Posted on: 22 November, 2001
Author: Bob Osgoodby
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. While thismay be true if the picture is a ... of a ... ... trying to put ... it is hardly the case when itcomes to your a They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. While thismay be true if the picture is a schematic of a complicated gizmoyou're trying to put together, it is hardly the case when itcomes to your ads.An image should be used as an attention getter. It should drawpeople in to read the words used in the ad. Words sell - notpictures. Each word used in the ad should lead the person to thedesired outcome. In the case of a classified ad, the desiredoutcome should be to have them request more information.Sales are seldom made from the first ad someone sees describingyour product, service or opportunity. If you can get someone toask for more information, your ad has done the first part of thejob.Anyone involved in Internet Sales without a web page is simplyspinning their wheels. Many of the web pages however aredisaster areas. People get so creative in their design, theyforget their primary purpose. Once you have gotten someone tothis point, it is now time to close the sale, and this is wheremany people "miss the boat".Think about it - your ad had to have been effective as it gotthem to your web site. They are looking for additionalinformation. Some people want the presentation in the quickestpossible fashion, while others are willing to spend the timeresearc hing your offer. To be effective you should try toaccommodate both groups.An effective presentation will provide a synopsis of what youwant to cover. It should also have a "link" where a person canbe sent for in depth information. This is definitely a casewhere more is better. But you should not use words simply tofill space - they should all be carefully crafted to bring theperson to your order page.Studies have shown that one large web page with internal links toadditional information will rank better with the search engines.Think of these internal links as bookmarks within your page,which will quickly advance someone to the desired spot.An image will make your page more attractive, but don't includeone unless it has a purpose, and will help close the sale. Alarge image that takes a long time to load will many times havethe reverse effect of what is desired. If the visitor simply"clicks away" from your web page because the image loads slowly,it is defeating its purpose.Some guru's recommend power words like "free" or "earn withoutwork", but these terms have been overused. While power words maystill have a place in your "teaser" ads, you should use down toearth language at your web site. The words must be vibrant andalive, driving the person toward the desired outcome.You must learn how to write persuasive words specifically writtenfor your targeted customer. If your target market isprofessionals, write your message geared to them. Rememberhowever that the vocabulary of many potential customers may belimited, so don't use words that will not be understood by theaverage person. Avoid the use of terms that will not be known byyour prospects.Your text should be written in a black, legible font with a lightbackground, preferably white. While yellow text on a blackbackground is "cute" you should avoid using fancy fonts orbackgrounds that are difficult to read - people will simply"click away".Remember - every word you use should have one specific purpose,and that is to lead your prospect to buy you are selling . Whenwriting sales copy, use words like "you" and "your" - write as ifyou are speaking with just one person -- one on one.Finally, be aware that many Internet users are apprehensive aboutmaking a purchase on the Internet. You must put your potentialcustomers mind at ease by displaying your full name, company nameand contact information. This will put their mind at ease bybuilding their confidence in you and your product. While apicture may be worth a thousand words, it is the words that willsell. Article Tags: Thousand Words Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com