Do you know what your ezine ad needs to do for you? Forget the idea of "make the sale" because that's NOT it at all!

Often times I believe we make the mistake of expecting too much from our ad. Granted, it must be written well to attract the reader's interest. Yes, the headline is vital, avoiding excessive use of capital letters and exclamation marks is crucial, having a decent program is paramount!

But your ad should NOT be expected to do the selling for you!

Any type of ezine AD is a "lead generator."

Your SALES LETTER (website or email) handles the job of making the actual sale.

If you're one of those wondering why your ezine ad isn't making you cash, then read the above again.

Ads do not sell - not in the traditional sense of the word "sale."

Ads are designed to either get the person to your wonderful sales letter (website) or to entice them to specifically request additional information from you via your autoresponder or personal email.

Again, your ezine ad generates LEADS.

If your ad has been letting you down lately, then ponder the above.

Assuming your ad is truly awe-inspiring and attracts the attention and interest of the reader, and it gets them (in this example) to your website, THEN you've got a shot at making the sale.

However, don't stop there!

If your website doesn't have the means to COLLECT names and emails - to be the backup system in support of your ad, to CAPTURE THE LEAD - then rethink your sales page.

Again, your sales letter (website) is responsible for closing the sale.

But, if all else fails, before they leave offer them the means to put themselves on your follow-up mailing system. The easiest way to do this is to offer something for FREE, a report, an ebook, a sweepstakes entry, etc.

Maybe they're fence sitters. Maybe it will take another visit (or 20) before they make that vital decision to purchase or sign up.

There's tons of offers out there, and you need to be able to keep yours in the mind of your potential buyer. Without a follow-up system in place, you've allowed that LEAD to slip through your fingers.

So, think "lead-generating ad" the next time you write up a new one or submit your standard fare. If need be, throw it away and start again.

Remember ezine ads generate leads, and sales letters do the selling.

Handle both aspects to your marketing and advertising correctly, and you're bound to see positive change.