After all these questions have been answered, the publicist has to think of a headline that draws the attention of the public at a glance. This is the hardest but also the most important part of an advertisement: since people are overloaded with promotions and information, they tend to look at advertisements with no real attention; therefore, publicists need to create headlines that attract the public. The headline should always include at least one of the product’s benefits.
Next, a list with all the product’s characteristics should be written, transforming them into benefits. When doing this, the publicist should put in the customers’ place and consider why he or she would choose this product and not the competitor’s product. For example, it is not advisable to say that the product is “fast”, it is better to say that the customer “will have more free time”. The effect of these words might be the same but they are not; the first word is a characteristic, while the others show a benefit. It is even better to describe the benefits in a way that it provokes certain emotions. For example, if you are trying to advertise a toothpaste, it is be better to say “use this toothpaste and avoid the tortures of the dentist” than saying that it contains fluoride. This is what you should look at when describing benefits and it is the best way to show them to the potential customers. All advertisements must demonstrate a valuable benefit that's considered desirable by the target audience. This benefit can be either tangible or intangible. For example, saving money is a tangible benefit, while peace of mind may be intangible but equally desirable depending on your target audience and what you’re marketing.
The first words or lines after the headline are really important. They should be used to create a desire in the customer, and this is achieved by mentioning other benefits. There is no need to give too many details, since the aim of an advertisement is not to sale, but to draw the customers’ attention.
The phrases included in the advertisement should be fluent, and not technical, ambitious or complicated; a good idea is to write in the ad what you would say to the customer face-to-face. It is also important to think about the audience. It is not the same to write an advertisement for teenagers than for adults. Therefore, the text in the advertisement should have the appropriate tone and mood, depending on the customers’ age, gender and economic status. Besides, there are three things that should not be missing in the ad’s message: it has to look like a good deal to the potential customer, it has to sound urgent, and it must not present any risks for the customer. Finally, the advertisement must indicate the reader or viewer a possible next step: for example, “call now” or “click here”.
The advertisement must never include information that does not match with what the customer sees in the shop, as this shows lack of professionalism, it disappoints the public, it harms the brand and it reduces brand loyalty.
