Can't Get Right - Maybe It's Just a Word
One of the people I worked with in advertising, had an
expression "Can't Get Right". What the heck does it mean? Well,
when he could not seem to get ad copy.... right, he would walk
in and say, this ad "Can't Get Right".
This was his way of telling me that he had come to wits end
trying to get this particular ad to his level of perfection.
Actually, he would tell you that it was my level of perfection
that was not met. :o)
What does one do when they reach a point of knowing that
something is just not quite right with an ad?
I know I spent the time researching and going through all the
steps necessary to write a successful ad. But something is just
not quite right.
Ad writing is a very sensitive operation.
Amazingly, sometimes the addition of one word can totally change
the effectiveness of an ad. In the same light, removing a single
word can sometimes be just as effective.
I am going to give you a couple of examples.
A while back I ran an advertisement for Solo Ads in Money For
Hire.
The first time I ran the ad with this headline.
Solo Ad to 3000 Opt-In Subscribers
The ad did pretty well but I decided to try adding a word to see
what kind of results it would bring. Here is the revised ad.
Solo Ad to 3000 Totally Opt-In Subscribers
The revised ad brought a 60% increase in click through.
Why? Sometimes there is no sane reason why. Personally, I like
the first ad much better. But the fact is, results are the only
thing that counts and sometimes trial and error is the only way
to find the ad that actually brings the greatest results.
Here is case where dropping a single word did wonders. The first
ad headline was basically a total flop.
Create Your Own 24/7 Money Making Machine
You have probably seen many versions of this ad. This particular
ad ran in a number of ezines. It did not produce very good
results. But dropping a single word, instantly made it a winner.
Here is the revised headline.
Create Your Own 24/7 Money Machine
One of the steps to creating a successful ad is testing your
headlines. When you test a headline and it does not bring the
results you are looking for, sometimes a single word can make
all the difference in the world.
Next time your ad screams "Can't Get Right" A simple word may be
the answer.