Advertising Was Once Just a Gamble, But Not Anymore… (Part 3)

In the last few parts, we’ve covered some of the most important concepts in advertising.

Now, we’ll dive deeper into these fundamental principles that formed the foundation of effective advertising.

Headlines

The main difference between advertising and personal salesmanship lies in personal contact. 

A salesperson is physically present to capture attention and cannot be ignored, while an advertisement, on the other hand, can easily be overlooked.

A salesman wastes his time on prospects he cannot hope to interest; he cannot pick them out. 

However, advertisements are read only by interested people who willingly study what we have to say, and the purpose of a headline is to interest these people.   

In an advertisement, what you have will interest certain people only for a few reasons. You care only for those people and create headlines that will hail only them. 

People do not read ads for amusement; they won’t read your business talk unless you make it worthwhile, and let the headline show this.

A writer often spends hours on a single headline; most headlines are discarded before the right one is selected. 

The entire return from an ad depends on attracting the right sort of readers. Even the best of salesmanship has no chance unless we get a hearing. 

It is not uncommon for a change in headlines to multiply returns from five to ten times over. 

So, we have to compare headlines until we know what sort of appeal pays the best. 

We need to learn exactly which quality most of our readers seek. This does not mean we neglect the others. One sort of appeal may bring half the returns of another yet it is important enough to be profitable. We overlook no field that pays. 

This is because a considerable percentage of people are attracted by several approaches. We wish to reach them all.

The approach we like best will rarely prove best because we do not know enough people to average up their desires. So, we learn on each line by experiment. 

But back of all lie principles. 

You are presenting an ad to millions. Don’t think those millions will read your ads to determine if your product interests them. They will decide by taking a glance at your headlines or your pictures. 

Make sure you address the people you seek, and only them. 

Psychology

Every competent advertising man must understand psychology. 

The more he knows about it the better. He must learn that certain effects lead to certain reactions and use that knowledge to increase results and avoid mistakes. 

Human nature is timeless in most respects. It is the same today as it was in Caesar's time. 

The principles of psychology are fixed and enduring. 

We learn that cheapness is not a strong appeal, people largely judge by price. 

Many have advertised, “Try it for a week. If you don’t like it, we’ll return your money.” Then upon someone’s idea, they tried something new. 

They tried “Pay in a week if you like them.” Turns out that it proved many times as impressive. 

An interesting scenario was when an advertiser offered a set of books to businessmen. The advertisement was unprofitable. He sought out an expert who suggested adding their names in gold lettering on each book.

One man sent a letter saying he had a leather-covered book with a man’s name. It was waiting for him and would be sent on request. The form of the request was enclosed, and it also asked for certain information. That information indicated lines on which a man might be sold. 

Nearly all men filled out that request. 

When a man knows that something belongs to him something with his name on it, he will make the effort to get it, even though the thing is a trifle.

Here’s another interesting scenario: Two advertisers offered food products, one for free and the other for 15 cents. The 15-cent product gained more respect because the user paid the retail price to try it. 

An identical offer made differently may bring multiplied returns. 

If people can be made sick or well by mental impressions, they can be made to favour a certain brand.

And that is the only way to win them.

The basic premise of these concepts is that when we see one winning method, we note it down for use when occasion offers. 

Somehow we must find some of the best methods and implement them in our approach. 

Luckily for you, I'm giving it to you all for free.

Talk Soon,