Do Free Classified Ads Make Sales?
The quick answer is yes, if they are written properly. Many
people think that the classified ad is where they will make the
"Hard Sale". It has been proven time and again that the
classified ad should be a part of a two-step process. The
classified ad is the first part of the process, which should
follow closely the professional marketer's strategy, which is
known as AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.)
A - Attention: This is where it all starts. Your headline
"Title" will determine the fate of the entire ad. Your
classifieds ad should have an eye-catching title that grabs the
potential buyers Attention. This can be accomplished by using
words that might stir up emotion, urgency and excitement. A few
good examples might be to use words like "Never Seen Before",
"Limited Time Offer", or "You'll look Great."
I - Interest: With attention captured, quickly move to
interest the potential buyer. Write with a casual, one-on-one
voice and address the me?" question. Tell them about your offer.
Do this as concisely as possible and don't beat around the bush.
Don't over sell here or you risk them moving on to the next
ad.
D - Desire: You must build a case and prove beyond
reasonable doubt your offer is the best possible purchase
alternative. You must explain in detail how customers benefit
after accepting your offer. If you can pony-up a free trial or
sample, do it. Your goal is to communicate how terrific life or
work will be after accepting the offer.
A - Action: Use commands such as, click here, download
this, subscribe to that, call today, and buy now. Encouraging
visitors to take action works much better when coupled with "the
right bait" or incentive.
Now let's get to the heart of the question. Do Free Classifieds
make sales? They will if the site you choose gets decent traffic
and the site offers photo uploads and hyper-linking to your
website. Many of these sites use the same quality software that
the pay for ads sites use. You may ask what's in it for them if
my ads are free? Good question, many of these sites rely on you
clicking on their paid advertisements and you visiting their
affiliation sites, hoping you will place an order.
If you are a small operation with limited advertising resources
than free classifieds are a great way for you to promote your
product or services.