You might have a great towing business, but word of mouth alone might not be enough to keep your business going. Effective advertising catches a customer's attention, but it needs to do more. Your ad needs to offer potential customers substantial reasons to consider your services, an incentive to use your towing company over the competition and a way to contact you.

Consider your potential customer's needs. Who are the people who need towing service? People who have had car accidents? People whose cars have broken down on a major interstate or on a country road in the middle of the night? Are they building owners tired of illegal parkers? Consider the concerns of your potential clients to determine what they would want most from your towing business.

Ask a question of your customers. Be direct and concise, yet appeal to their interests. "Brokenhearted because you're broken down?" is a simple question that might appeal to the reader of the ad while it also introduces the nature of your towing business.

Show customers that you understand their needs. Beneath your initial question, include a more detailed explanation of the service you are selling. Introduce the name of your company. For example, "If you are looking for a reliable and trustworthy towing company, look no further than YOUR COMPANY NAME."

Offer an incentive. Do you offer onsite pickup 24 hours a day at any location? Do you offer free vehicle storage on your towing lot for seven days? Do you offer a $25 discount to new customers or gift certificates to returning customers who refer new customers? Such offers will attract someone looking for a towing business. You might even consider a discount to anyone who brings in a copy of your ad.

Explain in clear terms why customers should consider your towing business as opposed to others. Do you have certified drivers, a clean and convenient location or mechanics on duty? Are your employees bilingual? Any of these features might make your business more attractive than the competition.

Include all of your contact information. Offer a phone number, address, fax number, email address, website info---any way that customers can reach you. Put this information in bold type, and make the ad easy to read.

Do not underestimate the value of a picture to accompany your ad. Bold, capitalized fonts can only go so far. A professional photo of your staff, your truck, your location or even just clip art of a tow truck driver rescuing a customer from a jam will draw attention to your ad.