- Be direct, not general
You should be specific in all of your ads. Being general makes your ads seem fabricated and unreal. Being specific
makes your ad more believable. Instead of saying, "Get more sales is less time" use "Make up to 10 more sales per
day". Instead of, "Have big checks coming to your house quickly" say, "Receive up to $5325 after your first month
of business". See the difference? Exact numbers are easy to connect with and should ALWAYS be used whenever you
can. Without them, your headlines will be view as lies that will always get passed over.
- Grab their attention
Studies have shown that ad headlines that are framed in quotation marks draw 28% more attention. It gives the
impression that someone actually is speaking to the customer, and that by itself makes your headlines more
effective, and more likely to be read. Also, focus on who you are directing your ad toward. What are their
desires? What are their fears? Exploit them, and you will have written a successful ad.
- Use professional typefaces / fonts (does not apply to PPC advertising)
When possible, always use Times Roman, serif, or a sans-serif font for your ads. It gives them a professional look.
We recommend Times Roman. On a written page it is easier to understand. On the internet, use Arial. In a place
where there are a lot of other ads, the understandability of your ad is the key. Strive for an editorial look.
People are more likely to pay attention to things that don't scream out, "I am an ad!" If prepared in such a
manner, it lends to credibility and will produce more sales.
- Make the ad promise
There are words that make your headline arouse question, then enable the body to answer that question. "How",
"here's", "these", "which of these", "who else", "where", "when", "what", "why" are all examples of this. "How to
Win Friends and Influence People" was the headline advertising the book of the same name. Also, exact amounts like
number of days, evenings, hours, minutes, dollars all draw the reader into the body of your ad.
- The point of "you"
The power that the words "you", "your", and "yourself" have is phenomenal. A study once demonstrated that given a
fountain pen and a blank piece of paper, 96 percent of 500 college women wrote their own names. Also, when shown a
map of the United States, 447 out of 500 men look for their hometown first. It is evident that we all are the "peak
of the mountain" when it comes to what we perceive as most important. "Me. I am the one that comes first," is the
thought of your customer. Your ad should cater to that feeling and "you" whenever possible.
- Out with the old…
In with the new. Our society does not have what is called "neophobia", or the fear of what is new. We
automatically associate new ideas or products with being "better". Therefore, our desire for the "new and improved"
is stronger than our ties to the "tried and true". Remember, you are trying to create a unique perception about
your product. Use the newness (or perceived newness) of your product to grab attention and sales.
Let's take a look at some headlines that have already been tested that utilize these tips (notice how some of these
ads use the techniques I just mentioned):
"A Little Mistake That Cost A Farmer $3000 A Year"
What mistake did he make? This ad and the article pertaining to it were run in a farm magazine. There are certain
instances that the idea of the negative can actually bring positive results. The idea of reducing or eliminating a
loss is more attractive than a possible gain. Most people would work harder to hold on to what they have already
gained than to possibly get something of greater value. This is the "protect what I have philosophy", and it
applies to anything we possess. They also believe that losses are easier to prevent than generating new
profits.
"Buy No Desk --- Until You've Seen This Sensation Of The Business Show"
This ad gains control of the read using command copy (which will be discussed more in Part 2). The words
"Buy No Desk" make the reader stop and ask, "why not?" From that point on the customer is yours to introduce
whatever "sensation" you have to offer.
"When Doctors 'Feel Rotten' This Is What They Do"
This ad only pulled half as many responses when it was changed to "When Doctors Don't Feel Up To Par". Why? The
second headline fails to stop people. Its wording is so plain. There is no rule saying that you have to be proper
or politically correct in your language (except for the use of foul language). Slang words and surprise phrases
bring your ad alive and give it a down-to-earth quality that people will relate to. They will be more likely to
trust you, and trust means orders for you. The phrase "feel rotten" has that effect. Another example that uses the
stopping power of uncommon words is "Do You 'Belly-Ache' About Your Cooking?" Can you guess which word in
that ad is the stopper?
"Suppose This Happened On Your Wedding Day!"
This ad has a narrative format. It does not ask a question or offer any information. Instead, it gives you just
enough to pull you in, but then stops until you either read the article or the rest of the ad, or maybe you have to
buy something to find out the rest. The reader has to ask the question "did it, or could it, happen to me?" This
is very effective, because everyone wants to be part of the norm, and not part of the abnormal. Another example of
this is "Thousands Have This Priceless Gift ---But Never Discover It!" The reader is left wondering, "What
is this gift? If 'thousands' have it, maybe I have it too." The idea of the undiscovered has an ENORMOUS
appeal.
"Discover The Fortune That Lies Hidden In Your Salary!"
This as is similar to the one right above it. It takes the appeal associated with the undiscovered and shoves it in
your face. It also goes further and puts a spin on the previously mentioned "keep what I have" perspective and
adjusts it to say "get more from what you already have." This headline also gives the impression of being a news
headline (this format is mention a little farther below). I pause to discuss the power of the word
"discover" (and words and phrases like it like uncover, reveal secrets, find long hidden ___, etc.).
It works best when you are referring to discovering something they already have (remember the "protect what I have"
philosophy). There is not a person in this world that would not be willing to find out some piece of information
that they can benefit from. Your customer is out for his or herself. We live in a selfish society. It's sad, but
true. Your job is to exploit that selfishness, use it your advantage, and satisfy your customer's selfish
curiosity. The word "discover", when used appropriately, enables you to do all of that.
"Who Else Wants A Screen Star Figure?"
The emphasis here is on "who else". The conveyed feeling is has "join the bandwagon" effect. The ad says, "They
are here for the taking…who wants one?"
"Do You Do Any Of These 10 Embarrassing Things?
Straightforward question. One of the 3 most used formats for ads is the question format. This ad asks a question
that requires a yes or no answer. When people read it they ask, "What are the ten things?" and "Do I do any of
them?" It also appeals to the emotions, because no one likes being embarrassed. A similar headline says, "Do
You Make These Mistakes In English?" Do you get the idea?
"How To Do Wonders With A Little Land!"
Another commonly used format for ads is the how-to format. This ad entices readers by promising to show them how to
do something spectacular that they don't already know how to do. Other examples of this are "How To Plan Your
House To Suit Yourself" and "How To Improve Your Memory In 1 Evening."
The easiest headline to write is the how-to headline. All you have to do is fill in the blanks:
How to ______________________ and __________________…
In the blanks should be the greatest benefits to the customer. If nothing else, this headline will get an average
response. Play around with it. Start by listing all the benefits your product has, even if you think the
customer would not be interested in them. It may be its usefulness, its low price, its size, or even your guarantee
(be careful with that one). List them all. Then just make up as many headlines as you can about your
product. Before you know it, you will have more headlines than you can use.
Don't worry too much about the length of your headlines. Generally, they should be shorter in length. Obviously,
it is probably of bad design to make them longer than their purpose calls for. However, if they are longer than
"normal" (and depending on who you talk to, that varies) you are fine, as long as the headline hits the high points
of the readers' interest, it is well separated, and it is easy to understand. Making it clear and
comprehendible is extremely important. A reader or customer is not going to keep reading over your ad in
order to understand it. They will simply move on to the next ad that catches their interest, and you'll never make
any money that way.
You are now ready to write your ads for your product. Lastly, look at your competition and study what they do.
Don't just look on one web search or in one week of classifieds. Examine them over a period of time. The ads that
are the most successful are the ones that you see most often and that have been running for the longest. That means
they must be getting responses. Most publications will tell you how long a certain ad has been running if you call
and ask. Find the best ones, and copy or improve them. Remember, don't reinvent the wheel. Locate…then duplicate!
David Williams has been writing ads for 9 years and has been marketing on the internet for 6 years. He has created several successful marketing campaigns for a variety of products, but specializes in finding and promoting effective low-cost work-at-home products for people looking to make additional income. To visit his website please visit www.financialfantasies.com.
About the Author
Occupation: Internet Marketing
David Williams has been writing ads for 9 years and has been marketing on the internet for 6 years. He has created several successful marketing campaigns for a variety of products, but specializes in finding and promoting effective low-cost work-at-home products for people looking to make additional income. To visit his website please visit
http://www.financialfantasies.com
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Tags: bad news, headlines, perception, checks, exact numbers, advertising advertising, quotation marks, search ads
