If you have read my manual "The Secrets Uncovered: How To Write Headlines That Could Make You A Fortune", you will recall that every ad should follow AIDA formula: 1. Get Attention 2. Generate Interest 3. Create Desire 4. Call for Action

The problem is that most ads just aim to get attention by using bold or unusual graphic gimmicks. It is a bit like walking up to a customer and grabbing them by both shoulders, staring them in face, and shaking them.

I suspect you'll get their attention but will they buy? You see, getting their attention is only part of job.

I have a more effective way of getting attention ... right kind of attention that will generate interest in what you have to sell.

The secret is:

Make your ad look like a news story!

Don't make it look like an ad. Don't use line art. Don't use arrows, cute graphics, reverse type, (except maybe to highlight a phone number), weird typesets . . .

Or anything else that might win an award for graphic design!

Frightening Realities

One of most frightening things -- and, I admit, amusing for me -- was when I ran a spoof ad contest a few months ago. I wrote spoofs and I thought they were as obvious as day's long.

Various stuff like ...

I GET PAID when I go to BATHROOM! Do You??? Guaranteed amazing home-business plan! Works in your smallest room! Very convenient. No Smelling!! Queue here: http://regurgitate-it.com

As one reader wrote, "If this ISN'T it, WE're IN TROUBLE!!!"

<< sidenote >>

If you like this kind of thing, you really should subscribe to Wild Bill's CRAZY ADS - published every Monday, God Willing! To subscribe go to: http://www.MakingProfit.com/newsletters

<< end sidenote >>

Well, we were in trouble! Something I really didn't expect was that people sent in some WRONG answers. That is, they mistook real ads as being works of comedy. Now you can titter, but ...

It's FREE and it WORKS.

Deposit $25 to $50,000. Expected payout: Each $25 deposit will pay out $51,200.00

Here's A Switch - The COMPANY Works For YOU!

FREE $19.95 for anyone who can't make 2 sales in 24 hours!

Retire Early !!

... are all excerpts from just a few of ads that someone judged to be bogus when they were in fact, perfectly real.

Apply Hype-O-Meter Test

Clearly, there are people who have caught on to rule "if it sounds too good to be true, it is", but many more have not.

Whilst word FREE isn't hype, it's far too overdone. Nothing is really free anyway, because at very least it costs you your time to check it out. Free is very often better defined as "included in price". By all means use free offers to get traffic, but watch how you use it and be truthful from start if there is a condition attached.

Sadly though, there are too many people being suckered into believing unreal stuff floating around on net. Do you really, honestly think that you can make a living giving things away, doing nothing, selling nothing?

You won't as many of recent failures of programs using this model attest. There's a new one born every week and people sign up to promote them in their droves. All WANTING to believe that this will be their ticket on Internet's Magic Carpet Ride.

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat ...