joem said:
Another Classified ad
These are one on the most difficult items to recycle out of all computer related items. These contain very toxic chemicals which can explode if handled unsafely. But junkescrap com will pick up any amount of Laptop batteries from your store, work place, or home, and safely work with a recycler in Quebec to return these batteries reusable base metals.
Call and leave a message, send a message here, or visit our web site, junkescrap com, to let us know what e-waste you want recycled and remember your e-waste helps charities and well as our environment.
Use it as you need it
While likely effective as written, I have several comments/suggestions on this ad.
1. Seems something is missing at the first, just not clear what you are targeting until we get into the ad a bit.
If you use a compelling headline like "Got Laptop Batteries? WE RECYCLE!" or something (be careful of copyright infringement on that one!...), it might work. Otherwise, I'd suggest starting out the ad with "Laptop batteries are one of the most difficult...." instead of "These are one on the most difficult" (note also the change "of" for "on").
2. Get rid of "But" in the third line (for some reason, using 'but' is a real turn-off to many - at least, that is what my advertising coaches tell me....).
3. "Call and leave a message" - while perhaps correct, it is another turn-off to the reader. In today's world of machines-not-people, the last thing I really want to come across is "Go ahead and waste your time calling, just know that we aren't really interested in talking with you and that the best you will get from us is some dumb machine....". Why not just say "DO NOT CALL US - WE WON'T ANSWER ANYWAY!"? Just say "Call" and hopefully, sometimes, you are actually there to answer the phone. If not, then the person calling understands that there are machines and if your outgoing message is compelling enough (i.e., using a similar message to your advertising, etc. and NOT a personal message or something!), then they will know what to do (although you should be clear on that as well in that you want name, number and a short message, please do not say "You know what to do!" :shock:
4. Depending on just where you are using this ad, you should be more clear on the 'send a message here' as many people (even those that frequent the website where you posted it) may not know how to send a message. For instance, when I prefer a website reply, I say something like "use the link at the top of the page to send me a message" (typical for a craigslist ad, etc.) - whatever is appropriate for that particular site. While it may get more responses, it seems confusing/long-winded as well, so I have just gone to 'Call me' for the most part - and, I answer the phone 99.9% of the time.....
5. "to let us know what e-waste you want recycled and remember your e-waste helps charities and well as our environment"
While clear, it is a quite passive. Perhaps end the previous sentence and have something more like "Let us design an e-waste program specifically tuned/geared to your needs." (this works for both the single-time person, which makes for slow gathering, as well as corporate folks with loads of stuff, which you should be targeting anyway)
Then, end up with a strong 'we care' message like "Recycling with junkescrap.com helps charities as well as our environment." - I'm not a fan of "remember", ever since my coaches told me that it makes it sound like you think I'm dumb and need reminding of something (fine in written language stuff, but steer away from it in ads and such).
Saying things like "remember" is much like one of my coaches told me about asking "What is your home phone number?" - while a common, useful question, there are many people today that don't have a home number, just a cell phone (estimates are that soon, the 'home phone' will be extinct in America!) and asking this may embarrass the person in some way in that they simply don't know how to answer the question and/or would feel like they are inferior because they "don't have" or something. It is best to just ask "Do you have another contact number?", which covers any type of phone (at least, any currently known to man....
BTW, going back on topic a bit.... - a good ad WILL guide and remind the reader of exactly what to do, step by step, while taking care to never implying the reader is stupid or embarrass them in any way. It both serves to instruct as well as guide them into action, which is what both of you really need and want anyway!
So, there's my $.02 worth - hope you can use some of it!
