10 Keys to Writing Copy That Sells!-Part2
Sure-Fire Copywriting TipsAs you know, good sales copy is critical to your success
online. Although it's not something that you can learn
overnight, here are a few pointers to increase your
response rates ...
__1. Focus on .....
...... the jargon.
Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords - stick to the facts and the
benefits. An easy way to weed out jargon is to think of dear old Mom
reading your copy. Would she get it' If not, clarify and simplify.
(This rule, of course, varies, depending on who your target audience
is. For a B2B audience, you should upscale your words to what they're
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"A .....
used to. In these cases buzzwords are often crucial. Just make sure
your points don't get muddled in them!)
7. Keep it brief and digestible.
No one has time to weed through lengthy prose these days. The faster
you convey your product or service's benefits to the reader, the more
likely you'll keep her reading. Fire your "biggest gun" first by
beginning with your biggest benefit - if you put it toward the end of
How To Write News Releases That Get NoticedWhat do you do with junk mail' Are you like me' I toss this stuff without opening it ' unless I see some benefit. Publication editors do the same. They toss news releases that don't demonstrate a benefit to their .....
your copy, you risk losing the reader before she gets to it. Aim for
sentence lengths of less than 20 words. When possible, break up copy
with subheads (see no. 4), bullets, numbers, or em dashes (like the
one following this phrase) - these make your points easy to digest.
8. Use testimonials when possible.
Let your prospects know they won't be the first to try you. Give
results-oriented testimonials from customers who have benefited
immensely from your product or service. Oh, and never give people's
initials only - it reminds one of those ads in the back of magazines
with headlines such as "Lose 50 Pounds in Three Days!" Give people's
full names with their titles and companies (or towns and states of
residence) - and be sure to get their permission first.
How To Market Yourself Successfully As A WriterTo ensure a steady flow of work and income, a writer should promote himself constantly. Not everyone knows you are a writer and the competition for work is very high. Not only do you compete with publications .....
9. Ask for the order!
Tell your reader what you want her to do - don't leave her hanging.
Do you want her to call you or e-mail you for more information' Order
Article Writing: Breaking Writer's BlockIt is amazing to see how much we all still dread writing; even a simple letter or memo! When we start talking about an Essay or an Article for publication, .....
now' Call to schedule a free consultation' Complete a brief survey'
Think about what you'd most like her to do, and then ask her. It's
amazing how many marketing materials I come across every day that
don't make it clear what the reader should do. If you wrote
interesting copy, your reader may forget you're trying to sell
something! Tell her what to do, and she'll be more likely to do it.
10. Have your copy proofread!
Good. Now have it proofread again. Don't risk printing any typos,
misspellings, or grammatical mistakes that will represent your
company as amateurish. Hire a professional editor/proofreader to
clean up your work and double-check your grammar. Remember, you only
get one chance to make a first impession! Oops -- *impression*.
About the Author
Alexandria Brown's FREE biweekly e-zine gives "how-to" tips on
writing compelling copy for Web sites, brochures, and e-zines. Learn
how to ATTRACT NEW CLIENTS and strengthen your customer
relationships! Subscribe today at http://www.akbwriting.com or via
mailto:AKBMarCom-On@lists.webvalence.com
