“How A Simple Classified Ad Formula
Can Have You Closing Multiple Transactions
Every Single Month... And All It Takes Is 30-45
Days To Get The Train Rolling!!”

The Lowly Classified Ad Earns Some Agents Earning
Six-Figures Year After Year... While Other Agents Complain
They’re A Waste Of Money… Who’s Right?

Dear Friend,

You're about to to be introduced to a formula that is so simple, so common sense, yet so powerful in it's implications that you actually need to be careful.  It's a formula that (when applied correctly) can have your phone ringing off the hook!  And the best part is within a matter of days you can be profiting!

It's almost shameful (but lucky for you and me) that all too often agents overlook the massive profit potential of classified ads.  They either view them as necessary to keep sellers happy, run boring useless ads that don't produce calls, or they simply don't use them at all.

Well, I'm going to let you in on a very important secret.  Classifieds can be (dollar for dollar) the most profitable advertising source in your marketing arsenal.  The key is how you approach them.  To make classified ads work you have to apply a simple concept a trainer friend of mine teaches, he says, "All you need to do is find out what people want and need and make it easy for them to get it."

Makes sense doesn't it? "Find out what people want and need and make it easy for them to get it!" Well in a minute we will look at classified ads and talk about how to do exactly that, but first there are... 

There are three main things about classified ads agents should love - besides the fact they can make you a whole lot of money!

First, they are generally inexpensive to run - relative to display ads.

Second, they are quick and easy to test. You can place an ad on Thursday. It hits the paper over the weekend. And by Monday or Tuesday you've got real measurable results.

Third, and probably most important, they produce really good quality leads. Prospects you produce with classified ads are ready to act now!

Think about it! It makes sense that classified leads would be of good quality because people looking through the classifieds are LOOKING!

People Don't Browse The
Classifieds For Entertainment

They look through the classifieds because they have a purpose.  And the vast majority of leads you produce with classifieds are ready to do something soon!

In fact, some of the best sources for your classified ads are those free newspapers that get distributed throughout communities.

In my neighborhood for example, there is a free paper that gets thrown on my driveway every other day. It used to irritate me because I had to pick it up and 99% of the time I just tossed it in the trash. But you know, an interesting thing happened when my wife and I started shopping for our current home. I started picking those crazy things up and looking through the classified ads!

Now let me ask you... do you think that's a common experience?

From our agents' experiences, I can assure you it is!  It's a very common, if not universal fact, when someone is looking for information they tend to look in the quickest easiest sources available to them.

Yeah I know the Internet is changing the game but let me tell you something. Nothing is easier for prospects than classified ads. And I should know because I've got T1 Internet access and I can search things at blazing speed over the Internet but I still turned to the classified ads first!

And if you really think about, I'll bet that's the way most people in your market are too!  Even with high speed access and the ability to search the Internet quickly prospects still tend to prefer the classified ads.

And again, from our agents' experiences classifieds work incredibly well... when done correctly!

There are four key components to successful classified ads:

An Attention getting headline.
Copy that generates Interest.
A message that creates Desire.
A compelling call to Action.

You may recognize this as the age old AIDA formula... Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. It's been used for over 100 years and an interesting thing is it still works!  Why?  Because it's a fundamental and fundamentals will always work.

Now let's look at each component in turn and then give you clear examples you can apply to your classified ads.

ATTENTION - The key with attention is to get "relevant" attention. You want to telegraph a headline that speaks directly to the prospect you're interested in.  For example if you have a $350,000 listing you don't really care to attract the attention of prospects who can only afford a $125,000 home.  You want to call out to those who are truly looking for a $350,000 home.

EXAMPLE:
"Elegant Home In Gated Community"

The words "elegant" and "gated community" imply a higher-end property and will tend to flag down a more suitable prospect for you.

Too many agents try to use cute or tricky headlines to get people to notice them. This is a mistake because you may get attention but you're actually less likely to reach the prospects you really want to reach. So be selective with your words and target your ideal prospect.

INTEREST - In your ads highlight the most compelling benefits (notice I said benefits and not features) of the property. Point out the sumptuous master bath with sunken whirlpool tub... talk about how affordable the home is... give your prospect information about the neighborhood... capture their interest!

EXAMPLE:
gorgeous home on private lot with
lots of nice trees, great neighborhood!

The things that will interest them most are the emotional benefits of the home you're offering. You're not selling bricks and lumber. You're selling the pride of ownership, safety and security for their family, and any one of of a hundred other "emotional" benefits.  Which leads to desire...

DESIRE - To create "desire" you have to accentuate and build on the "emotional" benefits. Prospects never buy based on logic. They always buy emotionally and then justify the purchase with logic.

So in your effort to draw them out and get them to respond you have to strike emotional cords. Throughout your copy you need to fill it with emotional words like: spacious, striking, stunning, lavish, charming, scenic, dramatic, comfortable, quiet street, cozy, all new and hundreds of other powerful emotion provoking words and phrases.

EXAMPLE:
Charming home in quiet neighborhood, all
new flooring, spacious kitchen, lots of trees,
an amazing bargain at $229,500.

For a list of the 303 most powerful emotion provoking words for advertising copy get a copy of John Caples book "How to Make Your Advertising Make Money". Caples is a true master of the written word and this book will help you craft ads that will pull like gangbusters!

ACTION - Now here's where we get to the nitty gritty! It's all fine and good to get their attention, stimulate interest, even provoke a little desire, but if you don't get them to take action... you've got nothing!

So... now it's time to tell them what to do! You've got to get them up off their backsides and get them to take action. How do you do that?  Well let's go back to what my trainer friend says, "Find out what people want and need and make it easy for them to get it."

The Single Greatest Factor To Success With
This Strategy Is... MAKE IT EASY!

Now let's think about this together. What do prospects really want?  Once you've got attention, interest, desire... what do they really want?

They want more information... so let's make it EASY for them to get it!

How?

This is the single biggest secret of many many top producing agents I know!  And it's so simple!  Offer a "Recorded Information Hotline" for them to call anytime 24 hours a day!  This way they can call for "recorded info" (without the threat of being hounded by salesperson) and get what they want!

Again, "Find out what people want and need and make it EASY for them to get it!" That's what you're doing with a "Free Recorded Message" line!

EXAMPLE:
For a Free Recorded Message 24 Hours
Call Toll-Free 1-888-555-5555 ID# 5555

CLICK HERE for info about the
Response Hotline we recommend!

OK we've covered the AIDA formula now I want to give you a couple closing thoughts on classifieds and then give a number of clear examples you can model in your own classified ads.

Understand with classified ads you are competing for your prospect's attention so most things you can do to help draw attention to your ad are worthwhile, like boxes, bolding, reverse type, quotes around your headline... things that will make your ad stand out from the others.

But here's a caution... remember to remain relevant.  Don't try to use cutesy tricks to dupe someone into noticing you.  This is their largest investment we're talking about. This is not the time to try and be humorous or to use trite worn out phrases that don't mean anything to prospects anymore.

So use the AIDA formula... use formatting elements to stand out from the rest and go for it.  Classifieds are a great way to make your phone constantly ring with interested new prospects every day of the week.

To hear what other agents
have to say about these amazing
strategies click here.

Following are some examples you can model and use in your classifieds:

Classified Ad Examples

     "THINKING ABOUT OWNING IN FLORISSANT?" - Terrific home
      on a quiet street, low down payment, Free Recorded Message
      24 Hrs. Toll-Free 1-888-555-5555 Recording# 5555 ABC Realty

      "CONTEMPORARY HOME ON 2.7 ACRES" - minutes to shopping,
      low down payment, only $1,237/month, beautiful home, sumptuous
      Jacuzzi tub in master, nice quiet area. Call now for a Free Recorded
      Message Toll-Free 1-888-555-5555 Recording#  5555 ABC Realty

      "STOP PAYING RENT TODAY!" - You may be able to "own" for
      what you pay in rent right now! Free list of homes, easy financing,
      under $900/mo, sent to you every week. Free Recorded Message
      Toll-Free 1-888-555-5555. Recording#  5555. ABC Realty

      "THINKING ABOUT SELLING?" Find out what your home is worth
      by comparing recent home sales in your area! Call for a FREE list
      of sales and current listings in your neighborhood. Free Recorded
      Message Toll-Free 1-888-555-5555 Recording#  5555. ABC Realty

      "NEWLY BUILT WITH SUPER-EASY FINANCING" low down pay-
      ment only $1,057/mo. 3 bdrm, 2 bath on quiet cul-de-sac, beautifully
      landscaped with nice trees. Call now for a Free Recorded Message
      24 Hrs. Toll-Free 1-888-555-5555 Recording# 5555 ABC Realty

      "7.3 LUSH ROLLING ACRES" - Spectacular home, incredible view
      $187,500 with 100% financing available Free Recorded Message -
      24 Hrs. Toll-Free 1-888-555-5555 Recording# 5555 ABC Realty

      "EXCLUSIVE AREA WITH 2-3 ACRE LOTS!" – Terrific homes!
      Gorgeous lots! Secluded area, most under $200,000. Call for a
      FREE list of available properties. Free Recorded Message 24 Hrs.
      Call Toll-Free 1-888-555-5555. Recording#  5555. ABC Realty

      "SHOP FOR A HOME THE EASY WAY - WITH ABSOLUTELY
      NO SALES PRESSURE!" FREE list of homes for sale in your
      desired price range sent to you each week. Complete with
      addresses! Call for a Free Recorded Message Toll-Free 24 Hrs. 
      1-888-555-5555. Recording#  5555. ABC Realty

One last final recap. First get attention, second stimulate interest, third create desire with emotion filled words and descriptions, then fourth, prompt your prospect to act.  And the best way to get them to act is to MAKE IT EASY for them to respond with a Free Recorded Information response hotline!

Now go to it... put these classified ideas to work and go make a carload of money!  My very best to you in your business building. Until next time...

Warmest regards,

Gary Elwood
President

Click here for more about our "New Rules" Real Estate Marketing
Course and Response Hotline service that has agents generating as
many as 62 calls per day without prospecting or cold-calling!