Radio Ad Copywriting

Within this article on radio ad copywriting, we will look at what makes up a successful radio ad.  Copywriting is similar because you are always trying to sell a product but the way that you write and sell will be different depending upon the particular media vehicle that you choose to use.

Whenever you start to do radio ad copywriting, you must make sure to first do your research.  Research is one of the most important parts of the job and this is true no matter what type of copywriting you are doing.  If you do not do your initial research, you will not know how to present your message to your target audience.

When you are looking into doing radio ad copywriting, you should talk with the particular station that you are thinking about advertising with.  They should give you an idea of the typical demographics of their listening audience.  This will allow you to know which particular radio station you should work with in getting your message out. 

When you are looking at doing radio ad copywriting, you must make sure that you are much more direct with this particular form of advertising than you would if you were writing a sales letter.  You have a much shorter period of time in which to make an impression upon your prospects so you must be completely focused with your message.

One way to make sure that you are writing for a good radio ad copywriting is to listen to the ads that your competitors are running on particular radio stations.  Each radio station focuses on a particular and very narrow demographic so if you continue to hear the same ads over and over again, you will have a good clue that they are probably very successful.  Pattern your ideas in a similar vein to what you're hearing.

Here are a couple of quick hitters to help make your radio ad copywriting successful. You must make sure to not just list a bunch of facts but rather try to tell a story.  This will keep your audience interested.  If you are trying to sell a technical product, make sure to use technical jargon early on so that you can get your target niche within your demographic tuned in to what you have to say. Radio ad copywriting must also use testimonials if you can because of the credibility towards a product that you are selling. Hopefully these quick hitting tips can give you some idea of what to do when writing your radio ad copywriting.

Hopefully this article on radio ad copywriting has helped you out.  Copywriting is a large field and if you choose to write on radio ad copywriting, listen to radio stations to see what works.  You must continue to learn and be educated and this is a way to do it on your off time.  You must make sure that you are very correct in your writing because you only have a short amount of time to impress a particular product or service upon your target audience.

Review: Words That Sell

It's the Golden Rule of copywriting.  "Know your target audience."  It is impossible to persuade someone you know nothing about to take any type of action.  But the question remains: How - exactly - do you get to know your prospective customers?  

For copywriters, this task is the most time-consuming.  When you're faced with making a connection with someone you've never met, it can be frustrating.  That's why I was excited when I found out about a series of reports entitled "Words That Sell".

How would you like it if someone else did the hard part for you?  Then take heart!  The people at The Brooks Group (publishers of these reports) interviewed hundreds of professionals in a wide range of occupations to get the specific information included in the ebooks.  

These reports target people in 38 different industries in detail including medical professionals, chief executives, entrepreneurs, human resources, dentists, doctors, hospital administrators, engineers, real estate managers and so many others.  What do they deliver?  Details.  Exact details about what words work, what words don't and why.

What's Good About These Reports

A lot of research went into the making of these reports.  It took years to interview countless professionals then compile and sort the data.  Then the creators of the reports developed easy-to-read ebooks written in everyday language for each profession.  Inside you get:

• Background and personality profile
• Psychological profile
• Exact wording to use
• Reasoning behind why some words work and some words don't
• Exact wording NOT to use
• Sample letters, headlines and copy to use
• And more

You get a lot of information in each report.  These are not just 5- to 8-page lists of words to use.  Each report is 20-25 pages long and has insightful, specific information that will make your job as a copywriter go much more smoothly and quickly.

I also liked that I could buy each report individually or in "combo" packages for a discount.  That way, if I need just one, I only have to pay a small price.

These reports are quick to read, and for busy copywriters, that's a real blessing.  I find myself going back to them over and over and - because of the simple layout - I can get the information I need quickly without having to reread the entire report again.

What's Not So Good About These Reports

They need more examples.  Yes, you do get examples of how to use the information, but more would be nice.  (Can we ever get enough examples?)  The examples given are definitely suitable, but could be more "real world."  They seem rather elementary to me.

Also, it would have been my preference to include a table of contents with clickable navigation links.  A minor point?  Maybe, but when you use the reports, as much as I do, it would save a great deal of time over the long run.  

Overall, the Words That Sell reports are a huge timesaving tool.  They are interesting, accurate and very useful.  The sales copy claims you'll double, triple or even quadruple your profits.  I can't attest to the quadruple part, but I have seen the use of the information in these reports double and triple sales for some of my clients.

Are they worth the $28 (each) price?  Absolutely!  They'll save you way more than $28 in research and brainstorming time, and you'll have a powerful new tool for converting lookers into buyers for 38 different industries.

Sales Letters that Sell!

The average consumer is inundated with sales pitches. So if you’re selling a product or service to today’s ad weary consumer, if you want your sales letters to get results, you’ll need a step-by-step plan that breaks down the barriers to buying. A plan that bypasses the head and goes right for the heart. 

If the heart’s in it, the brain will follow.

Buying anything is largely emotional.  Whether it’s paper clips or plain paper copiers, emotions lead the purchase.  Facts, specs and the like are simply used to justify the decision, once made.  Which means that everything about your sales letter, every sentence, every phrase must appeal to your customer’s emotions.

What emotions?

The simple truth is, there are only two emotions that really motivate people: The promise of gain or the fear of loss--with the fear of loss being the stronger. Example: Given the choice of headlines: “Save money in legal fees.”  Or  “How to keep from being sued.” The latter will probably get a better response. 

Supporting the promise of gain and the fear of loss are seven key emotional hooks or basic human needs. No matter what your product or service, to be effective, your sales letter must directly address as many of these basic needs as possible:

• Safety/Security

• Wealth

• Good looks

• Popularity

• Self-satisfaction

• Free time

• Fun/Excitement

So how do you get them to act? How do you go from head to heart? What’s the copy paradigm?  Imagine you’re in a baseball stadium facing an audience in rows of bleachers.  It’s the game of the century, ninth inning, bases loaded.  And you’ve got a bag of peanuts you absolutely must sell or the boss will fire you on the spot.  What would you do to get their attention? Yell “Peanuts?”  

Start with a verbal “2x4”

You’ve got to hit them over the head with an emotional motivator.  And that means you start with the envelope.  Remember-- gain or loss--it has to be right there on the outside, in bold. (When was the last time you rushed to open a plain white envelope?)  Two examples:

Gain-- “We Put a Money-Making Miracle in this Envelope.”

Loss-- “Throw This Away and Work Hard for the Rest of Your Life.”

Okay.  They’ve opened the letter and what do they see?  A boring paragraph about your leadership in the industry?  Stuffy sentences about commitment, innovation and dedication? 

Whoosh.  In the round file it goes.   

Time to visit our key motivators--gain or loss. Again, it’s got to be there in a headline they can’t miss.  And it must reinforce the headline that compelled them to rip open that envelope. Both headlines must dovetail in their message and emotional impact.

Example: “Finish reading this letter and you’re halfway to becoming rich.”

Next comes the all-important body copy.  What to say to leave them begging for your product. For this we go right into the consumer’s emotions, mining for clues to the perfect selling pitch. 

What’s the problem? 

A while back, McDonalds was beating the pants off its competitors. So Burger King hired a big powerhouse ad agency to gain them market share. They tried everything--analyzing secret sauces, elaborate contests, toy tie-ins. Nothing worked. Finally, they sent out questionnaires, did focus groups, and literally stopped people on the street.  And you know what they discovered?  Not what consumers liked, but what they didn’t like about hamburgers. For on thing, the leading hamburger came practically “factory made” with everything on it.  Some folks liked pickles, others hated onions or mayo.  That was “the problem.” The solution was simple: hamburgers made to order, followed by the now all-too-familiar slogan “Have it Your Way.” The point is, you’ve got to find and exploit your consumer’s problem.  And make your product the hero. 

Life without your product--miserable

So, you’ve succeeded in getting your reader’s attention. You’ve discovered their “problem.”  Now it’s time to remind them how many ways that problem affects their lives. If you’re selling a cordless electric lawnmower, you’ll want to remind them of all the headaches of their old gas powered mower.  Like running out of gas, finding the gas can, taking it to the gas station, driving back with a can full of smelly gas in the car, maybe spilling gas on the carpet. Once at home, there’s the annoyance of yanking the starter until your arm feels like a wet noodle. And the fire danger of having a can of gas in the garage with kids playing near it.  The point is, you want to paint a very troublesome picture of life without your product.

Life with your product - absolute bliss

Now that you’ve raised your reader’s interest by making them feel the pain of life without your product, it’s time to provide your solution.  Here’s where you’ll briefly introduce yourself and your product or service.  No more running out of gas, no more smelling gas cans in your new car, no more yanking that starter cord till your arm falls off.  Just flick the switch and you’re ready to mow. Plug it into your electric outlet and it charges overnight.  Your worries are over. You go on and on, hammering home the fact that your product or service is the perfect solution.  At this point, your reader will probably ask, “Sounds interesting, but who the heck are you to think you can solve my problem? I never heard of you.”

Credentials time

Here’s where you build trust by detailing key facts that build confidence in you and your company. You could start by listing some testimonials from satisfied customers.  If these come from people in the industry who your prospect is familiar with, so much the better.  And if you can get photos, phone numbers and so forth, it will add even more to your credibility. This is also the time to mention how long you’ve been in business and any articles that about your company and/or its products that have appeared in the local or national media (these can be particularly valuable, since they come from an impartial source).  

Now that you’ve assuaged their fears about doing business with a complete unknown, they’ll want to be totally sold about your product or service.  Here’s where you go into detail.  And this is the perfect time to do so, because you’ve established trust. They won’t be thinking about who you are, but what you can do for them--how you’re going to solve their problem.  

Detail benefits, not features

A key caveat here.  Don’t get your reader quagmired in “Featurespeak.” It’s easy to do and it’s what most unskilled writers fall victim to.  Featurespeak is for your sales team, not your potential customer.  Avoid things like “Our new cordless electric mower features the X9T Autoflex handle, or the PT600 Zenon Battery. Better to say, “Our new electric mower’s handle easily adjusts to your height for maximum comfort.” Or “The easily rechargeable battery lasts up to 5 years without replacement.” If your product or service has more than three major benefits, list them in bullet point form to make them easier to read.  

Make them an offer they can’t refuse

This is the crucial part of your sales letter. Your offer should be compelling, irrefutable and urgent. You want your reader to say, “This is a great offer, I’ve got nothing to lose but my problem.” Try to combine the big 3 in your offer--irresistible price, terms, and a free gift. For example, if you’re selling a cordless electric mower, your offer might be a discounted retail price, low interest rate, and a blade-sharpening tool.  Try to raise the perceived value of your offer by adding on products or services--for electric mowers, it might be an extended warranty or safety goggles.  Augment this with compelling benefits these additional products or services will provide. 

Assuage with a guarantee

There’s a little voice in the back of every customer’s head that whispers, “Buy this and you’ll be sorry.” So make your offer bulletproof.  Take the risk out of the purchase. Give the absolute strongest guarantee you can.  It tells your reader you’re confident in your product or service.  Enough so to back it up with a strong guarantee. Don’t be afraid to make this final commitment.  

Motivate the procrastinators

So they’re reading your letter and are pretty convinced that your company and your product or service can solve their problem.  They want to buy.  The mind is willing but the flesh is weak.  Time to bring in our key motivator—fear of loss.  One way to tap into this fear is by convincing your reader that because this is such a good deal, only a scant few mowers remain.   Or that the extended warranty is being offered only for the next few days, or for the next 50 customers.  Our old motivator--gain--can be used here as well.  Example: “Buy now and get a $20 gift card--FREE!” 

Call to action - KISS

You and your staff know what readers need to do to buy your product or service, but your readers are inundated with offers every day. And each offer has a different procedure for buying. Give them a break and walk them through the order/purchase process. And KISS (keep it simple stupid). Use simple action words like “Pick Up the Phone and Call Now!” If your phone number spells out a catchy slogan or company name, always add numerical phone numbers. If they need to fill out a form and mail it, say so.  And if possible, use large type on your form—especially if you’re selling to seniors.  Be clear on what they’re ordering and for what price. 

ABC!

Follow Alec Baldwin’s admonition in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross - “ABC…Always Be Closing.” Sprinkle your call to action throughout your letter.  Ask for the order.  Then when you give the call to action at the end of the letter, it won’t come as a surprise, but just another reminder.   Better still, if they’re ready to order halfway through your letter, they’ll know what to do.  

Postscripts are magic

Nobody reads postscripts, right?  Wrong. The P.S. is the third most read element of a sales letter - after the headline and any picture captions. The top wordsmiths use several (P.P.S) in their letters.   It’s one of the best places to remind readers of your irresistible offer.  But you have to be brief and compelling, establishing urgency and value, and drawing on your key motivators of gain and loss. 

Drive it home on the order form

The order form is where some of the greatest sales are won or lost.  It’s where that little voice in the back of your customer’s head comes alive once again and says, “You’ll be sorry” or “You sure you want to buy this now?” It’s what I call Preemptive Buyer’s Remorse.” Time to bring in our top gun persuaders--gain and loss--one last time.  Use the same persuasive arguments as before--only be brief, more compelling and urgent.

Do you want the steak knives or the El Dorado?

Okay, you’ve got the prized Glengarry leads. And the formula for writing a winning sales letter. Start by knowing your prospect’s problem, then drive home key benefits using the emotional motivators I’ve described. And don’t forget Alec Baldwin’s other maxim, AIDA--Attention. Interest. Decision. Action.  Get their attention, build their interest, convince them it’s the right decision, and finally, urge them to act.  Good luck.  You’ve got 26 letters in the English alphabet.  How you use them can make all the difference …between getting the steak knives or the Cadillac El Dorado.

Search engine copywriting

Search engine copywriting is a field that continues to develop each and every day.  Copywriting as a field continues to grow but this particular niche is growing at a much faster rate than the overall field.  As the Internet continues to grow, more and more companies are relying up on the Internet for a higher percentage of sales.  This will ensure that search engine copywriting will continue to be in demand.

To give a general background on search engine copywriting, we must first look at why this field is growing so rapidly.  The number of searches that are done on the Internet is in the hundreds of billions annually. The way that most people are able to get to a website these days is through search engines.  It is much harder for your website to be highly ranked without being optimized for search engines.  The number of pages on the Internet has grown to over 4 billion so increasing importance has been placed upon the fact that your webpage is easy to search and is indexed by search engines.  If this is not done, you will find that you will not have the sales results that you would like from the Internet.  You are able to buy traffic to come to your website but you will find that you are missing out on an important piece of the sales pie by not focusing on organic traffic.  This traffic can often be more highly concentrated and better leads for you then can traffic that you buy to send to your website.

To get your website indexed within the search engines, you must have original content that is in high demand.  Search engines index web pages by sending their search bots through these different web pages.  The search bots are looking for many different factors but the key is that your writing on certain topics and at the information is valuable.  The information must be valuable both to the search bots so that they index you as well as when people were searching for your information.  Search engine copywriting companies play an important part in this role because they can help develop your website to be optimized for search engines as well as convert traffic into sales.  While it is important for you to get traffic, the key is also to make sure that this traffic can turn into dollars in your pocket.

Search engine copywriting is a growing field which demands that you must have knowledge of how the Internet works as well as great copywriting skills.  If you are able to provide both of these skills, you will be able to write your own paycheck.  If you want to learn more about search engine copywriting, search on the Internet under the terms "SEO tutorials." This can give you a great deal more information as far as what search engines look for and how different search engine copywriting firms operate.  There is a great deal of competition in this field today so if you're interested, there is a great demand for your services.

SEO Copywriting Services

Within this article today, we will look at SEO copywriting services from a couple of different perspectives.  Within the first half of this article, we'll help you look at good SEO copywriting services and we will use the second half of this article to show you how to develop good SEO copywriting services.

If you are looking for an SEO copywriting services company, there are many to choose from on the Internet today.  When you are looking for an expert within this field, do not take the first company that you come across.  You want to ask certain questions to make sure that his company knows what it is doing and that it has been successful at developing high ranking websites in the past. You want to ask the company how long it has been around and what particular niches it has focused on.  You want to make sure that this SEO copywriting service company can understand your niche so that it can write effectively for both the search bots as well as the people searching for your product or service.  You want to ask for testimonials from a couple of previous clients of the SEO copywriting services company.  Take your time to search the Internet for a couple of different companies that you would like to work with and then compare prices and services of the companies you like.  By doing a comparison as well as checking up on the company for its reputation and pass service, you will be putting yourself in a good position to work with a company that knows what it is doing.

That part of the article focused on how to look for a SEO copywriting services company.  Within the remainder of this article, we will look at ways that you can work to create your own SEO copywriting services company.  This is a very crowded field with many players today so you must make sure that you do something to set yourself apart.  You could be the best SEO copywriter out there but if you do nothing to set yourself apart no one will know the difference.  It may help to focus upon a particular niche where you know that you can write very effectively and with a strong background.  This can be a competitive advantage that you use to market your firm so that companies feel comfortable coming to you.  If you have done little SEO work in the past and are interested in this field due to a passion for the Internet and experience in copywriting, take the time to build a couple websites for yourself.  You can use these as training modules so that when you land a client, you will have some experience from which you can draw on.

Whether you are looking for an SEO copywriting services company or looking to start your own, they key is to make sure that you know how to separate the good from the bad.  Hopefully this article on SEO copywriting services has helped give you some ideas based upon which perspective you are looking into his article at.  The key is to go out and do your research so that you can benefit from the SEO industry as a whole. 

 

SEO Copywriting

Within this article today on SEO copy writing, we will look at the specifics of a search engine optimization world and how copywriting pertains to that.

A brief introduction toward search engine optimization is that its goal is to position your website well within the search engine page ranks so that you can gain a great deal of natural traffic to your website.  One important part of the high page rank work is developing good web content.  The importance of copywriting within this field is that you must be creative in developing web content so that it can meet the demands of both the consumer looking for information on the Internet as well as the demands placed on your website by search engine bots.

There is a great deal of writing on the Internet today which is very boring and does not interest people.  The key behind SEO copywriting is that you are looking to impress both the search bots as well as the people who are surfing the Internet and stumble upon your page.  You do not get a great deal of time to impress your site upon these people so what you have to say and how you say it is going to be the difference between a sale and another lost lead. 

If you are interested in SEO copywriting, look into some of the following sources for more information. Here is the website of one particular company where you can learn more about SEO copywriting in a tutorial forum: http://www.seo-gold.com/seo-tutorial/.  To find many more resources, search the Internet using the following term: "SEO tutorials." You will have great success in learning more about this particular field.

Good SEO copywriting focuses on many different factors such as the good web content as well as keyword optimization.  Keyword optimization is making sure that your website has full use of a particular set of keywords so that when people search the Internet for these phrases, your site will be on the first page of results.  This is how you generate good organic search engine traffic.  This deal does go beyond just keyword optimization when looking into making a website work.  Take your time to learn more from the resources that were listed above.  This can give you a good idea of what you will need to become an SEO copywriter or give you some criteria on when to hire one. 

Just as some general information, a good SEO copywriter should help you develop a high page rank within the different search engines as well as help build the sales at your website.  It is important to get traffic to your website but is also important that you have a good lead conversion ratio.  What this means is that you want more people to visit your sites and that gradually more of these visitors convert to quality sales for you.  By providing good content that sells, you are setting yourself up as a person who excels at SEO copywriting. Hopefully this article on SEO copywriting has benefited you. This can be a very lucrative field if you learn to market on the Internet.

SEO Copywriting Makeover: Finding the Right Trigger

You've got a great product or service.  Now, how do you make buyers sit up and take notice?  How do you get them excited about what you're offering?  You have to pull the trigger.

There is at least one trigger for every product or service on the market today.  Finding it is the hard part.  Once you determine what will set your customers in motion, you've won half the battle.  This was the case with ForecastWatch.com. 

With a new site, the owner of ForecastWatch.com (Jeff) was unsure of what to do with the copy in order to connect with his site visitors and cause them to take the action he wanted them to take. Not to mention, Jeff wanted to rank highly with the engines as well, so search engine optimization (SEO) had to be taken into consideration, along with the selling aspects of the copy.

The Problem

The only real problem was finding the right trigger.  The original site had little to no usable copy.  That's not an insult; it's the truth.  Jeff knew he needed help from a professional copywriter, so he spent little time on the site content.

The Solution

To determine the most powerful trigger, I took a look at all the segments of ForecastWatch.com's audience.  It was broken down into three distinct types of customers.  They were all interested in the most reliable weather forecasts possible, but for three very different reasons.

One group was made up of meteorologists.  Their obvious interest was in being able to provide the most accurate forecasts to their viewers and listeners.  A second group was compiled of weather risk managers.  It is the job of these professionals to accurately assess weather for industries such as the stock exchange, construction, transportation, national defense and more.  The last group needed weather forecast accuracy for personal reasons, usually as a hobby or for sports reasons (coaches, etc.).

While the last group was primarily interested in the weather as amateurs, the first two segments (meteorologists and weather-risk managers) have a lot on the line when it comes to weather forecast accuracy.  Their reputations and their jobs are on the line.

And that's the trigger!  I put it right up front in the headline, which read:

ForecastWatch.com
Because Your Reputation Depends on
Being Right About the Weather

The headline hit the nail on the head.  It got the attention of weather professionals, was of great interest to hobbyists and included part of one of Jeff's keyphrases.  The last word in the headline (weather) tied into the first sentence of the copy and, thus, created a keyphrase.

Keep in mind that engines don't read spaces or line breaks or punctuation within the copy, so having one word of a keyphrase in the headline and the remainder of the keyphrase in the first sentence of the copy is an excellent way to make the copy flow and keep in line with SEO protocol.

Now, the task would be to keep that same emotional twist and energy throughout the copy.  With the old copy, Jeff had no rankings with the engines for his chosen keyphrases, so the optimization of the copy needed to give him a presence.

The Rewrite

In the opening paragraph, I touted the praises of weather professionals, letting them know their expertise was recognized and appreciated.  I also used one keyphrase twice and the second keyphrase once.  In addition, I used the individual word "weather" and substituted "specialist" for "risk manager" in some instances to add to the flow and give a well-rounded environment for the spiders and bots.

Next, I provided a good overview of what ForecastWatch.com offered.  Again, a keyphrase was used in the headline (because it worked for both the visitors and the engines, not strictly for SEO purposes), and a keyphrase was used in the paragraph.

Finally, the copy was broken out into segments that targeted specific individuals.  This gave them precise information on what benefits ForecastWatch.com offered them.  Boxes for meteorologists, weather risk managers and weather enthusiasts were created. Within the copy for each block and again in the anchor text for links to internal pages, keyphrases were used where appropriate.  These boxes lead each visitor to information that was most relevant to him/her.

The Results

I always like to let the customer take over in this section.  Here's what Jeff had to say about the rewrite of his home-page copy.

"Traffic has steadily increased, and I've gotten a lot of leads and my largest non-weather-company business customer from Internet search.  The rewrite helped me with more than just the website.  It helped me to define my business goals and to articulate them in other marketing materials as well."  In addition, rankings continue to rise with current positioning in the top five for one of his keyphrases.

Take the time to do a little research.  Put yourself in your customers’ place.  Uncover what's most important to them, and you'll be rewarded with greater conversions in the long run.

Should You Write a Long-Copy Ad or Keep it Short?

Okay, you’re ready to write the ad of a lifetime.  The one that will pull like crazy and leave them begging for your product like Somalians for food.  So, do you whet their appetite with a short and sweet ad?  Or write a long-copy ad that’s stuffed with information?  

The 80-20 rule says 80% of the people only read the headline (and maybe a caption, if you have one).  But the fact is, readers will read a long-copy ad.  One McGraw-Hill study looked at 3,597 ads in 26 business magazines. What they discovered was that ads with 300 or more words were more effective that shorter ads in creating product awareness, inducing action and reinforcing the decision to buy.  Another ad for Merrill Lynch crammed 6, 450 words into a single New York Times page.  It pulled over 10,000 responses— even without a coupon!  The truth is, the reason people read ads has nothing to do with copy length.

“Nobody reads long ads…” and other urban ad legends

People shun too many of today’s ads—long or short—because several misleading myths have stubbornly remained with us. Things like “negative headlines are a downer since people want to feel good when reading your ad.” Or “show the product or they’ll never know what you’re selling.”  Then there’s the stuffy axiom, “there’s no place for humor in business advertising. “ Or the ubiquitous saw,  “all your ads should look the same, blend in or be swallowed up.” The list goes on and on.  Presented with unabashed hubris by the high priests of advertising.  The basic fact is, ads really fail for three reasons.

Your ads are all about you

You’re telling customers what you want to hear, not what they want to know.  Impressive sounding features are fine to motivate your sales force, but your customer is only interested in one thing: “What’s in it for me?” This offense is particularly egregious in business-to-business advertising, which is infamous for its addiction to phrases like “the XP90 does it all” or “now with Duo-Pentium Processor”—without a hint of what these features do.  Also contaminating many of today’s ads are such chest-pounding headlines as “Taking the lead,” “The promise of tomorrow, today,” or “A tradition of quality.” They sound good but say nothing. 

Your ads are boring

You’ve got to break the boredom barrier—big time.  Many ad gurus say blend in, be one of the pack and survive.  No wonder so many ads look alike, proudly showing big pictures of their products, or worse yet, featuring a giant photo of the company’s CEO—usually with a caption that’s been scrubbed clean of originality or compelling information.  If you want people to stop and read your ad, you have to make the ad more interesting than the editorials in the publication you’re in.  Give them real news, a fresh new way to look at what you’re offering them.  Stand out from the crowd.   Start trends, don’t follow them.  One of the most interesting car ads I ever saw showed the car only sparingly; instead, it featured an animation of a human heart beating furiously to the soundtrack of an accelerating engine.  Breakthrough stuff. 

Your ads don’t make human contact

They’re not reaching readers on an emotional level.  We all want to be liked, appreciated and loved.  We want to feel secure in our lives and our jobs.  So be a mensch.  Create ads that touch the soul. Use an emotional appeal in your visual, headline and copy. Don’t just show a car on the road; show the guy captivating his sweetheart with the car.  If your buyers were on the moon, would they care about your car’s styling?  No.  They’d get an ugly, crawly vehicle that got them from crater to crater.  Selling computers to business? Show the guy getting a raise or promotion for selecting your latest model.  You’re selling the emotional end result, the human need-based bottom line, not a box, or vehicle with four wheels and an engine.

So if you’re struggling with the notion of whether to write a long- or short-copy ad, you can do both and still get results.  The key is not length or lack of it, but information, interest and involvement in your customer’s needs.  These are the ingredients to creating a successful ad.

Simple Steps to a Killer Headline

Judul tidak diragukan lagi merupakan faktor yang paling penting dari salinan penjualan. Anda dapat memiliki salinan penjualan terbaik yang pernah ditulis tetapi judul yang ditulis dengan buruk dan tidak dipikirkan dengan baik hampir akan merusak bisnis Anda. Poin-poin berikut harus memastikan bahwa judul Anda berkualitas dan akan memaksa Anda untuk terus membaca.

1. Ultra Spesifik
   Anda harus sespesifik mungkin. Sebagai contoh. Alih-alih "bagaimana seorang penulis ebook menghasilkan ribuan setiap bulan", ubah juga "bagaimana seorang pembuat ebook menghasilkan $2,678,85 setiap bulan". Ini lebih spesifik dan jauh lebih dapat dipercaya.
2. Tetap unik dan asli
   Anda benar-benar harus membuat judul asli Anda sendiri. Misalnya, saya muak melihat judul ini. "Akhirnya, cara sederhana untuk mendapatkan gratis ke situs Anda. Kata "akhirnya" ini telah digunakan secara berlebihan.
3. Pertahankan urgensi
   Ini benar-benar memaksa pembaca untuk melihat halaman penjualan lebih jauh. Beri judul berita itu rasa urgensi. Misalnya, memberikan penawaran khusus untuk membaca, tanggal tenggat waktu atau jumlah total yang tersedia.

Teknik ini secara pribadi telah dibuktikan oleh saya sendiri, mereka bekerja lebih baik daripada yang lain, kuncinya adalah terus mengutak-atik dan menguji dengan selalu mengingat poin-poin di atas.

Saya menggunakan tips ini dalam headline yang saya buat. SAYA SELALU PASTIKAN HEADLINE SAYA MENDAPAT PERHATIAN. Situs web saya saat ini memiliki tingkat konversi 3,3% dan 76% pengunjung saya membaca melewati judul.

So You Want To Be A Copywriter?

Wannabe copywriters often check out my site for information relating to my services and fees. And quite right too! I still give my competitor's websites a 'gander' every now and then, in case they're doing something that I should be doing.

I receive many emails from students working towards their marketing or other media degrees, asking for a few tips about securing work in the 'Copywriting Industry' I didn't realise we had an industry! If we have, it's surely a cottage industry because most copywriters are freelancers who work on their own and usually from home.

"Well what about advertising and marketing agencies?", They enquire. "Well what about them?", I ask. And so it goes on and on until they realise that a copywriter who works for a structured and institutional organisation, is a totally different animal to that of the freelancer.

Institutional versus Freelance 

So what are the differences between them? There are many. Let's look at the agency writer. He or she is likely a talented person with creative skills and a good command of the English language. They will have learned, from their course work, the psychology of selling, aspects of communication and how to write in a flowing and interesting style.

Each day, at the agency office, they will work on their assignments, which have been delegated to them by their manager. Their work will be scrutinised by their manager or team leader, who, in the interests of their company, will decide whether it's worthy of publication.

After a couple of years, doing similar 'run of the mill' stuff, they may be offered the opportunity of coming up with something completely original. All by themselves, with no guidance, un-tethered by their mentor. And, in the interests of the company, not to mention their job security, they will produce something as institutional as they have been doing previously. They'll play it safe. Well wouldn't you?
Eventually, their creative awareness and talent may break through the institutional membrane and they'll want to move on. They'll want to do something for themselves. They may even become a freelancer.

A freelancer is just about anyone with a passion and a flair for writing. Some have started out on their career path by working for agencies, some have graduated in English and just feel 'qualified' to do the job, whilst others come into the 'industry' from a variety of other routes.
By whichever means, once they become a freelancer, they quickly learn to survive. To survive and prosper as a freelancer you must have the ability to adapt, diversify and develop the skill of writing in any and every style humanly possible. But there's more! You will have to meet deadlines, sometimes work for less than the lower national wage limit and learn to turn your brain inside out. Sounds painful!
What does it all amount to? What's the bottom line? 

Let's summarise thus far.

A copywriter working for an agency will work in a nice warm office with nice friendly colleagues, writing simple institutional letters, brochures, ads and information packs. They'll be paid somewhere between 18K to 26K, get 4 to 5 weeks annual paid holiday and get to slag off the boss at the office Christmas party.

Sounds pretty good to me. If you want to be a copywriter, I recommend you go down this path. It offers a good salary and a steady secure position.

The freelancer's life is not so clear cut. They mostly work on their own, write all kinds of stuff about everything and wonder where their next packet of fags is going come from. They only take short breaks, get stressed and slag everyone off at any party. 

They're self-employed, so have to keep accounts. They have to buy all their own stationery, stuff their own letters and post off their mailings. They have to advertise or even worse, they have to compete to sell their services for a pittance to unknown clients through some online freelance website. The pits!
Sounds terrible doesn't it? Then why do we do it?

The uncovered truth about freelancing 

Well, obviously I can't speak for everyone so I'll tell you why I do it and how I do it. "Listen up" The main reason I write for a living is because I love it. I've always been a creative person so writing comes as second nature. And let's face it, it's not very difficult to do. 

I love the challenge that each assignment brings. I have ghost-written several books for clients and each has been on a completely different subject. The downside of ghost-writing is having to sign away all rights to the work, which means you can't showcase it or put it in your portfolio. The client gets all the credit for your masterpiece.

I've written many articles for websites, emails and sales letters. I write poetry, humor and boring stuff like FAQ's and product information. But I'm never bored because the work can be so varied.

Then there's the money of course. A good freelancer should be able to make around 50K a year. Some make less but some can make over 100K a year. There really is no limit. Make a name for yourself and not only will you be earning a good living, you could possibly find yourself in the enviable position of being able to pick and choose the work you do.

Still want to be a copywriter?

Good! Now let's dispel a few myths by answering a few questions that I get asked all the time.

The 6 Most Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do you need a formal education and a degree?
   No way! Although most agencies will only employ graduates, there's no reason why a freelancer needs anything other than a good command of the English language, creativity and a flare for writing. There are many copywriting courses available, if you're a little unsure or want to hone your skills, but make sure the course work is set by an experienced and reputable copywriter.
2. Can previous work experience help?
   Yes! Sales and marketing experience is very useful if you intend to make a living as a sales copywriter. At the very least, you should understand the sales process and the customer service aspect.
3. I don't have a portfolio. How can I get work?
   Create one! Write some articles, write a small book, write some sales letters, brochures and emails. Show what you can do. Write for free. Write for charities, magazines or newspaper letter pages. Use your imagination and write about anything.
   
4. Where are the best places to get work?
   
   You could try contacting marketing agencies by way of a letter of introduction, but don't hold your breath. Magazines are always looking for fillers, so this would be a good place to start. Local small businesses might be interested in having some leaflets written for door to door delivery. Contact them by letter, listing your services and your rates.
   When you have gained a little experience, go online and subscribe to some of the freelance websites. Elance, Freelance Work Exchange and Getafreelancer are quite good, but be prepared to compete with other bidders from all over the world. Some Indian freelancers will work for as little #3 an hour, so you're up against it. Still, I think it's worth the experience. I get some of my assignments this way.
   

   Build a website or have someone do it for you. I'm of the opinion that all businesses should have a website if they want to stay in business. 
   Create a mail shot and work your way through your local Yellow Pages. Sell yourself. It's what you will have to do anyway, so get used to it.
5. What should I charge for my services?
   

   This is just a guide. You'll instinctively know when you've become established.

   A one page letter consists of around 500 words and should take no more than 2 hours to write, revise and finalise. If you want #10 an hour, that'll be #20 for the job. Don't bother quoting a price per word as you'll find yourself writing a load of drivel in order to fill the pages.

   Again, once you're established you can charge what you think your work is worth. It's not uncommon to charge #400 for a 6 page sales letter, if you're good.
6. What do you think is the most essential skill of a successful copywriter?
   If you can't do this, you won't be very successful.
   "Write as you talk"
   That's it! You must be able to communicate with your reader right off the page. Your words must be conversational. You must be able to 'speak' to your reader and stir their interest, their emotions, their desires.
   If you're trying to sell them something, you must be convincing. Your letter has to be compelling and attention-grabbing. Finally, your letter has to make them take some action. This could be filling in a form, making a phone call or writing a cheque. It's a call to action.

Still think you have what it takes? 

Then go forth and return with the bountiful harvest of your creative genius!  If you want to know more, and there is a lot more, subscribe to my newsletter.

Good luck and warm regards.

The Best Place to Put SEO Copy on Your Web Page

It seems like a funny question to me, but it gets asked a lot.  "Where should the SEO copy go on my Web page?"  That question gets asked so much because there are several pieces of out-of-date information, rumors and myths with regard to text placement, when writing SEO copy.  

For instance, many absolutely swear that the copy has to be as high up on the page as possible for the search engines to find it.  Not true.  The spiders will find the text regardless of where it is on your page.  Others say all your text has to be in one block.  Also not true.  The spiders will find the text regardless of where it is on your page.  

Other statements I've heard regarding text placement include:

1. ·Your headline must appear at the very top of the page.
2. ·Copy placed inside tables throws the search engines off.
3. ·Copy must be positioned above the fold to be found by the spiders.

None of these are true.  The spiders will find the text regardless of where it is on your page.  (Or did I already say that… twice?)  This is true in 99.9% of the cases, with only some very rare exceptions.

So where is the best place to put SEO copy on your Web page?  Wherever it makes sense to the site visitor!

Spiders will find your text regardless of where it falls on the page.  Want proof?  Here's a test.  Go to Google and type in any working URL.  When the result comes up for that site, click on: "Show Google's Cache of…"  In the box that appears at the top of the next page, click on this option: "This cached page may reference images which are no longer available. Click here for the cached text only."  What do you see?

You see exactly what the search engine sees.  If the text appears in this text-only cache, that means Google's spider can read it and index it.

Put Copy Where It Is Most Beneficial to Your Visitors

Since the engines will find your text regardless of where it falls on the page, your focus should be placed on the site visitor.  This is where your focus should always be.  The people who have the money come first; the search engines come second.  :)

If it makes sense for your visitors to see your headline as the first thing on the page, then put it first.  If a graphic design element makes more sense, then put that first.  If you use photos or other images, include captions so your visitors understand what these photos mean and how they relate to the sales message.

If you have an ecommerce site, create pages for each category of products you offer in order to help guide the visitors' steps.  Then add short copy segments that quickly describe what is offered for each specific product.  Even though the copy is scattered all about the page, the engines WILL find it.

When it comes to copy placement on your Web pages, don't agonize over what the engines want you to do.  Give 100% of your consideration to what would be most useful for your visitors and place your copy in those areas.  The spiders will find it with no trouble at all.

The 2 Most Common Mistakes When Writing With Keywords

It really gets my blood pressure up.  SEO copywriting has begun to get a poor reputation all due to carelessness.  How so?  Because too many people claim to know what they are doing.  In reality, they simply shove keywords into copy without any concern for how the copy flows.  Copy that sounds mechanical or stiff is a sure sign that an amateur writer has had his/her hands in things.  

When you write SEO copy, you should take the time to find out what works and what doesn't.  There are two mistakes almost every amateur search engine copywriter makes.  Let's take a look at each one.

#1 - The List

Let's say you visit the home page of a website that sells beauty supplies.  As you read the copy, you keep coming across a string of items: hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables.  The copy reads something like this:

The Best Selection of Hair Salon Supplies, Hair Salon Equipment and Professional Manicure Tables On the Internet

When you're shopping for hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables, you need a vendor who offers great selection as well as great service.  Because buying hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables can be an expensive venture, you also want a company that delivers the lowest price.

Trust ABC Beauty Supply to bring you the widest selection of hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables in stock every day.  Orders are shipped within 24 hours and - for all hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables orders over $100 - shipping is absolutely free!

Do you see how that flows (or doesn't flow) when you use all your keyphrases in a row every single time?  One time, sure.  That's fine.  Even twice, depending on the length of your copy.  But to put all your keyphrases in a list and use them every time you have the smallest opportunity is just far too repetitive.  What do you do instead?

Discuss each one in its own section.  Talk about the various types of hair salon supplies.  Review the reasons your hair salon equipment is better than that sold by others.  Or even list the features and benefits of the line of manicure tables you offer.

#2 - Substituting Keywords for Generic Terms

This technique (just like the one above) is perfectly fine IF you use it in moderation.  However, to replace every instance of a generic term with a keyphrase will cause your copy to sound downright silly.  Let's have a look at an example from a Web design site.

New Orleans Web Design

Our New Orleans Web design firm offers a high level of creativity to businesses located in the general area. Our New Orleans Web design styles are never made from templates.  Each New Orleans Web design is a custom creation just for your site.

If you walked into a Web design company's office and the employees began to talk like that copy is written, you'd most likely think they were on drugs!  So why in the world would you write your site copy that way?  The reason is because most amateurs mistakenly think they can't write for both the search engines and the site visitors.  I'm delighted to say they are wrong!  You can most certainly write for both with great success.

Try this:

Progressive, creative, upbeat.  Those are phrases that best describe many online businesses based in New Orleans. Web design for your organization should match your style. Never created from templates, the site designs you’ll receive will be truly reflective of your corporate personality.  Because we work exclusively with companies located in or near New Orleans, Web designs retain that Big Easy feel.

Did you see it?  The phrase was broken up using punctuation.  That won't hurt your rankings one bit, but it will make your copy sound a LOT better.

These are not all the mistakes.  I wish they were!  But most of the mistakes made by amateur writers can be fixed using one simple test.  Read it out loud.  If the copy sounds ridiculous to you when you read it out loud, it is going to sound equally ridiculous to a site visitor.

Take your time.  Learn the ins and outs of SEO copywriting before you begin to create the text for your (or your clients’) pages.  Then you can rest assured that your copy will convert better while it contributes to your high rankings. 

The Bible - The Source Of All Copywriting Secrets

I've been a student of the Bible for practically all my life. There is a lot of reason why this book remains the number one best-seller year after year. I think that it is the source of ALL wisdom, yes, including successful copywriting!

What do I mean by this? 

Simply put, every copywriting strategy can be found FIRST in the Bible. This may appear to be a strong statement but I challenge the reader to prove otherwise. As I did the research for my latest ebook "77 Ways to Skyrocket Your Website's Conversion", I kept saying to myself "but that's in the Bible … that's in the Bible."

I would like to take a look at FIVE copywriting principles and show you that they are as old as the Scriptures. This article is not meant to 'convert' you so read with an open mind ... ready? Let's go!

1. Stress benefits not features.
   
   
   It's the Garden of Eden. The serpent approaches the woman Eve to get her to take of the forbidden fruit. Does he rave about the color, taste and texture of the fruit? No, he sells Eve on benefits. "Your eyes will be opened, you will be like God ..." (Genesis 3:4). Now that's a benefit, not a feature at all. And did Eve fall for it? She surely did.
   
   
   That may seem like a 'negative' example - a plain deception. But look at what the book of Revelation promises the "overcomer". Eternal life, health, recognition, wealth and mansions without mortgages.
   
   
2. Use lots of testimonials.
   
   If you have just a cursory knowledge of the Bible you know that the gospels of Matthew, Mark Luke and John make up the first four books of the New Testament. They all cover the same ground and share many common stories. So why would we need four different people saying practically the same thing?
   
   You see they all wanted to tell THEIR story about the Rabbi Jesus Christ. So the writers (all satisfied customers) relate the life-changing encounter they each had - the more testimonies the better.
   
   The entire Bible relates stories of peoples encounter with the supernatural and how it affected their lives. In fact, Jesus related to the disciples after His miraculous resurrection that all the Old Testament was really about Him.
   
   
3. "Create a damaging admission and address flaws openly"
   
   That's the title to chapter 3 of the master copywriter Dan Kennedy's book "The Ultimate Sales Letter". He goes on to explain that if you openly admit the drawbacks of your offer then your credibility goes up instantly with the customer. For example, your price may be higher than your competitors so you may say: "If you are looking to save a few bucks then you can find many other companies who will be willing to give you some 'quick fixes'. But we provide a very thorough and expert service, hence the higher price" You are admitting that you are expensive but showing why - the customer gets a superior service.
   
   In the gospels we see many potential disciples who wanted to follow Jesus and he told them openly that it was a sacrificial walk. He told them in no uncertain terms that it involved a "cross", leaving father and mother behind, even possible death - but you will gain eternal life in the process. Talk about a "damaging admission.
   
   
4. Place a limit on your offer to motivate procrastinators.
   
   This is a very important element of the "call to action" section of any sales letter. Humans are naturally procrastinators. We always put off what should be done now for a 'later' that never arrives. That is why the copywriter must show that supplies are limited or the special offer is for a 'limited time only'.
   
   In many 'call to action' sections of the Bible we see the same warning to procrastinators. "Today if you hear my voice do not harden your heart .." (Hebrews 3:7). In the story of the great flood procrastinators were found outside the ark. Jesus told the story of the covetous farmer who built bigger barns to store his grains not knowing that death would come knocking on his door that very night.
   
   Jesus never sent one of his listeners to go away and think about it. Today ... now, was the only time that anyone had. His message was "ACT NOW!"
   
   
5. Research your potential customers to know their problems and needs.
   
   Dan Kennedy refers to this as "getting into the customer". Getting into the head and experiences of the customer -walk in his moccasins.
   
   The whole Christmas story is about Jesus getting into the skin - literally - of the customer. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus is touched by our feelings and infirmities. He became like one of us so that He may understand "the customer" better. That is why he could speak to the needs of the human heart with such authority because he knows what is in man.
   

I've just briefly looked at 5 copywriting principles but this applies across the board. Whether you accept the Bible as just another book or as inspired writings, there is no denying that the principles are there.

I would love to hear from the reader if he or she would like to challenge me on finding a useful copywriting principle that's not in the Bible.

The Hidden Secrets of a Perfect Sales Copy

We are living in an e-age where everybody wants to sale their product or services through Internet. In the physical world your interacting behavior and friendly relationship can create a better avenue for selling your products. Your face to face interaction can completely convince an individual to buy your product.

But in the internet world everything is different. You just get 10 seconds to grab a visitor's attention who may turn into your customers. Your only way of interaction with your customers is your sales copy. So it must be a copy which really generates sales. It's not an easy task to make your visitor pull out their credit cards out of their pocket.

Are you also thinking of selling your products or services on net? Well it’s a great decision. Now what points you should consider when creating a sales copy for your product or services. Here it is:

1. Head line:
   
   Head line is most important part of your web copy. In fact a great headline is 90% success of your sales page. When somebody comes to your site, usually you have only 10 seconds to grab his attention. Most people will make a decision about reading your sales page in less than 10 seconds. If your headline is compelling enough to grab your visitor’s attention they will stay otherwise they will go to other website.

   1. Tell about the biggest benefit of your product in headline. 

   2. Create some serious problem and tell your visitors that you can solve their problem.

   3. Show specific results of using your product in your headline. Like if you are selling a book about dog training, tell them that in next 15 days your dog  will follow all your instructions.

   4. Use attention grabbing words in your headline like Free, Save, Guaranteed. Many big copywriters say that headlines can increase response rate by up to 1500%.

2. Sub Headline:
   A sub head line gives you one more opportunity to grab your visitor’s attention and pursue them to read your sales page. Highlights your product’s benefits again and create a feeling of urgency in your sub headline so it encourages your visitor to read your sales page.
3. Bulleted Points:
   In today's world everybody is very busy and always in hurry. Usually your visitors first quickly skim your webpage to know what’s in it for them. Bulleted points always grab attention because it’s easy to read. So always tell your product’s benefits through bulleted points. Remember bulleted points just act like bullet and triggers a human mind.
   A bit of suggestion: always convert your products features into its benefits.
4. Credibility:
   It's also a key point of a successful web copy. Your customer must feel that it's not just a sales copy. A real person is sitting behind it. You should put your photo, your full contact details (not just email, full physical address and phone number) in your sales copy.
   Testimonials are one of the best ways to build credibility but it should be real not  fake. Many people think that they can fool their visitors by placing fake testimonials but I want to make you clear that whatever you think about your visitors, your sales page reflect that.
   A strong Guarantee is also essential to build your credibility. You may also place an audio or video message to give them a sense of belonging and a kindly feeling.
5. Bonuses:
   It's a human psychology to aspire to get one or more thing free with the product. Offer them some bonuses related to the product you are offering. If you are selling dog training book, you may offer a dog food recipes ebook or a dog health checkup guide. 
   Try to feel them that the bonuses you are offering are worth more than the price they are paying. It’s a good idea to offer digital products as bonus because you have to invest only once to create them and delivery cost is also zero.
6. Sense of Urgency:
   You must create a sense of urgency in your sales page. Make them realize that once they lose this offer they will never get it again. Give them an extra price discount, more bonuses, or any lucrative offers which make them buy. You can also offer personal email consultation if they buy within a time frame.
   
7. Ask for order:
   Many people make a great mistake in their sales letter. They write a wonderful sales letter but never ask for order. In the sales letter make it a key point that you are here to sell your product. So ask your visitors to place an order in clear words. It is a must to call them again and again to buy your products on a single sales page.
8. P.S. Lines:
   Life goes busy and no one have a spare time to even read your sales copy. Sometimes they just see your headline and your P.S. Lines. Top copywriters believe that 9% success of a sales letter depends on P.S. lines. Make it strong and compelling. Pinpoint your product's benefits, bonuses and any special offer you are offering.
   

These are some points for a perfect sales copy. If you follow these simple points, your dream of having a long queue of customers eager to buy your products will get true.

The indispensable qualities of professional copywriter

Whatever industry you operate in and whatever web site you have, it indispensable that the content on your web site is written easy-to read, appealing and attractive style. Your potential customers will visit your web site and judge both you and your company by the information presented on your web site. It might be enough to have appealing content in offline advertisement, but it is not enough just to have attracting content to be successful in online environment. However, how can one make sure that your web site will stand out from the numerous other identical ones on the internet and it will attract the attention not only of your visitors but the search engines as well? In order to get high rankings the text of your web site should be well optimized as well. Undoubtedly, this is where the skills of experienced and skilled copywriter count.

It is widely known that the copywriter should be creative, ingenious and must possess excellent writing skills. But apart from these well-known facts, what qualities and experience should professional copywriter possess? First he should know how to perform keywords search and keywords analysis. In my experience there are some specialists in the company, who can perform this task for copywriter; however it is imperative to find out whether the copywriter can perform this task before hiring him.  Second, he should have good knowledge of modern marketing tools. He must understand current online advertisement strategy and the techniques that allow receiving high rankings on your web site.  He also should know how develop highly efficient marketing program that will advertise the site and gain promotion of it online. For instance such techniques as press release and article writing that help to promote you as real professional should be known to your copywriter.

Third, the text written by him should induce customers to take some actions. One should remember that it is crucial to have action –driven text on your web site to get high results. Fourth, the copywriter should be custom-oriented and understand how the potential customers write, talk and act in order to write as much convincing as possible. Killer-Content.com is one of the leading copywriting companies, that provides its customers with appealing, attracting and ingenious copywriting SEO and web content. It also provides its customers with efficient press release services. The writers of Killer-Content.com create press release that helps to get exposure of your company.

The most sacred secrets of copywriting services

Successful copywriting is one of the most important elements of your advertising.  It attracts attention of your potential customers and makes your message memorable and it might induce your clients to take some actions. Many research in psychology show that words may affect our vision, they may either change our depressed mood or uplift our spirit.  Words can convince other people to hold a particular point of view or adopt certain way of live or belief.  Words, in short, are ones of the most powerful tools in the communication process. You and your customer are communicators. The task of every copywriting text is to grab the attention of the visitors on your web site and encourage him to explore your site further. The ultimate aim of your web site content is to induce your customer to purchase your products and services.

How to get these results? The answer is by writing the copywriting copy. Either by yourself or by some copywriting services. Each copywriting copy should comprise several indispensable elements: it should posses intriguing headline, well-written, coherent and logically structured text as well as encouraging final paragraphs. Moreover the most effective copywriting copy must communicate directly with your customer, do not try to communicate with the group of people; use the word “you “in your copywriting text. “Our clients will value our products” sounds weaker than “You will want to value our products”. One should not forget that one must start writing and designing the copywriting only after the marketing research has been conducted. Effectiveness of your copywriting copy depends on how well you have evaluated your market, the advertisements techniques of your major competitors and the demands of your potential customers.

Do not forget that you must target only those persons who are really interested in the products and services that you provide. The persons who are interested in ski resorts visit other web sites that individuals who evince their interest in the manufacturing of the cars. It is easy to follow this rule in real life; however it is not so easy in virtual, online environment. In order to get your site to the right people at te right time one should conduct keyword research before starting the writing of the content of your web site. These are just several useful tips that might help you in the writing of your content. It might sound simple and it might be easy, yet it is advisable to hire some professionals who have knowledge and experience in the writing of the web sites.  Remember that if this task is performed incorrectly, it might harm your business and entail negative consequences for it for many months to come.

The NEW Secrets to Copywriting That Sells

Anyone who has worked with me over the past 25 years knows that my mantra has always been “benefits, benefits, benefits.”  Benefit headlines, benefit copy, benefit subheads, benefit captions. anything to hammer home the customer benefits.

Benefits are still a vital key, but today, copywriting needs much more than just benefits.  To sell the most, copywriting needs to connect at a much deeper and more dramatic level than ever before.

There are 6 main reasons why.  I call them The New Secrets to Copywriting That Sells.

The “Yahoogle” effect

Thanks to mega search engines like Yahoo and Google, tons of information on just about any topic, product or service is literally at your fingertips.. for free.

Here’s what that means to your marketing:

Internet search engine rankings for your business/product/service are vital.  Most people search on the internet for things they are interested in. 

• People won’t pay for information they can get online for free.  You can’t succeed selling generic basic plain vanilla information any more. 

• You can’t get away with outrageous claims.  Everything you say can be checked out in an instant. 
• Many people comparison shop on the internet before making any purchase.

Solutions: 

• Use search engine optimization (SEO) to get your website ranked high. 
• Most businesses will have to use Pay-Per-Click advertising for their best keywords and phrases. 
• Copywriting must uncover and feature the unique advantages and superiority of whatever is being sold. 
• Your offering must be extremely differentiated from the competition – or else you’ll end up having to compete on low prices alone. 
• You must make it clear – very quickly – that you are providing something they can’t find elsewhere online for free.

Advertising Overload Filter

In today’s hectic, media-frenzied world, people are bombarded by hundreds or even thousands of advertising messages every single day.  Therefore, to maintain their sanity, most people have become more immune to advertising. 

They can’t possibly devote their full attention to every message they receive, so they’ve learned to “scan” and “filter” the messages they receive in a matter of a split-second or two. 

So, to succeed today – marketing must cut through the “advertising filter” and get attention and interest from target prospects. 

Solutions: 

• Don’t send out “advertising.”  Instead – send out valuable helpful information.  Make it something that will obviously benefit your prospect just by reading it.  Weave your sales pitch into this helpful information. 
• Make your marketing look and sound valuable. 
• Use specific numbers. 
• Make a great offer.  You can “buy” a new customer this way and profit from their Lifetime Value (LV). 
• Consider a free offer to get prospects/customers into your marketing funnel. 
• Be outrageous, crazy, unique – if appropriate. 
• Be personal, corny, homey – if appropriate.

Super SKEPTICISM

You may be the most honest person in the world.  Your company may be the most honest in the world.  But all your potential customer knows is there are a lot of dishonest people out there.

Internet scams, ID theft, companies going bankrupt, and credit card fraud are all in the headlines almost daily.  And many people simply disregard claims that sound “too good to be true” today more than ever.

To succeed today, you need to add heavy credibility to your marketing.  This will reduce the risk or fear people may have about doing business with you.

Solutions:

• Show the number of years you’ve been in business, membership in trade organizations, awards won, etc.
• Offer a free sample or free trial.
• Offer a risk-free, money-back guarantee.
• Sign your name to the ad or sales letter.
• Use a photo of the person writing, product photo, business photo, employees photo.
• Use customer testimonials extensively.
• Use case studies.
• Use lots of specifics.
• List your physical address, phone, fax, email and business hours.
• Have an “expert” be your spokesperson.
• Acknowledge any doubts or “sneaking suspicions” your prospect may already have, and give them valuable, factual information to support your product/service.
• Don’t make claims that could sound “too good to be true” – even if they are true.

The Entertain-Game Society

Today, entertainment is everything.  Even hard news websites are full of flash, video, audio, surveys, contests, games, etc.

So, use this new environment in your marketing as an advantage.  Look for ways to entertain and get prospects involved with your marketing promotions.

Solutions:

• This can include new uses of traditional “action” devices like stickers, rub-offs and inserts.
• Personal stories/testimonials in your promotion are entertaining and engage people on a personal level.
• Surveys with results
• Self-tests with answers
• Trivia
• Celebrity spokesperson
• Games
• Streaming audio and video
• Humor – if appropriate

The Right Now Factor

The days of “please allow 6-8 weeks for shipping” are dead and gone … just like any company who still thinks anything close to that kind of policy is ok.

More than anything else, the internet has conditioned consumers to expect everything instantly. Instant ordering, instant payment, instant confirmation and, in many cases, instant downloading of product.

Solutions: If you are going to grab the attention of today’s consumers, you must let them know you can satisfy their needs IMMEDIATELY.  Play up how fast they will get their product, premium or first issue.

The Bonding Factor

We all want a hero, a guru, someone we can relate to, and someone we feel has our best interests at heart, right?

Today’s consumer is very jaded, skeptical and frustrated with the lack of love and bonding in his life, whether consciously or subconsciously.

Today, you need to be seen as a guide and friend first, and a helpful confidant second.  If you even smell like just a greedy salesperson, you will lose your advantage.

Solutions: Be likeable, friendly, personal, passionate, unique and different.  Be authentic – a person and company that your prospect can genuinely bond with.