You've heard the stats, I'm sure. The average American is bombarded by 600+ advertising messages a day (and more than that if they spend much time online). Business owners are asking themselves how they can cut through the chaos and get their message noticed by a public under constant attack.  

One way is to put your name on it.  

Claude Hopkins, a leading copywriter of the early 20^th century, said it like this:  

An individual's name is usually better than a coined name on a product. And far better than a trade mark. It locates the sponsor as a man proud of his creation.

One of the keys to getting someone to buy from you, is first getting him to trust you. And telling him your name, up front in 20-point type, is one way of doing that. If he knows this is a real human being talking to him (and not some faceless corporation) he's going to be more likely to give you his trust. Don't understimate the power of being able to say to a prospect, "See? I'm just a working guy like you."

Also, notice Hopkins' choice of the word "proud." If you're proud of your product, that means you believe it's a good one. You're not going to put your name on garbage, because then angry buyers will be able to hunt you down. Your pride will strengthen your prospect's trust.

Hopkins continues:

That brings up another point in advertising—the advantage of being specific. Platitudes and generalities make no more impression than water on a duck. To say, "Best in the world," "Cheapest in the long run," "the most economical," etc. does not create conviction.

When was the last time you bought a product because the manufacturer assured you that "Our best resource is our people?"  Does "Soaring Toward Tomorrow!" make you want to whip out your wallet and buy? There is an ocean of limp assurances and lame slogans out there for that duck to float on:

         "Listening. Answering." — BellSouth

"The most trusted name in news." — CNN

"Ideas for life." — Panasonic

"Imagination at Work." — General Electric

"Go farther." — NetworkSolutions.com

If you really want people to trust you, empty platitudes won't win their hearts (or their confidence). You have to make it clear what you're promising, like these companies do:

         "It's not TV, it's HBO." — HBO

"A diamond is forever." — De Beers

"When it absolutely has to get there overnight." — FedEx

"Fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed." –Domino's   

HBO took a tip from Volkswagen's legendary "Think Small" campaign, and with one line positioned itself as the alternative to same ol'-same ol' network television. Hardly anyone had heard of a diamond engagement ring before De Beers made them de rigeur. Domino's and FedEx's slogans are said to be worth millions. (It's no coincidence that "overnight" and "30 minutes or less" are specific promises.)

Specifics don't stop with slogans. They're one of the biggest guns in your marketing arsenal. They're why long copy consistently outsells short—no matter what you may read about today's wimpy attention spans. They're the whisper that gets your prospect nodding. If you can announce that your soap is 9944/100% pure, he will assume you know a lot about soap. You're the one he'll come to when it's time to come clean.