Yes, anyone can put words on paper, add some clip art and call it advertising. In fact, this stuff comes across our desks everyday. But will this type of advertising sell your products or service? Will it give the image you want? Will you acquire new business tomorrow because of the impression you make today? Perhaps. But most likely, all that effort will go unnoticed. That's because poorly planned and executed advertisements end up going nowhere, except in the trash can.

On the other hand, a successful, well-written advertisement (be it print or electronic) seldom wastes words or time. Instead, a good ad delivers a clear, concise message that informs and persuades the reader. So how can you create an ad that will deliver the message you want? Here are a few suggestions that work:

• Write your ad from the reader's point of view, not yours.
• Benefits are stressed, not features you're proud of.
• Keep your language simple. You can easily lose your reader by using unnecessary shop talk.
• Inform your reader, honestly. Avoid overstatements (that is--hype). Instead use enthusiastic, persuasive words.

Finally, make it easy for your reader to respond. There's no sense in writing an ad if you don't ask for the sale.