The 12 Most Powerful Words in Ad Copy

As an online marketer and business practitioner in general I'm always working to develop ways to be a more effective marketer. Often I go back to my sales background to formulate strategy.

About ten or so years ago, I watched a segment on public television about advertising, marketing, and ad copy. I can't remember the name of it, but the production was very basic and rudimentary, but well done. They revealed the most powerful words in the English language regarding advertising and its effect on our psychology.

Recently I found an old legal pad that I actually jotted down some notes from this show. I still to this day keep a pad around for writing notes down and logging items of importance. Listed on this old pad were the most powerful words in ad copy.

This prompted me to do a search online to compare now with then and the results were actually the same. There were a few that weren't on the original list but the results were consistent.

As a buying public we have grown more sophisticated in recognizing when we're being sold and even wary of it, but nevertheless, we are consumers. We even know when our hot buttons are being pressed and many of the tactics used on us.

I'm not sure these words have the same impact they once did, but I thought I would post them anyway, as I feel it is good to know. I'm sure sprinkling a few of these words throughout your ad copy wouldn't hurt matters. We use many of them anyway probably just out of utility and habit.

Here are the 12 words:

1. You
2. Save
3. Money
4. Easy
5. Guarantee
6. Health
7. Proven
8. Safety
9. Discover(y)
10. New
11. Love
12. Results

To these 12 add one more - FREE

Advertising and Marketing: What's the Difference?

Recently I was having a talk about marketing and the subject of advertising seemed to dominate this conversation. We kept coming back to all the different methods of advertising when it dawned on me that advertising is not marketing in and of itself. Many professionals believe it is an interchangeable term that relates to the promotion of their business.

Advertising is actually a component of marketing. As in, all advertising is marketing but not all marketing is advertising. An ad or advertisement is an announcement of a product or service. Albeit an important component of business success, it is merely a device to attract the attention of a particular segment of the population with the goal of an action being carried out. Usually that action is to use or buy the product.

The purpose of marketing is also to attract attention often by using the same media vehicles that we use in advertising. I think where the confusion comes in is this similarity. It is important to plan your whole marketing scheme and develop a plan and philosophy for your business. Advertising is a crucial and necessary tool to attract business, but advertising alone is not enough.

Marketing begins with the relationship you want to form with a given public, be it large or small. It begins with the image you want to create and the emotion or feelings you want to stir in people. Part of this can be done through effective advertising campaigns, but your marketing is the all encompassing bedrock of your business.

Think of the most successful brands in the world. They usually conjure an image that is directly associated with that brand. Rolex or Mercedez Benz immediately brings to mind affluence and a high standard of living. Ford automobiles stands for family and tradition, Heinz ketchup for quality and consistency, and Sony for cutting edge and precision technology.

These companies have spent years building their reputation and it started with their marketing foundation. The advertising reflects their market image but it is not the foundation of the brand. Many other factors are involved in marketing, such as service, brand image, quality, recognition, a logo, relationship with customers, public relations, and above all being unique.

How does your product make people feel? More importantly, does it make them feel good by doing business with you other than someone else. Constantly focus on building the best brand and image possible and do whatever you can to improve. Consider your marketing philosophy as a whole when developing a business strategy and let the advertising drive your success, but don't let it become your business.

Promoting Offline Businesses Online

Every once in a while, sometimes more often than we want, the overall marketplace experiences a hiccup or just plain stagnates. This is to be expected and should not be cause for panic. We are now going through some serious economic woes and uncertainty, not to mention being at the tail end of a crucial and historic election year.

Some online marketers may feel nervous, confused, or frustrated. Others may be pessimistic or feel that the market is glutted or saturated. Acknowledge these concerns and press on. We must know that all markets experience fluctuations and the smart marketers know how to ride these highs and lows and even turn them into an advantage.

The population of the United States, the world, and the statistics associated with online users and future business seekers is still favorable. At the time of this writing there is still a huge untapped market in practically all niches. A huge boon to my business recently is knowing the next big thing or the next wave. What I'm talking about is courting the next evolution of online marketers. Or put more plainly, bridging the offline world with the online world.

This can take place in your own backyard at the local level in your own city or province. This is not to say to ditch all your global efforts and focus only on your town. No, this is the time to introduce your global marketing skills and incorporate them into your online marketing business strategy. This opens up a whole new segment for you to help and benefit from, as well.

The number of businesses that can be helped by you in your town is likely more than you can handle on your own. In other words, there is very little if any competition. You see, many top marketers already have a strong online customer base and they're not tapping into this market. Other web designers and technical services cater to a completely different customer base and rarely see things from a marketing point of view.

This is where you come in. In practically any town of any size there is an endless supply of businesses that you can share your knowledge of marketing online using the free and available platforms you use yourself to market internet related programs and services. For example, a video featuring a local hair salon and blog entry that highlights the specials for that salon with a personal message, discounts, and of course, contact information can bring in customers that were searching online instead of the phone book.

Since there aren't many small businesses going beyond the typical "directoy services" there is very little competition. So, optimizing for these businesses for the search engines is relatively easy. Many large realty companies are doing this, but there are many who need some help. Most business owners are focusing on running their daily operation and just need someone to introduce and assist them with new alternatives of promotion and advertising.

You can start with a phone book just to get ideas. Think of all the lawyers, realtors, insurance agents, painters, and shop owners you can find as new customers. Concentrate on businesses who are open to new ways to market and generate clients, customers, and revenue. Develop relationships that bridge your online and offline interests, this will bring exponential growth.