Here are some tips for planning and writing effective retail advertising.

Retail Ads That Do The Job: Sell

1. Describe Your Merchandise in Terms OfBenefits For The Reader.
   For example, how many benefits does this sentence have: "This jacket is made of windproofleather, snugly lined with lambswool." The answer is: none. This is product information, notbenefits. Customer-oriented copy should read: "The jacket keeps you warmeven in a gale at 20 below." This is a benefit, because it states what thejacket can do for the customer. The product information can be listed afteryou get the reader's eye and attention with a benefit.

2. Give Your Customer Complete, Specific Information.
   Partial or incomplete copy only annoys the reader.Include all styles, colors and sizes in your ad. Give good orderinginformation as well. This includes: phone numbers, the departmentwhere the item can be found, store hours and which stores have themerchandise. (If your ad applies to certain branches, this should bespelled out.)

3. Use Simple, Me-To-You Language.
   Copy does not have to be fancy. Infact, it shouldn't be. For example, here is easy-to-read copy from an adfor a golf and tennis tour to the Bahamas: "Thisis the story. Round-trip air fare from San Francisco to Freeport.Luxurious rooms and delicious meals at the Kings Innand Golf Club. Unlimited greens fees at two golf courses. Tipping and alltaxes included." This is copy that is easy tounderstand. It uses simple, direct words in short, punchy sentences.

4. Tell The Reader To Buy Now.
   When you end your ad with a call for action, such as: "Call now," or"Come in today," you are increasing the ad's selling power. And, if itis true, you can add an element of urgency to your advertising by statinga time limit. For example: "While quantities last,""For two days only," "Sold on a first-come, first-serve basis only."Even Neiman-Marcus, famous for its upscale merchandise, included a phonenumber in an ad for a $195,000 diamond ring. Why? Because, like every goodmerchant, Neiman-Marcus wanted to close the sale.