Start your ad, sales letter, commercial, or web page out by briefly explaining a common problem you can solve. The web designer might start: "Website not making any sales?" or, "Is your site just a little ugly and embarrassing?"

Now she has attention of LOTS of people who WANT and NEED her web design skills. Next, she can list features of her service and connect them with problems she solves or benefit customer gets:

* Attractive graphics that get attention and load quickly, so your customers don't click away. * Professional copy to get prospects excited and ready to buy. * A more logical flow from page to page, leading customers directly to your shopping cart for more orders.

4. Get FREE publicity and FREE word of mouth. Nothing brings in new business like an editor or broadcaster saying, "I checked this out and thought is was important for you to know about it."

Send your press release to your local media and to trade publications that cover your industry. Call radio talk shows when they venture onto a topic related to your business. You can be expert that calls in with some advice... often slipping your company name in during call.

Offer media people free samples, free product to give away as prizes, and even free donuts or pies (it's amazing how well free food works).

And now about FREE word of mouth. Nothing is as powerful. When one person tells another, "I found this great place with cool stuff you should try," it far more powerful than any ad you could ever buy.

Work like crazy to get free word of mouth. It usually comes when you provide more than customer expected. Give some extra free advice. Take a bit more time after sale to make sure service is done just right. Encourage customer. Give them 13 when they only ordered 12.

Don't make advertising your new business too complicated. You've got too many other things to worry about. Do these four simple steps over and over until you find a combination that works, then keep your plan in place consistently for a year or two. You will watch as your customer list and sales grow steadily.

Friendly communication builds a warm and lasting relationship with your prospect. People like dealing with people they like and won’t deal with people they don’t like so make them like you.

2) Tell your reader what’s in it for them.

Your readers are selfish. They really don't care who you are. They just want to know how you will improve their lifestyle.

Describe features of what you’re selling as benefits. Some benefits could be that they’ll save money, they’ll save time, they’ll be envied by their friends... list goes on.

Paint a picture of how your product or service will transform their lives. Spell it out.

3) Be as specific as you can

Include proven results and/or statistics. This adds credibility to your claims. If you talk about dollars or time frames, don’t use rounded off numbers. Specifics are more believable. eg. 98 (believe it or not) is more powerful than 100).

4) Use short sentences and words

5) Long sentences and words bore. Short ones have impact.

6) Use simple language

Your readers may or may not have same educational background as you do. A 'Rhodes' scholar will read simple language but someone who has a poor education won't read complex language. Scan your ad and replace every complex word with a simple one.

7) `Use word ‘you’

You’ll be amazed at difference this simple word makes. Your reader needs to directly relate to what you’re saying to want to buy from you. Using word ‘you’ involves them and interests them in your product or service. Minimise on words 'we', 'us', 'they' & 'I' and change your sentences around to use words 'you' & 'your'.

8) The more you tell more you sell

There is no right or wrong length of body copy. Your copy needs to be long enough to include every selling point you have. Every word should serve to enhance your selling message or your reader will get bored. Powerfully written long copy ads have been known to increase responses by up to 600%.

9) Avoid Brag & Boast

Don't tell your reader how you're biggest and best. It turns people off. They simply won't be interested. Tell them how your product will fulfil their needs.

10) Shout out your guarantee

If you have a guarantee spell it out. Your phone will ring twice as hot. A guarantee will make your credibility skyrocket and allay any fears your reader has of dealing with you. It will show your reader that you're willing to stand behind quality of your service 100%.

11) Include testimonials

A testimonial from one of your best clients will also boost your credibility and your results.

12) Mention price

If you're in a price focused industry and your business revolves around being cheaper than your competition, and you know your prices will stay same for 12 months, mentioning a price will significantly improve effectiveness of your ad.

13) Make your reader an enticing offer

Including an offer in your telephone directory ad will dramatically boost your responses. It gives your prospect a reason to call you ahead of anyone else.

If you can think of an offer that you can run for a full year, that's fantastic. If not, offer a FREE report or a FREE consultation.

Offering a FREE report filled with useful information relating to your product or service will have a great impact. The hard cost of producing a report will be nothing compared to added responses you'll receive. The report can be simple but it should be offer valuable tips that relate to product or service you offer.