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THE MAIN REASON I USE CLASSIFIED ADS

Classified Ads Should Do One Thing--Spur a Prospect's Interest.

By Gary Christensen

For more than 20 years now, I've been writing, placing ads, and selling things by mail. And although I'm not an expert, I've certainly learned a few things along the way.

A lady wrote me recently and said, "I can't understand what went wrong. I placed my classified ad in a local newspaper, in color, and only got one order."

I wrote back and told her, "Without seeing your ad or knowing its wording, I can't say for sure what went wrong." But I also told her that there's ONE VERY BIG REASON why I place classified ads. I want people to read my ad and DO JUST ONE THING: Contact me for more info or ask me for the FREE item I'm offering to all who respond.

I don't try to sell anything from my ads. I just want to hear from people who saw and read the ad...and want me to send them more information.

THAT IS ALL YOUR AD SHOULD TRY TO DO: Interest people enough to write to you for more information. That's all. Don't try to sell them something. Don't try to make them send you an order. Just make them WANT to contact you for more info. Or for the FREE item you're giving away.

If the ad you placed tried to do anything more than that, well maybe that was the problem. I've seen people soak a LOT of money into a ONE-SHOT ad, hoping that the responses would pay for the ad and bring in lots of orders, making them wealthy. But classified ads are NOT designed to do that.

All your ads were meant to do is give out a few details...to entice the readers, to make them curious, so that they'll write to you for more information.

That's IT! Nothing more!!

If your ad didn't work, I'd ask you some questions, like: Did you do any TESTING of your ad, first in less costly magazines? Did you test a smaller ad IN THAT SAME magazine before? Did you ask about the kind of responses you could expect from that magazine? Did you write to any of the other advertisers, whose ads you saw there? Did they rave about the responses they got?

If you're planning on placing an ad in your local newspaper, which maybe goes out to 10,000 or more local residents, and even though the cost is low and the circulation high, do those copies go to Mail order Buyers? Maybe you'd be better off placing your Mail order ad in a Mail Trade Magazine.

The key (at least these days) is to use your ad to get the CURIOUS READER to write to you for more info. Yes, I know--there I go again. But I keep hammering on that point, so it will stick. ADS ARE USED ONLY TO DRAW INQUIRIES. Nothing More.

Your ad might be well written, and probably tells about your product and gives the price, but a classified ad isn't meant to be used to sell your product or copies of your book. Classified ads are MAINLY meant to make people drop you a line and ask about your product, book, etc. Then you send them a flyer or sales letter or brochure to close the sale.

At least that's what I try to do...and I might add--it works! I usually offer a FREE REPORT in my ads, something like this:

FREE REPORT: "Best 20 States in which to Advertise."
76% of my orders come from just 20 states.
Find out which ones.  
A copy is free for the asking.
(A postage stamp is helpful) Christensen's, etc.

People see that ad and they write for the free report. I send them a copy. FREE! I then have a new name of a hot prospect. If they wanted a copy of that report, they are at least partially interested. They want to know where I place ads, because they're probably in business, too, and if they wanted ONE of my reports, perhaps they'll want the other 70 I sell, as well. Or maybe they'll be interested in buying one of my books.

So...that's what I do and it seems to pay off. If you want Mail Order Buyers, try placing a few more ads in maybe some mail trade magazines, to reach those buyers. I have placed a lot of ads that have never brought in one cent. But I've learned along the way, and I've moved on, and I've placed some more ads. Some ads have brought in HUNDREDS of inquiries. Some are still doing well. But I just keep at it. I keep placing ads and so should you.

You won't find a better bargain than a classified ad because they're still one of the GREATEST deals in today's world. If you can write an ad, send it in and you could see your ad in print within a few weeks, and you can be getting responses to it within a day or two of its distribution. Why not give it a try?

Gary Christensen has written more than 100 articles just like this one. Buy 88 of his best reports in his "88 Shortcuts to Greater Mailorder Profits" for only $14.95. To receive Gary's latest free report, email him: garch7@peak.org

You mail also write him at:

Gary Christensen
2601 NE Jack London St. #138
Corvallis, OR 97330

         

            

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