Classified Ads That Get Results


Classified ads do not have the big market appeal that a full color display ad has, but they are still one of the most economical ways to get your business into the public eye. And, because classifieds do not demand expensive eye-catching designs or ingenious wording that you often see in direct-mail campaigns, they are a perfect marketing avenue for even new entrepreneurs. Here are some tips to help you write ads that will make the difference between mediocre ads to great ads that get good or even exceptional results.

Keep It Short

Ads that are short and precise have better results. Use white space to make your classified ad stand out from the rest of the listings. Look at the local classifieds and you will see that this works especially well for newspapers. With a little care you can apply the same concept to online ads,

Place just a few words in each line with: 1) the first line listing a benefit the reader will receive; 2) the second line containing the name of your company; 3) the third line your address or email. This results in a striking, centered ad surrounded by white space.

If you are placing an online classified ad and do not have the capability to insert line breaks or center the text, then you will need to keep the text short and use key words to attract the reader to your ad.

Goal of Placing Your Ad

The goal of placing your ad should only be to get the customer to click through to your site for more information. If your listing does not elicit that response, then you should rework it until it does.

Action Words

Use action words that will prompt a response from the reader. For example, words such as: amazing, attractive, confidential, etc., are all words that compel the reader to do something. There are a many resources available; one that I found to be particularly useful is Words That Sell, by Richard Bayan.

Unique Appeal

You want to make your product or service appear unique to all other products or services on the market (if any). Spend a few minutes to identify what is unique about your product or service or solicit feedback from friends or family about what would appeal to them should they need a product or service such as yours. Use this uniqueness to appeal to the market in the ad.

Do Not Try to Sell Your Reader

Whatever you do, do not try to sell your reader on your ad. What you DO want to do is evoke a response using action words. The ad is meant to entice them and evoke an action from them to return to your site and then prompt a sale(s) of your product(s).

Spark Interest and Curiosity

Using a combination of the title and the text or body of the ad you want to spark an interest or curiosity in your ad or product. Use the title to grab the interest and attention of the reader and the ad, or text body, to spark curiosity. You want to generate enough curiosity to have them act in response to your ad.

Avoid Saturated Ads and Products

If your product is already over-marketed on the Internet or your ad is one that is "canned" or pre-prepared you are less likely to achieve good results. Develop your ad so that it is unique, draws the attention of the reader and then guides them to your site or product that is also unique and fresh.

This does not mean that you should not sell information products, for example, which are in overabundance on the Internet market. Instead, think of one type of e-book or information product you can develop that will stand out from the others and meet some need that has prompted the reader to start searching.

Avoid Hype

Nothing is appealing about an advertiser that resorts to hype, threats, or false innuendo about their product. Avoid hype or false representation at all costs. I cannot emphasize this enough. Internet users have grown up and have become savvy, intelligent buyers and are not interested in purchasing products that are hyped. Just state the real facts and use some sound business principles and marketing methods to get the job done well.

Be Organized

Do not underestimate the power behind having a schedule for posting your ads. Post the same ads every 5-7 days. No more. No less. This will keep your ads in front of the readers and you will avoid being black-listed for spamming. Spamming is an incredible annoyance that is truly deterring good customers from Internet buying. Simply do not send SPAM!

Let's Wrap This Up

These simple and easy-to-use tips can make the difference between ads that deliver mediocre results or those that deliver eye-boggling, heart-pounding results. You will need to develop your own style for writing your ads and then practice, practice, practice. Few of us were born with the ability to write a "super" ad right away. Most of us have had to practice, watch for results and then tweak the ad to get the results we have wanted. Do not be discouraged if you find yourself in this group too, you'll be a part of a much bigger group of entrepreneurs. What is important is that you learn from each ad and campaign that you send out. If you can infuse these simple steps into your advertising campaigns you will be well on your way to posting classified ads that get results!

Michele Webb is living proof that an "ordinary" person can be a successful Netpreneur who successfully launched a classified advertising website in a highly specialized niche market.


More Resources

Ten Ways To Sell Advertising Space Fast
1. Give your customers a discount when they spendover a certain dollar amount for ad space.
Power Headlines for Promotion Success
Do you send email to your Online audience to let them know about an upcoming teleclass, your service or your book? Do you have a seminar "flyer" on your web site? The biggest mistake professionals and entrepreneurs make is to announce, rather than promote themselves. Each piece you send or put on your web site should begin with the #1 copywriting winner--the headline.
Dont Be a Secret Agent
This tactic of the game was hard for me to master and at first I failed many times. I carried my business cards only in my briefcase, because I thought they were only used in business.
The Ultimate, "Must-Have" Home-Based Business for YOU
The Ultimate, "Must-Have" Home-Based Business for YOU aUnderemployed, Unemployed, or Industrial Age IndividualAllow me to educate you on the issue of job security andpaint you a picture of what the aftermath can be if youremain comfortable at your regular job. Job security is anold-fashioned term that claims the longer an employeeworked for a particular company, the more precious thatperson became.
Double the Effectiveness of Your Company Brochure
Let's face it - most brochures go straight into the bin. But if you know the big mistake to avoid, as well as the secret to make people keep your brochure - and read it, over and over again - you're laughing.
How To Write More Powerful Brochures, Leaflets, And Catalogues
Probably the most interesting thing about brochures and leaflets is that they're seldom read in what we've come to know as the right order - as you would read a book. Rather in the same way that many people read magazines in dentists' waiting rooms, they will flick through brochures and leaflets and stop to take a longer look at bits that grab their attention.
Using The Popularity of Celebrities and Currrent Events to Promote Your Business
In this article, we want to explore the idea of using the popularity of celebrities and current event (news) topics to help market any internet business.The IdeaCelebrities and news events are not only popular topics, they are also popular "keywords" in the major search engines.
Advertise Where Its Forbidden To
The most common way to drive people to your business site is advertising. You cannot succeed without advertising, this is a fact.
Advertising That Annoys: The Real Story
Critics conclude that entertaining or "creative" commercials sell better than those that are bland. But liking the commercial may not really be that important in the scheme of things.
Advertising Agency In Boston: Tips and Tricks
The big news on Wall Street last year was the initial public offering of Internet search engine Google. If you were a visitor from another planet, you might be asking yourself, What big, sophisticated, high-technology company is behind the success of Google? Could it be IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Apple, Oracle, SAP, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Dell, Xerox, Sun Microsystems, Philips or Siemens? Of course not.
Marketing Tips - Advertising
Typical methods of advertising-newspapers, radio and television are effective if used properly, but there are other, less expensive ways to get your company's name out. Local or cable television is an inexpensive alternative to the traditional forms of advertising.
Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 2
This is the second part of creating your own business card. If you missed the first one, let me know: mailto:webmistress@janes-place.
Avoid Being Vague
We are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages daily?on television and the radio, on the internet, in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and other signs, and even at the bottoms and on the backs of receipts. The world is, indeed, a very noisy place.
Advertising Basics for Beginners
So many of us who have decided to do business online have no background in marketing or advertising. It can be so frustrating without any kind of guide.
16 Ways to Make Your Business Cards Unforgettable
Every time you hear someone say "May I have one of your business cards?" you should get excited. I know I do.
Customer-Involving Signage and Selling
Here's some easy ways to create signage that will attract, not annoy customers (and local government agencies that regulate signage):1. Since movement always attracts attention, any banner, sign set of a pole that might move with the wind or electrically-turned sign will stand out from the static messages around it.
Take Your Radio Ads to the Next Level
Most small businesses do not have a high poweredadvertising agency to produce award-winning radiocommercials for them. Most award-winning radiocommercials win for the wrong reasons anyway.
Small Business Image
The single easiest way to increase sales is to look professional. People believe what they see.
Improve Your Promotional Flyers And Improve Sales
Admittedly, I have not seen your advertising flyer. Then again, I probably don't have to.
Why Radio Advertising Could Be The Best Thing You Ever Did For Your Business
In the marketing world, radio has earned the reputation of being the odd step-cousin. You know the one.

More Advertising Information:

Related Articles

Using Ad Agencies and Designers
Advertising and promoting your business is expensive, so it's important to get the most from your advertising budget. That means understanding how to get the most from your ad agency or graphic designer.
If You Invest Money on Advertising, then You could Save Thousands through this Simple Little Secret
A few years ago, I analysed the statistics of where one of my clients, M & M Pest Control in Sydney, generated all their leads from. As a result of this, Ray Milton, the director of the company said:"Scott measured the results we were getting from our advertising, and as a result, this confirmed my decision to eliminate over $42,000.
What Makes Advertising Successful?
MANY INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS COME INTO PLAY MAKING A SUCCESSFUL AD: 1. PERSUASIVE SELLING COPY.
What the Newspaper Ad Person Won't Tell You
Newspapers are considered the PRIMARY advertisingmedium by 99.4% of all retailers.
Super Secret Tip For Using PPC Search Engine Advertising Successfully
It's not about traffic; it's about generating leads.That's right.
What Does the Back of Your Business Card Say?
Business cards with nothing on the back are wastedopportunities to sell.Use the back of your card to expand and reaffirmyour selling sentence (which should be prominenton the front of your card).
How to Save Money by Making Your Own Sign
In the sign industry we commonly refer to the material that the sign is made out of as the substrate. Examples include, wood, vinyl banners, aluminum, coroplast, etc.
Scrolling LED signs
Scrolling LED signs is type of LED signs that displays Scrolling text and can be used as outdoor and/or indoor outlet. Wide variety of businesses uses this equipment to spread news and other information quickly and efficiently.
8 Low Cost Ways To Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business
We all are looking for ways to market our businesses cost effectively. I have come up with 8 ways to do just that all low cost to free.
Advertising on a Budget -- Part 3: Frequency, Frequency, Frequency
This is the third article of a three-part series. I'm illustrating the marketing challenges of PrescottWeddings.
Creativity and Getting Outside of the Box
Sitting in front of a blank piece of paper? Wondering where in the world to start? I have a suggestion. Turn the page upside down.
A Quick And Easy Way Of Getting More Customers From Every Single Ad You Write... Guaranteed!
FACT: Most people don't spend anywhere near enough time on creating a strong, compelling headline.Which is why many copywriting experts.
7 Questions to Ask Before You Advertise
Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye on their marketing budgets.And nothing throws a budget out of whack faster than advertising.
The First UK Man To Become a Human Billboard an Interview
Advertising on humans using tattoos is rapidly kind of freak niche that is definitely growing. It all started about two years ago (to the best of my knowledge) when a guy ran an ad on eBay offer his forehead as a billboard.
How You Measure Yourself Is How You Motivate Yourself
One of the keys to strong positive mental attitude is what you compare your personal performance to. Do you compare your sales results to the top producer in your industry? Do you compare your basketball playing ability to Michael Jordan? Do you compare your last presentation to a speech delivered by Ronald Reagan or JFK? Or do you compare your results today, to those you had yesterday? Sports, sales, and the media teach us to compare our success against that of others, living or dead.
What Is Most Important - Copy Or Pic?
When, some little time ago now, I first descended upon the advertising scene, we were a good deal more concerned than most people seem to be today about the nature of the business we found ourselves in. We were always holding debates - in the saloon bar of the Coach & Horses in New Bond Street, to be tiresomely precise - about the meaning of advertising, the significance of advertising, and the past, present and future of advertising.
Prove It! - Give Your Marketing and Advertising More Credibility
Your marketing and advertising won't be effective if your potential customers don't believe the claims you make. So how can you prove your that you can do what you say you can?Tone it down.
Why Would Anyone Want Your Business Card?
Do you remember how proud you were the first time you saw your name in print?Most entrepreneurs feel that same flush of pride when they gaze on their new business cards. That small piece of paper represents years of planning and effort and hard work and dreams.
Books, Bibles and Fast-Talkers
Every community has 'em. Fast talkers who rollinto town with a clever idea to sell to people inbusiness.
Online Advertising: 10 High Impact Psychological Triggers To Super-Charge Your Ad
If you knew these 10 high impact insider's hidden psychological triggers and plug them into your Ad and website content,you can empower them and ignite a tornado of sales at your website.Read, understand and use them and burst open the floodgate of sales.