by Jim Boldebook  

3/29/06 Copyright © Creative Broadcast Concepts, Inc. (for May 2006 Issue of DEALER Magazine)

In advertising copy, as in everything else in life, sometimes it’s the little things that make the difference. The right word, a powerful phrase, a pregnant pause, even punctuation. Hopefully these six steps to better ad copy will help you polish your pitch with some proven rules of effective copywriting.

As a bonus, my friend Gary Bencivenga, will show you how adding certain words or phrases in strategic locations in your ad copy may increase readership/listenership by 15% or more! Gary is considered one of the best copywriters in the business and I’ll tell you how you can get his powerful copywriting bullets for FREE in just a moment.

First, the six simple steps to better ad copy…proven to increase ad effectiveness.

#1 Be direct. Don’t pussy foot around! These days no one has time to read through mounds of gibberish and very few are looking to be entertained by advertising interruptions. Most understand the purpose of a commercial is to SELL SOMETHING! So get to your offer! Start your copy off with a headline or lead line like…“Is this the best in America on a loaded luxury coupe? You be the judge!” Or “I’m putting my money where my mouth is with a $1000.00 best deal guarantee! Here are the details.”

#2 LESS IS MORE! Without exception I can shorten a piece of ad copy and make it more effective. So can you. The more unnecessary copy you cut, the more time your reader/listener has to concentrate on the really important words. Fewer words-per-minute result in higher retention of your message in the sub-conscious.

#3 Repeat your offer in broadcast ads. In radio copy, repeat the savings or price offer at least three times. In a thirty second television ad, hold that price on the screen for at least six seconds and repeat the offer in voice over at least twice.

#4 Don’t use more than two price or payment offers in a single broadcast ad. If you have more than two vehicles to advertise on radio or television, cut additional spots and rotate.

#5 Don’t lecture people… ‘talk to the folks.’ Don’t use big words. Make sure every reader/listener/viewer understands what your offer or message is all about.

#6 Question and pause. Ask your potential customer a question. “With all the Ford pickups I have in stock do you think anyone else is going to work harder to make you a better deal this weekend?” That’s a great headline for a print ad or an excellent subject line for an email message. If you use it in a radio ad, pause for about three seconds after you ask the question. It will be the best three seconds of air time you’ll ever buy. Then follow that question with another question: “Who has more reasons to give you a better deal on truck this weekend…the dealer with 10 or 15 trucks…or the dealer with 200?” Then another three second pause. Let the listener answer your questions.

Here are a few other thoughts on improving your copywriting skills and ad effectiveness. Don’t always leave the contact information to the very end of the advertisement. How about starting an ad with this lead… “If you’re looking for a truly spectacular deal on a used vehicle this weekend, write this number down..
1 800 555 9292. I’ll repeat that number in just a moment but first let me tell you what we’re offering this weekend at Marvin Ford…” Whenever you write a phone number in spoken copy, join numbers together in a memorable way so the announcer reads it as you intend. For instance, don’t put 1 800 555 9292 in the radio script, write it as one, eight hundred, five, five, five, ninety two, ninety two. Not only does that make it easier for the listener to remember your number but it better illustrates in the copy how many words that phone number takes up. The phone number isn’t just one or two words. The example number I just used is actually ten words. Almost an entire sentence.

‘Bullet points’ make print copy and email messages easier to read, understand and remember. Even in spoken copy, ‘bullet points’ make ideas stand out. For instance, a radio script might read: “Here are five reasons to buy a Chevy from Starburst Chevrolet this Friday: We’re open till midnight Friday. Some of our biggest Chevy incentives end this Friday. The Credit doctor will be here to approve your credit on the spot. We have the largest inventory of new Chevy Trucks in our history. We’ll give you more for your trade.” Powerful short staccato statements without any verbiage to get in the way.

I recall driving through an upstate New York village years ago where an enterprising dealer made the following offer on his late night radio commercial. “We’re closed at this hour, but if you want to hear these specials again, this entire commercial is on our answering machine at 777-9999. Today that dealer might direct late night potential buyers to his website for ad details. Writing copy is actually not that hard when you realize the only thing we are trying to accomplish is motivation through the same good salesmanship and communication skills we use everyday. Think about what you might say to a potential customer…then write it down exactly how you might say it. It just might be some of the best copy you’ve ever written.

Okay, here’s the web address for Gary Bencivenga’s free copywriting ‘bullets’. www.Bencivengabullets.com I think you will be amazed at what you’ll learn from his monthly emails and I hope you’ll email me and let me know what you think of the service.

Do you have questions or comments about this or past AdTalk articles? Feel free to email them to CBC.