How to write small adverts that work

By Chris Brown

Small adverts should be designed to get people to do something. Usually the choice is limited to one of two options; call a number or Visit a website

Adverts Can Write Themselves

A few minutes of research saves hours of frustration. By WRITING DOWN the answers to a few questions you will find that an advert will often WRITE ITSELF with little effort on your part. Think about your products or services and write down the answers to these questions

• What is the product called?
• What does it do?
• How can it help a purchaser?
• What problems does it solve?

You might feel tempted to skip this stage. After eight years as a professional copywriter I urge you not to. Here’s an example of the real things I write down when going through this process…

• What is the product called?

"Mylocaltaxiexample.com"

• What does it do?

"It finds my nearest taxicab company and lets me know their number and a sample fare"

• How can it help a purchaser?

"Can save money by finding the cheapest and save time by finding the nearest"

• What problems does it solve?

"Not getting a good deal from a taxi company"

• What should the customer do next?

"Go to the website"

These are the four bits of information your ad should put across to the customer. The next step is to use the four part formula below to do just that.

THE SECRET FORMULA FOR WRITING GREAT SMALL ADS

It is not much of a secret really. I learned it on day one of my first copywriting course, but it has stood me in good stead and is worth repeating.

You want readers to go through four stages:

• Attention:

Your headline, (the first couple of words in your ad) is designed to grab attention and make people carry on reading. If they do that, you are on the right path.

• Interest:

You have the customer’s attention, now gain their interest.

• Desire:

Here’s the tricky one.  You want to create in your readers the desire to learn more information. Remember haqt you are still not trying to sell them anything, just make them want to find

• Action:

So to fulfil their desire the reader has got to click on your link, or phone your number. Give them a good reason to do it immediately. If they do, then your small ad is working.

AVOID THE BIGGEST MISTAKES OF AD WRITING

Never publish an ad that has any spelling mistakes. Your computer has a spell checker so use it. Customers are not going to trust the word of someone they perceive as stupid.  One misspelled word is all it takes to convince someone that you are an idiot and bang goes your opportunity.

Use short sentences. They are easier to read than long sentences.

Know your culture.  If you are writing adverts for the United Kingdom, avoid American spelling and visa versa. Never attempt to write ads in a foreign language unless you are totally fluent in that language.

Never attempt to get someone to buy a specific product there and then. The ad's purpose is to get the customer to act. The act will be calling a number or visiting a website. It is only once they have called your number or arrived at your website that you should attempt to sell them something.

LEARN FROM THE PROFESSIONALS WHO MAKE MILLIONS

These are the books written by Britain and America’s top copywriters.