10 Advertising Words to Avoid in 2009

[Mohamed_Mnafeg]

Hi

Do you agree with this article in msn?

10 Advertising Words to Avoid in 2009

The economy, unemployment, companies folding, people losing their homes--2008 has left consumers wary of businesses. And that lack of consumer confidence requires straightforward, honest advertising messages to regain marketplace security. In 2009, perhaps more than ever, the words you use in your copywriting can determine whether you make a sale or lose a customer.Here are 10 words to avoid in your 2009 copywriting.

1. Free
   Ads that include messages about a free product or service promotions can work well during an economic downturn, but consumers need to see the products perform well. E-mail spam filters are tough on messages that include "free" in the subject line. While it might be tempting to use a subject line that says, "Open now to get your free widget," that's an e-mail spam filter red flag that will send your message to most recipients' spam boxes. When the economy is tough, you can't risk having your e-mails not make it to the intended recipients. Replace "free" with "complimentary" or "gratis" to sneak by spam filters without compromising the effectiveness of your message.
2. Guarantee
   Few people believe in guarantees these days. Unless you can prove your guarantee is real, use the valuable real estate space in your ad for a more effective message that consumers are likely to believe and act on.
3. Really
   If you want to waste space in your ads, include "really" in your copy. This word does nothing to help your messages. Instead, it slows consumers down, and they are not likely to wait around for the complete message. Don't risk losing them by loading your copy with useless filler words. Make sure every word in your copy is there for a reason.
4. Very
   Does a message sound more compelling with "very" in it? Is "When you need very fresh flowers, call ABC Florist," more effective than "When you need fresh flowers, call ABC Florist"? If you answered, yes, reread the last paragraph.
5. That
   Once you finish writing copy for your ad or marketing piece, reread it and make note of every time you use "that" in your copy. Chances are, you can delete 90 percent of them because "that" is a filler word that doesn't advance the consumer through the message. Instead, it slows down time-strapped consumers. Deliver the messages your audience is likely to respond to, and deliver them quickly.
6. A Lot
   Don't use vague copy with words like "a lot" that do nothing to differentiate your business from your competitors. Instead, quantify your messages. If you offer 20 varieties of roses in your flower shop, say so. If you respond to customer service calls within five minutes, tell people. Which is more compelling: "You can choose from a lot of shoe styles at Sally's Shoe Boutique" or "You can choose from more than 100 shoe styles at Sally's Shoe Boutique?" No doubt, "100 shoe styles" is more intriguing than "a lot of shoe styles". A lot can mean different things to different people. Don't leave room for guesswork in your copy. Make your messages extremely clear with no room for confusion.
7. Opportunity
   You're not helping anyone when you offer "opportunities" in your copy. Consumers don't want opportunities. They want to feel confident handing over their hard-earned money. They want to know they'll get the results they want and need, not the opportunity to perhaps get those results. Don't let them wonder what they'll get when they pull out their wallets. Tell them.
8. To Be (or Not To Be, For That Matter)
   Write your advertising and marketing messages in the active voice, not the passive voice. If any form of "to be," "has been" or anything similar appears in your copy, rewrite it. Writing in the passive voice doesn't command action. Writing in the active voice does.
9. Synergy
   This overused piece of jargon has had a long life, but it's time to move on. Leave jargon and 10-dollar words out of your advertising messages. There's no room in copywriting for buzz words and words that consumers need a dictionary to understand. Consumers don't care about your "unique value proposition." They care that when they pay for your product or service, it will deliver the results they expect. Naturally, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as B2B copywriting, where jargon might be expected. In most copywriting, however, keep it simple.
10. Drinkability
    Budweiser is already using "drinkability" in its ads. Seriously though, the point is valid--don't copy your competition. Instead, differentiate your product and business with unique copy and messages that your target audience is likely to respond to.

article source 10 Advertising Words to Avoid in 2009 - Entrepreneur.com- msnbc.com

Thanks

[Scott Woodside]

Well, that's all fine and good, but what advertising words should we use in 2009? Bet you can't answer that now can you?

[aleisterone]

I don`t agree with the word "guarantee". I still think it`s a great word. Especially for people who are desperate for a solution. When I`m in a rough spot, I get hypnotized by the word "guarantee".

[Raydal]

Half of the words the articles mention are some of the most powerful
words in advertising so I definitely don't agree although I understand
the point the article is making about consumer confidence etc.

This reminds me of an article I posted to my blog about a year ago ...

Copywriting Tips And Tricks Words To Avoid Using In Copywriting And Advertising

-Ray L.,

[Scott Woodside]

What about tips on what words we should use in ad copy?

[Mohamed_Mnafeg]

Originally Posted by Scott Woodside

What about tips on what words we should use in ad copy?

"NEW" It's part of basic human makeup to seek novelty.

.

[Bill Farnham]

I guarantee that synergy doesn't really seem to be a very free opportunity without a lot of drinkability.

At least with the women at the bars I hang out at...

KJ

[JoshuaGM]

Hi,
In fact, I am currently researching different methods of headlines. You can check out copyblogger.com where they teach about how to write Magnetic headlines that attracts the people.

God bless,
Josh

[jercarbra]

A couple of power words for 2009 are... FRESH and NEW. People are tired of stale, old things.

[Eric Lorence]

Originally Posted by Scott Woodside

Well, that's all fine and good, but what advertising words should we use in 2009? Bet you can't answer that now can you?

Ill give it a shot...

Free- Generous, Bonus,

Guarantee- Our Promise

Really, Very- Exceptional, Outstanding

a lot- Abundant

to be- is, will be

Synergy- Culmination, Achievement,

Drinkability- The essence of quality and taste

[write-stuff]

Hehehe... Sheesh.

[Stephen Dean]

I'd keep using free and guarantee. The question to ask is why she chose those words... that might tell you how to use them correctly.

Michel Fortin and Eric Graham were talking about this on Twitter. Michel objected to the idea that you should avoid words like free and guarantee absolutely, because they do increase conversion in the right circumstances.

Eric @stephenpdean 'd me to say crummy guarantees are a turn off... great guarantees boost conversion. The word free must be used correctly also.

Cheers,
Stephen Dean
stephensblog.com

[Christopher R Everson]

There is a lot more meaning in the saying "it's not what you say, but how you say it", than most people know.

[TheMagicShow]

Guarantee is a word that can be used no matter what year it is or no matter what condition the economy is in, if you can back up the guarantee then use it. Free on the other hand is a word that draws in the wrong crowd mostly, the freebie seekers, tire kickers, so limited the use of free.

Words that have appeal: New, exclusive, amazing, secret, discover, you, hot, results, how to, outstanding, incredible, quick, fast, instant, limited,there are a lot more but these words are appearing in headlines all the time.

The word opportunity can be used these days as well, if you offer a genuine product that gives an opportunity for one to have success and if that is backed up my a money back guarantee then I see no issues there either.

Cheers,
Magic