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 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.

The One Word Every Prospect Craves

It’s arguably the most important word in the copywriter's arsenal. It ranks right at the top with words like "free," "new" and "savings."

I’m talking about "you." 

"You" is the word that gets your prospect’s attention and keeps them involved. As Herschell Gordon Lewis says in The Art of Writing Copy, "Unless the reader regards himself as the target of your message, benefit can’t exist. Benefit demands a ‘We/You’ relationship." 

While the "We" in the "We/You" relationship is important, it’s better implied than communicated literally. If your goal is to put prospects first, then it’s best to have the "you’s" far exceed the "we’s." 

It’s the "you’s" that matter to prospects. They’re your workhorse for communicating your message and include all derivatives such as "your," "yours," "yourself," "you’re," and "you’ll." 

Powerful ‘You’ 

What makes "you" so powerful? For one thing, it addresses your readers directly. In effect, it says "Hey you," which is much harder to ignore than "Hey somebody." Say "Hey you" in a crowded room and a lot of heads will turn. Say "Hey somebody" and a few heads might turn. 

While your copy won’t actually say "Hey you," it can clearly identify to whom you’re talking. Once you have your audience's attention, use "you" to help keep it. 

Personal ‘You’ 

Why does "you" get and hold attention? For one thing, it’s personal. It’s used in personal conversation every day. What do you think? How was your weekend? You’ll be glad to know.

When people say these things to you, they’re bound to get your attention and involvement. After all, they’re interested in your opinion. They’re interested in the things you do. They have something to tell you that will make you happy. 

That’s the goal of you-oriented copy. Address your audience directly, personally and in terms of their interests. Be conversational and "you" will pop up in the copy naturally. 

Counting ‘You’ 

It was mentioned earlier that "you" is a workhorse. A classic example is contained in "The Do-It-Yourself Direct Mail Handbook" by Murray Raphel and Ken Erdman. They highlight a "Newsweek" magazine subscription letter used for nearly two decades. 

The subscription letter was written by direct mail expert Ed McLean, who used "you" nearly 30 times on the first page alone. More than 100 million copies of the letter were mailed, a testament to its effectiveness. 

Try counting the "you’s" (and "you" derivatives) in your copy. Compare them with the number of "we’s" and first-person derivatives. If the "you’s" don’t outnumber the "we’s," consider reworking your copy. 

Excessive ‘You’? 

Can you overdo "you"? Yes. 

If you load your copy with "you’s" but forget the benefits, your message will have a phony ring. 

"You" can’t save you if there’s nothing meaningful to offer your audience. Likewise, it will help put you over the top if there is.

The Secret Power of Words

If the best way of communicating with prospects and existing customers was through sign language, we’d all have to learn to sign. Or if the best method of communication proved to be some kind of mutually understandable code, we’d all have to learn that code in order to say anything. Thankfully, our communication process is much more simple…or is it?

A sales person has the benefit of meeting his prospect face to face, and will be able gauge his pitch according to visible response signs displayed by his prospect. An experienced salesman will instinctively know from the facial expressions and body language of his prospect, whether he’s hitting the right buttons. This is usually indicated by the prospect’s head nodding up and down combined simultaneously with a beaming smile and wide-eyed appreciation.

A telesales person has much less to go on. They can only judge response to their sales pitch through the prospect’s answers to questions and the actual tone of their voice. Most telesales people find their job easier when they try to imagine the look on their prospect’s faces while they’re talking to them. But, the deciding factor will almost always come down to the tone of voice deployed by both parties.

The Internet and Direct Mail Marketer have no such advantages over their prospects. They can’t see them and they can’t hear them. Their only weapon in their armory of sales pitches is their written word.

How we communicate through our written words holds the absolute key to successful selling online and offline. Whether it’s a sales letter, an email or ad, the written words must convincingly convey the sales message directly into the prospect’s mind. But first, you have to get your prospects to actually read your message, and usually this very first hurdle will claim many, many casualties.

Getting someone to read your sales pitch will almost certainly depend on your headline. Your headline is your introduction. Your ‘hello’, your ‘hey you’ and your ‘listen up’. If your headline doesn’t grab the attention of your prospect within two seconds, it’s goodbye and farewell.

Other important aspects of a ‘killer’ sales message are sub-headings. Sub-headings are generally used to maintain interest throughout the copy. But they’re also included for the benefit of prospects that first scan your message before deciding to read it in full. To some degree, they’re almost as important as the headline itself.

Then there’s the body copy. It’s here that your copywriting talents and skills should really shine through. Here you have the opportunity to use any words in the English language to describe and explain in fine detail, the benefits and features of your product or service on offer. And the English language is positively rich in adjectives, so there can be no excuse.

But the real secret to creating captivating copy is to use ‘sense’ words. That is, words that arouse the senses. Touch, see, smell, taste and listen is what we instinctively do every day. They represent our human survival mechanisms and for the most part, we trust them. Other mammals rely on them totally. 

When you use sense words in conjunction with emotionally fuelled trigger words,   you can elicit all kinds of responses, which can be carefully channeled into the heart of your message for maximum impact. Harnessing words for profit in this way is a skill, and it’s a skill that every online and offline marketer needs to fully comprehend.

Learning to write outstanding and emotionally charged sales copy is not an essential requirement for business success, but recognizing the effectiveness is.

Never underestimate the secret power of words.

Use the 5 W's to Rock Your Marketplace

Meet the five W's: Who, What, When, Where, Why. Oh, them, you say. Inverted pyramid and all that journalism stuff. The five W’s are old-timers, old news. Well, yes. But there’s a reason they’ve been around a long time. Plus, I’ll let you in on a secret: They’re not just for reporters writing breaking news stories or publicists cranking out press releases. You can apply the 5 W's to marketing pieces, even advertising. Let me show you how. Beyond PR The five W’s have long been the mainstay of PR professionals who must write newsworthy press releases to get media attention for their clients. By effectively using the five W’s, they’re speaking the language of journalists and the news business. However, marketing, advertising and sales promotion are undisguised selling. How do the five W’s apply? Let’s run through them. Think about an ad, Web site, brochure, or sales letter. Who – Who is the audience, customer, or prospect? Who are you?

What – What is the product, service, offer?

When – What is the time element? Why is it important or urgent now?

Where – Where is the market(s) or company (yours and/or theirs)?

Why – Why should they respond or buy? What are the reasons or benefits? Why you instead of your competitor?

I’m not suggesting that the five W’s are a marketing cure-all. You still need to stick to marketing basics: presenting products and services as solutions to problems; showcasing features and benefits; providing proof with testimonials, opinions and statistics; and having a strong call to action. Simply use the five W’s to help flesh out all aspects of your message. Stress-free Interviewing With a firm grasp of the five W’s, I believe you can adequately steer your way through any interview. The five W’s give you the question-asking framework to approach any person, subject and project. Ideally, you prepare for an interview, considering the focus of your piece, gathering background information and preparing questions in written form or in your head. The five W’s are a good starting point, but you’ll find them absolutely indispensable in those instances when you have little or no time to prepare for an interview. The five W’s will help you ask some decent questions and come away with what you need to write the piece. Don’t Forget ‘How’ Not widely publicized because it doesn’t begin with a "W," "how" is a frequent sidekick of the 5 W's. How important is "how"? It’s of prime importance in every rags-to-riches story. We all want to know how they did it. It’s critical to new technology, as in how it works. You can probably think of other examples. Lean heavily on "how," for it can be just as important as the five W’s. Copyright (c) 2006 Neil Sagebiel