Marketing & PR Firms - Effective Classified Advertising
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Classified advertising is a form of online or offline advertising where similar good and services are grouped by category. Classified advertising provides the ability to reach an audience looking for what you are selling. Most classified advertising aims to get a direct response from a targeted audience although it can maintain a market presence and introduce products and services. Understand how to create effective classified advertising and you can generate more sales and a high return on your advertising investment.
Headline
Invest at least half of your time creating a headline for your classified ads. A headline should immediately get a prospect's attention and motivate him to read your entire classified advertisement. Begin the wording underneath your headline with an active verb such as the phrase, "Learn how to save money." Use bold type for this section of your advertisement to attract a prospect's attention.
Benefits vs. Features
Your copy should sell the benefits of what you have to offer and not the features. Your ad should also include a call to action telling the reader exactly what you want them to do. For example, "Pick up the phone and call now to learn more about this car."
If relevant, communicate that you can solve a problem. Prospects experiencing a pressing problem will respond more quickly than someone who might gain a less tangible benefit from what you are offering. For example, "Repair your roof now. We have 20 years experience."
Guarantee
Use a guarantee to lower a prospect's resistance to buying. Make the guarantee as strong as possible. Do not be timid in the strength of your guarantee because few people will act on it and ask for their money back. In addition, the cost of honoring a guarantee can be minimal compared to the additional business you will obtain.
For example, "We guarantee that our book will save you money. Buy it and try it. If it does not save you money any time in the next year, simply contact us and we'll issue a prompt refund, no questions asked. You can keep our FREE bonus even if you want a refund. Consider it our way of thanking you for trying our publication. "
Response Choices
Give the reader more than one way to respond such as a phone call, a visit to a website, or an email.
Tags:
Marketing, Marketing amp; PR Firms
Headline
Invest at least half of your time creating a headline for your classified ads. A headline should immediately get a prospect's attention and motivate him to read your entire classified advertisement. Begin the wording underneath your headline with an active verb such as the phrase, "Learn how to save money." Use bold type for this section of your advertisement to attract a prospect's attention.
Benefits vs. Features
Your copy should sell the benefits of what you have to offer and not the features. Your ad should also include a call to action telling the reader exactly what you want them to do. For example, "Pick up the phone and call now to learn more about this car."
If relevant, communicate that you can solve a problem. Prospects experiencing a pressing problem will respond more quickly than someone who might gain a less tangible benefit from what you are offering. For example, "Repair your roof now. We have 20 years experience."
Guarantee
Use a guarantee to lower a prospect's resistance to buying. Make the guarantee as strong as possible. Do not be timid in the strength of your guarantee because few people will act on it and ask for their money back. In addition, the cost of honoring a guarantee can be minimal compared to the additional business you will obtain.
For example, "We guarantee that our book will save you money. Buy it and try it. If it does not save you money any time in the next year, simply contact us and we'll issue a prompt refund, no questions asked. You can keep our FREE bonus even if you want a refund. Consider it our way of thanking you for trying our publication. "
Response Choices
Give the reader more than one way to respond such as a phone call, a visit to a website, or an email.
