17th September 2008
Claude Pelanne

How to Write Your Ad

Copywriting, or to put it better writing Ad copy, is the one skill which all online business owners should learn. As you develop your business, writing in all its forms will become second nature. As an affiliate marketer communicating and more importantly motivating your customer to buy will be essential to your success.

Here are a few ad writing tips to help you get started:

Do Your Market Research and Know Your Target Market

Successful copywriters know exactly whom they're writing for before starting. Keep that thought uppermost in your mind as you write and never deviate from that objective. Have a clear picture of what your target person is thinking, how he/she feels and what need or problem you can solve for them. By doing this you will provide a foundation for building a solid client base.

Headlines That are Attention Getters

Use headlines as guide posts throughout your presentation. Your main headline should be in bold, large letters to grab the reader's attention. It is the headline which has to define the core problem to be solved or main solution your prospect wants to find. Use a benefit-focused headline which explains in powerful detail how you can help solve the customer's problem. Follow up with sub-headlines throughout the copy to keep the reader intrigued so he/she will keep reading.

Use Simple Clear Language

Online writing has to be simple, clear, and to the point. You are not writing an essay on philosophy or a political speech. No fancy words, just clean simple sentences will do just fine. Your style should be casual and needs to convey emotion and a clear purpose. You need to write just like you speak, as though you're sitting down with a friend and chatting over a nice glass of wine - no fancy words and long lists of boring descriptive adjectives that will put everyone to sleep!

Be Truthful and Persuasive

There is a balance between believing in your product and being honest about its short comings. Be very clear about what works and what doesn't. Your customers want to hear from other unbiased people who have used your product. Include customer testimonials. Testimonials can be tricky so include the person's full name, city, state, website URL and if possible, a picture of that person. The more information your testimonial includes the more persuasive and believable it will be to your customer.

Keep Your Customer in Mind at All Times

Effective copywriting is concerned with the needs of the customer. You shouldn't be part of the process or the focus of attention. That doesn't mean you disappear entirely. You may need to add a little personal information about yourself in order to gain trust and to explain why your customer should trust you. But bear in mind that as far as the customer is concerned, it's all about what you can do for them. The most effective copy is written from the customer's vantage point. There should be all "you's" and no I's in your copy.

Call to Action

The point of the whole exercise is to tell your prospects what you've got; tell them how it will benefit them; and then most importantly, tell them what to do about it. If you want them to click over and purchase your dog grooming product, say so, and say so in a clear way which promotes all the benefits of your products. For example, "Click here to learn how you can groom your pet easily and with no nicks or tugs that hurt it." Be precise in your wording and always include a clear call to action.

Writing Ad copy can actually be fun and informative. So take the time to learn how to do it and have some fun while you're doing it. You learn things about your product and your target market as you research and write so it is a process that benefits everyone. The more you write the better you'll get and the more successful you'll become. So go for it and enjoy.

May Your Travels Be Prosperous!

Over the past 20 years Claude Pelanne has worked in a series of startup ventures including some of the first commercial webcasts. He is an internet marketer and serial entrepreneur. Feel free to distribute this article in any form as long as you include the resource box. For tips and resources to get into internet marketing visit cpelanne   and claudepelanne