Entries Tagged 'marketing' ↓

If there was a single blue print for effective copywriting, I’d be out of a job and all the sales and marketing writing in the world would become predictable and boring.

The structure of persuasive copy is fluid – there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ solution. So, if you arrived at this post hoping to receive a check-list outlining how to write persuasive copy every time, you’re out of luck.

However, persuasive copy does contain certain elements that crop-up again and again. So without further ado, here are a few pointers to get your copy off the ground.

Elements of persuasive copy

1. Focus on your reader

This is vital and yet there is a lot of copy out there that doesn’t. Your reader is only reading your copy because they think there’s something in it for them. But if you don’t tell them what that is from the outset, they’re not going to keep reading.

Make an impact by giving them an important promise immediately either in the heading or the opening paragraph. Tell them exactly what’s in it for them to get them hooked.

2. Stay focused on your reader

Just because you have them hooked doesn’t mean they’ll finish reading your copy just to please you. Every section of the remaining copy must have a central idea and purpose – don’t waffle. And don’t digress, your copy must always support the main promise you made at the outset.

3. Be specific

Your reader has a built-in BS detector so if you try to pull the wool over their eyes, they’ll spot it a mile off.

The most persuasive copy contains supporting evidence that is specific and qualified.

4. Build credibility

How can you persuade your reader your product is for them? Use statistics, external references, case studies, testimonials etc. These will all build your credibility and show your authority as well.

5. What was in it for them again?

Don’t ever let your reader lose sight of what’s in it for them. Tell them again and again. Reaffirm it with your evidence.

6. Have a stonking offer

By the time your reader has reached here they should be sold on your product. But the offer you make them is going to be key as to whether they buy or not.

7. Sum up

Just as any good Barrister would in a court of law, sum up why your reader should buy. Return to your original promise and show them how you’ve fulfilled it – just in case they missed anything.

8. Call to action

Don’t get all the way to number 7 without adding a strong CTA. By number 7 your prospect will have their hand on their wallet ready to open it. But if you forget the CTA, they’ll just put it back again.

Make it commanding – if you want them to complete an order form make sure it is simple to use. If it looks to complicated they’ll wiggle off your hook and go elsewhere.

So there you go, although there isn’t a set method of writing great copy, by incorporating these elements you’ll get your reader hooked.

Why not give it a go?

The benefits of blogging for business are obvious. It will help drive traffic to your website, allow you to get your views and opinions ‘out there’, give you a method of conversing with your customers and establish you as an expert in your industry.

But are you spending time reading other people’s blogs?

The benefits of taking time out of your busy schedule to read what others are talking about are numerous. Not least because it keeps you up to date with current thinking and trends in your field and those associated with your business.

It will also help keep you up to date with the ever changing world of search engine optimisation so you can ensure your online marketing activities are always at their optimum.

But more than that, reading and commenting on other people’s blogs will help drive traffic back to your website. However, that doesn’t mean you should merrily write any old thing in the hope of people tracking you down over the web.

If you are going to set up a blog commenting strategy, make sure you do it well.

How not to comment on blogs

A lot of people are beginning to understand the benefits of commenting on other’s blogs, but many are doing it badly.

You may think that commenting is simple – any fool can do it. Well, you’d be wrong because below are some common pitfalls that people constantly slip into:

• Trying to be clever can offend

If there is one thing that doesn’t convey well in the written word it is intonation and irony (OK, yes I know that’s two things). When we speak to someone face to face our body language and voice patterns show when we are being ‘funny’. Try and convey the same kind of message on a blog comment and you could come across as rude or offensive. Not a good thing.

However tempted you are at making a quip about someone else’s post, keep your comments professional at all times.

• Don’t hide behind your keywords

Sometimes you’ll see people reply using their keywords as their name rather than their real name. So, for example, if I was to leave a comment I’d put it was written by copywriter Suffolk rather than Sally Ormond.

Firstly it looks awful and secondly it takes away the personal nature of your comment. You wouldn’t introduce yourself as ‘copywriter Suffolk’ if you were meeting someone face to face so don’t sign yourself as that.

• Please, please, proofread before hitting send

This one pretty much speaks for itself. As with everything you publish on the net (and with other marketing materials) always proofread. Think how sloppy you’ll look if your comment is crowded with spelling or grammatical errors.

Yes, we are all time limited, but it doesn’t take long to read what you’ve written before hitting send.

• “Me too!”

This type of comment is a complete waste of space. If you are going to take the time to reply to someone’s post at least think of something to say. Even if you do agree with everything they’ve said try to expand on it. Give examples of why you agree – write something that adds value to the post.

• Read it before you comment

A lot of people with comment strategies simply look for the blogs in their field with the highest page rank and comment on everything – quite often without actually reading the post in the first place.

This type of ‘blanket commenting’ is of no value whatsoever. No one will be impressed. If you are going to use blog commenting as a traffic building strategy at least take the time to read the post, evaluate what’s being said and then write a considered, thoughtful comment.

• Don’t spam

This is the lowest form of comment known to man. I get loads of spam comments on both my blogs. A spam comment is where someone writes a comment that contains links to their own website – a thinly veiled advert.

This is not good practice and will result in you being labelled a spammer. And once you have that reputation it will be very difficult to shake it off.

Why do you need to know this?

Reputations can be built and broken in the blink of an eye on the internet. If you get blog commenting wrong, the word will be out in seconds and we all know how quickly information can pass from person to person on the internet.

• Make sure you have a plan
• Make sure you read posts carefully before commenting
• Make sure you read your comments before hitting send
• Be professional at all times

With the advances in email marketing, it’s very easy for businesses to fall in to the trap of using one form of communication for everything.

There are times when it may not be the most appropriate medium to use so it’s important to look at what you want to say.

The personal touch

If yours is the type of business that likes to remember customers’ birthdays – would you use email?

An electronic card, although convenient and cheap – doesn’t really do it. It doesn’t look as though a lot of thought has gone in to it. Whereas a handwritten card posted to them, shows the human side of your business – one they will want to do business with again in  the future.

Quick response

Despite our best efforts, things don’t always go according to plan. When problems happen and you receive a complaint, think carefully about how you maintain contact.

The post can be slow, so if you need information from your customer that may not be the best way to go. However, once the problem’s been resolved, a written letter of apology always goes down well.

In this case, regular phone contact with one member of staff would be perfect. The customer gets the individual attention they want and they have one point of contact so they don’t have to explain the problem time and time again.

How to…

If you have information or instructions you need to convey, what option would you choose?

Written instructions can be long winded and unclear. Telephoning everyone would be completely impractical. You could run an email course, but would people read it and take it in?

Probably not.

The best method here would be a video tutorial. Placing that online means your customers can watch it at a time that’s convenient to them.

Why do you need to know this?

You need to look at your marketing as a multi-media activity. One size doesn’t fit all.

Think carefully about the information you need to relay before deciding on the most effective way of communicating it.

The strongest marketing strategies will utilise a number of different forms of communication – make sure you pick the right one for your customers’ needs.

Everyday we are bombarded by an endless stream of marketing messages. They are on the radio, TV even our cereal boxes so it’s little wonder that more and more of us are becoming increasingly cynical about marketing.

People can spot hype a mile away and they don’t like it. If they think they’re being sold they’ll do their upmost to make sure they don’t buy.

Getting your sales message under their radar

Today, more than ever, copywriters and marketers are having to be more subtle about how they pitch to their audience.

It’s no longer the case that you can blast out an advert or sales letter and people will hand over their credit cards. Money’s tight, people are becoming more canny so you have to get clever.

6 ways you can market below radar

1. Statistics – convert your marketing pitch into numbers. This will disguise it from those who think they can spot “sales speak” a mile off. Try something like “95% of dog owners reported a marked improvement in behaviour after following SITS training video”.
2. Make the most of your pictures – pictures always add to your copy so make the most of them. If you add a picture you can be sure your reader will look for the caption, so make sure you give it to them. Rather than something lame like “Puddles hand cream 30ml” try something like “Puddles hand cream – used daily gives youthful, glowing skin”. Because the caption is describing the picture they assume it is the TRUTH.
3. Testimonials – these work really well if they are attributed to someone your reader might have hear of. Then you get the “well if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me” response.
4. Case Studies – in a similar way to testimonials, case studies help add the ‘human’ sales angle. And people to love to hear real life stories.
5. Frequently Asked Questions – whether you are a fan of these pages or not, they give the ideal opportunity to add more reasons why people should buy. For example if there is a question such as “What if SITS training course doesn’t work on my dog?” The answer would be “Not a problem as you are covered by our full money back guarantee.”
6. Flattery will get you everywhere – cuddle up to your reader as you write to them. Make them feel special – share a secret with them – “Some people haven’t yet discovered SITS training plan. But as you and I know it’s worth the investment because a well trained dog is a happy dog.”

You product is amazing, you know that but you’ve got to get your reader to understand that too. But thanks to the many hyped up marketing messages around, your audience is growing increasingly sceptical.

By using these techniques you’ll slip under their “hype radar” so you can make your point and convince them you’re product is for them.

Sally Ormond – freelance copywriter

Marketing is always changing and evolving.

It wasn’t that long ago that the staple diet of the professional marketer was newspaper ads and Yellow Pages entries. Today, if you want to be found you have to be on line.

The age of the web has developed the art of copywriting to a new level. Now copywriters have to be able to create compelling copy that convinces people to buy and spiders to rank them within the search engines. The art of the SEO website copywriter is one that is mystical and magical – it is no longer about writing nicely. Today you have to know what keywords to use, where they should be put, how you should link effectively between websites and web pages… they truely are magicians of the modern day.

If you don’t keep up with the changing fortunes of marketing your company will be left high and dry.

Keeping up with the copywriting ‘Jones’s’

Whether your company has its own inhouse copywriter or hires a freelance copywriter – hang on, you do use a copywriter don’t you?

You don’t? You could be heading for trouble then.

A recent post from Bryan and Jeffrey Eisenberg & Associates on What Marketing Skills Will be Needed in 2010 and Beyond? highlights the importance of the copywriter.

Copywriting is vital for businesses to survive in an increasingly competitive market place. I illustrated this in an earlier post called 4 Reasons Why Copywriting Servcies Work.

In this post I talked about the Kelloggs effect:

During the depression of 1929-33(ish) Kelloggs in the USA (whose cornflakes were a health food at the time) continued to promote as heavily with adverts, posters etc as they had been doing before that. By the time the depression was over there were no other breakfast cereals that anyone had heard of and Kelloggs achieved almost instant market domination, a position they’ve held ever since.

So what are the 4 reasons why copywriting services work?

1. They keep your product/service visible in the market place and therefore in the forefront of your customers’ mind.
2. Well written copy will increase your credibility within the market place.
3. Professionally written persuasive copy will help you by increasing your sales through targeted leads and web traffic.
4. By hiring a professional to write for you will free up your time to do what you do best.

Therefore it is a no-brainer. To make your company thrive and stand out in the market place you need to invest in professional copywriting services.