How T Write Compelling Classifieds

Have you ever picked up your local paper and flicked through the classifieds? What are you looking for? Is there anything in particular or are you just ‘seeing what’s about’? Does your eye get drawn automatically to some ads over others? Why? What is it about those ads that make them stand out to you?
Whether in the local paper or online, believe it or not, these are questions that most people never ask when writing classifieds of their own. They don’t consider who is going to be looking at their ad or why those people would be interested in what they have to offer. Incredibly, a lot of people don’t even think about what they have to offer before writing their ad
The most important thing to remember when writing a classified ad is that this is the tool to get people interested in what you have to offer. Don’t try to get the customer, inform them of every little feature or trick involved and close the deal all in one little ad This is way too hard and of course, won’t work with the constraints of both space and the time that people will look at the ad. You have to capture their attention immediately and you have to offer them something that they want. Something that they can’t resist because it is emotionally they desire.
Ok, so now we know what not to do, here is a step-by-step outline of what to do.
1. Target Market. You need to research your target market. You need to know who you are selling your product or service to or who you want to answer your ad. What type of people are they? Are they single mums? Are they employed or unemployed? Do they speak English or another language? Where do they live? Where do they take holidays? What do they do in their leisure time? You get the idea, the questions you ask will depend on what you want to know about who your target market is and what you are providing them with.
2. Features and Benefits. You will need to determine the features of your product or service. What is so good about this particular thing and why. Then work out how those features can benefit your target market. A benefit must be something that helps the person who ends up with it. You need to be as specific as possible and give them something they want and need.
For example, if you are selling a diet shake and the features are quick and economical weight loss the benefits of that could possibly translate to the customer as ‘quickly achieving their perfect body’. It has to be something that they want. The more the benefit connects with an emotional trigger or something that the customer wants on an emotional level the better results you will see from your ad.
3. Headlines. You need to write a gripping headline which will attract attention immediately. Try not to be either too long or too generic here. You want something short but catching. Something original but that portrays and immediate picture.
4. The body of your ad should entice the reader to find out more or buy your product or service. Never sell your product in the ad. Always promote the benefits to the customer that are on offer. Use words that identify with your target market such as ‘rich’ ‘beautiful’ ‘quick’ ‘slim’ ‘perfect’ ‘millionaire’. Find what they are interested in however don’t overdo it and make sure that they flow in your ad. If not, they will kill your ad rather than help you.
5. Call to Action. This is the final and in some ways the most important step. If you don’t include this then your whole ad will be a waste of time. Don’t give the customers a choice of ‘buy my product or more information’. Give them an immediately direction and a urgency to make that decision now. If not, they will most likely walk away and you will lose the sale. Make sure you put your contact details on the ad for them to get in touch with you however it may be that you choose website, email, phone etc.
So there you go, quick tips to classifieds success. I hope you found this useful and good luck with your classified advertising.