Friday, October 12, 2012

Convince Me—How to Write Compelling Ad Copy



As a homeschooler, you are determined and driven. 
You invest time and resources.  
You create, with ideas and inventions.

 Now that you're ready to strut-your-stuff to the world . . .
What do you say?



Many of you turned your creativity into merchandise or a service worth promoting—a web site, unique product, or family business. You may be interested in self publishing: professional blogging, writing curriculum, or plugging your E-Book.

What do you know about marketing? Or writing advertising copy?  

With my experience as a marketing copywriter in the homeschool sect, I'd love to share a few things I've learned with you. How you present yourself and your product is essential, and writing effective ad copy could make a big difference for you. Read on, and utilize these tips to help you look your best—writing fresh, inviting, and exciting ad copy. 



Convince Me—
How to Write Compelling Ad Copy

 Advertisements are almost everywhere, used in a wide variety of mediums. Do people want to be bored, or engaged by what they are reading? Which ads do you like best?

What's the focus behind every ad you see? Securing the SALE—how to reach those millions who need a particular product or service, and how to get them to buy, sign up, support, or take that one-step leap to purchasing. 

Writing ads could be compared to writing in general. Its words should appeal to the reader (the audience) and in the case of an ad, it appeals to the reader/buyer. All writing has a purpose intended to cause a reader to react or act

Compelling ads aim to get the viewer to do something in particular. This is the call to action, the essential part of all ad copies. Competition is great, so what compels a potential customer to act or buy?  . . . A well composed spiel or ad copy that meets the consumers’ need, along with several extras!
A persuasive ad contains certain elements enabling it to succeed. Some would appear to be common sense items you'd expect to include: 

  • Gripping, enticing headline (it pulls you in)
  • High-interest features drawing attention to your message
  • Attractive display
  • Relevant information
  • Informal style
  • Explanation of benefits
  • Believable, credible, and excellent content
  • Positive and cheerful approach (keep away from negatives)
  • Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar
  • Legible, concise, and complete
  • Business contact, endorsements, and ordering information
  • Reasonable price range (too high or low could cost you the sale)
 To write advantageous ads, you'll consider including: 

  • An active “personal” voice (individual style or rhythm)
  • Promise of benefits (with reminders)
  • Testimonials
  • Freebies, demos, sales, deals, deadlines
  • Carefully chosen words and illustrations
  • Short headlines of up to three words
  • Bullets, side bars and text displays
  • Italics, underscoring, highlights (not to excess, and don’t use all CAPS)
  • Short paragraphs
  • A separate, specifically crafted order card
  • Key words (wanted/why/how/which) used to capture a striking headline
  • Signature, logo, and identity information
There's more to consider though, if you want to be the one scoring phone calls and making sales.

Ad-copy writing is a creative, artistic one, endorsing your company’s exclusive expression of ideas. There is more than doing an “A to Z” on your check-off list. It attracts attention by sight, ear, or emotion. 



The overall design or style of the ad is pleasing to the eye, visually balanced, and in unity with the text. The visual imagery is impressive. Use of color and artistic elements are included in your design, and this is where a graphic artist/designer can assist you. I encountered this expression in my marketing study:  
“The finished ad is the symphony composed of many perfect notes.” 
I like music and I like that picture thought!



The rule of thirds is a helpful guideline as you sketch the first rough of your ad. The first third designates the headline, the second is reserved for the illustration, and the last third is for the copy and signature

An important component is the white space included as part of the design. Adequate white space generates a feeling of being open-fresh-clean, and enhances readability.  I like to think of white space as frames and boarders that set off your important information. Simplicity should rule, not clouding your single message with clutter. This includes text as well as illustrations. 



What works for one product may not work for another, and your particular product won’t interest everyone in the world (in most cases). Individuality plays an important role here. Speak to your specific viewers addressing them as such (college students, teachers, classic car owners, loved ones of cancer victims, etc). Customize and adapt to their interests.

The ad copy’s unique style is a representation of you or your company and its voice has to fit its image and be compatible with your target audience. This is a major selling point. Logos, captions, banners and graphics used in connection with company image are remembered. 

Customers will be impacted to repeat business with you.  Know what your business represents and can do in detail. Take a close look at your competitors. Keep the needs of the customer in mind, not the needs of the company’s. Think in terms of the benefits for the consumer that you can offer him. Knowing your prospective customers and what they want, and knowing your business in terms of what the shopper will buy, are basics to success.




These three essential “E"s will grab and influence the viewer in a profound way: 

  • One is the advantageous role that emotion plays. Making an emotional connection with your readers links your product (or service or company) to them. The readers identify with something in the ad and it incites them, desiring them to be like what they see or envision in their mind, or may be to help-a-cause or fill-a-need. Most often this comes from a photograph but sometimes an illustration will work. Emotions like love, anger, passion, pride, freedom, or fear, are often used. As an example, think of a photo of an attractive couple embracing, featured on a cabin rental advertisement in a magazine. (That could be me!) The National Guard ads are also great examples. (Be all you can be!) Sometimes a few well chosen words alone can stir up an emotional response. I'm thinking of a certain ad that I hesitate to include here, but the headline alone conjures up imaginary images in your mind (it may even shock you enough that you simply can’t forget it!) It could elicit a negative response on purpose (somewhat risky), though it’s better to stick with positive based promotions. Humor is another touchy area that may be difficult to use effectively.
  • Empathy is emotion's sister. You are establishing a trusting friendship with your clients through your ad, and it lets them know that you understand their problem and that you can help provide the solution. A homeschool product ad with a photo of a mother seated at the table with smiling children reading a book together, with a message offering to make my job easier (because they know how difficult it can be at times) is sympathetic to my situation. It just may be that what you are offering is exactly what the customer needs and desires (sold!).
  • You’ve heard that enthusiasm is contagious, and it’s fundamental to dazzling, convincing ads. Get excited! Write in a conversational tone with zeal! Help fulfill the dreams of your patrons while you fulfill your own.
 When you've completed your work-of-art ad and after following all the rules of the advertising game, you can be pretty sure it'll work to its best capacity for you. But, there are always exceptions and occasionally it's fine to break those rules on purpose. I'm thinking of a Lambert's (throwed rolls) Cafe billboard in Springfield, Missouri where the entire sign is upside down capitalizing on its Heads Up theme in the headline! A little distance down the road you find the exact same sign is placed right side up. That’s a successful ploy done deliberately. And Lambert’s always has lines of people outside waiting their turn for that fun roll throwing. I am sure it’s just one little element in their marketing scheme.



These four “D” reminders will assist you in writing good ad copy:
  • Dazzle your prospects
  • Draw them into the ad’s content creating a sense of urgency
  • and Drive them  
  • to Do what you want.
There’s a lot of creative energy, imagination, skill, intuition, common sense, courage and plain old experience involved in ad copy writing. While I believe it is a fun process, I hope you have a new appreciation for writing artistic ad copy and are eager to apply this material that will aid you in reaching your marketing goals.

About Kathy: Back in 2008, she put into practice what she learned through personal study and in a marketing class  taught by the professional ladies at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine where she worked as a marketing copywriter for several years. She is an RN, a freelance writer, and contributor to the E-Book: To Market, To Market: Selling to the Home Education Sector


Could you use an opinion or a little help with writing your ads?  Email Kathy at: simplynaturalhomeschool@yahoo.com.



Thursday, October 11, 2012

Healthy Truffles for Holiday Gifting and Eating


                                   Truffles 

Easy to Make—Naturally Sweet—Great Holiday Gift!

Your children will be delighted to help you make and decorate these sweet little treats for the holidays.

I've made a healthy mostly-raw version of truffles half a dozen times and decided to try a new recipe last week. I made some goodies for a bake sale to benefit a needy family in our local homeschool group and these were a portion of what I ended up bringing. See the easy instructions below—take your pick from TWO Truffle recipes!

Today I am happy to link up with Walking in Faith's 
 Join in the fun!

Chocolatey Truffles: 
This recipe is like one found in the book Raw Family Signature Dishes by Victoria Boutenko. The basic dough ball is formed from the same mix she uses as her basic chocolate cake (but there's no chocolate in it)!

Yes, it does look like chocolate! But here are the simple ingredients: 
  • 2 cups walnuts (soaked, drained and dehydrated)
  • 2 cups organic raisins
  • 2 Tbs olive oil,
  • juice from 1 lemon
Of course—it's the raisins that give it that rich dark color! And it really does have a chocolate taste.

Directions: Place walnuts into a food processor and grind well. Remove walnut mixture to a bowl. Add raisins, lemon and oil to the processor and mix until it's creamy. Combine this mixture in the bowl with the walnuts. Roll by hand and form into one-inch or teaspoon size balls. Set them aside.

Place small dishes of your favorite toppings to dip your truffles in. I chose: 
  • shredded unsweetened coconut, 
  • sesame seeds, 
  • cinnamon, 
  • carob chips
  • melted dark chocolate


The Toppings

 Dipping

Place dipped truffles in small candy-size papers and arrange in a pretty box and top with a bow. I also arranged a six-count amount in inexpensive plastic storage containers. (You must save some to enjoy for your own family!)



Optional: Decorate with a cherry half, nut, or candy, pressed into the top center of each truffle.

Pretty boxes add some holiday color.

Here's another truffle recipe from my
Kathy's Kitchen & Raw Nutrition blog
 

We're not done yet—
Scrumptious Truffles

For many years I made what we called No Bake Munchies, a recipe similar to this one, but where you'd boil honey and some butter for one minute together and then add in natural peanut butter and whatever other ingredients you wanted to amount to 3 cups worth. Now, I make a variety of nut/seed/fruit balls and bars that are mostly raw and better for you.

Benjamin Mixes the Truffles

Carob/Almond Truffles

It was fun to have Benjamin join us for this Desserts Class where he whipped up this truffle recipe. They're great!

1/2 cup honey
1 cup uncooked oats
2 tsp. ground flax seed
1 cup almond butter
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup carob powder
14 tsp sea salt

1 cup minced nuts (cashews, walnuts, or pecans)

Mix first list of ingredients together and roll mixture into one inch balls. Roll balls in nuts. Refrigerate.

Enjoy your holiday gift giving! Got a recipe to share? Link up at  Holiday Treats Bog Hop.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Homeschool Struggles—What Will They Remember?


My article From Barking to Fluency, Helping you Focus While Your Struggling Reader Figures It Out just came out in the new FREE October digital issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. In it I share a bit of our personal story with a few of my reflections regarding our reading struggles along with some reassurance that you might find helpful, some of which I learned in retrospect. If you have unanswered questions in this area, or are seeking help or guidance, I urge you to read my article and the many other inspiring articles in this issue.

No one wants their child to  hurt or suffer. It's tough to see your children struggle, and seeing them distressed and frustrated with learning (to any degree) can test your patience. And your emotions. Often, we lack understanding.

I think Jim Hensen had it right: 
 [Kids] don't remember what you try to teach them. 
They remember what you are.”  

Or who you are. 

Regardless of my child's particular need or situation, I have to ask myself: How did I present lessons? What were my priorities? How did I react? Did I show respect to them and others? Did I encourage? Was I truthful? Loving?

What will they remember? 
  • Yelling? 
  • Crying? 
  • Laughing 'til their guts hurt? 
  • Letting them have a say? 
  • Disagreeing with them?
  • Thanking God? 
  • Joking around?
  • Eating late dinners?
  • Unjust punishment?
  • Losing my cool?
  • Apologies?
  • Trying alternatives until something works?
  • Smiles and praises for a job well done?
  • Ignoring them?
  • Spending too much time on the computer?
  • Explaining things to them?
  • Making nourishing meals and yummy snacks?
  • Pushing too hard? 
  • Standing up for them?
  • Rejoicing and praying with them?

I don't know exactly . . .

They still speak to me, and sometimes want to be around me, and give me hugs. I think they know that my heart has always been in the right place, and though we've had our moments, love shines through and it lasts. 

We all make mistakes and hopefully learn something constructive along the way. Sometimes I've pondered . . .



Has homeschooling been the best thing for us?  

My husband and I think so, that's why we did it for so many years. And as much as I love homeschooling, and I'm missing it, there is also a relief in knowing that those formal homeschooling years are behind us now. There is a freedom that is exciting yet restful, but at the same time, as the home nest empties, I find myself worrying more about each of my sons—much more than I ever used to. 

The anxiety level has risen and I pray a lot these days.

 Hey, I used to be in charge! Me—the Momma Bear, and I had a pretty good eye on my cubs at almost every minute of the day. I no longer have that option, and let me tell you (or maybe I don't have to) it's HARD sometimes! That's where faith comes in and trust in God to keep them close to Him and help them (and me) through the rough spots.

I'm thankful for each of my sons and the ups and downs and the good and bad and all that we have shared over the years and I look toward the moments in the future where we'll link our hearts and minds together just like in the old days. And I hope they each have memories—of who I was—my character—and if it was good—that some has rubbed off—and most of what is remembered, will be worth remembering.

I don't know where you are in your homeschool walk of faith. Amid any struggles, I hope you are leaving good memories behind you.
 
"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life."
 
                                                       —Psalm 143:8 NIV
 
 Thanks for visiting me here today! Make each day count as the blessing it is!
—Kathy