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7 Tricks For Creating Powerful Ad-Copy
by Jessica Swanson

As a small business owner, at one time or another, you will need to create a compelling ad. It doesn't matter if your ad is a sales brochure, email announcement or a newspaper ad, ultimately, your ad-copy must grab your prospect's attention, produce a desired emotional response that urges them to take action.

Here Are 7 Key Points To Keep In Mind, When Writing Ad-Copy:

1. Choose Your Words Carefully

There are over 175,000 words in the English language and, if used wisely, have the power to sway people's thinking, change their perspective and even motivate them to take action.

Selecting your words thoughtfully and with precision will create an enormous difference in the quality and performance of your ads.

- Words that create a feeling of safety: peace, relaxed, serene, secure, warm

- Words that create a sense of control: confidence, mastery, balance, self-assured, composure

- Words that create excitement: edgy, exhilarating, explosive, juicy, sensational

2. Focus On Benefits

Many small business owners make the mistake of focusing on the features of their product or service. Unfortunately, your prospect isn't interested in mere features; they are only interested in how your product or service will improve their life.

Therefore, eliminate focusing on the mundane characteristics of your product and service and instead concentrate on how it will benefit your prospect's life. Will it make them thinner? Happier? Richer?

If you are able to effectively portray how your product will change lives, your battle is half-done.

3. Establish Trust

One of the jobs of your ad-copy is to establish trust between you and your buyers. People will never do business with companies that they don't feel confident about. Therefore, you need to put their anxieties to rest and convince them that their fears are unsubstantiated.

There are various ways to establish credibility:

- Use statements that are truthful and original;

- Offer free product samples or free services;

- Include your name and contact information in your ad-copy;

- Use testimonials from satisfied clients/customers;

- Avoid generalizations and include specifics;

4. Create One Clear Objective

Every single piece of ad-copy that you produce (whether it is a Google Adword campaign or a piece of direct mail) should be deliberately simple.

You should have only one, crystal clear objective in your ad. Either you want your prospect to visit a website, call a 1-800 number or take out their wallet and make a purchase. If your ad contains multiple objectives, your prospect will only become confused and overwhelmed.

As the saying goes, "Keep It Simple Stupid!" This applies to your ad-copy as well.

5. Differentiate Your Company

One of the main ingredients in successful ad-copy is to convince your prospects that you are different and unique from your competition. Your ad should always convey at least one reason why you are different.

Do you offer superior customer service? Are you the fastest? Do you produce the highest quality materials?

Discover what main attributes motivate your particular target market and make this attribute the focal point when differentiating yourself.

6. Pack Your Headlines With Power

There are dozens of research studies that suggest that your headline is the most important part of your entire ad. In fact, you only have three seconds to capture your prospect's interest, so your headline needs to be packed with as much power as possible.

You should always use "power words" in your headline such as:

Amazing
Announcing
Advice To
At Last
Bargains
Breakthrough
Discover
Do You
Enormous
Facts
Finally
Free
Great News
Guaranteed
Here
How Much
Inside Secrets Of...
Innovative
Love
Only
Proven
Sale
This
Which
Yes

7. Create An Emotional Response

Ultimately, your ad should produce a desired emotion in your prospect. It's simply not enough that your prospect relates to your company in a logical manner. There needs to be an emotional connection as well.

Use words that bring about the emotions that you want your customer or client to feel: love, fear, desire, power, more control, etc.

If your prospect relates to you on both an emotional and logical level, you are engaging them in a fuller manner and they are more likely to connect with you and your company.
Although writing solid ad-copy isn't child's play, it can be learned through practice, patience and perseverance.

The difference between producing a mediocre ad and producing an irresistible ad that motivates your prospect to take action could literally mean thousands of dollars in extra sales, customers and clients.

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Yes! You can use this article in your ezine, blog or website as long as you add the following bio box:

Jessica Swanson, "The Shoestring Marketer," has helped entrepreneurs, all over the world, explode their businesses using cutting-edge, proven and completely free marketing strategies. To receive your FREE Shoestring Marketing Kit, which has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, just like you, learn the exact techniques for marketing their businesses for no-cost, visit:
ShoeString Marketing

Business Owners, If you find that you are doing too much by yourself, or you're spending hours working on a large number of different projects, this is a
sign that you will need to begin delegating tasks to a Virtual
Support Consultant.

If you are a business owner, youshould be well aware of the fact that
yourbusiness isn't one job. It is multiple jobs, and it may be your
responsibility to handle a large number of different issues. If you are
an Entrepreneur, you are
probably acting as the accountant,
sales
person, marketing expert, and
product designer; Wearing all the hats. Even if you are at the point
where you are still
working alone, you will eventually need to delegate some of these tasks
to another person if want to become better a managing your time. The
reason for this is because it is difficult to excel at multiple things
simultaneously. If you can do it for a short period of time, you may be
prone to exhaustion or burn out.

If you become exhausted, your body may force you to stop, and this will

destroy your productivity. To delegate, you will need to
become skilled
at letting other people assist you with your tasks. When you learn to
properly delegate tasks, you will free up the time to put your energy
into things that are extremely important. By doing this, you will become
better at managing your time, and you will increase the success of your
business. However, many small business people who work alone are afraid
to delegate tasks. Perhaps you've tried it before, and were burned by
an employee.

It may be that you feel that you can't depend on anyone to get the task

done correctly. If you are afraid to delegate tasks, this
means that you
may be afraid of losing control of your operation. Granted, there are
some risks involved with hiring a second person to work for you.
However, it is your business, and you are the one who should have the
final say about any task that is completed by someone you hire. Another
reason why many business owners are afraid of delegation is because they
think it will cost them large amounts of money. However, there are a
number of things you can do to get around this.

The most cost effective way to delegate tasks is to hire a
Virtual
Assistant or as i call them Virtual Administrative
Support Consultants. To deal with the costs of
hiring a new person you need to look at both the money and other factors
which are beyond the scope of money. Time is money, and if hiring
someone can allow you to spend time doing things that are more
important, in the long run, it will be worth it.

For example, if you are a sole proprietor who is earning $2,700 per

month from your business, hiring someone else may be able
to increase
that amount to $5,400. While you will need to pay your employee, your
profits would have doubled. But this will only work if you can properly
delegate tasks and focus your time on things that are important.

" The Purpose of your life is not to serve your business; but

the Purpose of your business is to serve your life"

• Mary Kay Ash. The founder of Mary Kay Inc. started a cosmetics business. While she didn’t have a collegeeducation or any training, she successfully created a brand knownthroughout the world. To date, nearly half a million women have startedMary Kay businesses, selling cosmetics. Their appreciation for Mary Kay Ashis unwavering.
• Richard Branson. Richard Branson is best known for his thrill seeking spirit and outrageous business tactics. He droppedout at the age of 16 and started his first successful business venture, StudentMagazine. He is the owner of the Virgin brand and its 360 companies.His companies include Virgin Megastore and Virgin Atlantic Airway.
• Coco Chanel. An orphan for many years, Gabrielle Coco Chanel trained as a seamstress. Determined to invent herself, she threw out the ideas that the fashionworld deemed feminine, boldly using fabric and styles normally reservedfor men. A perfume bearing her name, Chanel No. 5 kept her name famous.
• Simon Cowell. Simon Cowell started in a mailroom for a music publishing company. He has since become an Artistand Repertoire (A&R) executive for Sony BMG in the UK, and atelevision producer and judge for major television talent contestsincluding American Idol.
• Michael Dell. With $1,000, dedication and desire, Michael Dell dropped out of college at age 19 to start PC’s Limited, laternamed Dell, Inc. Dell became the mostprofitable PC manufacturer in the world. In 1996, The Michael and SusanDell Foundation
  
  offered a $50 million grant to The University of Texas at Austin to be used for children’s health andeducation in the city.
• Barry Diller. Fox Broadcasting Company was started by a college dropout, BarryDiller. Dilleris now chairman of Expedia, and CEO of of IAC/InterActiveCorpwhich includes Home Shopping Network and Ticketmaster.
• Walt Disney. Having dropped out of high school at 16, Walt Disney’s career and accomplishments are astounding. The mostinfluential animator, Disneyholds the record for the most awards and nominations. Disney’simagination included cartoons
  
  and theme parks. The Walt Disney Company now has annual revenue of $30 billion.
• Debbi Fields. As a young, 20 year old housewife with no business experience, Debbi Fields started Mrs. Fields ChocolateChippery. With a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, this young womanbecame the mostsuccessful cookie company owner. She later renamed, franchised, thensold Mrs. Field’s Cookies.
• Henry Ford. At 16, Henry Ford left home to apprentice as a machinist. He later started Ford Motor Company to manufacture automobiles.Ford’s first major success, the Model T, allowed Ford to open a largefactory and later start the assembly line production, revolutionalizingthe auto-making industry.
• Bill Gates. Ranked as the world’s richest person from 1995-2006, Bill Gates was acollege drop out. He started the largest computer software company,Microsoft Corporation. Gates and his wife are philanthropists, starting The Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation with a focus on global health and learning.
• Milton Hershey. With only a fourth grade education, Milton Hershey started his own chocolate company. Hershey’s MilkChocolate became the first nationally marketed chocolate. Hersheyalso focused on building a wonderful community for his workers, known asHershey, Pennsylvania.
• Steve Jobs. After attending one semester of college, Steve Jobs worked for Ataribefore co-founding Apple Computers.Now without the “Computers” in their name, Apple includes innovativeproducts such as the iPod, iTunes, and most recently the iPhone. SteveJobs was also the CEO and co-founder of Pixar before it merged with WaltDisney.
• Rachael Ray. Despite having no formal training in culinary arts, Rachel Ray has made a name forherself in the food industry. With numerous shows on the FoodNetwork, a talk showand cookbooks, high-energy Rachael doesn’t slow down. She has alsoappeared in magazines as well has having her own magazine debut in 2006.She knew she was a success when a website dedicated to bashing her wascreated.
• Ty Warner. Sole owner, CEO, and Chairman of Ty, Inc., Ty Warner is a savvy, yet private business man. Ty, Inc., made$700 million in a single year with the Beanie Babiescraze without spending money on advertising! He has since expanded toinclude Ty Girlz dolls, directly competing with Bratz dolls.
• Frank Lloyd Wright. Having never attended high school, Frank Lloyd Wright surpassed all odds when he became the most influential architectof the twentieth century. Wright designed more than 1,100 projects withabout half actually being built. His designs have inspired numerousarchitects to look at the beauty around them and add to it.

  

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• My step-by-step system for success.
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Actually, a better question is how to increase the size of your circle to include more people. In order to refer you business, people need to know, like, and trust you. They want to be sure that you will take good care of the clients they send you. For that, they'd like to be better acquainted than just hearing your name.

Imagine that you had a group of 100 people who were willing to refer clients to you. Now, imagine further that this "circle of 100" were people whose own work put them in touch with your potential clients every day. Sounds ideal, doesn't it? Building a circle like this of your own may be easier than you think.

One of my clients, a graphic designer, set about doing exactly this when she first launched her business. She identified a list of people in her city who were likely to be strong referral sources, and began methodically making their acquaintance. Within a few months, she had a steady stream of new clients. Better still, since all these clients were referrals, they were usually ready to do business when they first contacted her, and required little selling on her part.

To use this approach effectively, it's not just a matter of knowing enough people. You have to know the right people. Here's how to begin:

1. Create a most-wanted list of ten occupational categories whose members are frequently in touch with the type of client you desire. For example, a graphic designer who specializes in working with small start-up businesses might choose accountants, attorneys, bankers, business coaches and consultants, business teachers, career counselors, entrepreneurship center staff, office supply vendors, printers, and secretarial services.

2. Make the acquaintance of ten people in each occupation. Seek them out, meet with them, and familiarize them with your expertise and the benefits of the service you offer. Find out more about what they do and the type of clients they serve so you can refer business to them as well.

3. When you connect with someone who seems open to sending you business referrals from time to time, you have found a referral partner. Add their name to your list. Ten people times ten occupations equals your circle of 100.

No matter what your business is, if you can define your niche, you can identify others that serve it. A marketing consultant might target web designers, copywriters, and graphic artists. A massage therapist could seek out chiropractors, acupuncturists, and yoga instructors. If you have trouble coming up with a list of occupations, ask your current clients who else they currently do business with.

When you have a specific goal like this in mind, your networking can become much more focused. As you meet new people, you'll be able to decide just from looking at the title on their business card whether following up with them should be part of your plan. Whenever you meet someone whose occupation matches one on your list, ask, "I think we might be able to refer each other clients. Can we get together and talk about that?"

Share your most-wanted list with others, and ask for introductions to people they already know. For example, if accountants are on your list, ask your clients, colleagues, and friends who their accountant is. Or if you are seeking business instructors, ask friends for the names of instructors they have taken business classes from.

When you aren't able to make enough connections through networking and your existing contacts, don't be afraid to just look them up. You can find people in almost any occupation listed in your local phone directory or on the web. If you approach them as a colleague and express your desire for the two of you to help each other be more successful, you'll find many people willing to get better acquainted.

Regardless of how you first get in touch, some of the people you talk to won't be receptive to getting to know you better or the idea of referring each other business. That's okay. You only need ten names for each occupation, and there are plenty of people to choose from. Just move on to the next possibility.

Also, don't be concerned if you fear that you won't have any business referrals to give the people you're talking to. Neither of you are making a promise to send each other clients; you are simply expanding your circles to increase the likelihood of that happening. As you get to know more people in your niche, it's quite likely that you will find yourself making referrals more often.

One of the most useful elements of this strategy is that it is both simple and systematic. All you have to do is look at your most-wanted list, and you'll know right away what needs to be done next. Do you need to add more occupations, or do you need more new names in any group to reach your total of 100? Just follow the suggestions above until you get there.

Once you have 100 names listed, you can change your tactics from getting acquainted to following up. Stay in touch with everyone on your list at least once per quarter. With only 100 names, you should be able to do that easily.

Over time, you may find that some of the people in your circle aren't particularly good referral sources. That's to be expected. The reason you want so many names to start with is that only a few of them will consistently refer. You can always add more names later to replace some of the people who don't seem as helpful. It's likely, though, that just a few steady referral partners will be more than enough to keep you busy.

Become a referral partner today! Register your business in our directory it's simple and free www.tcmandassociates.net

Claiming tax deductions for an office in your home is one of the benefits enjoyed by many home-based business operators and telecommuters. Unfortunately, there are tests that need to be met and consequences to consider before you just jump right in and claim these deductions. You need carefully consider your options for several reasons, including:

• There is some argument that claiming the Office in Home deductions makes you a target for an IRS audit. Opinions are mixed.
• The IRS has specific requirements that you must meet in order to claim these deductions. Make sure you meet the requirements to the letter.
• There are certain limitations on deductions and there are certain consequences of claiming some of the deductions, especially with regard to depreciation on your home should you decide to sell it later.

The best way to stay out of trouble is to only claim the Home Office deduction if you qualify, only to claim the expenses you are entitled to, and to properly document your expenses in case the IRS questions your eligibility or the amount of expenses you attempt to claim. When in doubt, consult a qualified tax professional (best choice) or contact the IRS for clarification - just be sure to document you communications with the IRS.

What Home Office Deductions are at Stake if You Qualify

If you meet the IRS' requirements for claiming the Home Office deduction on your tax return, you may be able to deduct a percentage of:

• Your real estate property taxes on your home
• Mortgage interest (Be careful not to claim the interest twice - once on Schedule A for your Itemized Deductions and a second time here. I've even had tax software programs trip me on this.)
• Your rent payments if you are not a home owner
• Utilities
• Homeowners or Renter's insurance
• Depreciation on your home (if you own)
• Painting, and repairs. (Permanent improvements are added to the basis of your home for calculating depreciation and you can then recover these if you claim deprecation as part of your Home Office deduction.)

What is a Home for Tax Purposes?

The IRS defines a “home” as a house, condominium, apartment unit, or even a boat.

Who Qualifies for the Home Office Deduction?

Self-employed individuals who operate a home-business usually find it easy to qualify for the Home Office deductions. In some cases, telecommuters may also qualify to take some of the deductions.

There are two essential requirements you must meet in order to qualify for the deduction:

1. You must use that part of your home regularly and exclusively for business purposes.
2. The business part of your home must be either your principal place of business or the location where you meet with clients or customers in the normal course of conducting business. For detached garage or other separate structures, the requirement is only that the building is used in connections with your trade or business. You can also claim deductions if you use an area of your home for storage of inventory or product samples.

Special Requirements for Telecommuters

If you are employed by someone else and you use part of your home for business, you need to meet the previous tests PLUS:

1. Your business use of your home must be for your employer's convenience, AND
2. You can't be renting any part of your home to your employer and then use the rented portion to perform services for your employer.

What is Regular and Exclusive Use to the IRS?

The IRS gives several examples of regular and exclusive use. If your home is the only location of your business - except for perhaps a PO box or mailing service that you use as a mailing address - you can pretty much expect to qualify as long as you are operating a business and not a hobby. Many of us these days have virtual businesses - we don't generally see too many live customers "in the flesh" - so we would qualify. However, you still need to meet the exclusive use requirement - that the area of the home you are claiming is only used for your business - it doesn't even need to have partition walls - and not for any personal use whatsoever.

You must use a designated part of your home for business purposes on a continuous basis—not just occasionally for business.

If you use a computer in your home office, you cannot use this computer to send personal e-mails as doing so would disqualify you from taking the home office deduction. You can use the area of your home for more than one business but you cannot mix business with personal use.

IRS Exclusive Use Exceptions

The IRS provides that you do not have to meet the exclusive use requirement in either of these two cases:

• You operate a licensed day care center in your home.
• You store inventory or products for sale in your business.

In cases that meet these exceptions, personal use and business use may be mixed. With regard to inventory storage, you can only have mixed use of the area you use for storage if you do not have any other business location besides your home.

More IRS Restrictions and Requirements

Hang on to your hats. It even gets to be more fun to try to understand the IRS guidelines if you have more than one business location because you then have to show that your home is your principal place of business. To confuse the issue even more, a home will automatically qualify as a principal place of business if you conduct administrative or management activities of your business solely from your home and no other fixed location. For example, if you're a consultant, you may work at client sites and do all of your bookkeeping and invoicing from your home office. You would qualify because your are conducting administrative or management activities solely from your home.

Please visit the Online Virtual Lounge for valuable Business Tips:http://tinyurl.com/yazetnm

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If you're not working, get out of the house each day, even if it's just to take a walk or get some fresh air. Use this time to appreciate the natural beauty of your surroundings. Realize how blessed you are to see,
hear, feel, smell and taste. Don't forget to spend a few minutes each day
studying your Bible or other wise book.

come in the smallest of packages; they are the things we tend to take for
granted.

Step 3

Step 4

necessary to get it. Don't waste time on those who are constantly complaining
about something or criticizing your dreams, ideas and plans for the future.

Step 5

friends. Refer to those self-help/enrichment books for ideas and tips.

them. Inspire each other and don't judge.

Step 8

overwhelm and consume you if it's allowed to fester. Be open to a new
relationship and KNOW that you are still quite a catch!

say I love you.

Step 10

detailed plan and stick to it. Before you know it, you'll start to work your
way through the maze.

Step 11

big brother or big sister to a neighborhood youngster, if time permits. You'll
find it very rewarding.

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At times people and things get in our way because we feel the need to appease everyone that comes along. We forget the simple things such as a kind word or a smile that can impact our day in such a delightful way and raise the bar for us in our business. So today...

Do you feel tired from giving too much? Are you involved in a co-dependent relationship that you can't seem to let go of and its affecting your business? Are you growing your business at the same time growing and embracing you " A leader of your business" ? More specifically, are you in the right business?

Ladies if you are you passionately minding your business then it will show. It will show as your business grows with new prospects, clients, initiatives, additional networking ideas etc. Set the tone for your business today and the rest as they say is history!

God Bless,

Marlene McCray, MS

Personal Development Trainer & Compass Representative

http://www.fallintoyou.com

.

Happy Monday, ladies!

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As I awaken with the gift of yet another day and prepare for the tasks at hand, Ioffer up this most ardent prayer:

I pray for continued clarity of purpose so that I may hold my vision steady andkeep my focus on the needs and success of others, which in turn shall bring memy success.

I pray for the wisdom to expect abundance in my life, that it surrounds me and isavailable for the taking and to be shameless and unapologetic upon its receipt,for I deserve abundance.

I pray for a cheerful countenance, be it clear or cloudy skies and that I mayradiate and infect others with my positive attitude.

I pray for the trust of others that they may recognize my sincerity and trueintentions so that we may move forward together.

I pray for the strength to fend off adversity and use my desire and determinationas both weapon and shield.

I pray for the courage to carry forth my convictions during the battle ofbusiness and to resist temptation to a quicker monetary result when such temptationcompromises these things for which I stand.

I pray that I may be used as a lightning rod to collect the amazing ideasalready present in the universe and when blessed with such inspiration, that Imay be able to apply my talents and abilities to turn the power of thought intomeasurable advancement of my goals.

I pray to retain my childhood wonder so that I can recognize and revel in thesmall miracles of each day that others may miss.

I pray for an infinite supply of self-confidence for it alone fortifies faith,strengthens my resolve and conquers the largest enemy I will ever face - fear.

I pray for a compassionate spirit and the patience to offer those who seek myadvice and my help, my full and undivided attention.

I pray for good health and a feeling of well being, and the continued desire toimprove those areas of my physical life I may be neglecting in the name of myspiritual and entrepreneurial advancement.

I pray that today is a day of excellence and at its conclusion I can acknowledgeand be grateful for the forward motion I have made and the growth I haveexperienced.

I pray most of all for the understanding and support of those closest to myheart, my family, that they will equate what may seem like endless hours ofapparent pre-occupation with affairs of business to what is at the very core ofmy being, that which drives me, for once I achieve what I have set out in itsfullest, I will become that more complete being I strive to be.

It is for these things that I pray, for I am an entrepreneur.

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen