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Member You - Making the Most of Your Classified Ads
I sold Yellow Page ads for 25 years. During that time, I dealt with mostly the local “mom and pop” type businesses. The reason was simple. The large companies chose the more expensive media to promote their national chains. So Home Depot would have their ads in the Sunday newspaper as a flyer and of course on TV and radio. But I worked with people like Fred’s Ace Hardware, and they were delighted to be listed under a dozen headings in the directory. That’s because they knew something that the “big box” boys didn’t. When the guy down the street needed paint or a screen replacement, they would head for the Yellow Pages to see who had what. Sure, everyone knows Home Depot but not everyone shops there. It may be because they are TOO big. The parking is harder, the products more spaced out and tougher to find, the salespeople difficult to track down, and the lines are longer at the checkout. For whateve
The Response Package
A typical mail order package – called a conversion – consists of a personal letter, a brochure, an order form and a return envelope. Always start small. A simple one-page offer can work as well as a fancy catalog. After you’ve built up a few good selling products, you might print up a catalog
How to Prepare Sales Literature
The sales letter promotes you as well as your product. It is a personal appeal to a potential buyer. You want the person to feel special and have a reason not only to look through the rest of the literature, but to buy your product.
The appearance of the sales letter is the most important aspect. It should be on company letterhead, cleanly printed and inviting to read. Write the sales letter as though you are writing to a friend – keep it direct and personal. Present yourself and your product as worthwhile, honest and desirable.
Follow through on the appeal, amplifying why the product is desirable. Emphasize its value to the reader. Build credibility. Answer the questions - will it make me a better or richer or more secure person? Can it prevent worry, poverty, illness? Why should anyone want to have it?
You should include a guarantee in all your ads and sales literature and you must honour. Never se
According to Jerry Weissman in his book, “Presenting to Win,” there are over 30 million PowerPoint presentations given every day. Unfortunately, these presentations are not captivating or memorable. Thus, a lack of presentation training in America is creating a business culture that abuses presentation software and the art of public speaking. Let’s get back to the basics and adopt something I like to call the BRAVO formula.“B” is for Bold Boldness is about taking ownership. It’s about being courageous. You need to take control and own your content. No faking is allowed. The harsh reality is that faking it will not work in the public speaking arena. Audiences are far more perceptive than you think. Here are a few tips to help make sure you don’t come across as a faker:Start strong It sounds straightforward, but it is harder than it sounds. By taking a strong in
Unfortunately many people misuse classified ads. They try to sell a product directly from the ad. People read classified ads for a purpose. They are specifically looking for products, services and information that appeals to them.
Instead of wondering, speculating and experimenting with your advertising budget, concentrate on offering free information to attract as many interested prospects as possible for what you have to offer. Realise from the beginning that your ad should serve only one purpose: to target a specific audience consisting of people who need and want what you have to offer.
The best way to use a classified ad is as a two step process.
1. You place a classified ad in your local newspaper/magazine. The ad should be simple and straight to the point. It should then direct readers to a website or to call a phone number of your answering machine.
2. Your customer will either visit your website or dial the number where they will get a powerful sales message. At the end customers are directed to send an order to the address you give on the website/tape or they can leave their contact details.
An example of such classified ad would be:
“Double your mail order business’ profits. Incredible recorded message tells secrets. Call 1234 5678 24hours or visit www.yourcompany.com.au.
The selection of words you use is the most important aspect of classified ad copy. You need to choose precisely but don’t skimp on words to save the cost in the ad.
Where to place classifieds?
The best advice in placing classifieds is to follow the leader. Find where other goods in your category are being sold and do the same. Although your product must have an appeal different than the others, stay with the same pack and advertise in the same publications.
If you do not charge anything in the classified ad, you will get far more responses from the ad for free information than you will for goods at any price. Charging a small fee to cover postage or the cost of the inquiry will never make you break even – people won’t be bothered.
Test test test!
The most important element in mail order advertising is to test. Not only do you need to find out if your product will sell, but you have to find out what the best price is. You have to test the magazines. One may not draw as many responses as another. Or, after three months, it may not seem to pull at all. Then switch to another publication.
Don’t be too hasty in dropping a publication, however. Sometimes it takes the repeat insertions of three or four months to get the proper percentage of response. People become more secure with a repeat ad or they may pass it by the first or second time until they get around to writing for information.
Keying the Address
How do you determine what inquiry response came from which ad? You code the company name or street address so you can determine what ad pulled the response. The simple key is a two part letter and number code. The letter stands for the name of the publication and the number represents the month the ad appeared. The best way to key is to add the code to the address in the form of department, division or suite number.
Writing Classifieds
The best way to prepare copy is to first write about your products/services at length. List all the major benefits and features. What sticks out? What is so great about your product? What can it do for the reader who will take the time to write for more information? How can your product help? Will it show how to earn money, does it offer self-improvement, can it help accomplish something appealing and significant?
Choose a powerful heading that points out the most significant aspect of your product. Follow up with a few words or details and finish with a request to contact for more information. The best word in a classified is “free”, but you must follow up with something free.
Some words you can use to increase sales appeal:
Absolutely, Amazing, Bargain, Beautiful, Colossal, Confidential, Discount, Easily, Endorsed, Exciting, Exclusive, Expert, Guaranteed, Immediately, Interesting, Latest, Outstanding,, Proven, Quality, Successful, Superior, Tested, Valuable, Wonderful.
Close your ad with an action-getting phrase, such as:
Act Now.
All sent free to introduce… .
Free booklet explains
Get facts that help
Investigate today
Order Now!
Don’t delay
Revealing booklet free
Rush name for details
Unique sample offer
Offer limited
Details free
Responding to Enquiries
Once you start getting responses from the classified ads, you should send out your sales literature immediately, definitely within one week. The goat is to convert the inquiry into a sale and convert the sale into pure profit.
Your sales literature can be a one-page pitch for your product. It doesn’t have to be an expensive colour catalog. As you get going, you may prepare a sales package and a series of follow-up offers.
Follow up sales are where you are going to make your fortune. Your classified draws the inquiries, the first order establishes a good customer and the rest of the orders are pure gold.
The Response Package
A typical mail order package – called a conversion – consists of a personal letter, a brochure, an order form and a return envelope. Always start small. A simple one-page offer can work as well as a fancy catalog. After you’ve built up a few good selling products, you might print up a catalog
How to Prepare Sales Literature
The sales letter promotes you as well as your product. It is a personal appeal to a potential buyer. You want the person to feel special and have a reason not only to look through the rest of the literature, but to buy your product.
The appearance of the sales letter is the most important aspect. It should be on company letterhead, cleanly printed and inviting to read. Write the sales letter as though you are writing to a friend – keep it direct and personal. Present yourself and your product as worthwhile, honest and desirable.
Follow through on the appeal, amplifying why the product is desirable. Emphasize its value to the reader. Build credibility. Answer the questions - will it make me a better or richer or more secure person? Can it prevent worry, poverty, illness? Why should anyone want to have it?
You should include a guarantee in all your ads and sales literature and you must honour. Never sen
You have a unique advantage, an edge no one else has. When you put that unique advantage to work for you -- when you take the time to develop it as you would strengthen a muscle -- you get something that reduces perceived risk and triples your chances for success.That something is called Informed Confidence.In fact, research in progress by the SBA Office of Advocacy (http://www.sba.gov/advo/) shows that confidence is the number one success factor when starting any new venture. But confidence alone is not enough. You need the kind of confidence you get only by doing the footwork.How do you turn your unique advantage into the edge called Informed Confidence? You do it by identifying your unique value and assessing opportunities that allow you to put that unique value to use in service to your ideal customers.Identifying Your Unique ValueYour unique value
An example of such classified ad would be:
“Double your mail order business’ profits. Incredible recorded message tells secrets. Call 1234 5678 24hours or visit www.yourcompany.com.au.
The selection of words you use is the most important aspect of classified ad copy. You need to choose precisely but don’t skimp on words to save the cost in the ad.
Where to place classifieds?
The best advice in placing classifieds is to follow the leader. Find where other goods in your category are being sold and do the same. Although your product must have an appeal different than the others, stay with the same pack and advertise in the same publications.
If you do not charge anything in the classified ad, you will get far more responses from the ad for free information than you will for goods at any price. Charging a small fee to cover postage or the cost of the inquiry will never make you break even – people won’t be bothered.
Test test test!
The most important element in mail order advertising is to test. Not only do you need to find out if your product will sell, but you have to find out what the best price is. You have to test the magazines. One may not draw as many responses as another. Or, after three months, it may not seem to pull at all. Then switch to another publication.
Don’t be too hasty in dropping a publication, however. Sometimes it takes the repeat insertions of three or four months to get the proper percentage of response. People become more secure with a repeat ad or they may pass it by the first or second time until they get around to writing for information.
Keying the Address
How do you determine what inquiry response came from which ad? You code the company name or street address so you can determine what ad pulled the response. The simple key is a two part letter and number code. The letter stands for the name of the publication and the number represents the month the ad appeared. The best way to key is to add the code to the address in the form of department, division or suite number.
Writing Classifieds
The best way to prepare copy is to first write about your products/services at length. List all the major benefits and features. What sticks out? What is so great about your product? What can it do for the reader who will take the time to write for more information? How can your product help? Will it show how to earn money, does it offer self-improvement, can it help accomplish something appealing and significant?
Choose a powerful heading that points out the most significant aspect of your product. Follow up with a few words or details and finish with a request to contact for more information. The best word in a classified is “free”, but you must follow up with something free.
Some words you can use to increase sales appeal:
Absolutely, Amazing, Bargain, Beautiful, Colossal, Confidential, Discount, Easily, Endorsed, Exciting, Exclusive, Expert, Guaranteed, Immediately, Interesting, Latest, Outstanding,, Proven, Quality, Successful, Superior, Tested, Valuable, Wonderful.
Close your ad with an action-getting phrase, such as:
Act Now.
All sent free to introduce… .
Free booklet explains
Get facts that help
Investigate today
Order Now!
Don’t delay
Revealing booklet free
Rush name for details
Unique sample offer
Offer limited
Details free
Responding to Enquiries
Once you start getting responses from the classified ads, you should send out your sales literature immediately, definitely within one week. The goat is to convert the inquiry into a sale and convert the sale into pure profit.
Your sales literature can be a one-page pitch for your product. It doesn’t have to be an expensive colour catalog. As you get going, you may prepare a sales package and a series of follow-up offers.
Follow up sales are where you are going to make your fortune. Your classified draws the inquiries, the first order establishes a good customer and the rest of the orders are pure gold.
The Response Package
A typical mail order package – called a conversion – consists of a personal letter, a brochure, an order form and a return envelope. Always start small. A simple one-page offer can work as well as a fancy catalog. After you’ve built up a few good selling products, you might print up a catalog
How to Prepare Sales Literature
The sales letter promotes you as well as your product. It is a personal appeal to a potential buyer. You want the person to feel special and have a reason not only to look through the rest of the literature, but to buy your product.
The appearance of the sales letter is the most important aspect. It should be on company letterhead, cleanly printed and inviting to read. Write the sales letter as though you are writing to a friend – keep it direct and personal. Present yourself and your product as worthwhile, honest and desirable.
Follow through on the appeal, amplifying why the product is desirable. Emphasize its value to the reader. Build credibility. Answer the questions - will it make me a better or richer or more secure person? Can it prevent worry, poverty, illness? Why should anyone want to have it?
You should include a guarantee in all your ads and sales literature and you must honour. Never se
The annual review and analysis of corporate filings for public companies in full swing. Almost invariably, this scrutiny brings with it an outcry concerning the exorbitant levels of executive compensation and the lack of a direct relationship between what some executives made and the financial performance of their companies. In addition to articles that highlight some of the more there are typically investigative reports that identify illegal, or at best, highly questionable activities. Given the propensity of the public and investors to recoil at the issue of excessive executive compensation, it’s no wonder that these two groups have put considerable pressure on regulators to control and/or reduce executive in recent years.Market-Driven With recent regulations and structural changes as the baseline, this raises the question of what the future holds. In trying to answer this question
Keying the Address
How do you determine what inquiry response came from which ad? You code the company name or street address so you can determine what ad pulled the response. The simple key is a two part letter and number code. The letter stands for the name of the publication and the number represents the month the ad appeared. The best way to key is to add the code to the address in the form of department, division or suite number.
Writing Classifieds
The best way to prepare copy is to first write about your products/services at length. List all the major benefits and features. What sticks out? What is so great about your product? What can it do for the reader who will take the time to write for more information? How can your product help? Will it show how to earn money, does it offer self-improvement, can it help accomplish something appealing and significant?
Choose a powerful heading that points out the most significant aspect of your product. Follow up with a few words or details and finish with a request to contact for more information. The best word in a classified is “free”, but you must follow up with something free.
Some words you can use to increase sales appeal:
Absolutely, Amazing, Bargain, Beautiful, Colossal, Confidential, Discount, Easily, Endorsed, Exciting, Exclusive, Expert, Guaranteed, Immediately, Interesting, Latest, Outstanding,, Proven, Quality, Successful, Superior, Tested, Valuable, Wonderful.
Close your ad with an action-getting phrase, such as:
Act Now.
All sent free to introduce… .
Free booklet explains
Get facts that help
Investigate today
Order Now!
Don’t delay
Revealing booklet free
Rush name for details
Unique sample offer
Offer limited
Details free
Responding to Enquiries
Once you start getting responses from the classified ads, you should send out your sales literature immediately, definitely within one week. The goat is to convert the inquiry into a sale and convert the sale into pure profit.
Your sales literature can be a one-page pitch for your product. It doesn’t have to be an expensive colour catalog. As you get going, you may prepare a sales package and a series of follow-up offers.
Follow up sales are where you are going to make your fortune. Your classified draws the inquiries, the first order establishes a good customer and the rest of the orders are pure gold.
The Response Package
A typical mail order package – called a conversion – consists of a personal letter, a brochure, an order form and a return envelope. Always start small. A simple one-page offer can work as well as a fancy catalog. After you’ve built up a few good selling products, you might print up a catalog
How to Prepare Sales Literature
The sales letter promotes you as well as your product. It is a personal appeal to a potential buyer. You want the person to feel special and have a reason not only to look through the rest of the literature, but to buy your product.
The appearance of the sales letter is the most important aspect. It should be on company letterhead, cleanly printed and inviting to read. Write the sales letter as though you are writing to a friend – keep it direct and personal. Present yourself and your product as worthwhile, honest and desirable.
Follow through on the appeal, amplifying why the product is desirable. Emphasize its value to the reader. Build credibility. Answer the questions - will it make me a better or richer or more secure person? Can it prevent worry, poverty, illness? Why should anyone want to have it?
You should include a guarantee in all your ads and sales literature and you must honour. Never se
Buying a safe for your business can be a daunting task, there are so many places you can buy a safe, there are so many kinds of safes to choose from, and there are many safes on the market that will not provide the proper protection.The first step in selecting the proper safe, is choosing where you will buy it, your choices are many, however choosing the right one could save your business.Many businesses use incorrectly rated safes for overnight storage of money, and other valuables, some store records in a non-fire rated container, others store sensitive and fragile computer media in the wrong kind of fire container. Choose the wrong kind of safe for burglary, or fire protection and you could lose all that is valuable to your business, and your insurance company may refuse to pay your claim.Statistics show that if a company's records are lost in a fire, 17% can no longer furnis
Some words you can use to increase sales appeal:
Absolutely, Amazing, Bargain, Beautiful, Colossal, Confidential, Discount, Easily, Endorsed, Exciting, Exclusive, Expert, Guaranteed, Immediately, Interesting, Latest, Outstanding,, Proven, Quality, Successful, Superior, Tested, Valuable, Wonderful.
Close your ad with an action-getting phrase, such as:
Act Now.
All sent free to introduce… .
Free booklet explains
Get facts that help
Investigate today
Order Now!
Don’t delay
Revealing booklet free
Rush name for details
Unique sample offer
Offer limited
Details free
Responding to Enquiries
Once you start getting responses from the classified ads, you should send out your sales literature immediately, definitely within one week. The goat is to convert the inquiry into a sale and convert the sale into pure profit.
Your sales literature can be a one-page pitch for your product. It doesn’t have to be an expensive colour catalog. As you get going, you may prepare a sales package and a series of follow-up offers.
Follow up sales are where you are going to make your fortune. Your classified draws the inquiries, the first order establishes a good customer and the rest of the orders are pure gold.
The Response Package
A typical mail order package – called a conversion – consists of a personal letter, a brochure, an order form and a return envelope. Always start small. A simple one-page offer can work as well as a fancy catalog. After you’ve built up a few good selling products, you might print up a catalog
How to Prepare Sales Literature
The sales letter promotes you as well as your product. It is a personal appeal to a potential buyer. You want the person to feel special and have a reason not only to look through the rest of the literature, but to buy your product.
The appearance of the sales letter is the most important aspect. It should be on company letterhead, cleanly printed and inviting to read. Write the sales letter as though you are writing to a friend – keep it direct and personal. Present yourself and your product as worthwhile, honest and desirable.
Follow through on the appeal, amplifying why the product is desirable. Emphasize its value to the reader. Build credibility. Answer the questions - will it make me a better or richer or more secure person? Can it prevent worry, poverty, illness? Why should anyone want to have it?
You should include a guarantee in all your ads and sales literature and you must honour. Never se
Today, I took my wife to lunch. That in itself is hardly any news at all. However, what should have been a lovely celebration of something personal turned out to be pretty lousy. Here's what happened...We went to a local marina where there is a selection of restaurants. We strolled along the marina just to have a look at what was on offer. The first restaurant we walked into was about one-third full. I stood at the front desk and waited... and waited... and waited.There were three people behind the counter busying themselves with all sorts of menial tasks. I eventually managed to get the attention of a young lady. She stood directly in front of me and looked at me. Not a word did she speak. No "hello." No "welcome to our restaurant." Nothing.She just stood and looked. Eventually, I said: "Excuse me. What should we do? Do we order here or take a seat and wait for somebody?"
The Response Package
A typical mail order package – called a conversion – consists of a personal letter, a brochure, an order form and a return envelope. Always start small. A simple one-page offer can work as well as a fancy catalog. After you’ve built up a few good selling products, you might print up a catalog
How to Prepare Sales Literature
The sales letter promotes you as well as your product. It is a personal appeal to a potential buyer. You want the person to feel special and have a reason not only to look through the rest of the literature, but to buy your product.
The appearance of the sales letter is the most important aspect. It should be on company letterhead, cleanly printed and inviting to read. Write the sales letter as though you are writing to a friend – keep it direct and personal. Present yourself and your product as worthwhile, honest and desirable.
Follow through on the appeal, amplifying why the product is desirable. Emphasize its value to the reader. Build credibility. Answer the questions - will it make me a better or richer or more secure person? Can it prevent worry, poverty, illness? Why should anyone want to have it?
You should include a guarantee in all your ads and sales literature and you must honour. Never send inferior merchandise and deliver a complete product.
It is only through satisfied customers that you will get repeat business and it is through repeat business that you make more money.
For more information about writing effective classified ads, you may wish to download a free copy of “Classified Ads Secrets” Ebook from: http://www.web4business.com.au/ClassifiedAdSecrets.htm
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