The message I interpret from this is that new Apple-Mac is so powerful it explodes. Not only that, it will probably reduce your home to rubble.

Oh, yeah, I must rush out and buy one of those.

Am I alone in thinking that these two commercials, despite their huge production values, are less than clever? On one hand, advertiser neglects to tell us what it is that he's trying to sell. On other, we have a product that is reminiscent of Mission Impossible and self-destructs when you switch it on.

Given all of this, I'd like to pose a question. When respective ad agencies presented storyboards for these commercials to their clients, did nobody on client side raise a query or two? Like: since we're spending all this money, shouldn't we at least say what we're offering? Or: is it really a sensible idea to associate our computers with explosions?

Of course, it could be that I am missing some wonderful new marketing strategy that will shortly be revealed and will make me look extremely foolish. Though I doubt it. And I doubt it because I saw a beer commercial other day (Stella Artois, I think), in which a man on a balcony actually spat on people below. You have to be a very brave advertiser -or a very stupid one -to ally your product to this kind of imagery. And this crudity seems to be more and more prevalent.

I leave you to ponder all of this. Meanwhile, you'll do no better than visit www.wordpower3.com. There, you'll find an e-book that could make your working life a whole lot easier. It contains close to 200 ready-made headlines, taglines, copy openers and clinchers, plus a comprehensive theme-finder that will give you just about every promotional word and phrase you'll ever need.

It's called Word Power III. Buy it and every word you write, will Sell.

Patrick Quinn is a copywriter, with 40 years' experience of the advertising business in London, Dublin, Edinburgh and Miami.

Over the years, he has helped win for his clients just about every advertising award worth winning

His published books, include:

I've seen both approaches work well, and success of presentation depends, in part, on skill of writer and specific nature of piece. But, all else being equal, I prefer first approach: to group all your testimonials and present them as a single block of copy. This can be done in a box or on a separate web page. My feeling is that when prospect reads a half dozen or so testimonials, one right after another, they have more impact and power than when testimonials are separated and scattered throughout piece.

6. Get permission. Make sure you get permission from your customer to reprint his words before including his testimonial in your copy.

I suggest that you send an email quoting lines you want to reprint and ask permission to include them in ads, web copy, and other materials used to promote your firm. Notice I'm asking for a general release that gives me permission to use customers quotation in all current and future promotions, not just a specific ad or letter. This lets me get more mileage out of his favorable comment and eliminates need to ask permission every time you want to use quote in a new ad or letter.

7. Soliciting Testimonials. If your customers don't send you emails of praise (and many won't), then you can ask them to give you a testimonial. How? Simply send an email to your customers who are happy with your product or service and ask for their comments. Heres a sample letter (feel free to copy or adapt it):

Mr. George Drake Dear George,

I have a favor to ask of you. I'm in process of putting together a booklet of testimonials-a collection of comments about my services, from satisfied clients like yourself.

Would you please take a few minutes to give me your opinion of my consulting services?

There' no need to dictate a letter. Just email me your comments. If you want to you can just reply to this email.

I look forward to learning what you like about my service, however I also welcome any suggestions or criticisms, too.

Many thanks, George.

Regards, Albin Dittli

P.S. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PERMISSION TO QUOTE FROM YOUR COMMENTS, AND USE THESE QUOTATIONS IN ADS, WEB COPY, BROCHURES, MAIL, AND OTHER PROMOTIONS USED TO MARKET YOUR SERVICES

Note that I am asking for an “opinion” instead of a testimonial, and that I urge George to give me criticisms as well as positive comments. In this way, I'm not just asking for a favor, I'm getting information that will help me serve my customers better in future. Thus, I'm not only one who profits; we both do.

If you solicit testimonials from your satisfied customers, and you always get permission to use any unsolicited testimonials that people send you, you will soon build a thick testimonial file. Because you have gotten people to give you a “blanket release” to use their comments any way you choose, you can use these testimonials in any or all of your marketing materials, from ads and sales letters, to catalogs.

Always give a list of your full testimonial file to any ad agency, copywriter, or marketing consultant you hire. It will be tremendously helpful to them when they create ads or web copy for you.

With wise use of testimonials you can increase your credibility. And with your increased credibility you should have an increased sales conversion rate.

You may freely distribute this article, post it to your or other web sites (where permitted), and publish it in an ezine, as long as you keep resource box as is with article.