In this issue we look at: how to take the fear out of talking to an audience; finding out if you’ve got an eye for detail and preparing small adverts that really sell.

• Editor's Desk
• Bite 1
• Bite 2
• Bite 3
• Working Web
• Last Word

Writing Small Advertisements

Every business person should know how to write an advertisement. Even if you only advertise for new staff, or to sell your old delivery van, sooner or later you will need to place a small advertisement in the paper. By following our rules, you will write better advertisements. This means you will save money, because you can make a small advertisement do the work of a big one - and small ones are cheaper, naturally.

You can also use advertisement-writing techniques for posters, hand-bills and sales letters. What are these techniques? They are based on the following principles: first you get the reader’s ATTENTION; then grab his INTEREST; arouse his DESIRE; instil CONFIDENCE and finally get ACTION.

In fact, an advertisement is very similar to a sales presentation. If you look through a magazine or newspaper, you will see that almost all advertisements have two parts: a HEADLINE, and some other wording known as COPY. (Many advertisements also carry a picture, but let us ignore this for the moment.)

The headline is usually around six or ten words. It is in big, bold lettering and is normally at the top of the advertisement. Its purpose is the same as that of a newspaper headline: it stops the reader and makes him want to read the story. In other words, it catches his interest.

The headline also selects prospects for you. For example: suppose you are selling a remedy for hearing aids. The only people interested in buying will be those who are hard of hearing. So your headline could read:

     New hope for the hard of hearing

or if your advertisement is a very small one:

     Hard of hearing?

This type of headline will attract the attention and interest of the people you want to sell to. All others will ignore the advertisement.

And as soon as you’ve got that interest, move on to selling your proposition:

Thanks to an amazing new technology developed at the Acme Audiology Clinic, thousands of people are facing life with new confidence...

Finally, following the AIDCA formula, the copy ends with a call for ACTION: visit our website; fill in the coupon; send for more information; hurry while stocks last. Of course, many advertisements have no obvious call for action. They simply want to make you remember the brand name. The action comes when you go shopping - and then you find yourself buying that brand of butter, face cream, soap or whatever.

The most important part of an advertisement is the headline. A picture may attract attention, but a good headline arouses interest. Research shows that five times as many people read the headline as go on to read the rest of the advertisement. So you should put the name of your company in the headline if you can.

For example:

You get more choice at Willis DIY Hardware

That headline appeals direct to the reader, because it starts with the word You, which is one of the most powerful words in advertising - or anywhere else! People also like to read about something new, so the words New, Announcing and Just Arrived are also sure to be noticed. Other powerful words are: Amazing, Fashion, and of course free, which is the best attention-getter of all.

Here are some more advertising rules for you:

1. Capture the reader’s attention with just one point.

2. Try to get the word: You, Your or Yourself into the headline. If you cannot get it in try to imply it (e.g. the headline Want better employment prospects? really means Do you want better employment prospects?) Then write everything from the reader’s viewpoint. Don’t use the words: I, we, our, us when you can say you. (This is another basic selling rule: always make your presentation from the prospect’s viewpoint.)

3. Don’t try to write clever copy. Don’t put jokes in, or refer to books, films or current events. This reduces your readership to those who know what you are referring to. (Why cut the number of prospects?)

4. If you must mention yourself, use the name of the business.

5. Keep it as short as possible. Avoid long words. Use short sentences and short paragraphs.

6. For readability, make sure there is space between paragraphs: the advertisement should not look like one long paragraph.

7. Have a picture in the advertisement: especially one that suggests movement. But only if the reproduction is good. Nothing looks worse than a blurred photograph or a badly drawn diagram.

8. When you have finished your advertisement, go over it again. Criticise it ruthlessly. Can you shorten something? Are you sure each word expresses your exact meaning? Does the advertisement create a picture in the reader’s mind? Do the words express action?

Apply these rules - being ruthlessly honest with yourself - and you will devise more effective advertisements than you usually see in local papers.