Book Study Notes - Ogilvy on Advertising - Chapter 3 (Jobs in advertising - and how to get them)

 As I read through books relevant to the copywriting profession, I put together study notes, chapter-by-chapter, to stimulate my thinking and hold me accountable to apply what I learn. This way, no good idea is wasted. Hopefully these study notes will challenge you, too, to think, study and hone your craft to achieve greatness!

Book: Ogilvy on Advertising (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Author: David Ogilvy (Bio)
Copyright: 1985

Chapter 3: Jobs in advertising -- and how to get them
“Copywriters may not be the most visible people in agencies, but they are the most important.” -- David Ogilvy

How to write an effective call-to-action: Close with confidence

In this chapter, Ogilvy offers 5 tips on how to apply for an agency job. The tip I found the most useful to copywriters is #5: "Propose a specific next stop." Although Ogilvy's focus in this section is on how to write a resume letter, you can glean principles on writing an effective call-to-action for ads, direct mail, email campaigns or just about any form of sales copy. 

In sales parlance, the call-to-action is “the close," and the take-away principle here is this: Close with confidence. Ogilvy provides examples of both the wrong and the right way to close the sale, which in this case is to secure an appointment with the potential employer. Check these out.

DON’TS
“Hoping to hear from you soon.”
“Thank you for your time and consideration.”
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity of discussing a position with you.”

What’s the problem with these statements? Ogilvy calls them “mumblings.” They’re indirect, make you look timid, and don’t help the recipient know what to expect or do next. You’ve put the proverbial ball in the reader’s court without explaining how you intend to get it back. You’ve relinquished control of the sales process to the reader, putting yourself in the position of hoping, wishing and waiting for a response. And chances are it’s not going to happen.

DO’S
“I’ll call your office on Wednesday afternoon to see if you’d like me to come in for an interview.”
“I’m free for an interview every morning until 8:45, and Thursday after 2:30. I’ll call your office on Wednesday afternoon to find out if you would like to get together at any of those times.”

See the difference? Direct. Clear. Confident. Focused on the objective -- that is, to schedule an interview.

Reflection

• Do you ever fall into the “mumble” trap like the “Don’ts” examples? How about when you’re submitting a quote or a proposal to a prospect via email? Do you present a clear “next step” call-to-action? Or do you close with “Hoping to hear from you soon,” or “Thank you in advance for your consideration”?
• How do you close your proposals? What types of “closes” have worked best for you?
• What process do you use to evaluate whether your call-to-action or “close” is effective?

Take-away
What questions should you ask to ensure your call-to-action is as clear and compelling as possible? Here are four:

• What is your objective? In other words, what exactly do you want the reader to DO?
• Does your call-to-action align with your objective?
• Does it clearly outline next steps so the reader knows what to do or expect?
• Does it reflect the 3 C’s - crisp, clear, confident?

What about you? Any more to add?

Previous Posts in this Book Study
Chapter 1: Overture- ‘Let us march against Philip.’
Chapter 2: How to produce advertising that sells

About the Author: Sean M. Lyden is a nationally recognized feature writer and columnist on sales, marketing, automotive and technology topics. As a ghostwriter and copywriter, Sean has served clients such as General Motors, SunTrust Service Corporation, Morgan Stanley, Embedded Linux Consortium and Shaw Industries. He’s also co-author of the book How to Succeed and Make Money on Your First Rental House (published by John Wiley & Sons). Follow Sean on Twitter.

© Sean M. Lyden, 2010, All Rights Reserved

Comments

[twitter.com/WritersKitchen]

Hi Sean:

Terrific post.

I admit I close too many proposals with, "Looking forward to hearing from you."

Thanks for the action-oriented reminder.

[Sean M. Lyden]

Hi Lorraine:

Thanks for your comment! It was a great reminder to me, too.