Want to hit a bulls-eye with your classified ads? Or, have you even looked into classified ads for your products or services?
There are many opportunities for free or very inexpensive classified ads, both online and offline.
Offline, you will find many “shopper” type publications that are free to the public and many offer free or very inexpensive classifieds.
If you look into stronger publications where your product belongs, ¼ page and ½ page ads are way too expensive. Check out their classified ad section. Many publications have them and they are much less expensive.
Then, you will find several of the many free classified ads online, such as CraigsList.org and kijiji.com at your service.
There are many opportunities for free or very inexpensive classified ads, both online and offline.
Offline, you will find many “shopper” type publications that are free to the public and many offer free or very inexpensive classifieds.
If you look into stronger publications where your product belongs, ¼ page and ½ page ads are way too expensive. Check out their classified ad section. Many publications have them and they are much less expensive.
Then, you will find several of the many free classified ads online, such as CraigsList.org and kijiji.com at your service.
All of these media applications require that you write a smashing ad. Many of us just clam up when given a pencil and paper. To take the mystery out of "writing," you can benefit from these tips for writing your first ads!
The only thing to remember specifically with online ad writing is to be sure to use as many of your key words as you can in the ad. We want that little webby crawler to catch them all!
9 Strategies for Writing Smashing Classified Ads
- RESEARCH: find ads for products and services similar to yours. Make lists of key words for these products or services and key words for feelings and senses. Note what you don’t like. Note what peaks your interest - this is probably the most important task of the whole process
- FIRST LINE HOOK: get attention, start strong about your service or product – be bold -consider this a blaring headline
- FIRST 10 WORDS: present the TOP benefits - one or two only and use only the strongest selling points
- ADD WARM FUZZIES: describe with potential emotions and senses (how will the customer feel using your product, what will they see, smell, hear, etc…)
- BE GENERIC IN WRITING STYLE: don't use industry buzz words or abbreviations; write for everyday people
- WRITE SIMPLY: write so a 3rd-grader will understand
- JUST THE FACTS: add the details to the description and be absolutely accurate and complete in your descriptions – add price
- CONTACT METHODS: name, telephone number, e-mail address, and web site
- CALL TO ACTION: nudge the reader to contact you NOW!
Want another tip? The more you write, the better you will feel about what you have written.
Don't give up because your first couple of ads are not written as well as you would like. With free online classifieds, you have a sandbox to play in relative to ad writing! Best of luck!
