How to Write an Effective Ad
The best product or service in the world will quickly die on the vine if its advantages aren't creatively touted through advertising. Whether your PR mechanism rests with print mailings to your prospective and existing customers or is pitched electronically via the Internet, these tips will help you develop an attention-grabbing ad that works.
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Instructions
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Define your target market and the core objective of the ad. Is it to encourage your current customers to feel good about their relationship with you and want to try additional offerings? Or it is to attract new clientele with special promotions and discounts? Take into consideration the age range, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status of your target market as these factors will influence the vocabulary of your ad, the ad's color scheme and the use of supplementary photos and graphics.
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Identify what your target market needs and wants and how these correlate to your specific product and service. A product or service that consumers need, for instance, (fresh drinking water, reliable transportation, flu shots) is going to be an easier sell than something they simply think might be fun to have (hang-gliding lessons over Mt. Rushmore).
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Study the plethora of junk mail and advertising circulars you receive on a regular basis. Which ones grab your attention? Why ones do you completely ignore? Both sets are going to be good models for what you create yourself and should be part of your continuing education to hone your ad-writing skills.
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Write a catchy and compelling "hook." The headline or first sentence of an ad is what makes the difference between whether the consumer reads on or, in the case of mailers, promptly pitches the text into the wastebasket. A strong hook is one that poses a provocative question, cites a surprising statistic, utilizes humor, commences a story, offers a remarkable deal, or promises a list that will change the reader's life.
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Establish that a problem exists, a problem that can successfully be solved by using the product or service being pitched. If, for instance, the purpose of your ad is to appeal to the public to open their hearts and wallets to help refugee children, the ad would begin by bringing attention to the number of children without homes, food and medical treatment. The ad would then go on to explain what a donation would do in terms of bettering their quality of life and ensuring that more of them live to adulthood.
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Create curiosity. Show your target audience a small sampling of what can be found in your shop or what results they can expect if they take your workshop, wear the clothing you've designed, or take a test drive in one of the new models on your showroom floor. Plant the idea in their heads that what they're seeing in your ad is just the tip of an exciting iceberg that warrants further attention on their part.
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Include all of the pertinent information they need to have in order to take the next step. This includes the basics of the store/company address, a phone number, a website, an email contact, and days/hours of operation.
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Include time-sensitive components and exclusivity teasers in the wording of your ad. If someone reads that your shop is selling dwarf palm trees, they may initially set it aside because they don't really need this kind of purchase at the moment. As time goes by, your ad is going to get buried under other ads of casual interest and ultimately get thrown out. If, however, there are only "X" number of dwarf palm trees available or if you are offering a 2-for-1 special that expires at the end of the month, there will be more of a sense of urgency for the reader to check it out.
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Tips & Warnings
The four basic "needs" of human beings can be broken down into four categories: food, sex, safety and self-esteem. The "wants" that you play to in your ad should tie in with at least one of these areas. If you spend any time studying print and television advertising, it's easy to see how these connections are bridged and, thus, subliminally transform luxury items into must-have purchases that will make consumers feel better about themselves.
If you have them, include brief testimonials of individuals who are familiar with your product or service. Likewise, if your product or service has won awards or if the individuals who work for you have exceptional credentials, don't be shy about sharing this information.
If the cost of your product or service is low, mention it early in the ad; conversely, if the price may be considered high, don't mention it until the end.
A cluttered ad is worse than no ad at all. Strive for as much open space as you can on the page or screen. Break up large quantities of information into bite-sized sections. Choose a font that is easy on the eyes and use it throughout your entire ad. Multiple fonts and too much content are the first tip-off that the writer is an amateur.
