Page 164 - Duct Tape Marketing

Run Advertising That Gets Results

The Duct Tape Marketing Ad Formula

Okay, now that we’ve swept away all the bad ad stuff, let’s get at that
art of crafting an effective ad for your business.

You should attempt to include the following five elements in each
ad you create: headline, benefits, proof, offer, and call to action. In
some cases, for instance a classified ad, you may not have the space for
each, or you may need to combine elements.

Headline
The headline is the heart and soul of an effective ad. Every ad

needs a headline—it’s that simple. Think of this as the audition for
your ad. When someone is flipping through a magazine, the decision
to stop and read your ad is made in one to two seconds or less. Your
ad must grab them by the throat, and a powerful headline is the only
way to do that.

You should spend more time writing headlines for your ads than
any other element. That’s how important the headline is. Did I men-
tion that every ad starts with a headline? This includes ads that don’t
typically have headlines—such as phone directory ads and sales letters.

The best headlines contain some aspect of the offer you intend to
make or specifically name the prospect the ad is targeting.

Free report reveals legal tax cuts that most accountants don’t even
know about.

Headache sufferers finally get relief from pain—free report provides
little-known steps.

Benefits
Sell your report, the action you want the reader to take, by pointing

out the benefit of reading the report. “You will finally know when . . .”

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