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Classified ads do not have the big market appeal that a full
color display ad has, but they are still one of the most
economical ways to get your business into the public eye. And,
because classifieds do not demand expensive eye-catching designs
or ingenious wording that you often see in direct-mail
campaigns, they are a perfect marketing avenue for even new
entrepreneurs. Here are some tips to help you write ads that
will make the difference between mediocre ads to great ads that
get good or even exceptional results.
Keep It Short
Ads that are short and precise have better results. Use white
space to make your classified ad stand out from the rest of the
listings. Look at the local classifieds and you will see that
this works especially well for newspapers. With a little care
you can apply the same concept to online ads,
Place just a few words in each line with: 1) the first line
listing a benefit the reader will receive; 2) the second line
containing the name of your company; 3) the third line your
address or email. This results in a striking, centered ad
surrounded by white space.
If you are placing an online classified ad and do not have the
capability to insert line breaks or center the text, then you
will need to keep the text short and use key words to attract
the reader to your ad.
Goal of Placing Your Ad
The goal of placing your ad should only be to get the customer
to click through to your site for more information. If your
listing does not elicit that response, then you should rework it
until it does.
Action Words
Use action words that will prompt a response from the reader.
For example, words such as: amazing, attractive, confidential,
etc., are all words that compel the reader to do something.
There are a many resources available; one that I found to be
particularly useful is Words That Sell, by Richard Bayan.
Unique Appeal
You want to make your product or service appear unique to all
other products or services on the market (if any). Spend a few
minutes to identify what is unique about your product or service
or solicit feedback from friends or family about what would
appeal to them should they need a product or service such as
yours. Use this uniqueness to appeal to the market in the ad.
Do Not Try to Sell Your Reader
Whatever you do, do not try to sell your reader on your ad. What
you DO want to do is evoke a response using action words. The ad
is meant to entice them and evoke an action from them to return
to your site and then prompt a sale(s) of your product(s).
Spark Interest and Curiosity
Using a combination of the title and the text or body of the ad
you want to spark an interest or curiosity in your ad or
product. Use the title to grab the interest and attention of the
reader and the ad, or text body, to spark curiosity. You want to
generate enough curiosity to have them act in response to your
ad.
Avoid Saturated Ads and Products
If your product is already over-marketed on the Internet or your
ad is one that is ?canned? or pre-prepared you are less likely
to achieve good results. Develop your ad so that it is unique,
draws the attention of the reader and then guides them to your
site or product that is also unique and fresh.
This does not mean that you should not sell information
products, for example, which are in overabundance on the
Internet market. Instead, think of one type of e-book or
information product you can develop that will stand out from the
others and meet some need that has prompted the reader to start
searching.
Avoid Hype
Nothing is appealing about an advertiser that resorts to hype,
threats, or false innuendo about their product. Avoid hype or
false representation at all costs. I cannot emphasize this
enough. Internet users have grown up and have become savvy,
intelligent buyers and are not interested in purchasing products
that are hyped. Just state the real facts and use some sound
business principles and marketing methods to get the job done
well.
Be Organized
Do not underestimate the power behind having a schedule for
posting your ads. Post the same ads every 5-7 days. No more. No
less. This will keep your ads in front of the readers and you
will avoid being black-listed for spamming.
Spamming is an incredible annoyance that is truly deterring good
customers from Internet buying. Simply do not send SPAM!
Let?s Wrap This Up
These simple and easy-to-use tips can make the difference
between ads that deliver mediocre results or those that deliver
eye-boggling, heart-pounding results. You will need to develop
your own style for writing your ads and then practice, practice,
practice. Few of us were born with the ability to write a
?super? ad right away. Most of us have had to practice, watch
for results and then tweak the ad to get the results we have
wanted. Do not be discouraged if you find yourself in this group
too, you?ll be a part of a much bigger group of entrepreneurs.
What is important is that you learn from each ad and campaign
that you send out. If you can infuse these simple steps into
your advertising campaigns you will be well on your way to
posting classified ads that get results!
REPRINTS AND PERMISSIONS
Reprints are available upon request at no charge. You have
permission to reprint or use this article in your website or
newsletters as long as the article is not modified in any way
and is printed in entirety including the author's bio and links.
We will happily provide a text or HTML version upon request
Copyright M. A. Webb, 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved
About the author:
Michele Webb is living proof that an ?ordinary? person can be a
successful Netpreneur who successfully launched a classified
advertising website in a highly specialized niche market. Visit
the author's website at http://RegistryAds.com or send email to
mw@RegistryAds.com
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