by Andre Sanchez

The key to wealth and internet success is writing effective ad copy.  One of the major keys to effective advertising is to address the reader personally, and not as group of people.  Make them believe that you are addressing them directly, and nobody else.

Consider how you would explain the benefits of a product or service to somebody if speaking face to face and then write it down. Try saying the benefits out loud as if speaking to somebody while recording what you say.  Then transcript it to type and see how it reads.  The direct and personal approach is a much more effective way of getting the response you want than by writing in the third person. Write singular  not plural. 

Say ‘I’ not ‘we’, and ‘you’ not  ‘they’.  Each person reading your ad copy is an individual with whom you are trying to connect, even if the advert is being delivered to thousands of others.  An individual is more likely to buy from you if they feel that you are addressing them personally, in such a way that they might even know you personally.

When asked the most important things to consider when designing ad copy, most people will mention the headline,  the features of the product or service and the benefits it will provide to the buyer. However, before you even consider these things you must define the objective of the advert. 

What is the goal of your message? If you are not sure of your goal how are you going to get your prospects to respond?  Do you want them to purchase something?  Do you simply want leads or contact details? Is there a specific action that you want the prospect to take?  Write down what you want to achieve from the ad copy, and that is your personal goal.  You should then make sure that every part of your advert is designed to achieve that goal.

Remember that your potential customers are not in the least interested about you or your product.  They couldn’t care less how great it is or how marvelous a deal you are offering them.  All that interests them is what it can do for them. Will it provide them with a benefit and do what it says it does. Testimonials might help, but frankly your prospects don’t particularly care what it did for other people. They care only about what it will do for them:  save them money, make them money, save them time.  These are the three major benefits. Your ad copy should focus on these benefits.

You should try to express the benefits is a way that gets them personally and emotionally involved.  Show them how they can save burning the midnight oil by using your time-saving system; how they will have more time to spend with the kids, or how you can save them $200 every week.  Provide one or two examples of what $800 monthly could buy them.

The headline of your advert is the most important part, and it should draw the eye and stop the reader.  It should state a benefit that is very difficult for the reader to ignore.  Let’s assume you have sent out a sales letter. The headline might be the statement at the top of the letter, or the subject line of email if the letter has been emailed. If your headline does not immediately attract the reader, it will go into the trash bin.  The headline should scream out the benefit so that the prospect cannot ignore it.  You have a fraction of a second to attract your prospects attention.

Then you must immediately back up your claims, not with hard facts since people are not interested in hard facts.  Back them up with examples of how your product or service can help them to save money, make money or save time by making their life easier. Keep you main goal and your benefits in mind all the time.

An important aspect of a sales letter is the Call to Action.  Tell them what to do next, and tell them when to do it.  Don’t give choices or you will make them think. It is important that the prospect reads your ad copy, is impressed and clicks where you tell them.  Do not offer options or you might confused and slow them down.  Also tell the truth.  State simply how your product can help them, and if your call to action is to buy the product, then offer a guarantee. Stress the point that they cannot lose since their money will be refunded on request.  Also make it absolutely clear what you are offering.

If you are giving any free bonuses with your product, then stress that clearly. Your price should be the lowest that you can afford to sell the product for, and if your offer is time-related then stress the need to act fast in order to secure the price stated.

Finally, write simply and clearly.  Read over your ad copy and make it simple.  Do not use words your prospect will need a dictionary for. Don’t use a six letter word when a five letter word will do. Try also not to use too much sales jargon, but write with a good degree of literacy.  If your grammar is sloppy they might think your product will be too.

The key to wealth could well be down to writing effective ad copy, but one thing is sure.  Without good ad copy you will find it a lot harder to be successful, which is why good copywriters are worth their weight in gold.

Also check out The Importance of a Landing Page in Internet Marketing

Writing Effective Ad Copy, the Key to Wealth was originally published  at http://www.affiliatemarketinglife.com