You're bringing something to the reader that he or she should be willing to buy with money from the pocket. The offer is the MOST important part of the ad.
Why? Because the offer is the most fundamental part of any transaction. Whenever you write with the "proper" desperation, you need to think that only after you get the money from the reader's pocket then you'll be satisfied. Your offer is such that the person absolutely CAN'T refuse, and you comfort the person with words that he or she is making the right decision. That's the element of desperation that you have to work with.
Imagine the following scenario:
You're in huge trouble where you need $30 to pay off a killer, otherwise it's either your life or your death. John, an ordinary guy, is in the same room as you with $30 in his pocket. He doesn't know what's going on, and you don't want him to. You've got one sample of your product, and you're trying to sell him your product so that you can get that money. He's planning to leave the room any second. You're that desperate. He doesn't care who you are or what you do. Somehow you have to appeal to him, hold his attention right now with the words that come out of your mouth, and sell your product. What would you say in order to keep him in the room and get him to give you his money for your product?
That's the kind of frame of mind that you have to have in order to compose the sales pitch to sell your product. The famous successful copywriter Gary Halbert said you have to imagine that you're writing to some half-sleeping slothful couch potato, and your words have to fill him with enough fire to get up off that couch and do something about what you've written!!
Most ads don't even bother to motivate the reader, which is a key goal of the ad. What a pity since it means that your money has been wasted on the advertising. Only when the reader acts and does what you tell him to do, then your ad proves its worth.
In a nutshell, your offer has to do a few things- to show him that:
(1) Zoom in on the reader's desires or pains that you need to fulfill or solve.
(2) Your product is the best one for him.
(3) You come across as an expert on the product.
(4) You're the best person to buy from.
(5) He will get a better deal from you than anyone else
(6) What he's getting is so risk-free that he'd be silly not to accept it.
I've just told you these 6 steps. But remember that they are only one variation of a process to get people to buy. Other marketing and sales experts will have their own variations. But the fundamental principles remain the same. But in the end the main question you have to be able to answer the question that is in his head "What's in for me?" . You have to be able to answer the question very clearly, and in a way that he believes whatever you say so that he or she feels comfortable buying from you.
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Both online and offline marketing strategies are offered by Joseph Browns in his area of expertise which is sales copywriting. Plus if you want to discover some secrets on how to get more customers, check out his FREE report at http://www.thesalescrafter.com/get-report.htm (note: there's no "l" after the .htm)