Instead of the typical ads that you see in most publications--newspapers and magazines--think about using an "advertorial", the kind of ad that actually looks like a real news story or other editorial matter. Advertorials generally have a good track record. They are to print what Infomercials are to TV. They may be corny to the uninformed but, like the TV infomercials, they work just the same: they generate leads and sales!
1. www.turnleaf.be Paul Van Cotthem - 2008-06-27
10 Tips for Crafting an Effective Advertorial
What every business should know about editorial-type magazine ads.
There comes a time when all small businesses must pay for their publicity. They've exhausted their use of the
press release. They've used up all of their feature story ideas. They've depleted their finances for direct-mail
packages. Now they're left with one final marketing tool to generate hot leads and push their profits to the
next level. It's advertising.
When you reach that point, it's not the time to think fancy. It's time to think response. Instead of the typical
ads that you see in most publications--newspapers and magazines--think advertorial, the kind of ad that
actually looks like a real news story or other editorial matter.
Advertorials generally have a good track record. They are to print what Infomercials are to TV. They may be
corny to the uninformed but, like the TV infomercials, they work just the same.
Advertorials work well
In his classic advertising primer Tested Advertising Methods, John Caples rightfully noted that editorial-style
ads get high reading. As an example, he referred to a test conducted by Reader's Digest, in which an ad for
Adolph's Salt Substitute was designed to look like a magazine article. Here's what he said:
A split-run test of two mail order ads showed that an ad that looked like a magazine article pulled 81 percent
more orders than the identical copy, set in ad-style. They observed that "readers are up to 500 times more
likely to read an advertorial than a straight ad."
Incredible, isn't it? Results like that would compel me to at least try the advertorial.
Although much has been said about advertising in print media, it goes without saying that most of the
concepts provided here will also apply to the Internet.
For instance, veteran copywriter Clayton Makepeace has been extremely successful in writing advertorials
for the Internet. In an interview published in his newsletter, The Total Package (May 23, 2006), he surmised
that effectiveness on the web was because people are used to receiving free information on the web. He
explained:
If you begin a promotion that says, ‘Hey, here's my product. Isn't it beautiful?' You're really saying, ‘Hey, you
know, if you read this I'm going to try to sell you something.' Whereas, on the other hand, if you go in with an
advertorial appeal and you talk to the person about fulfilling their desires or assuaging their fears or eliminating
their frustration, by the time you get around to the sales copy, you're their friend and advocate instead of a
salesman trying to get them to sign the dotted line.
2. www.turnleaf.be Paul Van Cotthem - 2008-06-27
Tips for creating great advertorials
When was the last time you saw a good advertorial written for a small business? In my own case, I see few on
the local level but dozens on the international level that appear primarily in business opportunity magazines.
Advertorials look and feel very much like the other articles appearing in a magazine. They have strong
headlines, a byline, photos with captions, and a NO logo (or a very small one at most). And that's the secret.
To look like an article, your advertorial must be of a size that's similar to the actual editorial copy.
Would you like to try your hand at developing a good advertorial? Then remember these factors:
1. Study the publication in which your ad will appear. Get a sense of its style. Check out the competition--the
kind of ads they use. Look at the typeface and size of the type. Study the headlines and graphics. Then, as
much as possible, try to model your ad after those articles.
2. Inquire about the policy on advertorials. Some publications frown on ads that look like their editorial
copy. As a result, they insist that ads have some noticeable differences. OK, that's understood. If you must
use a different typeface or font, so be it. But you can still make your piece look like an article. As a rule, most
publications will require the word "advertisement" printed in small letters at the top or bottom of your ad.
Some will only use such ads in special sections.
3. Determine an appropriate size. To look like an article, your advertorial must be of a size that's similar to
the actual editorial copy. Ideally, you'd want it to be a full or half-page in magazines. In newspapers, consider
nothing smaller than a quarter page (unless, of course, your budget can only afford something smaller).
4. Write a suitable headline. Unlike the commercial headlines in your brochures and direct-mail pieces, a
suitable advertorial headline is one that is newsy or very similar to those in the publication in which it
appears. In the typical newspaper, you won't see a headline loaded with fluff or superlatives that brag about
an organization or business. Instead, you see headlines that are simple and straightforward. For example:
“Flemish people eat more mustard than Dutch”, or “Oil price reaches record $142 a barrel”.
5. Use a byline which mentions the name of the “author”. That gives your article credibility, particularly if
the name is recognized by readers. Pen names also are useful. Even if the name is not well-known, the
appearance of a byline will suggest that the piece was "authored." For example, you could write: "Special
Report by Marga Jorissen".
6. Use photos with captions. Typically, an advertorial is stronger when its photos have some kind of caption
written underneath them, like those you see in newspapers. As with the "article”, mention the name of the
photographer, or the source of your photo, for example: “Photo: Corbis Image Bank”.
7. Open and close with a captivating first paragraph. As with all forms of good communication, your lead
paragraph should immediately hook the reader--just like the articles in the publication you've chosen. Don't
forget to close with something that moves the reader to action.
8. Write a “people story” and sprinkle it with quotes. Make sure you write a “story”, as if reporting on
events that resonate in people’s everyday lives, making for a captivating narrative which people like to read.
Enliven your piece with quotes from real people, or real experts. Use the quotes as testimonials or to back up
certain claims. Insert them throughout your copy. Use them the way a typical journalist would.
9. Break up copy with subheads. Depending on the length of your copy, subheads can make the material
more reader-friendly. Use them to draw attention to crucial parts in your text.
10. Include the "call to action" and contact information. Your piece may look like an article, but it still is an
ad. For that reason, don't slack in calling the prospect to action. Create a sense of urgency and tell them
exactly what you want them to do--and when!
3. www.turnleaf.be Paul Van Cotthem - 2008-06-27
You may or may not use a coupon (and you probably shouldn't to enhance the realism of your advertorial),
but if you do, include contact information on both the coupon and in the copy of the ad. That way, if the
coupon is torn out and another person reads the publication, he or she may still have access to your
organization.
With these ideas in mind, you should be able to create a winning advertorial. Examine your budget and see if
you can't test an idea. Start small--with small publications or small ads--and work your way up.
Advertorial Example
Here is a good advertorial example. Layout is not provided, because this is adapted individually to the styling
of each magazine the advertorial will appear in, after approval by the magazine of course.
ADVERTISEMENT
HOW TO FEEL GOOD DURING YOUR MENOPAUSE
Special report by Margaret Jones.
If you’re a woman, feeling good and holding on to the good quality of your life can be a challenge
after the age of 50. Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, insomnia and fatigue are some of the
more noticeable changes. But it’s the changes you don’t notice – bone thinning, increased cholesterol,
high blood sugar and free radical damage to the body’s cells – that can be the most dangerous,
contributing to heart disease, osteoporosis, premature aging, arthritis, diabetes and other disorders.
The old solution – taking hormones – is now considered dangerous and ineffective. So how do you
protect yourself?
The answer may lie in the juice of a Polynesian fruit called Noni, which when combined with
certain high-powered natural ingredients can help balance hormones, improve bone health and
protect the heart.
What is Noni Juice?
The Noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia), a native fruit of Tahiti, has been used for more than 2,000
years as a natural painkiller and anti-inflammatory. A sort of “jack-of-all-trades” botanical
medicine, it is used to treat allergies, obesity, menstrual cramps, arthritis and other conditions,
and is endorsed by increasing numbers of mainstream physicians and medical researchers.
The Noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia), a
native fruit of Tahiti,has been used for
more than 2,000 years as a natural
painkiller and anti-inflammatory.
Photo: Kazuo Yamasaki
4. www.turnleaf.be Paul Van Cotthem - 2008-06-27
Many women have used Noni juice to relieve menopausal symptoms, ease pain and slow
premature aging. But a fortified version called Bio-Noni targets these problems even more
specifically. Just 2 tablespoons of Bio-Noni contains a hefty 10,000 mg of Noni extract plus:
Black cohosh: an herb proven to suppress menopausal hot flashes
ChromeMate®: a scientifically-designed form of chromium that helps ward off heart
disease and keep you slim
Polygonum cuspidatum extract (Protykin®): a potent phytoestrogen that helps ease hot
flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
For women, this combination of natural botanicals and scientific extracts can be a recipe for relief.
Let’s take a closer look at each ingredient.
Cooling the Flashes with Black Cohosh
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) has been used by Native Americans to treat “female problems”
for centuries. Today, hundreds of studies have confirmed that black cohosh is just as effective as
estrogen in relieving menopausal hot flashes and night sweats, while easing the mood swings,
irritability and sleeplessness that accompany them.
Although no one really knows exactly how black cohosh works, it may be because it slows down the
action of lutenizing hormone (LH), which tells the ovaries that it’s time to release a ripened egg. As
menopause approaches, more and more LH is released to try to get the ovaries to squeeze out
another egg. These blasts of LH can accidentally set off the brain’s temperature control area,
resulting in blasts of heat to the face and neck. By dampening the action of LH, black cohosh cools
off hot flashes.
Slimming With ChromeMate®
The mineral chromium is one of the body’s great unrecognized “housekeepers,” playing critical
roles in feeding the body’s hungry cells, metabolizing fat and turning protein into muscle. It also
helps regulate the appetite, increase lean body mass and reduce sugar cravings. If that weren’t
enough, chromium also lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and raises HDL (“good”) cholesterol, helping
to protect the heart.
Unfortunately, the typical American diet is low in chromium, and the body has a harder time
absorbing this important mineral as it ages. And your precious chromium stores can be whittled
away by stress, infection, physical trauma, and a diet high in refined foods. As your chromium
supply runs short, you’re more likely to suffer from poor insulin function, Type II diabetes, high
levels of cholesterol and blood fat, overweight, heart disease and a general lack of energy.
While taking a chromium supplement may sound like an easy solution, most are poorly absorbed
and not easily converted to their active form. But when chromium is combined with niacin in the
form of chromium nicotinate (ChromeMate®), it’s absorbed and retained by the body six times
better than standard chromium supplements. ChromeMate® is also superior at enhancing insulin
sensitivity, lowering blood pressure and fighting free radicals, thus helping to ward off diabetes,
overweight, heart disease, premature aging and other degenerative diseases.
Minimizing Menopausal Symptoms With Protykin®
Protykin®, an extract taken from a Chinese herb, contains trans-resveratrol, one of the most potent
phytoestrogens in existence. Phytoestrogens (literally “plant estrogens”) “even out” estrogen levels
that are either too low (causing hot flashes, vaginal dryness and high cholesterol) or too high
(causing depression, irritability and bloating).
5. www.turnleaf.be Paul Van Cotthem - 2008-06-27
New research suggests that trans-resveratrol (which is found in grapes) may be even more
effective than soy or red clover at reducing hot flashes, balancing mood swings, maintaining bone
density, promoting cardiovascular health and preventing premature aging.
“In short, BioNoni products really rebalanced
many of the upsets brought on by my
menopause” said Cheryl Walters, 56, of
Lakeside, Wyoming.
Photo: James Kerr.
A Great New Beginning
Menopause may be inevitable, but exercise, a sensible diet, regular visits to your doctor, and a high
quality nutritional supplement like BioNoni can help you feel good, look good and balance your
changing system naturally, without the use of hormones.
So our advice is: don’t wait, try these products. Contact either BioNoni or your local pharmacy.
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR BIONONI: www.biononi.com – 176 OCEAN DRIVE, WESTVIEW, CALIFORNIA 98723