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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: Claude AI for copywriting examples Blockchain Council "I was forced to use AI until the day I was laid off." Copywriters reveal how AI has decimated their industry bloodinthemachine.com From Recognised at Clio Awards for Professional Council of Surveying Campaign Little Black Book | LBBOnline Global copywriting services market projected to near $48.89bn by 2032 amid rising brand content demand Marketing Edge Why copywriting is the new superpower in 2026 Search Engine Land The Copywriter by Daniel Poppick Publishers Weekly Consider a Career in Copywriting Careers Portal The Perennial Predicament of the Artist with an Office Job The New Yorker Despite Moments of Wit and Ingenuity, ‘The Copywriter’ Is a Tough Read Highbrow Magazine Creative Minds: From the Senate to adland, Jonel Revistual detoured his way to copywriting Campaign Asia Help! It’s the First Trump Presidency and This Poet’s Life Is Spiraling. The New York Times Doom Spiral: Is AI Creating a Copywriting Feedback Loop? Little Black Book | LBBOnline Why 2026 Is the Golden Year for Copywriters vocal.media World Creative Rankings 2026: Serviceplan’s Javier Granados named most-awarded copywriter - The Drum Tristin Vaccaro, Mission 500 and Vaccaro Copywriting: Best Advice Security Sales & Integration How to Become a Copywriter in 2026: A Beginner's Roadmap Simplilearn.com How Copywriter Ali Alshehri Sharpens His Creative Capacities Little Black Book | LBBOnline 12 Best Copywriting Books for Aspiring Marketers [2026] Simplilearn.com AI Generates Social Media Captions Efficiently Let's Data Science 12 Copywriting Tools for Effective Content Creation in 2026 Simplilearn.com Best AI Copywriting Tools for Marketers & Creators Analytics Insight How to Become a Copywriter | SNHU Southern New Hampshire University I’m a copywriter. I’m pretty sure artificial intelligence is going to take my job | Henry Williams The Guardian ChatGPT Took My Job in Copywriting. You Could Be Next. entrepreneur.com How I Taught Myself Copywriting and Created a $974,000 Business Business Insider How AI Copywriting Is Changing Marketing: From Bots to Brilliant Ads Eye On Annapolis The 10 best AI copywriting tools (free and paid!) in 2025 Hootsuite Blog Google Ads copywriting with AI: Getting the prompt right Search Engine Land Copywriting Lessons from Poets, Playwrights and Novelists Little Black Book | LBBOnline SEO copywriting in 2025: 5 pillars for ranking and relevance Search Engine Land Meet Nicole Brena | Personal Wellness Copywriter SHOUTOUT ATLANTA How to Start a Freelance Career Without Using Upwork and Fiverr Business Insider In Her Own Words: Copywriter Caroline Duggan honors Shakespeare’s art The Business Journals Will AI make copywriters extinct? dentsu.co.jp Meet Gabrielle Eloy | Copywriter & Creative Strategist SHOUTOUT ATLANTA Charlotte Moore PhotoBook Magazine Meet Mikayla Taylor | Copywriter for Women Entrepreneurs SHOUTOUT ATLANTA Copywriting Services Market to reach $42.22 Billion by 2030, with a Projected CAGR of 7.6%, says Coherent Market Insights Yahoo Finance Author Liani Kotcher on Copywriting and Her Latest Novel, Ski Weekend Montecito Journal I make up to $13,000 a month copywriting on Fiverr. Here's how I got started and landed clients. Business Insider Meet Bianca Heath: Copywriter SHOUTOUT ATLANTA Meet Raeah Carroll | Copywriter & Copy Coach SHOUTOUT LA Meet Julia Angel | Copywriter SHOUTOUT MIAMI I'm a freelance editor who's embraced working with AI content. Here's how I do it and what I charge. Business Insider Meet Anna Bratton | Copywriter SHOUTOUT ATLANTA The Multifaceted World of Copywriting With R/GA’s Robyn Tenenbaum Little Black Book | LBBOnline Confessions of a copywriter on creativity, returning to the office and ‘butts in seats mentality’ Digiday How AI Copywriters Are Changing SEO future.com Copywriting Services Market to reach $42.22 Billion by GlobeNewswire EXCLUSIVE: John Davenport’s next creative mission • Copywriting — last line standing • Thu 09 Oct 2025 MarkLives.com Can (or will) AI Replace Copywriters? Browser Media Meet Alise Crittendon | Copywriter & Digital Content Creator SHOUTOUT ATLANTA Journalism alumnus pursues copywriting in New York City University of Nevada, Reno A millennial who left the corporate world and scaled a 7-figure copywriting business explains how she did it Business Insider Meet Kelli Cross: Lettering Artist | Copywriter | Encourager SHOUTOUT ATLANTA Should You Hire a Copywriter? Architectural Digest 7 Companies Hiring Copywriters Built In Meet Yula Ryoo | Copywriter SHOUTOUT ATLANTA Meet Nicole Pellegrini: Designer & Copywriter SHOUTOUT LA |
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