“Marketing Gems 101”

“Practical and proven direct response marketing and copywriting advice
for today’s business owners, sales reps, and marketers”

Courtesy of Merrill Clark & Crestview Marketing Services

Get Your Prospect’s Attention By
“Breaking Through The Ad Clutter”

Here’s your down and dirty advertising tip for the day:

Make sure your ads, especially Yellow Page, magazine, and newspaper ads break through the clutter.

Let me explain what I mean.

Remember the last time you opened up the Yellow Pages to find a local business? (of course, it may have been years ago)

When you found the right category, what did you see?

And how did you ultimately decide who to call first?

Did any of the ads particularly catch your eye?

Let’s take computer companies for example:

You open up and find the computer section and see pages and pages of computer ads. Small blocks – big blocks, and everything in between.

But what do their ads say?

First – their company names in big bold letters – to presumably get you to call them first because their ad or font is bigger.

Then – Computer sales, network sales, service, fix viruses, printer repair, carry-in, on-site repair, blah, blah blah…

Unfortunately, most of the ads say the same exact thing, not giving anyone a better reason to call them over any one else!

So here’s a better way to design your ad that breaks through the clutter from the rest of ’em.

Use the prime real estate (that most are wasting with their company names) to create a simple and powerful headline that get’s people’s attention by providing a benefit or incentive no one else is offering. Include a few bullet points with customer benefits.

Or ask a provocative question they must get the answer to, and offer them the answer in a free report that they need to call in to get.

Then, you can put your company name and contact information in small print at the bottom. (Remember, in previous tips, I’ve said people don’t necessarily care about your company name – yet, so don’t waste your ad space on your name.

When I was in the computer business, my best performing Yellow Page Ad, which really wasn’t an ad at all, just an expanded listing, completely blew away the response of any ads I’d used in the prior 15 years.

And it was so simple, but caught people’s attention in a way that no other ads did – not even the half and full page ads.

In case you’re wondering – here’s the actual ad copy:

WE FIX COMPUTERS
Get $25 Off!
Computers never work right,
but we’ll fix yours so it does.
Bring it in, mention this ad, and
get $25 on the spot discount.

And it worked like a champ!

So the bottom line is this:

Create your ads to stand out from the crowd and break through the clutter. Everyone else is so busy flaunting their company names in their big ads, and a much smaller ad that stands out with a true benefit, or great offer will work like gang busters.

Don’t be like everyone else! Be different and don’t be afraid to make sure your ad stands out in at least one big way.

See ya next time!

If you have an advertising or marketing project and want me to provide a quote to write money-making sales copy – click here!
__________________________________________________________

Merrill Clark- Direct Response Copywriter
Marketing/Website Consultant
Crestview Marketing Services LLC
603-686-5140

Do you want to get more qualified leads and clients from your Website, advertising or marketing campaigns?

If maximizing every marketing dollar with direct response copywriting and marketing techniques is important to you, then please contact me right away (my contact info is below), and I’ll be happy to provide you with
a complimentary 30-minute initial consultation, a $50 value.

You see, if you send out postcards, space ads, sales letters, follow-up letters, brochures, e-mails, or need a new or more effective website, you’ll consistently get more new leads and customers than you ever have before when you use the direct response sales copy I can provide.

If you have specific questions or would like to discuss a project you have coming up, please call me at 603-686-5140, or e-mail me.

I will reply as soon as I can, usually within 48 hours.

More information about direct response copywriting and marketing, online and offline, and services I offer can also be found on my web sites at www.webcontentNH.com and www.CrestviewMarketing.com.