One of the things that ads should do is harmonize with the reader or viewer.
If you want to convince people to buy your stuff. You first need to communicate with them properly.
Just giving them a bunch of information about your product or service isn’t enough.
Personal communication.
Many copywriters write their Ads as if they were hiding behind a podium, speaking through a microphone and addressing a large audience.
It’s not that hard to lose interest in things that do not involve us.
Advertising should be like a meaningful conversation not a lecture.
For example;
“We at XYZ Company wish to invite all of you to visit our exhibit again at the upcoming trade show.
Our staff will be there to meet you and demonstrate our new and novel button machine.”
The personal way of saying it might be:
Hi,
You might remember me from the last trade show.
Well, I’d like to invite you to the next one where I will be looking forward to meeting you again to demonstrate our new and novel button machine.
You see the difference? The second version is more personal and direct.
It’s not a large organization talking to a big crowd.
It’s a heartfelt person talking to another person.
Now, in E-mails this makes sense. We don’t forget to make it personal.
But we have to use this method in every form of advertising.
So…
Don’t use words like,
- all of you, for those of you etc.
And use words like,
- I, me and you.
And don’t forget to use your customers or prospect’s name in Emails.
Emotional communication.
Look at the following two letters from the same company and see how much more emotional one sounds than the other.
Dear Customer,
We here at Consolidated International would like to thank you for your recent order. We realize that you could have given your business to many of the other companies in our industry, but the fact that you chose Consolidated International is really appreciated by our entire staff. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Mr. John Smith.
Now compare it to the following:
Dear Mr. Jones,
I just wanted to thank you personally for your recent order, which I’ve just received.
I took your order and even showed it to the president of our company. I realize that you had a number of other choices, but I really appreciate the fact that you chose my company.
Sincerely,
John Lee.
Here both letters serve the same purpose. But the second letter was warmer, more personal and you felt that Mr. Lee was talking to you directly.
It was a genuine expression of thanks.
On the other hand, the letter from Mr. Smith could have been a form letter that the company sends to all its customers, So it doesn’t have that personal feeling.
Here is another great example;
Even though the letters were from the staff rather than an individual, they still conveyed a personal feel to the reader.
Use of a Byline.
To make things a little more personal you can use a byline in ads.
Use your name or the name of somebody in your organization such as the president—like the news organizations do in a magazine or newspaper article.
In conclusion.
Communication in Advertising should be personal.
So when you write copy, think in terms of writing in the first person with a personal message.