How To Write An Effective Advert

When testing new adverts; start with the tried and true. Don't try to be different.

It is the sound and worthwhile that brings in the customers- time and time again.

The best way to write your advert is to disregard size at first, writing everything on paper that might attract readers.

Tell it all. Stress the need for what you have to offer, what it will do for readers, how they will benefit, benefit and benefit, what they can expect by using your product, how easy or more pleasant life will be for them...

When you have finished writing, you might have a long paragraph or a dozen pages. Now is the time to think of clarity, not cost.

 Unlike a 'zine classified, you do not pay by the word. So you won't have to be nearly as selective in your choice of words in the final ad.

To build sales, this advertising must be seen or heard by potential buyers, and cause them to react to the advertising in some way.

 The credit for the success, or the blame for the failure of almost all ads, reverts back to the ad itself.

The bottom line in any ad is quite simple: To make the reader buy the product or service.

Any ad that causes the reader to only pause in this thinking, to just admire the product, or to simply believe what's written about the product -is not doing its job completely.

The "ad writer" must know exactly what he wants his reader to do, and any that does not elicit the desired action is an absolute waste of time and money.

Never forget the basic rule of advertising copy writing:

“If the ad is not read, it won't stimulate any sale; if it is not seen, it cannot be read; and if it does not command or grab the attention of the reader, it will not be seen!”

Most successful advertising copywriters know these fundamentals backwards and forwards.

Whether you know them already or you're just now being exposed to them...

Your knowledge and practice of these fundamentals will determine the extent of your success as an advertising copywriter.

All Web copy, sales copy and ads are written according to all the same rules.

What is said in a 'zine classified ad must have the same [if not more] impact that's delivered in a larger, more elaborate type of Web site, in ultra-condensed form.

Honing Your Copy Writing Skills

To start learning how to write good ads, carefully study:

High-octane Copy Writers, like Marc Goldman and Alex Mandossian.

. Note: Neither of the above links are affiliate program links!

Issues of The National Enquirer. These are some of the all-time highest paid copy writers, and with good reason- sales of products advertised.

No, I am not suggesting studying articles such as “Jennifer Williams Gets Impregnated By Alien!”. Only the ads.

Analyze each of these ads for the following:

How has the writer attracted your attention ?

What about the ads keeps your interest?

Are you stimulated to want to know more about the product being advertised?

What action must you take?

How strongly are you "turned on" by each of these ads?

Rate these ads on a scale of one to ten, with ten being the best.

Now, just for practice- without clipping the ads- do the same thing with ten different ads from a Wards or Penney's catalog.

In fact, every ad you see form now on, quickly analyze it, and rate it somewhere on your scale.

If you'll practice this exercise on a regular basis, you'll soon be able to quickly recognize the "Power Points" of any ad you see, and know within your own mind whether an ad is good, bad or otherwise, and what makes it so.

This will give you the "feel" of the fundamentals and style necessary in writing successful ads.

It takes dedicated and regular practice, but you can do it!

Simply recognize and understand the Master Formula [A.I.D.A.]:

Attention!

Interest!

Desire!

Action!

Practice reading and writing the good ads -and rewriting the bad ones to make them better- and keep at it...until the Formula, the Idea, and the feel of this kind of ad writing becomes second nature to you.

This is the ONLY WAY to gain expertise in writing good copy, including classified ads.

Virtually all successful copywriters rate the headline and/or the lead sentence of an ad as the most important part of the ad, and in reality, you should do the same.

The Secret Behind Internet Marketing Is Getting Your Reader's Attention

How will your offerings make me look better, feel better? What will my family and friends say?

Will this help me enjoy my leisure?

Money is forever the great desire…..

Saving money and buying at a lower price are sound copy points.

But they must be followed through with benefits, reasons, sound facts and lots more benefits.

When designing a marketing strategy, stick to the emotionally-gratifying benefits.

A potential customer may be sold, but will that person buy?

Endorsements and testimonials are effective ways to dramatize facts and back up the benefits of your product, but don't use ones that look or feel transparent- bad move.

If you use an endorsement from a famous or popular person, that person should use the product.

Any testimonials you use must be true.

 Always aim for satisfaction. Self-respect, accomplishment and security are human aspects everyone strives for.

Never talk down to the readers as though you know something they don't or you're better than they are. To you, the potential customer is POTENTIAL GOLD.

You've caught the reader's attention with a catchy headline.

You've followed through with good copy that demonstrates benefits and appeals to the reader.

Now- before you lose that interest -command an action in their baser interests greed, sloth, etc...

You can to close the gap between reading your sales copy and acting upon impulse.

 The purpose of your advert is to make people buy. You have to tighten the desire to buy.

An iron-clad money-back guarantee is one of the most useful tool in pressing action- The more generous, the better!

It goes for the bottom line: What do I have to lose?

And it affirms the quality of the product. If you are willing to back the claims you make with a full refund, you can get a hook into those borderline buyers.

Absolutely STAND BEHIND your word. Be cheerful and expedient in returning a refund.

 Let them know that you sincerely appreciate their business and not to hesitate in contacting you, if there is any way you can be of further assistance.

If you give a time limit the product will be offered for sale, or mention a limited supply, or have a reduced price for a certain time, you'll increase the impulse to act.

Again, STAND BEHIND your word; do not make a “time sensitive” or limited quantity offer that- in fact- is not; illegal and unethical- better to be a flaming spammer!

What you're after...

Appeal to the reader's urgency;

Make the product totally irresistible to have- now;

Extend a generous guarantee;

Whole-heartedly stand behind the above!

After all, when you ad is surrounded by hundreds of other auction ads; what makes you think anyone is going to see your particular ad?

This brings you to...

The Naked Truth

The truth is, they're not going to see your ad unless you can immediately reach out and grab their attention; entice them to read all of what you have to say.

Your headline has to make it more difficult for your prospect to ignore or pass over, than to stop and read your ad.

If you don't capture the attention of your reader with your headline, anything beyond is useless effort and wasted money.

Successful advertising headlines- are written as promises, either implied or direct.

The former promises to show you how to save money, make money, or attain a desired goal. The latter is a warning against something undesirable.

Example of a Promise: Are You Ready To Become A Millionaire -In Just 18 Months?

Example of a Warning: Do You Make These Mistakes In English?

In both of these examples, I've posed a question as the headline. Headlines that ask a question seem to attract the reader's attention almost as surely as a moth is drawn to a flame.

Once she's seen the question, she just can't seem to keep himself from reading into the rest of the ad to find out the answer.

Remember, however, that your first 250 words are going to make or break whether they read on- and usually a lot less than that!

The best headline questions are those that challenge the reader; that involve her self esteem, and do not allow her to dismiss your question with a simple yes or no.

You'll be the envy of your friends is another kind of "reader appeal" to incorporate into your headline whenever appropriate.

The appeal has to do with basic psychology: everyone wants to be well thought of, and consequently, will read into the body of your ad to find out how she can gain the respect and accolades of her friends.

Wherever and whenever possible, use colloquialisms or words that are not usually found in advertisements.

The idea is to shock or shake the reader out of his reverie and cause him to take notice of your ad.

Most of the headlines you see day in and day out, have certain sameness with just the words rearranged.

The reader may see these headlines with his eyes, but his brain fails to focus on any of them because there's nothing different or out of the ordinary to arrest his attention.

Example of Colloquialism: Do You Experience Severe Brain Farts?

Another attention-grabber kind of headline is the comparative priced magazine headline: Three For Only $3, Regularly $3 Each!

Still another of the tried and proven kind of headlines is the specific question: Do You Suffer From These Symptoms?

And of course, if you offer a strong guarantee, you should say so in your headline: Your Money Refunded, If You Don't Make $100,00 Your First Year.

How To headlines have a very strong basic appeal, but in some instances, they're better used as book titles than advertising headlines.

Who Else Wants In On The Finer Things -which your product or service presumably offers- is another approach with a very strong reader appeal.

The psychology here is the need of everyone to belong to a group (read herd mentality)- complete with status and prestige motivations.

Whenever, and as often as you can naturally work it in, you should use the word "you" (and its derivatives) in your headline, and throughout your copy.

After all, your ad should be directed to "one" person, and the person reading your ad wants to feel that you're talking to her personally, not everyone who lives on her street.