Writing
Ads Like the Pros
Dear
Associate,
Once
again it's that time of year when your mailbox gets stuffed
with holiday catalogs, special offers and every type of tchotchke
made under the sun. Most of these items are promoted as nothing
more than photo listings with no thought to engaging and capturing
the prospect's imagination. In the final analysis, the prospect
shops around for the best value, or something within her budget.
Then
there are the glamour ads found in fashion magazines that
convey attitude. They contain very few words if at all. The
"feel" you get is what they're after. And they masterfully
put you in the picture. The hidden messages they're hinting
to you are:
You'll
receive "come hither" glances wearing this designer
dress. You'll get swarmed with compliments (or envious sneers)
donning your fancy jewelry at the next ladies' social. You'll
get noticed in these sexy stilettos the moment you put them
on, and well after the moment you slip them off.
If
you have money to burn hiring an ad agency to give you "attitude,"
and then pay for the one-, two-, or six-page magazine layout—wonderful.
Most companies don't want to take that risk. Especially when
there's no hint of a return on investment.
So
how do you advertise to get new customers without breaking
your bank?
One
proven method is by running editorial ads. These are ads that
resemble a written article. People are more likely to bypass
image ads, but they will read articles because there's useful
content. Imagine hooking readers with great content and then
having them call you for an order. Isn't this what ads are
supposed to do?
A
proven formula for writing ads that make money:
1)
The headline. This is the place where browsers decide
to continue reading or continue browsing. It's critically
important to grab their attention right here. It's the ad
for the ad. Omitting this will create a huge question mark
for publication readers.
You
can engage readers with a question. An announcement. Or create
an intriguing statement. Possibly spark interest with a customer
testimony. Maybe even provide a delicious offer. And of course—a
huge benefit, or a fear-of-loss statement often grabs people's
attention.
2)
The opening. The first paragraph or two is critically
important because it ties the headline with the body of your
ad. The prospect will either be hooked to read further, or
will find a reason to leave your message.
Tell
readers about a shocking discovery. A revelation. A controversial
study that proves the experts wrong. A problem they want solved.
How much money they could be making. Or how much money they
might be throwing away.
3)
Product benefits. Telling about the finer details of your
product is important, but not as powerful as showing what
the consumer gets from using your product. Benefits are the
reasons for using your product or service.
Will
the consumer lose weight, look younger or live longer? Will
she get better grades, make extra income or meet the man of
her dreams? Will he improve his golf game, have an organized
garage or become a better speaker?
4)
Testimonials and endorsements. This is the proof that
builds your credibility. This could be a single statement
from a celebrity, other expert or satisfied customer who has
experienced you, your products or services. Gathering specific,
positive and results-based statements will reduce consumer
skepticism.
5)
The offer. People want to know what they are getting,
at what price, and why they're getting a great deal. If readers
have read this far into your ad, you've got to show them what
they're going to get. If you're throwing in something extra,
list that now. Maybe it's a complimentary gift, a limited-time
discount, or 50% off your most popular item if they purchase
from you right now.
6)
Call to action. Never write your ad without this how-to
step because people want to know what to do next to receive
the benefits of your product. Maybe you want them to call,
send them to a webpage or reply with the business reply envelope.
If there's any confusion here, you could lose a ton of sales.
7)
The guarantee. This is the seal on the deal. What a relief
it is to know you will stand by your product. It reduces doubt
and those ever popular "But what if..." questions
bouncing inside the consumer's head.
Remember
to use conversational tone throughout when writing your ad.
And you may want to include one or two related graphics or
photos to support your copy. Keeping your ad short, tight
and to the point will help keep readers engaged.
Warm
regards,
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Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more
money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy's
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