An advert's job is to get attention. An offer's job is to give people a reason to act. If the reason is weak, a beautifully made advert will be noticed and ignored. That is why a clear, well-timed offer often does more than a new campaign look.
What makes an offer work
Good offers share a few things. They are specific: "a free coffee with any pastry before 11am" beats "great deals on breakfast". They can be understood in a few seconds. They give people a reason to act now, such as a deadline or a limited run. And they are worth having to the person you are talking to, not just cheap.
They also have to make sense for you. An offer that brings in a queue of people who never come back, or that leaves you with no margin, has not worked. Check the numbers before you launch.
Test the offer before you polish the advert
Before you spend on design, try the offer in the simplest way you can: a sign by the till, a post, a line in an email. See whether people respond. If they do, it is worth investing in making it look good and getting it in front of more people. If they don't, a better advert will not rescue it.
The advert still matters. Good design and a clear message help an offer land. They work best when there is something worth landing.
If you are planning a campaign and are not sure what should be in it, bring us the problem. It is what our Marketing Campaigns work starts with.