After 15+ years of writing copy, these are things I wish I had known from the beginning.
They're all things I've picked up from personal experience...
doing it the right way, as well as the wrong way.
A poorly written ad can do just as much harm to a business as not having an ad at all.
1) Figure out what EXACTLY you're trying to sell and write that down.
If your answer is, "Well, I want to sell everything I have" then be prepared for a cluttered commercial that isn't very effective.
Identify a sale item, specific event, new/featured product, etc...
and keep it simple.
Which leads me to number 2.
2) Keep It Simple.
Don't try to be too cleaver with your words.
This is a commercial, not a poem.
If it rhymes, there better be a reason...
other than "it's cute".
3) Don't be afraid to repeat.
Your slogan, brand, price point, store name...
whatever it is you're trying to nail home, say it again.
Lead with it, mention it again, and close with it.
4) Keep your specific audience in mind.
If you're selling tattoos, talk to the people that like tattoos.
Don't try to be too formal.
Tattoos are hip and very personal, so connect with them on that level.
Think of the car dealerships that advertize NO MONEY DOWN - NO CREDIT CHECK - ANY TRADE ACCEPTED.
These places aren't selling you a car in their ads, they are selling you the piece of mind that your jacked up credit is fine here.
The brand of car is secondary.
5) Be careful with humor.
Humor in a commercial can be a great thing, if done right.
"What are you wearing, JAKE FROM _____ _____?".
That commercial is clever and funny.
It is done right.
But an ad trying to be funny but missing the mark is going to have the opposite effect.
You lose credibility with your audience and could become hokey.
There is a local attorney here that dresses as a super hero and has cartoon scenes in some of his ads.
I don't know about you, but if I am going through something serious enough that I need an attorney...
I'm NOT calling him.
6) Present a clear CALL TO ACTION.
Your ad just came on the radio/tv...
you have 30 seconds or less to tell your potential customer what you want them to do.
So, what is it? Call your number? Visit your website? Come to your store? SAY IT.
And give them a reason.
EX: COME IN TODAY AND WE'LL TAKE AN EXTRA 15% OFF YOUR PURCHASE.
It's OK to ask them to do something.
If you don't ask, they won't do it.
I've heard people say before that they're disappointed with the number of people coming in their store since running an ad.
The first question I ask is, "Did you ask them to come?" 7) Time out your scripts.
It's not good enough to look at a clock and try to read it.
If you're like my wife, she's a very fast reader.
She can read 30 seconds worth of copy in her head in about 20 seconds and then think she has an extra 10 seconds to kill.
Using a clock or stopwatch to time is a good start, but more effective is using the 90/30 rule.
90 words equals roughly 30 seconds.
Obviously there is a little wiggle room and you'll need a little more for hard sell ads, but as a general rule...
start there.
Honorable Mention: This is more for my benefit (or any VO person you choose).
When you're writing copy and you know it contains a word that may be difficult to pronounce, please give a phonetic spelling.
It'll save a redo...
and my sanity.
P.
S.
Please don't use "Your One Stop Shop" or "For All Your _____ Needs".
It's not as cool sounding as you think it is.
Joe