Sound Familiar?

Since I began this column 11 years ago-and even as I writethis month's final installment of "AdWorkshop"-I've had but a single goal: to help youdevelop the tools you need to create advertising that captivatesyour prospects. One of those tools is the ability to home in onjust how your prospects are feeling at the moment regarding aparticular problem you're able to solve. In other words, youneed to know how to push potential clients' buttons. Whetherit's dealing with the stress of picking the right investmentsor, as in this month's example, the impending trauma of workingthrough a divorce, let your prospects know you can help them solvethe big problems that are on their minds right now.

That's my advice to Linda McMurtray, a certified mentalhealth counselor in Bellevue, Wisconsin. Her current brochure,shown at top right, already has a lot going for it, including aquick, precise headline that grabs the reader's attention.However, I still think McMurtray should take her advertisement up anotch and convey more emotion by addressing the prospect where heor she "lives." Hence my suggested alternative headline:"The Non-Combative Divorce." The new headline addressesone of the most dreaded aspects of marital breakups. The subheadamplifies the feeling with "How to get through it with theleast emotional distress and get on with the rest of yourlife." That should convince the reader to flip thepage-which, of course, is the single most important goal ofany cover.