Free Advertising Tips - How to Write Ads that Sell
Have you ever tried to sell something but just couldn't find the right words? Maybe your dog was suddenly struck and had to be put down, but you really want to get another one and need something to tell people. Or you're in the market for a new car, but can't seem to think of words that will sell your future vehicle. There are no right or wrong answers, as every situation is different; this post will only cover some of the most popular methods for writing an advertisement.
There are many ways a product description comes together–the focus can be on quality or price, social proof or testimonials, benefits versus features–but regardless of what's used it all starts with language. The language you use for your advertisement has to get people's attention and keep it by appealing to certain emotions.
Below are some tips for using language to your advantage when writing advertisements. I've broken them up into six key areas: length, tone, structure, design, urgency and social proof. The first two tips will help you make the most of the words you have written. The latter four will help sell those words by making them more persuasive.
One thing to keep in mind is that this isn't an all-encompassing post; there's no way I could cover every nuance in a single blog post. If you want to dig into this topic more deeply you should pick up a copy of "The Language of Success" by Robert Bly, which looks at the differences in language between men and women.
I already mentioned that there are no right or wrong answers when writing an advertisement, but I will say that it's much easier to sell something if you appeal to the emotions of your audience. Keep in mind that there is no one size fits all when it comes to language; the most effective advertisements have something unique about them that sets them apart from other ads.
This might seem obvious, but remember not everyone has the time to type out a full ad. Keep your sentences simple and use words readers will understand. This means that if you're talking about a complex product you may want to break up the ad into several parts, or even several pages.
While it's important to keep your sentences short, it's also important to keep them interesting. Use phrases or other expressions that people want to read, and use words that are familiar. Think about what gets your attention in a newspaper ad and you'll likely come up with some good candidates for your own writing.
People love a good deal. Look for ways to appeal to their desire to save money and you will instantly have that much more attention. Most people aren't going to buy something because it's cheap, but they sure do love a bargain.
Say you're selling dog houses; the last thing you want to do is write a paragraph about how your dog houses are the best on the market. That isn't interesting and doesn't make them seem like a good deal. If you want them to stick around, mention that your dog houses are half off before midnight. Tell them what they can save.
Don't just ask people not to leave; give them something that makes it easy for them not to leave. Let people know that they'll receive a $50 gift card to a local restaurant and something special in return for their business. You might also want to mention that they'll be receiving additional savings if they buy two or more of your products.
We've all read about the benefits and features of a product, but most of us don't actually experience them. To make sure are readers take notice, mention how your product is going to make their life easier. Think about what you can say that will make them believe in your product and make it sound good.
A lot of sales people like to use the phrase "You'll be pleased. I guarantee it!" If you must, but it's best to use something more believable than that. Instead of promising them anything, offer them a money-back guarantee. You can say that if they're not completely satisfied leave the company and they'll receive a full refund; this is especially helpful if you have a trial period where they aren't required to buy anything.
It can be hard to get people excited about buying something when there is nothing on their front porch. Instead of promising them how amazing your product will be, talk about how your product has helped your customers in the past. Not only will this make people want to support you, but they'll want to support other customers who had similar experiences.
It's easy enough to promise them something that they're likely going to get anyway, but it gets a lot harder if that thing is something that is outside of your own control. You can't make the rain stop or the bank run out of cash; all you can do is give your customers what they need.
The best advertisements are ones that pack one punch: through style, language and emotion they explain everything about the product and make their readers want it right then and there. It's not enough to just write an ad; you have to write an ad that makes people think. If you do that, they will come.
About the Author: Kevin Pereira is a copywriter and content writer who has written for companies like ProBlogger and Inc. Magazine. He also wrote the book "Profit From Blogging" which teaches readers how to start and make money from their blogs. You can check out more of his work at kevinpereira.com. Photo Credit: Alexander Morozov
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4 Tips for Writing Effective Advertisements.
I didn't come to the ad writing game until I'd worked as a copywriter for a few years. Before I had been writing mostly fluff, and while it was fun and relatively easy work, I knew there was something more out there that would allow me. Free-lance writer's block is a terrible disease and I was glad when it had passed.But in the end, knowing how to write an effective advertisement isn't as simple as reading a list of guidelines or taking a class.
Conclusion
Implementing a system to write your ad buyer is the first step and you’re going to want to follow it. If you don’t, you’ll be frustrated because no matter how many times you try, you won’t be able to produce an effective advertisement.
Writing ads can be difficult, but there are lots of resources available that will help you out. Just remember that advertising is a skill and just like any other skill, it takes practice. So get out there and start practicing!
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