Advertising will make or break your business. It is crucial to your success that you learn to write great ad copy. Here are a few simple concepts to get you there.

1. The Headline

This is THE most important part of your ad, especially when using online advertising. The point of the headline is to grab a potential customer's interest and then entice the reader to go on and read the rest of your ad. The best headlines tend to be those that emphasize the benefits to the customer, ie. what your product or service can do for them, WHY they MUST have it - right now!

2. Formatting

If your ad is taking the form of a webpage, or any other ad that allows the use of HTML/formatting, take advantage of it. Make sure your headline stands out from the rest of your ad by using a larger font, bolding, italics (careful here: make sure it is readable, some fonts aren't), or a different color. Remember to ensure that the overall look is business-like.

Some ad sites (like AOL) allow you to post a graphic along with your ad: definitely do so! It will really make your ad stand out compared to the ads of those who haven't bothered and makes you look much more professional.

If you're advertising to safelists or using any other type of email advertising, use interesting characters to make your subject line stand out, some examples: >>