March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
What makes a good web copywriter? Just anyone who knows how to proofread? Of course not.
You could be the most compelling offline copywriter but you can still fail on the web. The difference roots on the web being interactive and the other one is not. The target audiences on web marketing are usually scanners and skimmers. They dont really want to read, to browse is the more appropriate term. Their eyes run through the pages as fast as their fingers click on the mouse to scroll to the next site.
So if you cant hook them with your style, perhaps somebody with less reliable content than yours will.
Web contents are for lists, easy to grasp ideas and short sentences. Things must be said without beating around the bush. Being straightforward and fast are the common characteristics of web materials.
A web copywriter takes half of the responsibility of persuading the readers to buy their products, their services or to visit their web. The other half falls on the art editor and the product itself. Failure of either of these reflects to the business.
Compared to an offline copywriter, a web copywriter has so much to consider. He really has to work hand in hand with the art designer. If not, they could be ending up with an art and text which are complete strangers with each other, strangers in a sense that they dont complement each other. This type of output has no appeal. In an instant, the reader will surely leave your site.
A web copyreader should know how his work would retain his audience. The output should speak not only about the quality of the product, but how vital it is for the client as well. In simple words, the page should act as a sales representative too. This is the primary consideration of the web copywriter.
The technical rules followed by a copywriter are the same rules a web copywriter adheres to. The primary rules on English grammar apply in web copywriting. However, web content texts normally contain repeated words. These words should emphasize the thought or topic without being annoying.
There are so many rules to follow, that a web copywriter should also know how to break some. But foremost, he should also know why he is breaking these rules.
The web copywriter must succeed in meeting the standards of an average person. He has the responsibility to check the readability of the article. This weighs more than grammar.
An effective web copywriter should understand the market hes working for. He knows that his work should be understood by common people who just surf the net. The write up should come up the way it would be spoken. And more so, it should work with the art design.
It is vital that you make your target market as your priority. Design your article according to their eyes. Will it fit their standards? Will they comprehend it in a fast glimpse or a browse through? Will they be interested to read it entirely?
To achieve this, there is a simple thing to do, place yourself on their seats while reading your article. Assess what can be the most probable reaction of the reader.
Consider the market first, the product comes next.
Steven Gerber is a professional copywriter and a protg student of Dan Lok The World’s #1 Website Conversion Expert. Find the latest internet marketing and copywriting techniques and tricks at his website.
Author: Steven Gerber
Keywords: copywriting,copywriter,internet copywriting
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
No doubt you are familiar with this scenario.
You receive a sales letter trying to persuade you to buy an e-book package for $97. The letter contains a list of attractions contained in the package, but you feel sure youve seen it before somewhere, perhaps offered as a freebie or a bonus.
You are skeptical. Nothing in the letter really tempts you to cough up $97 of your hard-earned cash. If you are going to part with that much money, you need to be sure its going to be worth your while. The letter has not convinced you of that.
You have just experienced a perceived value deficit!
The next day, you find another sales letter in your inbox. This is for a package costing $147. But it consists of a bundle of intriguing looking products, none of which you have seen before. They sound like products that will seriously benefit your business or personal life. As you read the letter, you become so excited that the $147 seems like a bargain.
The writer of the second letter has pulled off one of the most vital tasks of the copywriter to overcome resistance to the price of the product. It is done by creating PERCEIVED VALUE.
Have you ever wondered why so many people are willing to pay up to 10 times the cost of an economy fare, to fly First or Business Class? They are on the same plane, doing exactly the same journey, as the economy passengers! The answer is that the airline has successfully convinced them of the PERCEIVED VALUE of the First Class experience.
In England you can travel on the Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) from York to London for as little as 25. Yet many people choose to pay up to 297 to do the journey in a first class carriage. Same journey, same train! The GNER has convinced them of the PERCEIVED VALUE of travelling first class. Whether its comfort, privacy, peace or prestige, it is worth that much TO THEM.
George Washington showed how well he understood human nature when he made his famous comment, It is not things as they are, but things as they are PERCEIVED, which is important. This is true in most aspects of life and especially so in the area of value.
So if someone THINKS your product is worth $1,000, thats how much it is worth. Because thats how much they will be prepared to pay for it. If it appears to them to be worth $1, youll never sell it for more.
Do you see how this shows the crucial importance of learning to write compelling sales copy? It is your job as a copywriter to convince the customer of the value of your product, if you are to have any chance of making a sale. You do this by creating PERCEIVED VALUE. This overcomes any resistance to the price.
Dont get me wrong. We are not talking about deception here. If your sales letter proves to be a load of hype, selling a load of junk, your reputation will be mud in a very short time. Perceived value is what sells the product, but there must be real value behind it. You dont get many people demanding a refund on a First Class flight to Hong Kong, unless the plane actually failed to take off. They usually FEEL they got what they paid for.
Have you been wondering why your sales letters havent been resulting in many sales? Check them out for perceived value deficit!
The only way to get your prospects to reach for their credit cards is to get their eyes popping, their mouths watering, at the benefits your product is promising. Seduce them, hypnotize them, until they realize they cant possibly do without the product. If you really do this successfully, you can ask almost any price you want!
But after all that, make sure you provide them with genuine value. Otherwise, any success you achieve will be very short-lived.
Elaine Berry is the owner of Bizwrite, the only one-stop-shop for writing services. Bizwrite not only provides copywriting, ghostwriting, article writing and proofreading services, but also provides help and tuition in all aspects of writing. Visit http://www.bizwrite.co.uk for a FREE e-course on copywriting.
Author: Elaine Berry
Keywords: copywriting,copywriter,sales copy,sales letters
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
Take some tips from technical writing that will make your ideas clear and persuasive in the new reading environment of the web.
Print media puts the reader in the passenger’s seat. What if you dont want a character to die? What if you dont like the direction the story has taken? Traditional reading is linearyou start at chapter one and you go to the end, with no detours in between.
Instruction manuals have always been different. Who reads instruction manuals from beginning to end? Instead you dip into it, try something, and if that doesnt seem to work, flip a few pages backward or forward and try again.
Now the internet has become a huge manual where the reader can move around at willtechnology has stolen authorial control. You have to expect your readers to jump around. To be successful, anything you write for the web has to follow the same three rules that technical writers use:
Write in Chunks
Readers pick and choose. Understand that your audience is not expecting a storythey have specific goals. Points have to be self-contained and clearly marked to help them find what theyre looking for and move on. Respect your readers timedont make them eat the sundae when all they want is the cherry.
Follow a Structure
You can structure your content by category, rank, locationbut there must be a structure. By organizing your information you are giving your reader a tool that lets them find what theyre looking for and skip what they dont need. If you cant find a structure that works, you need to define your points more clearly.
Connect it Together
You cant force your reader to follow the path youve set for them, but you can give them access to information that supports your message. Dont be afraid to link, both to resources outside your document and to pages in it. Your role is to help them achieve their goals; point them towards resources that help them do that.
Like technical writing, the internet is about helping people find information. Adopt some of the principals of technical writing in your own work to make it get results.
Nigel Fogden is an English teacher and writer with 24 by 5 Tech Comm, a technical writing company that specializes in fast, high-quality, software documentation. For more articles on writing, technology and business, sign up for the 24 by 5 Tech Comm Newsletter at www.24by5.com
Author: Nigel Fogden
Keywords: project managers, project management, writing, technical writing, technical writers, communication
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
The other day, I was getting ready for a spot of TV viewing. With such excitement in prospect, I nipped out to the convenience store for a pizza.
But it was no ordinary pizza.
It was a buffalo mozzarella and rustic tomato hand stretched Tuscan pizza. According to the copy writing on the box, it had a traditional hand stretched Tuscan base. It was also hand finished with torn buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto and Italian rustic sun dried tomatoes, all topped off with a sprinkle of black pepper.
Boy, doesn’t that make your mouth water? You can almost feel the heat of the Tuscan afternoon and smell the basil and the pine nuts in the pesto, as the Italian mama prepares this sumptuous dish in her rustic farmhouse kitchen. Never forget people buy with emotion.
I should also add this pizza cost just about double the price of the ordinary pizza — but how could you resist it? Not only I, but plenty of others were choosing this pizza over the ordinary one. Little wonder this convenience store is part of the most successful chain in the country. Not only are they employing great copy writing techniques on their own products, they also have the pizza market well covered: both the high end, hand stretched Tuscan, market and the ordinary market.
The interesting fact, from the copy writing point of view, is they have given tons of features and left the benefit to your taste buds. The entire and clear implication of the copy writing was shouting: This will taste great! It’s so obvious.
Yet, oftentimes, when writing copy, we overlook the obvious.
There is a story about a New York copywriter, Oliver Adams. He grew up in New England in a grocery store his parents owned. When aged twelve, his father died and he began to work full time in the store. A few years later, the store was sold and he moved to New York where he worked in a market during the day and continued his education at night school.
One day he chanced to hear a talk by James B Oswald, then head of New York’s largest advertising agency. The following day Adams visited Oswald in his office and told him he was so inspired by Oswald’s talk, he intended to work for him.
So impressed was Oswald with Adams’s direct, obvious and no frills approach he gave him a job as a filing clerk. But it wasn’t long before Adams discovered the copywriters and vowed to become one. At the time the company were working on a big campaign for a peach canner. The copywriters were having a great struggle to come up with an original approach, when one day the head copywriter chanced to spot Adams’s idea for the campaign. It was crushingly simple, yet very effective.
The headline read: Six Minutes From Orchard To Can and went on to a list of bullet points, detailing the steps taken by the peaches in the short journey from tree to can:
- Picked ripe from the tree.
- Sorted by girls in clean white uniforms.
- Peeled and packed into cans by sanitary machines.
- Cooked by clean, live steam.
- Sealed airtight.
- Sent to your grocer for you — at 30 cents a can.
It was the clean, simple idea the whole team of professional copywriters had struggled to find for weeks.
It wasn’t long before Adams was head of the copy writing department and not too long before he was president of the company.
What was his secret?
Well, it’s obvious really. He would find out everything there was about the product and then tell the customer about it.
His approach was at the same time, obvious and revolutionary. As a result he became known as Obvious Adams.
One day he arranged a campaign for a paper mill. The copy went into great detail about how the paper was made partially from rags, using only the purest filtered water and how the sheets of paper were carefully dried in an air conditioned loft and then every sheet was carefully inspected by an eagle-eyed quality controller.
When the owner of the paper mill read the copy writing, he instantly rejected it, saying he’d be the laughing stock of every paper mill owner in the country, because they all made their paper that way.
Adams changed the mill owner’s mind by simply pointing out the copy had not been written for other paper mill owners, but for potential customers of his paper mill. Needless to say, the campaign went ahead and was the most successful in the paper mill’s history.
So remember Obvious Adams and you’ll always remember to state the obvious in your copy. If you are writing copy for someone else, always take time to research their product thoroughly. Ironically, the biggest danger is writing copy for your own products. Why? Because, just like the paper mill owner, you are likely to dismiss its features as too obvious to mention. That could be a big mistake!
Copyright 2006 Paul Hooper-Kelly and Internet Marketing Magician.com
Paul Hooper-Kelly owns http://www.InternetMarketingMagician.com/ and uses his forty years marketing experience to help ordinary people achieve extraordinary on-line success.
Paul has just written an amazing new course How To Be A World Class Copy Writer, so grab the first exciting module now, while it’s still free at http://www.InternetMarketingMagician.com/FreeCopyWritingCourseSampler
Author: Paul Hooper - Kelly
Keywords: great copy writing techniques, copy writing, features, New York copywriter, Oliver Adams, Six Minute
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
In an earlier article for E-zine Articles, I lamented the waste of an ad for not using a headline. Here I would like to give the reader some pointers on how to write headlines. Specifically using the words How to.
A How-to headline is one of the most effective ones there is. Like the word free, these words have a strong attraction. In the Web 2.0 world, users of the net go to this resource, looking for information: how to do something, build something, improve something, save something or whatever something. These are reasons people seek out information on the net. Well, just imagine that the advertiser sets out some information, to teach the reader how-to do something smartly. If you as a reader, came across those words on a subject you were interested in, you’d certainly read on. Right? You bet. Hence, we have a headline that gets attention. That’s the number one objective of a headline.
If you remember the old formula (AIDA) of ad preparation, which stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. Before we develop a reader’s interest, we have the catch his/her attention. That’s the headline’s job. If we get that right, then chances are the reader will go through the rest of the ad copy. Right? You bet. Well, I see that you’re getting my drift. And, that’s just one type of headline one can use in print advertising. Remember what I said about promise. Again I go back to Samuel Johnson, who said Promise, large promise is the soul of an advertisement. That is what a headline has to do for your ad. Make a promise. A how-to headline promises to teach the reader just how to do what is covered in the headline.
So, the headlines’s job is done.
Joaquin Jack Garcia is CEO of JG Marketing Services, a specialist business-to-business advertising agency founded in 1980. Following the no-nonsense approach to advertising and marketing communication, he presents articles on these topics which Joaquin is passionate about. Jack’s website can be accessed at: http://www.jgmarketing.com.au/JG/
Author: Joaquin Garcia
Keywords: advertising, marketing communication, print advertising, advertisements, marketing services
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
The fundamentals of copywriting include the basic knowledge of journalists the inverted pyramid.
The inverted pyramid is basically the placing of 4 Ws in the primary sentences of the articles, supported by the other W and H on the following discussions. Four Ws consist of what, when, where, and who. The other W which stands for why on the other hand, follows on the succeeding paragraphs, including the elaboration for the H which also stands for how, if necessary.
For the Who, emphasize who are the benefactor of those products that you are promoting. Sight in your article that its the readers themselves, through this you are also meeting with your target market.
For What, discuss the benefits of the products. What are the good changes that it can cause into their lives? Emphasize what is in the product.
For When, tell the reader until when the offer is available. If it is a special offer, mention when it will end. When they will get the service? Will it be through time or is it just instantaneous?
For Where, where can they contact to avail the offer? Where will it apply?
For Why, discuss why readers need to avail the service or product? Why will they be benefited? Why do they need to order in a certain time? Why is the supply limited?
For How, discuss how they can sign-up or order? How does the product work? How much is the cost? How much profit will they get for investing on it?
The benefit of following this form is that it facilitates easy reading for the online visitors, especially for readers who are busy people. The readers will be able to digest the important facts of the articles even they werent able to finish reading the entire article.
The process of writing is just an easy task; just observe a careful application of answering those questions that needs to appear in your article.
The technique for this is simply place yourself in your readers shoes. If you are the reader what are the answers you want for your probable questions? What answer are you expecting from your queries regarding the products and services?
Simply answer those questions that are running in your mind and your copywriting is complete.
These instructions will not solely apply to online copywriting. It will also be applicable to direct market copywriting, and offline copywriting.
The preceding paragraphs are further techniques regarding online copywriting:
First, make it simple. Be straightforward if you can. Remember, no one wants to read a very lengthy and confusing discussion.
Second, write facts, do not write anything that is not supported by facts. Establish a good reputation and do not attempt to break your credibility to your readers.
Third, do not just convey the information to your reader. To make online copywriting effective, it is advisable that you establish your personality beyond the screen. This process is likewise an effective scheme to let your readers stay longer, and they will respond more eagerly. To do this you can add tone and voices to present a constant style, this will help the target reader to relate and remember.
Lastly, keep your content logical and interesting. If it is supplemented by adequate answers regarding the product or offer, you are allowed a lengthy article as long as you dont lose the substance.
Steven Gerber is a professional copywriter and a protg student of Dan Lok The World’s #1 Website Conversion Expert. Find the latest internet marketing and copywriting techniques and tricks at his website.
Author: Steven Gerber
Keywords: copywriting,copywriter,internet copywriting
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
Copywriting is the single most important skill you can ever learn in marketing. You either learn to write it, or pay someone else dearly to write it for you. Personally Id rather keep that kind of money in my own pocket and just learn how to write it and find out the copywriting secret.
Hmm what’s the copywriting secret anyway? Is the copywriting secret really exist? Or Is the copywriting secret only can be mastered by english speaking people?
Well according to Henry Gold the creator of the copywriting secret home study (www.thecopywritingsecret.info), the copywriting secret can be mastered by anybody who wants to sell somethings in ANY Niches online or offline.
It doesnt matter how fantastic your product is if your salescopy sucks youre going to spend your time and money and send it down the s-benz. You need to master the copywriting secret.
You can actually have a shithouse product, but if your salescopy screams a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow Then it will sell. Again the copywriting secret playing the role here.
Im sure youve experienced this before You find yourself so engrossed in a sales page, you cant take your eyes off what will be said next This is what youre aiming for when you write your own copy! That’s one of the copywriting secrets.
Heck doesnt just apply to salespages Have you ever had an ad that comes on tv and you cannot change the channel? You feel compelled to watch every part of it You know youre being sold to but you just cant resist! Youve got to watch every part of it!
Okay here are some simple tips that could be the copywriting secrets you can apply at your sales letter webpage:
The Copywriting secret #1 Tables Use one! How horrible is it when you go to a website and youve got to read from one side of the page to the other without a neat and small table? Unpleasant isnt it?
The Copywriting secret #2 Backgrounds They say that blue backgrounds are the tried and tested and pull the greater response. I also agree with going with a theme. For example if youre selling something about love, then set the mood with a red background; if youre selling golf tips then a green background would be a suitable theme.
The Copywriting secret #3 Your main text should be on a white background with black text. Dont use fancy and/or hard to read font styles. You want the page to be as readable as possible. Add visuals to your products. If its a digital product you can still bring it to life with creating a digital 3D look and appearance.
The Copywriting secret #4 Hi-lighting This is effective providing you use it sparingly It will lose its effect if over used. Make sure you only use this to hi-light dramatic important parts in your copy.
The Copywriting secret #5 Getting effective testimonials
Honestly everyone likes to run around and say you just have to ask to get testimonials I can assure its rare that you actually receive a hum dinger of a one. Most of them will just be one liners It was great, thanks heaps.
Especially in niches that arent marketing orientated. The customer doesnt realize the type of impact a testimonial can have on your business.
So heres an idea you can utilize to increase the quality of your testimonials
Send out an unadvertised bonus a few days later Completely free of charge! On the page add a feedback form with a few questions.
Some example questions might be:
Could you tell us your story as to whats brought about X problem?
What results have you received from using our product?
Would you recommend this product to others? If so, who do you think it would be most suited to?
Do you believe you got value for your money?
Then simply ask permission to correlate this into a testimonial you can use on your webpage.
Of course, within all this said there is still one very big secret to writing killer copy that will hit your readers between the eyes. And this is writing with persuasion. Those are some of the copywriting secrets.
You will learn more about the copywriting secret at http://www.thecopywritingsecret.info.
Heri Rosyadi is an Internet Marketing Expert with over 5 years experience. His newest site is giving away free reports on making money online. Get the access to those brain stimulating Reports that reveal many ways to make money online here http://www.makemoneyonlinereports.com. You will also get his updates about new marketing tips and tools when sign up. For more detailed info about the topic in this article please visit http://www.thecopywritingsecret.info.
Author: Heri Rosyadi
Keywords: the copywriting secret, copywriting secret, copywriting, the copywriting secret review,
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
When I owned my editorial staffing agency and would put out a job opening for freelancers, I would get a ton of responses. If I asked for work samples, I would get slammed even if the ad specifically stated to send, for example, one sample on real estate investing.
To quickly get through the pile of resumes, the first thing I would do is weed out anyone who sent more than I had requested. The point of this little story more is not always better.
BUT, you may lament, I want to show the client what I can do for them. You can do this very effectively via a simple one-page introductory letter.
SECTION I: About you. In this paragraph, you simply want to state your name and give a very brief background summary and niche specialty. Eg:
I am Yuwanda Black, the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com. A freelance copywriter for over 13 years, I specialize in increasing the referral rates of real estate agents, mortgage brokers and insurance agents via newsletters, brochures, e-books, etc.
Whatever your written marketing needs, I can deliver measurable results. Samples of my /portfolio can be found at mywebsite.com (you do have a website, right?).
SECTION II: You know them. Illustrate to the client that you are familiar with his product, service, specialty, etc. and how you can improve it, supplement it, overhaul it, etc. for better results. Eg:
I noticed from your website (brochure, postcard, sales letter, etc.) that you have been in business for 5 years and service the xxx market. I can help you increase your sales by at least 15% over a years time (maybe more). How?
Studies (cite a source) have shown that consistent contact is the number one way to get clients to call YOU and not your competitor. According to xxx (here you would input a reliable marketing stat), in your industry, only X percent of mortgage brokers do this.
Imagine how many more clients you can add to your business by becoming the go-to expert in your sector? I can position you for this bringing in referrals for years to come!
SECTION III: The wrap up. Here, repeat their number one benefit of using you, eg, to increase their bottom line. Eg:
My job is to increase your bottom line. As a results-oriented professional copywriter, I know how to move prospects into your (not your competitors) paying customers when theyre ready to buy.
SECTION IV: The call to action. Ask them to do something now!
Call today for your no-obligation consultation. I can be reached at:
PH: 000-111-1234
CELL: 111-222-3333
FAX: 222-333-4444
Email: info@inkwelleditorial.com
URL: InkwellEditorial.com
SECTION V: The P.S. (EVERY sales letter should have a P.S.). In this section, you can give a way a freebie (e-books are great for this) and/or reiterate a major benefit (eg, increase your bottom line by 15%). Eg:
P.S.: With your free consultation, you receive a free e-booklet, For Real Estate Professionals: 10 Ways to Turn Referrals Into Paying Customers. This e-book is free, even if you dont use my services.
NOTE: Feel free to use a P.S. and a P.P.S.
5 Will Sell Copy Tips for Your One-Page Letter
a) Use lots of white space and bold headings. Eg, between each section, create a bold heading that clues the reader in to what theyre about to read. Most people skim copy especially from unfamiliar sources this makes it much more likely to get read.
b) Write from a whats in it for the client point of view instead of a whats in it for me point of view. At every turn, reiterate how you can help them make more money, save more time, reach more prospects, etc. In business, most people either want to make more money or increase their referral ratio these are safe objectives to state that you can help them with.
c) Make a connection: Eg, I read on your website; I heard in your seminar; I see from your brochure everyone likes to feel that you have at least taken the time to know their business.
d) Give stats: This lends credibility to your sales pitch. Its not just you saying x, a noted source can back up your contention.
e) Use a call to action: If you dont ask them to do something, they may do nothing. So, use phrases like call today, log on to our website, subscribe to our newsletter, register for your free gift.
I guarantee you, if you follow the format outlined above, your direct mail and/or e-mail conversion rate will be higher, garnering you clients for years to come.
May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less — Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com to learn how.
Author: Yuwanda Black
Keywords: freelance advice, copy advice,marketing advice,small business marketing
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
Weve all been traumatized by tragic attempts at copywriting that left us wishing wed never even bothered wasting our time reading it. Creating the stark opposite copy that grabs, engages, entertains and informs the reader is a craft that is improved over time. To become a Copywriting Jedi is to endure the process as you carefully learn the ways of the pen. And no Padawan, no matter how gifted, can escape the basic rules of good marketing copy.
Effective copy is an important part of creating a strong foundation for any marketing effort. And whether you are a professional writer or a marketing pro who has been strapped with copywriting duties, the challenge of creating fresh, effective content presents itself every time you face the blank page.
The last thing a copywriter wants is to create painfully dry copy that exhausts or confuses the reader. Begin with these guidelines and you are unlikely to find yourself in this predicament.
Have Something to Say
First, begin with a really clear, strong marketing message. This gets into a much larger issue your companys internally defined identity, value proposition, competitive advantage, brand and image in the marketplace. If the companys message is not clear, as a writer you will find it difficult to consistently convey that message.
But when the message is clear and consistent when you think of bargain one-stop-shopping, you think of Wal-Mart; when you think of the cool MP3 Player, you think of the Apple iPod; when you think of a motorcycle, you think of a Harley you know in which direction your writing effort is going. And even when faced with the most challenging copywriting task, you will have a defined starting point for the writing process.
Write, Dont Sell
The challenge of marketing copy is that, by its very nature, it must be somewhat salesy. The trick is, it cant sound salesy because the reader is likely to gloss right over it, or worse, simply dismiss the content altogether.
The easiest way to achieve this is keeping the content simple and conversational just as a salesperson does when talking with a prospect. You talk about the product like you are talking with an informal acquaintance or colleague. Be authentic in your approach and get specific and to the point so the reader does not feel as if their time is being wasted.
Throw Out Your Grammar Book Or Dont
Nothing kills your credibility like copy that has gross spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors. While checking to prevent this seems like a logical step, it is often dismissed. But is proper grammar really that important? A marketing copywriters bible would be quite handy to resolve issues such as this: copy that follows the rules of grammar vs. copy that follows the rules of language. Which is best?
All over the Web, you will find content that supports both theories. Most writers will argue that it just depends - and, truthfully, it does. There are instances when the standard rules of grammar just wont work because it makes the copy seem too stiff and structured. And, there are instances when proper grammar is essential to project a level of professionalism and expertise.
Making this step a priority can mean the difference between being perceived as a professional or as an amateur attempting to be a professional the difference between being trusted and not being trusted, getting the sale and not getting the sale. Think about it: if a company is too lazy to make sure the marketing materials they distribute are polished and professional, then how can I, John Q. Prospect, trust that they will do any better for me?
The bottom line is: using proper grammar or not is a judgment call. However, when you err on the side of grammatical correctness, the copy has a tendency to flow better not that you have to get it exactly right all of the time. But if you at least make the effort to be grammatically correct, youll already be ahead of most of your competitors.
Break It Up
If the reader is looking at a rather dense section of marketing copy, the page must be aesthetically pleasing to hold their interest. This is easily achieved with style and formatting techniques such as increasing font size for major headings; bolding, italicizing and underlining text; double spacing between paragraphs; adding in bullets; and using art and graphics preferably color. And when you are copywriting for the Web, incorporating links in the copy using anchor text to send the reader to another page on your site is essential.
At Least Two Sets of Eyes
No matter how brilliant you think your writing is, sending out any marketing copy without someone checking behind you is careless and ill-advised. If you have been doing this, then check your ego and your Jedi Inksaber at the door and get someone to read behind you. There should always be at least two sets of eyes yours and someone elses reviewing any copy before it leaves the office.
The problem with writing copy and then attempting to be your own editor is that you are more likely to read your copy the way you wrote it, not the way it appears on the page.
In other words, you need a pair of objective eyes to read your copy behind you. This two-step reviewing process gives you the opportunity to better see what the reader will see. Youll quickly learn if your overall theme is clearly conveyed, if the major points of the writing make sense, whether or not the copy flows well and if youve missed any of the fine details.
When following the Copywriting Jedi path, these basic ideas merely familiarize you with your Inksaber. Obviously, there is much more to learn, because if good copywriting were this easy, most everyone would be good at it. But, these basic concepts create a strong foundation for any copywriting task and prevent you from becoming the sad topic of conversation around the office.
Holly Rodriguez is the web and marketing copywriter for Big Oak Inc., a search engine optimization company specialzing in Internet marketing. For more copywriting tips and strategies, you can visit her SEO Scribe blog, and for information on Big Oak, visit: www.bigoakinc.com
Author: Holly Rodriguez
Keywords: search engine optimization, copywriting, marketing,
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By admin
March 15th, 2009 at 01:52pm
Under Copywriting
Remember the movie Field Of Dreams? A voice from beyond whispers, if you build it, they will come. Kevin Costner, questioning his sanity, searches for the truth and finally with the help of James Earl Jones, reaches a cosmic conclusion. A ball field is built in the middle of nowhere and the ghosts of yesteryear gather to play a final game set somewhere in The Twilight Zone.
Great entertainment, but the statement if you build it, they will come while holding truth for Kevin Costner, would be very bad advice for someone desiring success on the net. Simply stated, if you build it, hardly anyone will come unless they know it is there in the first place, and then only if you offer them something of value.
With literally millions of choices, many of them excellent, your site or offer has to stand up shout LOOK AT ME and then you better deliver on your promises, or you will literally be left stranded in a virtual desert with no oasis in sight.
The idea of writing the perfect headline, is of course only one ingredient in your internet success cookbook but it’s an important one. When a potential customer is scanning classified ads, or looking at a list of sites on the popular search engines, you have only scant seconds to grab their attention. If you don’t, you won’t. Why? They will have already clicked on another link and your opportunity to gain their attention will be gone.
I don’t mean to paint a picture of gloom, just reality, advertising is both an art and a science. It can be learned and MUST be practiced. So, that said, let’s take a look at some of the ingredients that make up a good headline.
Keywords and keyphrases and crucial to you search engine placement and your headline.
FREE
DISCOVER
POWERFUL
EASY
GUARANTEED YOU’LL LOVE THIS
MONEY
HOTTEST
NEW
IMPROVED
PROVEN
RESULTS
REVOLUTIONARY
STATE-OF-THE-ART
FANTASTIC
SAVE
BEST
FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY
SECRETS
THE BEST KEPT SECRET
UNBELIEVABLE
MUST SEE TO BELIEVE
The secret though, is using one or more of the above words or phrases in a new and innovative way. Whatever you’re selling or offering, first and foremost, believe in it. If you do, you’ll be communicating sincere thoughts and not hype. Sincerity can and does come through in your ad copy, in fact it must. All this takes is practice and experimentation.
STEP ONE. Practice. Write your ad copy using one or more of the above words or phrases, but don’t do it once, do it multiple times. Ask friends and associates which one sounds the best and which communicates your idea in a way that would make them want to know more. Use the best of these suggestions, then write your amended copy.
STEP TWO. Testing. There is no better formula for success than testing. You could spend thousands of dollars on the wrong ad and generate next to nothing or significantly less money on the RIGHT ad and net a fortune.
PROPER INGREDIENTS
Write for immediate action. Use words that will call the reader to action.
Strive for creativity. You should paint or convey a particular frame of mind or emotion.
Don’t try to be cute or clever, communicate your ideas clearly.
Use strong verbs where you can.
Make every word count.
Try to identify with the reader, put yourself in their shoes and imagine yourself reading that particular headline.
Sell the sizzle but not the sausage. Meaning, draw the reader in but don’t give away the whole offer up front.
You don’t buy coal you buy heat;
You don’t buy circus tickets, you buy thrills;
You don’t buy a paper, you buy news;
You don’t buy spectacles, you buy vision.
ANON
Promise a benefit and provoke curiosity.
You must give the impression that you will solve their problem Sell one idea at a time. Hook them first, then you can expand your ideas in the body of your offer or web site.
DON’T WRITE YOUR HEADLINE IN ALL CAPS. No only is that considered shouting in the internet world, it’s ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO READ.
Don’t make the reader think, make him/her take action.
Make it believable.
Make it interesting and compelling.
Fulfill a dream.
Offer value.
Arouse curiosity with sub-headings.
Use abstract numbers when possible. An ever popular topic is losing weight and making money, two (or I should say 2) tasks that effect nearly everyone.
Lose 20 pounds in two weeks.
IS NOT as powerful as
Lose 19 pounds in 14 days.
Take away all risk.
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June is a professional writer and internet marketer. Her background is comedy and she always trys to include that in her articles. June’s site www.wealthhealthsuccess.com was created to help you achieve health, wealth and happiness. I don’t believe one can or should exist without the other, not if you want to truly live your life to the fullest. June also contributed to… Mind Mastery a fascinating journey designed to awaken your true potential.
Author: June Carr
Keywords: headlines,article marketing,writing,writing/new?tag=day2soft-20′title= ‘copywriting: Newly tagged products at Amazon.com’>copywriting
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