Writing an ad?
The tips below -- and the important warning that follows --
will help you to get the very best response.
1. Choosing a
single benefit.
Start by choosing a single
benefit of your product or service that you wish to high light
above everything else. This is your "principal selling
position". To choose this, ask yourself what specific benefit
makes your product or service different, better, or special.
Is it the price? the convenience? The reliability? How are you
different from your competitors?
2.
Write attention-grabbing headlines.
This is very important.
People are overloaded with information, so they skim read --
particularly on the Internet. If your headline doesn't get
their attention, everything else may go unread. Your headline
will often highlight your principal selling position.
3.
Features of your product or service
Write
a list of all the features of your product or service then
translate each of these into a benefit for the customer. One
way to do this is to look at each feature in turn then ask
yourself "So what?" Imagine youre a customer; why should you
care about this feature? Ask yourself, "What will it do for
me?"
For example,
don't just say that your product is fast (a feature) tell the
customer that it will give them more free time (a benefit).
Better still, paint a picture of them using their free time to
go to the beach, read a book, or relax.
4.
Emphasizes the benefits
Write copy that
emphasizes the benefits in a way that makes an emotional
connection. For example, let's say you're selling toothpaste.
A feature might be that it contains fluoride. Sure, but that's
boring. Rather, say it "Lessens Tooth Decay!" or even better:
"Brush with Boffo and Avoid the Dentist's Drill!" See? You've
turned a dull feature into a strong emotional benefit linked
to people's fear of dental procedures. Isnt that more
effective than "Contains fluoride"?
5. Your
strongest selling points.
Start with your
strongest selling points. The first few paragraphs are
particularly important. Use them to create a desire for your
product or service by briefly touching on the major benefits
it will bring the customer. You don't have to go into too much
detail up front as you can expand on these benefits later. Do
try to get your big guns in early, though.
6.
Testimonials sell.
Good, believable testimonials
from real people will help sales, particularly on the web
where establishing credibility is a tough job. For even better
credibility, ask your testimonial writers if you can include
their contact details along with their testimonial.
7.
Write with a natural style.
Don't try to
be pretentious or over friendly. Just write it the way you'd
say it.
8.
Decide who you're writing
Decide who
you're writing for and why. What tone are you trying to
convey: light hearted or serious? What level of jargon are you
going to employ? Suit your language to your intended
audience.
9.
Sales pitch
The final sales pitch can be
strengthened with some or all of the following
techniques:
* A good deal;
e.g. "20% off".
* Urgency; e.g.
"This week only".
* Risk free;
e.g. "Comes with a money-back guarantee!"
10.
Tell the reader what to do.
End by telling
the reader what to do; e.g. "Ring now" or "Click here to order
now for immediate delivery". Needless to say, ordering details
must be clearly visible and simple to follow.
Looking at
these tips, it may seem that good advertising involves
manipulating the emotions of your customers. Yes, it does.
Selling is a blatant form of emotional manipulation that
involves convincing your customer that they want to buy your
product or service, and they want to do it now.
Is this
unethical? Well, it can be. It depends where you draw the
line. In point 9 I said that your sales message could include
a sense of urgency. A common ploy on the web is to include a
claim like "Offer closes this Saturday". If you go back to the
site the following week, though, the offer is still available.
If you were tricked by such a claim, would you order from that
company again?
So, by all
means, use the tips above to write as persuasively as you can,
but remember that if you attract sales by deceiving your
customers you risk legal action, poor word of mouth, no repeat
business and refund requests.
So,
be as persuasive as you can possibly be, but avoid the
temptation to be too"
persuasive.
