Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1917 — Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

WRITING GOOD ADVERTISING State the Facts as You Would if Talking to One Person. The merchant who writes his own advertisements often finds it difficult to make his advertisements “sound right.” The following instructions ■-as to how to overcome this difficulty recently appeared In “Northern Furniture.” They are, of course, addressed to the furniture dealer but, in principle, they apply to all local businesses. First, forget that what you write is going to be read by a lot of different people and write as yotf would talk if you had just one person before you. Don’t start off “We beg to announce” —that kind of ad-wrlting went into the discard long ago. Don’t say, "We want to call your attention,” etc. The way to get the readers attention is- to tell him something interesting right at the start. About eighty per cent of the advertisements that come to our attention could be improved by cutting out the first paragraph. Even experienced writers have trouble in getting right into the heart olf their subject without fanning and leading up to what they have to say. After you have written your text, read the first paragraph, or two, and if' you fiijd you have taken a running start before you jumped, cut out the start and jump into the subject in, your first sentence. Everlastingly keep before you the fact that you are talking to somebody else, that your affairs are of no interest to the other party, and that his or her self-interest is what you must consider. Every man or woman is the hub of their own universe. You are interested in your affairs and your prospective customer is interested in his, He isn’t going to buy a bedroom suite from you just because you want him l to. When he buys, it will be to gratify himself, not the dealer who sells him the furniture. So keep yourself and what wmuld gratify you in the background when you write your ads, and try to look at your proposition from the viewpoint of the buyer.

A new supply of parcnmept butterwrappers just received at The Democrat office and will be sold at the old price of 30 cents per 10Q.