Guidelines for Effective Direct Response Classified Advertising

Ø      Get the reader’s attention.  The headline is especially important.  In his book Mail Order: Starting Up, Making It Pay (published by Chilton Book Company), J. Frank Brumbaugh suggests using one of the following grabbers in your headline:

The Secret Of…

Revealed…

New Discovery…

What You Should Know About…

Free! Secrets…

Is Prosperity Worth $5.75…?

Mistakes that Cost…

273 Ways to…

Ø      Make sure your ad is placed under the appropriate classification.  Possible categories include “Business Opportunities,” “Books, Periodicals,” “Mail Order Opportunities,” “Of Interest to Women.” These categories will vary widely depending on the publication. 

Ø      Keep it short and simple.  Make every word in your classified ad count, especially since every word costs you money.

Ø      Ask for action and make it easy for the customer to respond.  The reader should be compelled to do something—ideally, to place an order.  Provide a toll-free phone number.

Ø      Have a promotional time limit on your mail order offer.  These types of offers push prospects to act.  For example, advertise that “for the next month, you can buy my book for the special price of $9.95.”  We recommend that time limits be tested, though, as some customers are turned off by deadlines.  Test to see if it works for you.