The Length of Your Ad
“Wants to meet a man with similar qualities. DWF, N/S, N/D. Likes C/W music. Reply……”
This is an illustration of a companionship-related advertisement that might appear in the classifieds. Do you comprehend what it means? From this advertisement, how much do you know about this person? By posting such a brief ad, this person may have saved themselves a substantial sum of money, but how many responses do you think they will receive?
The majority of publications place the larger ads at the top of the column(s), so keep that in mind when writing a Companions Wanted ad. If there are 40 ads in that category in the publication on a given day, the ad mentioned above would be positioned very far down, close to the bottom. This ad may be seen by fewer people than a larger ad up near the top of the column because by the time readers have read a number of ads in this category, their attention may have changed and they may have moved on to something else. Also some dating agencies place a number of small “teaser” ads in this classification on a fairly regular basis. A small advertisement like the one avoue may be overlooked among the teaser ads because readers of these ads are likely already familiar with this product. and may get completely overlooked by readers who are genuinely searching for their special someone.
Additionally, the advertisement mentioned above uses far too many acronyms. Readers who find your advertisement difficult to understand may simply give up and move on to one that is simpler for them to grasp. While it is acceptable to use a few abbreviations to prevent your ad from becoming too lengthy because they are widely accepted, try to keep them to a minimum. Almost all publications use some common abbreviations. You want people to be able to comprehend what you are saying clearly, so try to make it as simple as you can.
The person who placed the above ad has revealed very little about themselves by trying to save money. They may have sabotaged their efforts by making their advertisement difficult to understand. Unintentionally, this person might have given readers the impression that they do not value themselves enough to spend money on a nicer advertisement. Inadvertently, this person has already portrayed a negative image of themselves by giving readers the impression that they are frugal with their money.
Placing an ad that is too wordy has additional drawbacks. Your reader might become disinterested and switch to a more direct advertisement. Additionally, there is always a chance that some of the information in your advertisement may be lost during reading. When a point is obscured by a lot of other information, it may not be noticed by your readers even though you thought it was important. Because of this, you might receive responses from individuals who are not what you were looking for.
The most effective ad length for you will probably be between 40 and 50 words. You have enough room to briefly describe who you are and what you’re looking for to your readers. Additionally, it allows you to use imaginative wording, which draws the attention of your readers.
The Actual Content of Your Ad
Being honest in your advertisement’s content is crucial. If you are serious about using the Companions Wanted Section to find someone special, you will eventually have to meet the people who respond to your ad. Since first impressions are irreversible, lying in your advertisement will immediately give the wrong one to the reader.
A little physical information about yourself in your advertisement is a good idea. Most readers prefer to have some background information on the person they are responding to. Some people hesitate to include a description of themselves in their advertisement because they believe physical attraction should not play such a significant role. They would rather meet people who share their interests and values than those who are only drawn to a physical description. It’s important to consider this. But regrettably, it might be to your disadvantage.
You risk losing some of the potential customers who might have responded to your ad if you fail to include any sort of physical description of yourself in your ad. Your readers may assume that you are unattractive or that you have something to hide. It is sufficient to give a very broad explanation, such as attractive, 30 something single mom or single male, 28, black hair, blue eyes. It’s not necessary to claim to be Christie Brinkley or Mel Gibson; just remember to be truthful. Most people are able to come up with at least 1 or 2 positive features to include in their advertisement. a dynamite smile, long blonde hair, big blue/brown eyes are just a few examples.
A brief physical description also enables readers to determine whether they physically match you, reducing the number of inappropriate responses you might get. For instance if your ad reads that you are a 5’10” female who loves dancing a gent who is 5’5″ may not be the person you are looking for. Readers who are 20 years younger or older than you might not respond if you included your age or an estimate of it in your advertisement because there might be too much of a generational divide to have a meaningful conversation. A brief, general physical description will make it more likely that you will get responses from individuals who are attracted to and who would likely physically complement you.
Please list a few of your hobbies and interests. Keep your advertisement positive, don’t forget. Even if you are a couch potato, you probably like doing things that your readers can identify with. If you consider yourself romantic, your list might also include activities like building snow angels together, dining al fresco for two, cuddling up to watch a romantic film, etc. Cycling, skiing, walking, and other activities might be on your list if you’re very healthy and active. You might want to omit activities like reading, watching television, and playing cards that give the impression that you are uninteresting or boring. You can mention these more sedate activities as you get to know the people who respond to your ads. Keep in mind that you are attempting to convey the best possible impression through a few written words.
It might be a good idea to mention any preferences you may have in a partner in your advertisement. For example, you might want to mention in your ad that you are looking for a non-smoking partner if smoking gives you migraines. Alternatively, if you don’t think you could ever be attracted to a bald man, you might tactfully state in your ad that you’d prefer to hear from guys who have a full head of hair.
In general, restricting who can respond to your ad too much will reduce the number of responses you get. Additionally, it might give off the impression that you’re very particular, which could cause you to lose some people who, despite fitting the profile you’re looking for, might not respond if they don’t like the way you’re acting.
Don’t forget to include instructions on how people can respond to your advertisement.
Way to Protect Your Privacy
You must take into account how to receive responses when posting a Companions Wanted ad. If you place an ad in some sizable publications, they’ll rent you a box number. Following that, you have the option of picking up or having your responses mailed to you. Depending on the option you select, costs may change.
You might want to look into renting a post office box for a month if the publication does not offer this service. It might take some time for some of your responses to get to you. so do not limit your responses by renting apost office box for less than a month. Sometimes it takes readers some time to muster the courage to write to you, or they might be away on a trip for pleasure or business, and they might want to respond when they get back. Choosing either of these options will protect your privacy, whether you decide to rent the box from the publication or the post office. A phone number in your advertisement is not a good idea. When someone has your phone number, there are too many avenues through which they can use it to determine where you reside. Unfortunately, a phone number in this kind of advertisement is an open invitation to all kinds of kooks who might harass you with obscene or prank calls.
The Kinds of Results You can Expect
You can probably anticipate receiving a deluge of responses if you are a stunning female with one blonde hair and plenty of exciting interests or a tall, dark, and handsome man with a sensitive and romantic side to you. However, not everyone fits these criteria, so the number of responses you get may vary greatly. But if you remain positive throughout your advertisement, let your sense of humor show, and highlight your strong points. then you can expenct to receive a good response to your ad. Ads that are enthusiastic or written in a distinctive style will generate more responses. Being creative will help your advertisement stand out from the competition and increase the number of responses you get.
