“A few copywriters are under the impression that one well written ad can create a magical response.”

Copywriting  for Ads and SEO

Writing copy that works is an art.

It requires

•a commitment of time
•understanding of the product or service
•knowledge of human nature

to communicate effectively..

Copy and Ads Build Momentum

Lots of bold claims are made from some copywriters who work hard  to write a few  lines that  make sweeping change happen.

That’s a hero story we like to tell. That’s also laughable.

Think about it.

Over the last seven decades  there have been a few companies who advertised relentlessly. Why? Because that’s how  advertising that gets results is done.

Look at what those companies with the largest ad budgets in the history of the world did NOT do.

They did not

• craft one ad,
• tweak it to utter perfection and
• run it exclusively.

No way.

They used the simple combination of successful advertising.

They used

•well done,
•basic advertising copy
•to convey their message
in hundreds of different ways. No masterpieces, just decent ads.

Look at Me

So many loud, proud copywriters want to be heros. I don’t blame them for that.

Sure , there are some excellent writers in the world, but if a self proclaimed great copywriter was really THAT good, wouldn’t one ad do the job?

Of course.

But it does not work like that despite the bravado of a few highly paid writers
•who do write good ad copy
•but don’t create magic.

People tend to tell their own story in hero terms.

Awards are given out to those who write

• special slogans,
•some perfect phrase,
•or a headline that draws in hordes of people like a strong wind sucking an entire village into its black hole.

Grandeur

They honestly get deluded by their own stories.

Good copy is

•basic and
•tells the benefits of a product or service.

That’s usually all that is needed.

The real power is in the coverage and distribution of that story, getting the message out enough to make a difference and create word of mouth advertising among potential customers.

I admit the hero’s story is more fun. I also encourage testing certain words and phrases and emphasizing those test results.

But in the end I endorse this  formula for an ad campaign that works-

•1- Good copy that tells the story and benefits of a product or service.
•2- Wide spread distribution of that message using the forms of media that best reach the potential audience.

Repeat  year after year. The largest, most successful ad campaigns  have used this method with great success.

Final Thought

No person ever, till the end of time, actually needs a Coca Cola.  But plenty of people will have one. Why?

Basic advertising.

There is more depth in a children’s story than first meets the eye. Charlotte’s Web is a good example.  The same is true for depth in populations.

People are developed at different levels. This is easy to see in children. School is a good measuring stick. There’s pre-school, elementary, high school, college and beyond. It’s obvious that a first grader is not a college senior.

But what about different levels of development in the general adult population?  It’s there.

It is insightful and revealing to pull back the curtain and get a look at the value levels motivating different groups of people. Nascar fans and Green Peace folks are very different. It’s measurable. Rap music reflects a value that does not often merge with The Daughters of the American Revolution.

Each person has a definite dominate value level. Groups that share those values emerge.

Any movie can be made more dynamic by combining people of varying personal value levels in a forced interaction. Reality TV shows do this to cause underlying friction among participants. It builds tension and makes a better show (for people at a value level who like that sort of thing).

Throw a bunch of hicks in a house with brainiacs and you’ve got potential for some entertaining dynamics. Add a battle of the sexes and the sparks fly. Roll cameras, edit the action, and cash in.

So how do all these values look on a chart. Can you actually lay out a sequence of development that can be seen from an overview? Yes. Dr. Clare W Graves did some interesting work 50 years ago.

He saw patterns in people and groups that explain where they are in development. Think of it like this: A tall building represents human development. There are about eight floors with the top being the most adequate at apprehending phenomena (perceiving things). On which floor does your elevator stop?

Isn’t this sort of like an interior class system? Yes it is and it is serious. If you eat sleep and breathe sports, that might be an indication of where you are on the ladder of development. If you are consumed with saving the planet, that’s a tip off of a different level. If you are a Madison Avenue marketing professional, that’s another category.

Wait a minute. Does this categorize people in pigeon holes they might resent? Yes. It does.

Plus, it groups whole crowds of people in value memes. Are you afraid of position on the ladder? Is your development going to show that you are at a dreaded low place? It might. If you think this is troubling wait till you see the evidence that it is …accurate.

I have studied the work of Clare W. Graves for many years and am convinced of its validity. As a writer, I use these levels to cut through to the core values of the target audience.

I write in a different style for a Nascar product than I do for a Symphony fund raiser. I use the Graves work for insight into the values of each audience, then I craft my writing accordingly.

For more information on the work of Clare W Graves just Google his name and get ready to study and apply his insights.

The use of tired, old phrases is discouraged by writing teachers.

But there is plenty of evidence that people like traditional ways of doing things.

There is a place for cliche. I find it year after year, decade after decade. People actually want to feel the security of familiar words and phrases.

I have seen and even personally written guideline booklets  on writing copy that listed rules like this: ‘Never use old cliche phrases. Always find a new way to word an old thought’.

But that simply does not hold up in real world writing. I have seen the pattern so many times that I now think it is misguided for a teacher to instruct students to always find a new twist.

Yesterday, I heard a radio DJ announce an ad that started,

“Mothers Day is just around the corner.”

Yes. Every holiday and celebration is ‘just around the corner’.

What an old, tired, stale phrase.  But people want to hear it.

For many, there is a certain security in the familiar. I have come to understand that audiences are in a highly focused mindset.

For my own clarity I think of it as a trance.

People want their values reflected back to them.

They demand it. They will fight for that sense of security.

If their values are predictable, and they all are, then using those values, objectively, gets results.

Values keep people in a happy, secure trance.

Think about it. Most of us feel comfortable with our first language. There is a security and sense of home base in it. The reflex to return to it is a natural gravitation. It feels right.

Same thing with cliche. Sure, it’s old and worn out but that’s what makes it so dependable. It has value and value gives us meaning.

Meaning gives us identity. To take away cliche is to threaten personal identity.

Examples:

• It’s back to school time
• you’ll be glad you did
• drive a little save a lot
• open nightly till nine
• while supplies last
• void where prohibited
• Christmas is just around the corner
• pass the savings on to you
• for the whole family
• that new car smell
• kids 12 and under in free
• dear old dad
• for more information.

Everything is old at some point. Like the old familiar songs. Still people want to learn blues guitar and sing the old way. It’s a release.

When a phrase has been observed long enough, it is no longer a subject. It becomes object.  Like practicing slowly

until you get fast on speed guitar. (OK, enough guitar analogies–hey, at least they are not sports analogies.)

That makes it obvious except to those who still see it as subjective, personally identified with it.

It is amazing, the invisible glue that holds cultures, families, couples, businesses, individuals together.

Values.

Some of the copy samples on this site contain cliches.

Yes, a writer should be able to find new words for an old idea.

But, be aware that it’s not always best.

Here are six ways to use radio production to create better client relations and more sales.

One- Stage a live broadcast. It builds excitement, a sense of urgency in a one-time event. A live ‘remote’ can get results like nothing else.  A radio personality on the air, in person, at a store is out of the ordinary. Getting attention is important to building a relationship.

Two- Give your client a unique, memorable on air feeling with a jingle.
This is a tried and true method of delivering a special signature sound . It creates association, familiarity, and sales. Jingles cost a little extra up front but the long lasting benefits can be the best advertising investment.

Three- Develop a series of radio ads with a recurring theme. A fun soap opera dialog between a man and a woman could be a vehicle to carry your clients message week after week. There are endless themes to choose from. Police officer to stopped driver, two ridiculous roommates, bartender-patron, and child to parent. Jingles also fall in this category and when you have one it adds to the familiarity and identity of the message. A jingle I am involved in for Hyundai Charlotte NC can be heard on YouTube by searching for Bob Mayberry.

Four- Build a campaign that will last over a longer period of time, giving your client a chance to build momentum. A series is a good way to accomplish this. A real estate office could feature a different home or community each week. A restaurant could highlight a certain favorite dish. Series’ can be stretched out over a year and recycled
Giving you repeat sales that a one shot ad just won’t do.

Five- Use the clients voice on the radio. This can give a distinctive sound signature to each ad plus it uses an authentic spokesperson for the ad. I suggest breaking it up with an announcer’s voice or other for contrast. Never use a character voice for the entire spot. It can become old fast and takes away from the attraction.

Six- Produce a shorter version of the spot and run it as an additional schedule. Even a little extra is added exposure for the client and added sales for you.

Seven- Bonus tip! Use a local celebrity as the spokesperson for the product or service. This is similar to number five but with the added benefit of versatility. You can change ‘spokespersons’ to freshen things up. You might even try a combination of client voice and spokesperson.

For even more ideas on how to make this happen today contact me.

Remember, when you listen to good radio production there’s more to ads than meets the ear.