Marketing with classified ads is so popular online because it is cost effective and it works.

Correction: They work when they have all the following parts and these parts are working together to churn sales.

Before you get started you get started it's crucial that you dispel one very age old ad writing myth: getting it right the first time. Nobody, not even an ad writing wiz, can put together a profit pulling classified ad in mere minuets and nobody gets it perfect in their first attempt.

Professional ad writers will produce 20-30 variations of each part in order to put together a well written classified ad that delivers.

That said your classified ad should contain the following: an attention grabbing headline a compelling body, and a clear call to action.

An ad writer who is able to produce a profit pulling ad knows that every ad needs to have all those parts and that each part has only one, job and it should never multitask.

The headline:

Your headline sells your ad. Your ad may never get read without an attention grabbing headline, which is why 80 percent of your time should be spent creating a captivating headline. If you don't pull your readers in from the get go, the chances of you closing the deal is slime.

On that note, avoid making the mistake of writing cute or sensational headlines with no relevance to the offer just to get attention. Even if you do get one or two sales you won't be creating a positive business to customer (B2C) relationship.

No web business (or any business for that matter) can survive without that. You can be catchy while still be being honest.

Your headline should excite the reader so use action words and avoid sounding passive in your classified ad. Marketing with classified ads is not a passive activity. You can also try creating curiosity or asking a question. Remember, draw the reader in and be prepared to answer the god of all customer questions "what's in it for me?"

What do you do if the publication you are using does not allow headlines? Use the first few words as a make shift headline or indent the ad so it stands out.

The body:

The purpose of the body is to set up the call to action. It must clearly layout the benefits of owning the product or the service, or point out what the prospect is missing out by not owning or using it. In other words, it should answer the "what's in it for me" question.

Write down all the functions of your product or service and then write down the list of benefits for those features. If you can not think of a benefit for that feature then do not use that feature.

As a customer, I don't want a list of what the product or service will do. I want to know what it will do for me. Once again "what's in it for me?"

The call to action:

The call to action is what you want the reader to do. Do you want them to visit your site? Subscribe to your ezine? Make a purchase? Whatever it is it should be clearly stated.

If you want them to visit your site create a sense of urgency. Why? Because your offer has to be more important than whatever they are doing now.

Your marketing with classified ad is written then you're done right? Wrong! For starters you should proofread your ad for spelling errors and read it out loud to see how it will sound to the reader.

Next, you need to test your ad. Test your classified ad multiple times to figure out what works. It's a surefire way to spend less so you can make more.

If you take your time make sure you include all the parts necessary for an ad, and test to make sure each part is doing its job you will create a classified ad that truly works.