The UGLY Advertisement

by Scott Bywater

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Published on this site: January 7th, 2010 - See more articles from this month

Today is my third last day before I take a break from everything for a couple of weeks.

And things are getting ugly.

I think it's been all the work and stress leading up to the final day, trying to fit everything in.

For instance, I wear glasses when I am in front of the computer. And yesterday one of the sides snapped off.

I don't have time to fix it, so I feel a little lopsided at the moment.

What's more, my neck is out of whack (which reminds me I better call my hiropractor)...

Ok, back again now.

Anyway, my point is things are getting ugly prior to the couple of weeks I have off over xmas.

But not as ugly as the way the Australian cricket team was portrayed in the newspapers yesterday.

Apparently, it was a pretty fiery test and things got quite heated there throughout the game with the West Indies (which they won by about 35 runs I think).

It can happen in business too, can't it.

Particularly when there are misunderstandings or things are not communicated effectively.

For instance, when I first started my business, I used to meet with customers and sell them on my copywriting services.

But when I came back with the advertisement, they were expecting to see something else.

Something prettier.

Something sexier.

Something different.

Why? Because they had been trained to think ads were to look a certain way - and not so UGLY.

Anyway, I got tired of this pretty quickly. It wasn't good for my client and it wasn't good for me.

So I had a chat with my wife (who is far smarter than me in these things) and she said:

"It's all in the framing"

You need to frame exactly what the customer will get from the very first communication. That way there will be no surprises.

And that's what I've done for years:

On the first call, I explain that my ads are ugly. But they are written that way because they work.

And I ask the question: Is it more important for you to have a pretty ad or an effective ad?

Then I send a small number of samples so people can get a feeling for my style and approach.

And that little process has solved a heck of a lot of problems.

How about you?

What's more important?

That your ad looks good? Or that your ad is effective?

Scott Bywater is an advertising copywriting expert and the author of Cash-Flow Advertising. To gain access to all of his copywriting tips on how to get more customers via his eye opening "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter, simply head on over to his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/.