3 Keys to Better Online Copywriting
Doing the copywriting for your own website without the proper
knowledge and tools is pretty much like flying blind in a
snowstorm without piloting experience or instruments. It doesn't work too well. A very basic knowledge of copywriting and direct marketing
principles will take you a long ways on the Web. Here are three simple keys to writing better online copy. Armed
just with these, you'll have a jump on 90% of the folks out
there doing the copywriting for their own sites. And you'll
increase the pulling quality of your site's copy today -- even
if you've never written a word of copy in your life. 1) Wake up your prospect In today's overkill ad world most people have become numb to
standard sales messages. Television, newspapers, magazines,
Internet, radio, etc. all blast us non-stop with advertising.
After a while we just naturally tune most of it out. Copywriting great John Carlton says to imagine that your
prospect is a giant blob sitting there on the couch or in a
chair. Now what would you need to do to get that blob to take
action to buy? Getting someone to stop... actually read your website copy...
AND click through (or fill out a form) is serious heavy-duty
action on the click-and-run Web. Your prospect has a million
things on his or her mind. Reading your copy isn't exactly Priority One... So how do you wake your prospects up and get 'em to read your
copy? The secret is right here in this headline: "ARE YOU TOO BUSY EARNING A LIVING TO MAKE ANY REAL MONEY?" This is from Joe Karbo's sales letter for his "The Lazy Man's
Way to Riches" book. The letter was probably responsible for
over a million dollars worth of sales for Joe. Joe's secret here, and one which you can use too, is based on a
simple principle for getting a prospect's attention. You need to... 2) Enter the conversation going on in your prospect's mind You should know enough about your target market to know what
keeps them awake at night. If you don't yet, then you'll need
to find out right away. In the example above from Joe Karbo, it's about working like a
dog and barely making enough to pay the bills. Marketers like
Joe who target opportunity seekers understand that frustrations
about money cause a lot of people pain. But what concerns does your target market have? What problem(s)
do they need solved? What itch(es) do they need scratched? You can find the answers to these questions fairly easily. Lurk
on the forums where your prospects hang out... Read the online
and offline newsletters, magazines and journals they read... Or better yet, just ask them! Set up a survey page on your website or else survey them
through your newsletter or blog. Or use a Web tool like
AskDatabase. Once you know what your prospects are thinking about most of the
time your copywriting job becomes a heckuva lot easier. You'll
be on a more intimate basis with your market. Which is never a
bad thing... Good copywriting is wooing your customers in print, after all.
Just like you would woo a prospective mate. And the more you
know about them the more you'll be able to say the right things! So now that you know what bothers your prospects you'll need
to... 3) Make a compelling offer This is an area where most website copy really falls short. Ask yourself this question: What exactly is it that I want my prospects to do? You want them to buy! Right? Or at least opt-in to your
newsletter... or get your free report... or sign up for your
autoresponder series... In other words, you want them to take an action! You don't want
them to browse around, look at your pretty graphics and then
click out. The Web is just too too big. And your site is just
one tiny place in that giant Web ocean. Once they leave, their
chances of coming back are one in a billion. Or worse... So you need to use your copywriting skills to build an offer
that forces them to make a clear decision. Make it irresistible. "Make them an offer they can't refuse,"
said the old godfather. He would've made a good marketer. By making your offer as seductive as possible, you force action.
You force that clear decision. With pure lead generation sites
this means they give you their contact info. With direct sales
sites it means a sale. Or if it's a combination of the two they
buy and/or give you their contact info so you can follow up. If your offer is good enough, then a good percentage of your
prospects will be energized. Your copy will be like a jolt of electricity...Zap! That blob on the couch might actually get up and do something... So make your offer hot. Load it up with perceived value. Tell
'em how your product is going to make their life better. And
give 'em a good deal! To summarize... Wake 'em up by entering the conversation already in their minds,
and then make 'em an offer they can't refuse. If you do this,
you'll instantly increase the power of your online copywriting.
I guarantee it! © 2005 by Bruce Carlson Want to become a better online copywriter? Sign
up for Bruce's The Dynamic Copywriter and see how
easily you can improve your online copywriting
skills and boost your sales! http://www.dynamic-copywriting.com
Related News
Weekly Web Tip #7 - Stop Hemorrhaging Leads & Sales - Furniture World Magazine (press release)
Weekly Web Tip #7 - Stop Hemorrhaging Leads & SalesFurniture World Magazine (press release) -Jan 5, 2009That’s not the case with the product of commercial writing known as “copywriting.” Most everyone can write today; it only takes a pen and paper. ... |
10 ADVERTISING WORDS TO AVOID IN 2009 - Gather.com
10 ADVERTISING WORDS TO AVOID IN 2009Gather.com, MA -Dec 31, 2008In 2009, perhaps more than ever, the words you use in your copywriting can determine whether you make a sale or lose a customer. Here are 10 words to avoid ... |
“How to Explode Your Website’s Marketing Potential With A Few Easy ... - NewsReleaseWire.com (press release)
4 Fatal Mistakes Most Internet Marketers Made In Copywriting Part I - PWO
Take Steps to Recession Proof Your Small Business - MSNBC
Copywriting for Direct Mail - Part 3: Five Motivators - Web Host Industry Review
The Ultimate Web Copywriting Secret - PWO
The Ultimate Web Copywriting SecretPWO, France -Dec 28, 2008But just like the Rolex, each component of web copywriting has finer details and nuances which are hard to explain in detail in a short article. ... |
Zuula Consulting is the New Face of Communication - PR Newswire (press release)
eWriting Café Announces the Launch of New Website - PowerHomeBiz.com (press release)
Stormrise: The Console RTS Comes of Age - IGN
Stormrise: The Console RTS Comes of AgeIGN, CA -12 hours agoThat hasn't stopped Sega from copywriting the control scheme (and the name) anyway, though. Like the latest console RTS offerings, Stormrise focuses ... |
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Five Keys To Leaner and Meaner Copywriting
Grab 'em and don't lose 'em. Every marketer knows that one. Human beings have very short attention spans, so you can't afford to waste your prospect's time - give them the good stuff and then let them go as soon as you can. Writing effective marketing material is all about writing crisply with just a handful of words.
Content is King
Introduction
Real Estate Professionals Need You to Write for Them!
Ask yourself these questions:
Getting Over Copy Shock
A few weeks ago I wrote some copy for a business owner "Marvin." My copy was hard-hitting but honest and down-to-earth. He's really good in his field, so coming up with benefits was easy. What wasn't easy was convincing him to run with the copy on his duller-than-dust website.
Keeping It Real: The Only Copywriting Trick That Works
Much of today's accepted copywriting wisdom comes from old books written for a different, quieter world.
Top 10 Ways For Copywriters To Overcome Writers Block
We all know that words have the power to persuade, compel and most importantly, sell.
How to Hold Peoples Interest throughout those Long Copy Sales Letters
People tend to read your ads and sales letters in 2 different ways:
Its Time To Start That Swipe File
Just as great fiction is an art, so is great copywriting. Beneath the art, however, there's a foundation of basic knowledge and skills. The craft that goes into your writing.
Can You Become a Freelance Copywriter in Los Angeles?
Is it out there? The chance to be a freelance copywriter in Los Angeles? For those looking to become a copy writer, finding employment in various cities can be difficult. In fact, most freelance writers around the world struggle to find employment or jobs that are within their own cities and home towns. But, if you want to become a freelance copywriter, Los Angeles can add several benefits.
Stop Chasing Away Customers! Bad Copy is Your Worst Enemy
Every day, more and more of us begin new online business
ventures, hoping to make a better living or just a little extra
on the side. And every day, more and more of us fail.
Your Article Headlines will Make or Break Your Business
Most people with an online presence will have to regularly deal with the issue of coming up with an appropriate headline. The problem is that most people do not take it seriously enough. Many do not realize that the headline is so important that no matter how good the content is, it will never get read if the headline does not beckon surfers to it.
Hey, Client, This Is Me! Sell With Your Writing Voice
In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as they read what you've written -- they'll click right past pages that feel "been there, read that." They're looking for a voice that says, "Hey, client, this is me!"
Why Your Advertising Copy is not the Most Important Part of Your Ad
If you own a shop in the middle of the desert, and nobody walks past... obviously you're not going to attract many customers.
Are Long Copy Salesletters Scams?
A passionate debate is currently raging in the Copywriters Forum about long versus short copy. (If you haven't joined, do so. Click the "register" link the top. It's free. There are tons of tips from other very successful copywriters.)
Custom Writing Services: Market Overview
Market identification
Custom writing services market is a sector of the e-commerce industry. Custom writing services are fee-based.
Copywriting Makeover: Making An Emotional Connection - Part 1 of 2
One statistic shows that over 80% of all buying decisions are emotional. That means your copywriting should be, too. This is something I firmly believe in and have preached for most of my copywriting career. However, all too often, I find people skipping the vital step of making an emotional connection with their customers. That can be a tragic, and costly, mistake.
Copywriting Makeover: Making An Emotional Connection - Part 2 of 2
In part one of this article series we began looking at the Cruise Vacation Center site: a travel site whose copy was sorely lacking in emotional appeal and visual imagry. (You can see the previous version of the copy here: http://www.copywritingcourse.com/CruiseVacationCenter-Original.pdf.) In the conclusion, youll see how all the rewrite turned out and how exciting the end results have been.
Writing Online In Two Syllables or Less
About once a month I fly off somewhere to give a one-day workshop on writing for the web.
Copywriting Makeover: Search Engine-Friendly Can Also Mean Visitor-Friendly
When it comes to search engine optimization, copywriting plays a big role. You want to have excellent copy that appeals to both your visitors and the engines in order to create pages that will rank highly. However, sometimes there can be potential problems with fitting copy into certain types of sites. Due to space constraints, page layout requirements or other issues, some site owners hesitate to include SEO copy thinking it will detract from the visitor's experience. It won't if you do it right!
Write Benefits in Your Headlines to Deliver the Dream!
When you create headlines, do you put benefits into your headlines to deliver the dream? Do you create headlines that draw your reader deeper into the rest of copy?
|