMRfHsSCyGD9GYMrmGsd_pwQeog
Target: Newlywed couples ages 25-30 who are looking for a wedding venue.
Goal: boost event venue sales
Targeted keyword searches: weddings, wedding venues, wedding dresses.
While the Strawhouse is primarily a resort and cafe, it also hosts and caters for weddings. So the second ad, much like the first, presents why customers should have their wedding at the resort by showcasing why it’s the ideal venue: the beautiful location, the catering service, etc. By targeting those searching for keywords by concisely presenting why the resort makes a great wedding venue; they can market to an entirely new set of customers.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/qKGBlkvfQWN4lIAkeYFoN-xzthgnZKH1KgxF2uWYbuVU5O-8__MxyRVhBjkS33GaDYuDh3nCGHFtV1yk76jKWBtUZ7Wudp1o6ZyPYIHJmCWC_egjnmZ8qlYqUicsbpMeEalyUnYP
Target: Facebook and Instagram users ages 18-28 who live within a 40-mile radius.
Targeted keyword searches: cafe, coffee, pizza, Pizzaria, Italian food, restaurant.
Goal: Attract previous customers
During the offseason, the Strawhouse relies on the local population to create a steady source of revenue. Every weekend the Strawhouse sells a set of wood-fire pizzas. By promoting this event to the people in the general location, they can create repeat business through the local population.
Creating ads is an art; the way you inform and interact with your customers is limited only by one’s imagination. And like any form of art, it requires practice and effort. Since most people only glance at the ads, they come across, writing great copy to grab the viewer’s attention can increase the potential number of customers. And if mastered, it can be the tool that can make any form of writing and advertising more successful.
How I created Three ads for The Strawhouse