Space ads: An excellent funnel for new customers

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I’ve always believed great copy works in all media: Direct mail, online and even in space ads in newspapers.

Case in point is this ad which I wrote for an age-defying, youth-boosting formula called Ultra Accel II.

What makes a great space ad?

It starts with a great headline.  And how important is that headline?

Legendary copywriter Eugene Schwartz writes in his classic book, Breakthrough Advertising, “Your headline has only one job—to stop your prospect and compel him to read the second sentence in your ad.”

In this case my headline CoQ10’s Failure Leaves Millions Wanting was written to call out users of CoQ10 and pique their interested as to why CoQ10 has “failed” many people.

Turns out as powerful as CoQ10 is, there’s one critical thing it fails to do: It can’t create new power generators (mitochondria) in your cells.

The subhead Use this pill to supercharge your brain and think better than ever is effective because it makes clear a key benefit for reading on.

Photos, if used correctly, can also be very powerful for an ad.  The photo below of Dr. Al Sears with Dr. Oz from a recent health festival delivers instant credibility for Dr. Sears. 

The ad is also filled with new scientific information, clinical studies and testimonials to back up claims.

This ad has been a super winner, drawing in many, many new customers into the pipeline.

 

 

How much is the voice of an “expert” worth in your marketing?

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One of the critical decisions you need to make for your direct marketing promotion is who is the “voice” behind your direct mail piece, ad, video sales letter or landing page?

Many of my clients have been very successful using a voice of authority, like a medical doctor or a millionaire investment expert to sell their products.  Of course, you’ll likely have to compensate that “expert” unless he/she already works for your company.

Yet some of my clients have also been successful using the voice of the founder or president of a company—or no voice at all.

Much has to do with what you are selling and how much authority that “voice” has.

Here’s a recent example that shows a “voice” of authority can really help boost response.

For a promotion I wrote for Sun Chlorella’s remarkable pet whole food supplement, Reju-A-Wafers, we tested two covers.

Cover JM’s headline was: Why Some Pets Seem Almost Ageless, and featured testimonials from pet owners about their pets who looked and acted years younger than their real ages.  Benefits were highighted, but there was no voice of authority.

This was tested against Cover KD’s headline: Vet’s Prized Superfood Secrets Helps Support Your Pet’s Health, and it featured a photo of a leading Vet, William Farber, DVM and his dog.

In this mailing the voice of authority dramatically lifted response by over 50%.

The lesson?   

If possible, test a voice of authority vs. no voice and see if there is a difference.