Copywriting Information

12 Copywriting Tips to Make Your Advertising More Profitable


Year after year people make the same mistakes in direct-response copy and advertising. You can avoid the most common and costly blunders by following these profit-enhancing tips...

1. WRITE IN DIRECT RESPONSE LANGUAGE:

* Use short paragraphs and short words. This article has 68% short words-five letters or less. Strive for at least 65%-75%. Never go under 50% unless you are writing to Ph.D's.

* Make your sentences and paragraphs flow like a breeze.

* Ignore good grammar when you have a good reason.

* Keep the bucket brigade going: Start paragraphs with And, But..., So you see..., However...

* Use the freshest concepts and the most colorful language you can without disturbing the flow.

* Use hot words: free, profit, new, now, secret, easy, save, guarantee, today... and the hottest word of all: YOU!

* Use bullets... lots of them.

2. WRITE LOTS OF HEADLINES.

Always think up dozens of alternative headlines. Put your strongest benefits in them and test your best alternatives. When writing headlines for web sites make sure they include key search words and phrases along with the benefits.

3. DROP THE WARM-UPS...

You'll destroy your entire letter/ad by starting off, "As a homeowner, you know how maintenace costs are climbing every day...". Take your first draft and try cutting out the first two to three paragraphs... you'll usually find the real "meat" starts to appear in your copy after you have started to "warm-up" to the writing.

4. STAND OUT.

Separate yourself from the competition as clearly as you can. Discover, isolate, and dramatize all the reasons for doing business wity you...today..., instead of your competitor. Build your entire package or ad around these reasons (benefits).

5. SELL BENEFITS, NOT FEATURES.

Readers don't buy products or features of products. They buy the benefits-of-use of the product or features. Be humble enough to realize that a buyer will not give you one red cent for any product or feature until you convert the features into benefits-of-use.

6. LEARN TO GIVE.

Most advertisers and charities think of direct response strictly as a device to "get". Unfortunately, most readers also want to get. So, to succeed, you must adopt a "give" attitude... beyond what you offer in the product or service. Give them something immediately in your ad, your letter, your web page. Give them news, business tips, interesting stories, resources, freebies, special deals.

7. USE TESTIMONIALS.

They're proof that you're as good as you say you are, and that you'll do what you say will do. Like...

"I increased profits by $100,000 last year using your services..." Joe Smith, President, Smith Corporation

The more specific the testimonial the more power it has. Give full attributions whenever possible. Testimonials give you believability and credibility. You can't do successful direct-response without these two essential factors.

8. OFFER A MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE.

Whatever you are selling, make sure you offer a money-back guarantee. It's a critical factor in getting someone to send in their money to someone they don't know or maybe never heard of.

9. CREDIT CARDS, TOLL FREE NUMBERS.

Credit card purchases and toll-free "800" numbers can increase your response by as much as 50%. If you're on the web make sure you opt for secure on-line transmission (SSL) of credit card orders... or allow other means for your customer to provide their credit information to you.

10. ASK FOR ACTION.

It's amazing how often otherwise good copy never gets around to asking for the order. If you don't ask for action... you won't get any.

11. BUDGET YOUR TIME.

Devote about one third of your writing time to the lead elements, headline, subheads, teasers, opening paragraphs.

12. KEEP CURRENT.

Direct-response is more scientific than other types of advertising. Like any fast-moving science, it has it's discoveries daily. This is especially true of writing for the Internet/World Wide Web. Subscribe to industry trade journals such as Target Marketing, DM News, Direct, and other relevant publications.

(C) Copyright 2004-05 Thom Reece All Rights Reserved

Thom Reece is the CEO of On-Line Marketing Group, a direct response marketing agency with headquarters in Hawaii. He is the creator of the Online Marketing Resource Center [ http://www.e-comprofits.com ] & the major portal for the network marketing industry- MaxxMLM.com [ http://www.MaxxMLM.com ].

Thom can be reached by email at: thom@e-comprofits.com or by phone at: 1-808-929-7377


MORE RESOURCES:
Google

Project Leader Copywriting
Oneworld, Netherlands - Jul 18, 2008
The department is responsible for six projects: Public Relations, Advertising, Publicity Stunt, Copywriting, Online Media and Website. ...


Business Intelligence Middle East (press release)

Website overseers, a natural trend in the Internet world
Business Intelligence Middle East (press release), United Arab Emirates - 15 hours ago
When web professionals give quotations for a new website, they may include design, graphics, SEO, SEM and perhaps even copywriting. ...


Freelance UK

Tweaking your way to copywriting hell
Freelance UK, UK - Jul 15, 2008
Definition of tweak: ?I read a book on copywriting over the weekend and wrote my own copy. It sucks. I desperately need your help, but I?m too cheap to pay ...


Leap to the top with new in-house web copywriting service from ...
Response Source (press release), UK - Jul 15, 2008
From today, Leapfrogg is offering customers the use of another great search marketing service: In-house web copywriting. Leapfrogg works to ensure your ...


Which Computing? Magazine journalist joins Prompt Communications ...
SourceWire (press release), UK - Jul 15, 2008
Terrie will be based in Prompt?s Copywriting division in its London offices, working with technology-based clients and alongside consultants in the ...
Prompt Launches Analyst Relations Practice for Technology Vendors MarketWatch
all 10 news articles


The Copywriting Institute Announces New Media Marketing Package ...
PR-CANADA.net (press release), Montenegro - Jul 11, 2008
The Copywriting Institute, a training and resources company for copywriters, announced the launch of their New Media Marketing Package. ...


Cape Peninsula University of Technology Advertising Students Use ...
Emediawire (press release), WA - Jul 17, 2008
Over 200 Advertising students are using the 19 "New" Rules of Social Media Copywriting as part of the National Diploma in Marketing, at Cape Peninsula ...


Pakistan-Based MSCopywriters Achieves Outstanding Growth as a ...
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - Jul 8, 2008
Com currently provides copywriting, editing and journalism projects for clients in more than fifteen (15) countries. Available services range from feature ...


Best Syndication

Search Engine Optimization and Copywriting Will Help Your Business ...
Best Syndication, CA - Jul 1, 2008
This is where Professional Copywriting and SEO comes in. Working hand in hand these 2 industries will now produce amazing results for your website. ...
Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves: Ethical SEOs and Search Engineers ... Inside CRM
Guaranteed Search Engine Optimization - Is it a scam? Promotion World (press release)
all 3 news articles


Web copywriting: setting the record straight
Bizcommunity.com, South Africa - Jun 30, 2008
As it turns out, web copywriting is a contentious issue - peppered with strongly differing views and hotly defended opinions. At this kitchen of contention, ...

Copywriting - Google News

home | site map
© 2006