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Copywriting Information |
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10 Keys to Copy That Sells!
Whether you're selling a product or service, the 10 tips below are your keys to writing great copy that communicates and persuades ... to get results! These guidelines can apply to most any form of consumer marketing communications: sales letters, brochures, web copy, or direct mail. As long as your goal is to elicit a reaction from your reader, you've come to the right place. Many ads, brochures, and Web sites we see talk endlessly on and on about how great their products and companies are. Hello? Customer, anyone? Think of your reader thinking, "What's in it for me?" If you can, talk with some of your current customers and ask them 1) why they chose you, and 2) what they get out of your product or service. TIP: To instantly make your copy more reader-focused, insert the word "you" often. The fact that your product or service offers a lot of neat features is great, but what do they DO for your customer? Do they save her time or money? Give her peace of mind? Raise her image to a certain status? Here's an example: If you go buy a pair of Gucci sunglasses, you're not just looking for good UV protection. You're buying the sleek, stylish Gucci look. So that's what Gucci sells. You don't see their ads talk about how well made their sunglasses are. Think end results. Now, what does an insurance broker sell? Policies? No - peace of mind. (See? You've got it.) The first thing your reader sees can mean the difference between success and failure. Today's ads are chock full of clever headlines that play on words. They're cute, but most of them aren't effective. There are many ways to get attention in a headline, but it's safest to appeal to your reader's interests and concerns. And again, remember to make it reader centered - no one gives a hoot about your company. Bad: "SuccessCorp Creates Amazing New Financial Program" Better: "Turn Your Finances Around in 30 Days!" Like mini-headlines, subheads help readers quickly understand your main points by making the copy "skimmable." Because subheads catch readers" eyes, you should use them to your benefit! Read through your copy for your main promotional points, then summarize the ideas as subheads. To make your subheads engaging, it's important to include action or selling elements. Bad: "Our Department's Successes." Better: "Meet Five Clients Who Saved $10K With Us." Write to your customers like you'd talk to them. Don't be afraid of using conversational phrases such as "So what's next?" or "Here's how do we do this." Avoid formality and use short, easy words. Why? Even if you think it can't possibly be misunderstood, a few people still won't get it. 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 business audience, you should upscale your words to what they're used to. In these cases buzzwords are often crucial. Just make sure your points don't get muddled in them!) 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 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. 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 me of those ads in the back of magazines with headlines like "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. 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 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. 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*. (c) 2002 Alexandria K. Brown ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is author of the award-winning manual, "Boost Business With Your Own E-zine." To learn more about her book and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://EzineQueenTutorial.com/
MORE RESOURCES: Vikki Ross on Finding Your Voice — LBB LBB - Little Black Book "I was forced to use AI until the day I was laid off." Copywriters reveal how AI has decimated their industry bloodinthemachine.com Copywriter Grades AI Content at 95% Practical Ecommerce AI Is Coming for Marketing Copywriters The University of Chicago Booth School of Business AI for copywriting Latest Version for Android vnua.edu.vn TOP 20 AI VS HUMAN COPYWRITER PERFORMANCE STATISTICS 2026 THAT EXPOSE SHOCKING CONTENT RESULTS Amra & Elma SimpleCopywriter Founder Emre Yılmaz Outlines Editorial Approach to AI-Assisted Copywriting USA Today Write now: The lost art of copywriting Campaign UK Anthropic is hiring a copywriter and paying up to $320K Business Insider Africa Doom Spiral: Is AI Creating a Copywriting Feedback Loop? LBB - Little Black Book How Rafter Manguiat Went From Philippine Countryside Bubble to ‘Hacking’ Cannes — LBB LBB - Little Black Book How to Become a Copywriter | SNHU Southern New Hampshire University Making the case for the (human) copywriter prmoment.com Despite Moments of Wit and Ingenuity, ‘The Copywriter’ Is a Tough Read Highbrow Magazine Anthropic Just Listed A Copywriter Job Paying Up To $320K Briefs Finance World Creative Rankings 2026: Serviceplan’s Javier Granados named most-awarded copywriter - The Drum Alex Cattoni raises the question of whether marketing should attract or filter - media-marketing.com Alex Cattoni raises the question of whether marketing should attract or filter media-marketing.com One of the world’s most influential copywriters Alex Cattoni is to speak at Dani komunikacija in Rovinj media-marketing.com The Agency That Fired Its Junior Copywriters and Hired a Prompt Engineer Instead Drift Travel Magazine Creative Minds: From the Senate to adland, Jonel Revistual detoured his way to copywriting Campaign Asia I’m a copywriter. I’m pretty sure artificial intelligence is going to take my job | Henry Williams The Guardian I make up to $13,000 a month copywriting on Fiverr. Here's how I got started and landed clients. Business Insider TOP 100 CONTENT MARKETING WRITERS: FREELANCE COPYWRITING – ONLINE, PRINT, WEB & MORE futuristsspeakers.com Is Copywriting Really a Skill?. “You’re not really a writer then; you… | by Michael Stover DataDrivenInvestor I Lost My Job to ChatGPT and Was Made Obsolete Business Insider Inspiring Conversations with Jenny Roth of Jenny Roth Copywriting CanvasRebel Magazine ‘I went from ₹2 lakh to ₹40,000 a month’: Copywriter claims AI cost him his high-paying career The Times of India How to Become a Copywriter in 2026: A Beginner's Roadmap Simplilearn.com phind copywriting Free Download for Android vnua.edu.vn How I Taught Myself Copywriting and Created a $974,000 Business Business Insider Creative Minds: Sophie Harper once hid her creative side, until she realised copywriting was poetry with a pay cheque Campaign Asia How to Start a Freelance Career Without Using Upwork and Fiverr Business Insider Meet Sarah Turner: Copywriter & Copywriting Mentor shoutoutla.com gemma copywriting APK Installation Package vnua.edu.vn I'm a freelance editor who's embraced working with AI content. Here's how I do it and what I charge. Business Insider Embracing AI-generated content, BlueFocus will replace human copywriters and creatives Campaign Asia Copywriting Lessons from Poets, Playwrights and Novelists LBB - Little Black Book Dubai man recalls earning ₹60,000 in Mumbai in 2004, says copywriter pay barely changed in 22 years | Trending Hindustan Times I Doubled My Income to $250,000 by Getting a Big Tech Recruiting Job Business Insider ‘Went from ₹2 lakh a month to ₹40,000 salary’: Copywriter blames AI for career downfall | Trending Hindustan Times I Went From Scrubbing Toilets to Making $17,000 a Month Copywriting Business Insider Meet Nicole Brena | Personal Wellness Copywriter shoutoutatlanta.com How Copywriter Ali Alshehri Sharpens His Creative Capacities LBB - Little Black Book 5 Minutes with… Michelle Lamont LBB - Little Black Book Global copywriting services market projected to near $48.89bn by 2032 amid rising brand content demand Marketing Edge Meet Courtney Fanning CanvasRebel Magazine Meet Leah Stine | VA turned Copywriter SHOUTOUT MIAMI Meet Kelsey Formost of Magic Words Copywriting in West Hollywood Voyage LA Magazine Automatic product copywriting for e‐commerce - Zou - 2023 - AI Magazine Wiley Online Library WA creative Lachy Banton departs The Brand Agency for in-house Brand Copywriter role at Sea to Summit Campaign Brief 'Uncomfortable truth': Dubai ad exec says Mumbai copywriters still earn Rs 60k, same as 22 years ago Moneycontrol.com Meet Raeah Carroll | Copywriter & Copy Coach shoutoutla.com How I Made $175K in a Year From Home As a Freelancer on Fiverr Business Insider Meet Luciana Inés Castro | Publicist – Creative Copywriter shoutoutla.com Copywriter: Website copy refresh and tone of voice development Arts Council of Wales Meet Dayana Aleksandrova Bold Journey Magazine Meet Corey Staley: Social Content Creator & Copywriter shoutoutla.com Author Liani Kotcher on Copywriting and Her Latest Novel, Ski Weekend Montecito Journal Community Highlights: Meet Krista Walsh Voyage LA Magazine Meet Heather Martin CanvasRebel Magazine I made $1 million last year by creating online copywriting courses. Here's my advice on how to monetize your talents. Business Insider Meet Arianna Smith CanvasRebel Magazine Charlotte Moore PhotoBook Magazine |
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