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Ad Copywriting and Building
Brand Equity one Word at a Time
Advertisements, those wonderfully adorable little
vignettes that come to us at all hours of the day, seven days a week, fifty
two weeks a year. Seventy percent of those are ineffective. Probably more
than that actually. And a lot of them can become very annoying.
But then there are those ads – those special ads
that stand out and make you say, “Hey, that was a really good ad!” For
us in the ad and copywriting business, that may happen a little more often,
simply because we tend to pay more attention to things that interest us.
But, when it happens for you, what do you think it is that is making you
take notice?
Well an advertisement is obviously an image, coupled
with a message (copy). But not all the time. Sometimes it’s just an image,
other times it’s just copy. But more often than not, it’s a combination.
Well, in this article, we’re dealing with the Copy aspect. And in my opinion,
that’s the most important part. But then again, I’m a little biased! Well,
anyway, here are some tried and true methods for making sure you have written
world-class ad copy that can begin to build Brand Equity.
1) Clarify the Goal of the Ad Copy.
What do you want the consumer to do after seeing
the ad? Do you want them to buy your product, “call now”, go to your website,
or send for a brochure? Whatever it is, make sure you know before you even
put pen to paper. (or hands to keyboard) The “Call to Action” as it is
known in its classic form, is without a doubt one of the two most important
parts of the ad copy. The other is the…
2) Headline! …Headline! Headline! Headline!
We’ve heard it a million times – a great headline
can make a business rich overnight. And it’s true. The headline is critical.
The mission is to reach out to the consumer as they are paging through
that magazine, surfing the web or channel surfing their TV and magically
bring them into the ad. How are you going to do it? Do a lot of brainstorming
before you decide on the headline. That will help flesh out the idea. When
you have the right one, you’ll know. It will easily stand above the rest.
3) Write like People Talk.
This is not a research paper! Not even close
to it. This is a conversation with your customer, only it’s written (or
spoken) and it’s one-way communication. That is, the potential customer
can’t ask questions of the ad. Or can they? Well, at least not now they
can’t, but definitely in the future. Great ad copy is persuasive prose
that convinces the consumer to buy. Write like people talk. You’ll bond
with the potential customer that much more.
4) Be Inventive.
How do you make your ad really stand out? How
about creating a new metaphor? That’s a tough one. But it has been done.
Maybe you can find a unique way of expressing an idea or concept in the
ad. A new way of approaching an old subject can really bring it to life.
This is also one step that most copywriters forget about.
5) Don’t use Clichés!
Nothing more really needs to be said on that
one. Just make sure they don’t creep in.
6) Make Every Word Count.
This is where ad copywriting really becomes an
art form. To make every word count means that you have to get rid of the
fluff and keep the meaningful words. You’ll find when you do this that
the ad will take on a whole new look and feel. But the real impact is made
when it is read. An ad that keeps only the words that count is an ad that
will read very well.
7) Use Short, Snappy Sentences.
Save the long drawn out, adjective filled ones
for those term papers or essays. That’s the only place they belong. People
are drawn to copy that is punchy, snappy and to the point. Using the present
tense and the active voice will go a long way to getting you there. Good
ads always use them. You also know it when you see it. And it always makes
a better impression.
8) Use AIDA.
Attention-Interest-Desire-Action. If you remember
nothing else from this article, remember this. With any advertisement,
this is really the “foundation” on which everything else is built. Quite
simply, it’s: Grab the reader’s attention, build their interest, create
a desire in them, and make them take action. Of course, it’s very easy
to say this is what you need to do. The harder question is “how do you
do it?” Well think of yourself. What makes you buy something? After you
figure that out, then apply it to the copy you are writing.
9) Write about Benefits!
People love to know what’s in it for them. In
fact, they really want to know what’s in it for them! But how many websites
or ads have you seen that just talk about how great the product or service
is? The goal is to express how this product or service will positively
impact your customer’s life. The features of the product or the details
about the company are important, but they are second string to the first
string status of benefits. It takes practice, but it will come. People
are just so conditioned to talk about features, that they forget about
the most important part…BENEFITS!
That’s it! Nine simple steps to keep in mind when
writing that next world class, award winning ad! And if you really follow
all of them, winning an award could truly be a reality. Because when the
right words come together with the right image, that’s when people will
magically…and faithfully….BUY!
Good Luck!
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