And don’t delude yourself into thinking that any advertising is “free.” The most valuable resource any of us have in our marketing arsenal is probably our own time.

What do you value yours at? $25 - $50 - $100 - $1000 per hour? Or more? So be sure and include cost of your time or whoever you’re paying to perform that advertising task into calculating true cost of your advertising.

This is truer then ever in Internet world. So, know your costs and measure your results. There are online tools available to help you do this, so don’t get careless or lazy. The effectiveness of your online advertising can only be measured by its actual sales.

Your task: Analyze all your advertising to determine its true effectiveness. If you're not tracking your results you have to figure out a way to do it now. Why? Because Claude told you so.

Next week – you’ll get some more thoughts from Claude Hopkins. This time about how long you should make your ad copy in order to make sales. Until then, my best wishes for success in all your marketing endeavors.

© 2002 TWI Press, Inc.

**************************************** The Copywriting Classics Quick Tip is written by Bret Ridgway. To subscribe send a blank email to subscribe@twipress.com . Portions of this issue are excerpted from Claude Hopkins’ book My Life in Advertising/Scientific Advertising. You can locate complete text of Scientific Advertising in various locations online. Or, it is available as part of package set with My Life in Advertising at following page: http://www.twipress.com/productpages/MyLifeAd.htm ****************************************

13. Have you included testimonials and case studies?

14. Have you included a guarantee?

15. Have you included a limited offer?

16. Does offer have a high perceived value to your reader? Does it interest them?

17. Have you told your reader reasons why you're making offer?

18. Does your last paragraph summarise most powerful sales appeal and create a sense of urgency?

19. Have you told your reader what to do eg. "Call now on xxxxx for xxxx"?

20. Have you made it easy for your reader to respond?

21. Does your copy follow this flow - "Problem, Agitation, Solution"?

22. Is it written in a friendly, easy to understand, conversational tone?

23. Short words, short sentences, short paragraphs?

24. Can you replace any word with another word that packs more of a punch?

25. Have you been specific in your figures not rounded off?

26. Do paragraphs flow into each other well?

27. Have you highlighted important words?

28. Is your copy easy to understand?

29. Are there any redundant words - scrap them?

30. Do you use "you" twice as much as you use "I" or "we"?

31. Is all your copy in active not passive voice?

32. Have you included a PS that creates a further sense of urgency?