Copywriting for ads is not just about creative writing; it is all about writing that is ultimately persuasive. The objective behind writing an advertising copy is selling the brand or product in question. This fundamental is applicable even if you are motivating your audience to participate in some initiative like charity and so on.
Portraying your brand, product, or service in an alluring and out of the box manner is a crucial skill to have if you want to do well in the ad world. Here are a few tricks of the trade that can equip you to become an effective copywriter:
The write brief
Know your product
Understand your product/service/brand completely. What are its features? Why should someone buy it?
Know your target audience
Understand your target audience - their demographic information, attitude, and behavior.
Know the USP, TSP, and ESP.
Concentrate on the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of your brand since that will be the foundation of your ad. Also familiarize yourself with the TSP (Targeted Sales Proposition) and ESP (Emotional Sales Proposition) of the brand, depending on the target segment.
The write headline
Apply the K.I.S.S. (keep it short and simple) strategy – it usually works. Short and sharp headlines hit hard and make a mark. Try to be specific, never be unsure or over-practical, and always be positive. Your headline could be a question, assurance, evaluation or demo, invite, or an illustration.
The write angle
Now that the headline is done, it’s time to work on the creative angle of your ad. Wherever needed, use clichés, proverbs, idioms, metaphors, comparatives, oxymoron, metonymy, homonyms, similes and proverbs nattily. Visually appealing, it has to be, but the crux is - do not overdo it. Directly or indirectly, you have to make sure that your product or service catches the eye (or the ear, as the case may be). This can be done by using your product name repeatedly, wherever possible, in the headline, via coupons, on the radio etc. – etch the brand name into the target memory.
Write to nitty-gritty
1. First impressions are last impressions, so your headline has to stand out for sure. Make sure it is very powerful.
2. If any testimonials are to be included, ensure that they sound practical.
3. Always guarantee your proposition.
4. Remember, the flow has to be very logical.
5. The look and feel of the advertisement has to be discrete.
6. There has to be a complete balance of words and visuals. Do not clutter the ad - leave some breathing space.
7. Work on one theme at a time and try to integrate it with the media used.
8. Never try to oversell. Keep the transitions smooth and user-friendly.
9. Answer the target audience’s questions even before they ask!
Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in March, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.
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—About our writer:
Sanyogita says, "I have been working for a national advertising agency as a copywriter, for the last 3 years. In spite of my Civil Engineering background, the drive for writing has persuaded me to choose copy writing as a career. I have worked on diverse regional & national level projects. I specialize in article writing, web content writing, travel writing & Ad copy writing. I also write audio-visual scripts, power point content & punch lines."
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