Yes, copywriting, especially the excellent kind, is a developed skill and not an inborn one. It is not necessary that an individual who has a post-graduate degree in English or any other language is a good copywriter and the other side of the coin is that a good or excellent copywriter doesn't need much of linguistic education to be successful. In short, the attributes that make a good copywriter are his understanding of the niche, understanding of the targeted readers and his life's experience as a whole. Let us look at these aspects in greater detail...
Understanding of the niche:
If one is writing a copy about a particular niche, say the oil industry, the copywriter needs to understand the niche either by experience or by virtue of detailed research. A professional copywriter is not expected to have experience in every niche, so the latter holds good. In essence, he or she needs to have absolutely excellent research skills and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge... The more exposure a copywriter gets to the niche, the better his copy will be.
Understanding of targeted readers:
Readers may be traditional as in newspapers or magazines or modern as in internet based publishing. Whatever the category of readers, a good copywriter needs to have a good understanding of his reader base and attune his linguistic as well as expression skills to cater to their tastes and readability. Using niche oriented jargon would help but keeping that to a lower level is advisable. As in the above example, an oil niche professional would understand "slick" differently than a person outside the niche. So, a good copywriter needs to understand his target readers and adjust his style to make the copy look "slick" and make it stick where it should.
Experience:
A look or an outlook or an insight into people is very important for a good copywriter. Although, it may seem irrelevant to a new copywriter or one who is not a copywriter, a little experience will prove otherwise... A good copywriter is the one who appeals to all readers to some extent or the other, making the required impression amongst the target audience. To make that impression, he or she needs to understand the mental makeup by putting himself into their shoes. This comes only with experience and this experience is the key to becoming a good copywriter.
Therefore, becoming a good and professional copywriter is not really a learned process but a good copywriter becomes better by writing continuously and by gaining experience in different niches and different kinds of target audience.
Any suggestions.. or any disagreements.. Mail me to argue and exchange ideas..!
Anil Kumar Pammidimukkala is a well known for his SEO copywriting skills and has a great experience in successfully completing over 500 projects in the niche mainly through freelance assignments. His content bases SEO skills are yet unparalleled and he has helped a lot of internet marketers tame search engines.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anil_K_Pammidimukkala
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Eight Time tested Headline Types That Have Sold Billions of Products.
Copywriting is all about the headline. If you want people to read your article, answer your ad, or buy your magazine you have to draw them in with your headline. There are 8 basic types you can use.
1) DIRECT HEADLINE: states the selling proposition directly...no hidden meanings and no puns
Ie: "Boot cut jeans-50% off"
2) INDIRECT HEADLINES: this causes curiosity, and the questions it raises are answered in the body copy
Ie: "Ten million to One, We Can Mix It."
3) NEWS HEADLINES: this can be an intro to a new product, an improvement of an existing product, or a new application for an old product
Ie: Finally a new system that will actually teach you how to market!
4) HOW-TO HEADLINES: this headline offer the promise of solid information, solutions to problems
Ie: "how to generate leads in your first 7 days"
5) QUESTION HEADLINES: must ask a question that the reader would like to see answered or can relate to
Ie: Have you had any of these marketing problems!
6) COMMAND HEADLINES: tells your prospects what to do
Ie: "Aim High. Reach for New Horizons." U.S. Air Force
7) REASON-WHY HEADLINES: list the sales features in an xyz fashion
Ie: 5 concerns with online marketing
8) TESTIMONIAL HEADLINES: your customers do your selling for you, they offer proof that the customer was satisfied with the product or service
Whenever you are stuck for an article, look at these headlines and take action, because no matter how good your body copy is, they will never read it without first being drawn in from your headline. I found this marketing system that will teach you to have never ending leads and a profitable business.
Tracey Girling
http://traceysonlinemarketingsuccess.com/?site=VDavidS&t=david
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracey_Girling
1) DIRECT HEADLINE: states the selling proposition directly...no hidden meanings and no puns
Ie: "Boot cut jeans-50% off"
2) INDIRECT HEADLINES: this causes curiosity, and the questions it raises are answered in the body copy
Ie: "Ten million to One, We Can Mix It."
3) NEWS HEADLINES: this can be an intro to a new product, an improvement of an existing product, or a new application for an old product
Ie: Finally a new system that will actually teach you how to market!
4) HOW-TO HEADLINES: this headline offer the promise of solid information, solutions to problems
Ie: "how to generate leads in your first 7 days"
5) QUESTION HEADLINES: must ask a question that the reader would like to see answered or can relate to
Ie: Have you had any of these marketing problems!
6) COMMAND HEADLINES: tells your prospects what to do
Ie: "Aim High. Reach for New Horizons." U.S. Air Force
7) REASON-WHY HEADLINES: list the sales features in an xyz fashion
Ie: 5 concerns with online marketing
8) TESTIMONIAL HEADLINES: your customers do your selling for you, they offer proof that the customer was satisfied with the product or service
Whenever you are stuck for an article, look at these headlines and take action, because no matter how good your body copy is, they will never read it without first being drawn in from your headline. I found this marketing system that will teach you to have never ending leads and a profitable business.
Tracey Girling
http://traceysonlinemarketingsuccess.com/?site=VDavidS&t=david
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracey_Girling
Effective Copywriting - Learning From Janet's Shower !
If I mention the word "psycho" to you, there's a very good chance that a certain image will spring to mind. An image in black and white: water trickling into a shower drain, slowly being supplanted by a darker fluid, all punctuated by ear-piercing shrieks. There's also a very good chance that you just shuddered a little.
Assuming that image flashed across your brain, you're remembering Janet Leigh's unexpectedly brief shower in Alfred Hitchcock's classic "Psycho." It remains one of the most memorable scenes of American cinema - even of popular culture - even though it's nearly five decades old.
What makes it so memorable? And why is that important to anyone whose organization runs advertising, has a website, or communicates with customers and prospects in other ways? It's simple: Sir Alfred understood the human mind and how to trigger the desired response.
Consider that all of Hitchcock's most-loved movies are nearing their 50th birthdays, but continue to terrify audiences. In the years since his classics such as "Rear Window" and "The Birds" graced the screen, thousands of suspense and horror films have tried to capture our imaginations. Few even begin to approach the visceral terror that Sir Alfred always managed to stir. How could that be, given that today's movies deliver increasingly plentiful portions of blood, gore and special effects?
Again, it's simple. Hitchcock knew that the most effective horror wasn't what played out on the screen. It was what happened inside the viewer's mind.
Take Miss Leigh's demise in "Psycho." Today's directors would spare no expense in giving us a colorful glimpse into her innards as Anthony Perkins performed his crude dissection. Blood, bile, and the occasional organ would splatter on the lens. We might be frightened, but I suspect most of us would instead focus on trying to retain the gallon of Coke and pound of Raisinets we downed during the coming attractions.
But that crafty Sir Alfred? All he offered us was a shower curtain, some water, shadows, and a shrill soundtrack - all in shades of boring black and white at the peak of the Technicolor era. We had to imagine the rest - and therein lies the key.
You see, human imagination is more powerful than any word, any visual, any piece of music, or any technological tool. And the wise advertiser (or anyone else skilled at influencing opinions) knows that.
It's a concept called "discovery," in which the consumer of the message is presented with the dots and then must connect them on his or her own to create the picture. But the power of the imagination is only part of the reason that it's such an effective approach.
The consumer has to become actively involved with the message. He or she must focus his or her full attention - even if just for a moment - on making the connections. The brain must be fully engaged with the subject matter, so it can create its own conclusions.
I'll never claim to be a neuroscientist, but I know from experience that making the brain focus and perform that work imprints the message on the mind. It becomes more meaningful - and what's even more important is that it becomes far more memorable.
Keep that in mind as you create (or direct) your organization's own communication efforts. If you treat your customer or prospect as intelligent, and focus on involving and engaging his or her mind, your effort will be far more effective and memorable than your competitors who simply shove a volume of information in his or her face.
The next time some "expert" tells you that your advertising and other tools must be completely straightforward and spew all the pertinent facts at the most basic level, think of the shower at the Bates Motel. You'll see the shadows, hear the music, and know that Mr. Expert is dead... wrong.
Scott Flood creates effective copy for companies and other organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.sfwriting.com, or read his blog at http://sfwriting.com/wordpress/. ©2009 Scott Flood All rights reserved.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Flood
Assuming that image flashed across your brain, you're remembering Janet Leigh's unexpectedly brief shower in Alfred Hitchcock's classic "Psycho." It remains one of the most memorable scenes of American cinema - even of popular culture - even though it's nearly five decades old.
What makes it so memorable? And why is that important to anyone whose organization runs advertising, has a website, or communicates with customers and prospects in other ways? It's simple: Sir Alfred understood the human mind and how to trigger the desired response.
Consider that all of Hitchcock's most-loved movies are nearing their 50th birthdays, but continue to terrify audiences. In the years since his classics such as "Rear Window" and "The Birds" graced the screen, thousands of suspense and horror films have tried to capture our imaginations. Few even begin to approach the visceral terror that Sir Alfred always managed to stir. How could that be, given that today's movies deliver increasingly plentiful portions of blood, gore and special effects?
Again, it's simple. Hitchcock knew that the most effective horror wasn't what played out on the screen. It was what happened inside the viewer's mind.
Take Miss Leigh's demise in "Psycho." Today's directors would spare no expense in giving us a colorful glimpse into her innards as Anthony Perkins performed his crude dissection. Blood, bile, and the occasional organ would splatter on the lens. We might be frightened, but I suspect most of us would instead focus on trying to retain the gallon of Coke and pound of Raisinets we downed during the coming attractions.
But that crafty Sir Alfred? All he offered us was a shower curtain, some water, shadows, and a shrill soundtrack - all in shades of boring black and white at the peak of the Technicolor era. We had to imagine the rest - and therein lies the key.
You see, human imagination is more powerful than any word, any visual, any piece of music, or any technological tool. And the wise advertiser (or anyone else skilled at influencing opinions) knows that.
It's a concept called "discovery," in which the consumer of the message is presented with the dots and then must connect them on his or her own to create the picture. But the power of the imagination is only part of the reason that it's such an effective approach.
The consumer has to become actively involved with the message. He or she must focus his or her full attention - even if just for a moment - on making the connections. The brain must be fully engaged with the subject matter, so it can create its own conclusions.
I'll never claim to be a neuroscientist, but I know from experience that making the brain focus and perform that work imprints the message on the mind. It becomes more meaningful - and what's even more important is that it becomes far more memorable.
Keep that in mind as you create (or direct) your organization's own communication efforts. If you treat your customer or prospect as intelligent, and focus on involving and engaging his or her mind, your effort will be far more effective and memorable than your competitors who simply shove a volume of information in his or her face.
The next time some "expert" tells you that your advertising and other tools must be completely straightforward and spew all the pertinent facts at the most basic level, think of the shower at the Bates Motel. You'll see the shadows, hear the music, and know that Mr. Expert is dead... wrong.
Scott Flood creates effective copy for companies and other organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.sfwriting.com, or read his blog at http://sfwriting.com/wordpress/. ©2009 Scott Flood All rights reserved.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Flood
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Copywriting Secrets to Make Your Hair Curl.
Guess what? There are millions of adverts out there on websites, in newsletters, brochures, emails, TV, magazines...
So, what have you got to do to make yours stand out?
Look at what your competitors are doing...
...and then do something different.
If you study the advertising in your industry, you will probably be able to identify a common theme running through most of the ads. They may say similar things, have a similar layout or follow a similar format.
To make yours stand out you need to stand apart from everyone else.
Great. But how exactly am I supposed to do that?
Quite often you will find that because you know your industry so well, you become blinkered. Without realising it you would have fallen into the trap of churning out the same copy.
Often, when companies realise this is what's happening, I get a call. As a freelance copywriter coming in from 'outside' I can look at their company with a fresh perspective. Whether I've worked within their particular field before or not, is neither here nor there. The fact is that I can look at the product or service with an unbiased view and produce something fresh, interesting and attention-grabbing.
Stand out and be noticed
I suppose you want a few hints now on how to make your ads more interesting. Here goes...
1. Add a personal touch by using a hand written letter on your ad rather than text.
2. Add a list of respected people who've bought from you - but make sure you get their permission first.
3. Use before and after pictures to illustrate the benefits of your product.
4. If you've had an article or review written about your company, use it in your copy - it gives respectability and credibility to your advert.
5. If you offer free bonuses always add their monetary value so your readers can see what a great deal they are getting.
6. If possible use a famous person to promote your product/service.
7. Add your picture and contact details to your advert.
8. Tell your readers that you will donate a percentage of their purchase price to a specific charity.
9. Ask 'yes' and 'no' questions in your copy to remind them of their problem and to make them think about what will happen if they don't buy your product.
10.Create a competition - for example enter them in a free prize draw if they can find the 3 miss spelt words or the 5 flowers in your ad. The longer you can keep them reading the greater chance of getting them to buy.
Simply by using one or two of these suggestions in your copy, your company will be seen as standing apart from the rest. Being different is good. Being different is being seen.
Sally Ormond is a professional SEO website copywriter and advertising copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C copywriting markets. She can be contacted at +44(0)1449 779605 or online at http://www.briarcopywriting.com for any copywriting project you may have.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Ormond
So, what have you got to do to make yours stand out?
Look at what your competitors are doing...
...and then do something different.
If you study the advertising in your industry, you will probably be able to identify a common theme running through most of the ads. They may say similar things, have a similar layout or follow a similar format.
To make yours stand out you need to stand apart from everyone else.
Great. But how exactly am I supposed to do that?
Quite often you will find that because you know your industry so well, you become blinkered. Without realising it you would have fallen into the trap of churning out the same copy.
Often, when companies realise this is what's happening, I get a call. As a freelance copywriter coming in from 'outside' I can look at their company with a fresh perspective. Whether I've worked within their particular field before or not, is neither here nor there. The fact is that I can look at the product or service with an unbiased view and produce something fresh, interesting and attention-grabbing.
Stand out and be noticed
I suppose you want a few hints now on how to make your ads more interesting. Here goes...
1. Add a personal touch by using a hand written letter on your ad rather than text.
2. Add a list of respected people who've bought from you - but make sure you get their permission first.
3. Use before and after pictures to illustrate the benefits of your product.
4. If you've had an article or review written about your company, use it in your copy - it gives respectability and credibility to your advert.
5. If you offer free bonuses always add their monetary value so your readers can see what a great deal they are getting.
6. If possible use a famous person to promote your product/service.
7. Add your picture and contact details to your advert.
8. Tell your readers that you will donate a percentage of their purchase price to a specific charity.
9. Ask 'yes' and 'no' questions in your copy to remind them of their problem and to make them think about what will happen if they don't buy your product.
10.Create a competition - for example enter them in a free prize draw if they can find the 3 miss spelt words or the 5 flowers in your ad. The longer you can keep them reading the greater chance of getting them to buy.
Simply by using one or two of these suggestions in your copy, your company will be seen as standing apart from the rest. Being different is good. Being different is being seen.
Sally Ormond is a professional SEO website copywriter and advertising copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C copywriting markets. She can be contacted at +44(0)1449 779605 or online at http://www.briarcopywriting.com for any copywriting project you may have.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Ormond
Why Are You Writing That ?
Never ever put pen to paper or finger to key until you have asked yourself "Why am I writing this?" Without exception, everything you write should have a purpose. If it doesn't it's a waste of time.
Every piece of copy used within your business should be seen as an agent of action. It doesn't matter whether it is an advert, website copy or a newsletter - it's not static, it is there to generate a sale, build leads, stimulate interest...it should be there to create a reaction.
Before writing anything, ask yourself these two questions:
1. What will this do for my business?
Not everything you write will close a sale, but everything should have a purpose. If, from the start, you can't define its purpose it is probably a waste of time and money.
2. What do I want my reader to do?
Buy? Probably. But that won't be true of everything. You may just want them to make contact, sign up for a newsletter etc. But whatever it is, your copy must be persuasive if they are going to be convinced to take the desired action and, possibly, be open to further steps in the future.
Before you claim your writing is purely for informational purposes (such as a white paper or case study), it should still open the door for future business. Interesting articles and reports should help build customer relationships and pave the way for potential sales.
Remember the golden rule - every piece of writing your company produces is a budding sales opportunity.
Sally Ormond is a professional SEO website copywriter and advertising copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C copywriting markets. She can be contacted at +44(0)1449 779605 or online at http://www.briarcopywriting.com for any copywriting project you may have.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Ormond
Every piece of copy used within your business should be seen as an agent of action. It doesn't matter whether it is an advert, website copy or a newsletter - it's not static, it is there to generate a sale, build leads, stimulate interest...it should be there to create a reaction.
Before writing anything, ask yourself these two questions:
1. What will this do for my business?
Not everything you write will close a sale, but everything should have a purpose. If, from the start, you can't define its purpose it is probably a waste of time and money.
2. What do I want my reader to do?
Buy? Probably. But that won't be true of everything. You may just want them to make contact, sign up for a newsletter etc. But whatever it is, your copy must be persuasive if they are going to be convinced to take the desired action and, possibly, be open to further steps in the future.
Before you claim your writing is purely for informational purposes (such as a white paper or case study), it should still open the door for future business. Interesting articles and reports should help build customer relationships and pave the way for potential sales.
Remember the golden rule - every piece of writing your company produces is a budding sales opportunity.
Sally Ormond is a professional SEO website copywriter and advertising copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C copywriting markets. She can be contacted at +44(0)1449 779605 or online at http://www.briarcopywriting.com for any copywriting project you may have.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Ormond
Power Packed Copywriting.
The vital elements of copywriting are the headline, body copy and call to action - but they are not the be all and end all.
Your message can be made stronger by using other tools such as:
· Subheadings
· Captions
· Call outs
Sub headings
I don't know about you, but if I am faced with a solid wall of text, I'll walk away. It doesn't look inviting, it doesn't look interesting, it looks unreadable. I'm not alone, the majority of your readers will have the same reaction so you must find a way to make the text interesting and readable.
Using sub headings is a way to break up the text. They act like sign posts. At a glance your reader will be able to see what your web page or brochure page is about. They can use the sub heads to read the sections most relevant to them.
Captions
The caption is the brief line of text that accompanies a photo, graph, drawing etc. It serves 2 purposes:
· Identify what the illustration is
· Link the illustration to your copy
What does the second point refer to? Well, if you use a photo of someone using your product, describe what it is showing. If it's a chart explain what it means i.e. 85% of people asked preferred Super Clean compared to the leading brand.
Callouts
Sometime you will have information you want to stand out. Callouts are great for this especially when you don't want to interrupt the flow of your text. Or when the information is so important you want to draw special attention to it.
This can be done using:
· Bursts
· Callouts
· sidebars
What's the difference?
A burst is a colourful graphic that attracts your readers' attention to a particular point. It can be bright coloured shape or word indicating a special offer or special feature.
A callout is a section of text, in a different font or colour, designed to come across as a 'stage whisper'. They are more subtle than a burst and are very effective when you want to incorporate customer quotes, important information, or important reminders into your text.
A sidebar is a box of copy set to the side of the main text area. Often they are used to house larger sections of copy such as a list of features, a case study or shipping details.
A freelance copywriter has several tools at their disposal to create interest and hype around a product. When the 3 features show above are used (either together or in isolation) they produce an end result that is powerful without being too wordy.
Sally Ormond is a professional SEO website copywriter and advertising copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C copywriting markets. She can be contacted at +44(0)1449 779605 or online at http://www.briarcopywriting.com for any copywriting project you may have.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Ormond
Your message can be made stronger by using other tools such as:
· Subheadings
· Captions
· Call outs
Sub headings
I don't know about you, but if I am faced with a solid wall of text, I'll walk away. It doesn't look inviting, it doesn't look interesting, it looks unreadable. I'm not alone, the majority of your readers will have the same reaction so you must find a way to make the text interesting and readable.
Using sub headings is a way to break up the text. They act like sign posts. At a glance your reader will be able to see what your web page or brochure page is about. They can use the sub heads to read the sections most relevant to them.
Captions
The caption is the brief line of text that accompanies a photo, graph, drawing etc. It serves 2 purposes:
· Identify what the illustration is
· Link the illustration to your copy
What does the second point refer to? Well, if you use a photo of someone using your product, describe what it is showing. If it's a chart explain what it means i.e. 85% of people asked preferred Super Clean compared to the leading brand.
Callouts
Sometime you will have information you want to stand out. Callouts are great for this especially when you don't want to interrupt the flow of your text. Or when the information is so important you want to draw special attention to it.
This can be done using:
· Bursts
· Callouts
· sidebars
What's the difference?
A burst is a colourful graphic that attracts your readers' attention to a particular point. It can be bright coloured shape or word indicating a special offer or special feature.
A callout is a section of text, in a different font or colour, designed to come across as a 'stage whisper'. They are more subtle than a burst and are very effective when you want to incorporate customer quotes, important information, or important reminders into your text.
A sidebar is a box of copy set to the side of the main text area. Often they are used to house larger sections of copy such as a list of features, a case study or shipping details.
A freelance copywriter has several tools at their disposal to create interest and hype around a product. When the 3 features show above are used (either together or in isolation) they produce an end result that is powerful without being too wordy.
Sally Ormond is a professional SEO website copywriter and advertising copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C copywriting markets. She can be contacted at +44(0)1449 779605 or online at http://www.briarcopywriting.com for any copywriting project you may have.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Ormond
Copywriting - Keeping Your Focus.
Copywriting is more of an art than a science. Even though I could list various techniques you need, without a flare for writing, they won't get you anywhere. There are many things you have to think about when writing, little tricks you can use to grab attention and keep it. But without great writing, the end result will look forced and awkward.
So basically what I'm saying is even if you followed all my instructions carefully (in all the articles I have published here and elsewhere), you won't necessarily become the greatest copywriter known to man over night.
OK, that's the disclaimer over and done with. Copywriting is sales writing - its sole purpose is grab the readers' attention and keep them enthralled until they're ready to buy. The persuasiveness of your writing boils down to your ability to convey a convincing tone of voice, your choice of words and your ability to produce punchy sentences. And the best way to do that is to stay focused.
To help you out, I've put together a list of what you must focus on when writing:
YOUR READER
It's not very long so it should be easy to remember. Everything you write must mean something to your reader. Using a fishing analogy - if your line of words is taut, your fish (reader) will remain hooked, let it go slack and they will swim off towards one of your competitors.
It all starts at the beginning
Your opening sentence is crucial - its your hook to get your reader interested and to keep them interested. So make sure you:
Address them directly
Create empathy to get their attention
Talk to them
If that sounds a bit daunting, when you're writing imagine your reader sitting opposite you. Write to them as you would talk to them; be conversational. By doing this you will engage them and keep their interest. If you don't engage them they'll start gazing out the window and you'd have lost them.
This may take a bit of practice and it won't make you an amazing freelance copywriter over night. But, over time, as you get more confident you will start to see a better return on your sales copy as you engage with your readers and put them first.
Sally Ormond of http://www.briarcopywriting.com, is a professional marketing copywriter, SEO website copywriter and advertising copywriting with extensive experience in both B2B and B2C markets.
To have a chat about how she can help you send an email to sally@briarcopywriting.com or call +44(0)1449 779605.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Ormond
So basically what I'm saying is even if you followed all my instructions carefully (in all the articles I have published here and elsewhere), you won't necessarily become the greatest copywriter known to man over night.
OK, that's the disclaimer over and done with. Copywriting is sales writing - its sole purpose is grab the readers' attention and keep them enthralled until they're ready to buy. The persuasiveness of your writing boils down to your ability to convey a convincing tone of voice, your choice of words and your ability to produce punchy sentences. And the best way to do that is to stay focused.
To help you out, I've put together a list of what you must focus on when writing:
YOUR READER
It's not very long so it should be easy to remember. Everything you write must mean something to your reader. Using a fishing analogy - if your line of words is taut, your fish (reader) will remain hooked, let it go slack and they will swim off towards one of your competitors.
It all starts at the beginning
Your opening sentence is crucial - its your hook to get your reader interested and to keep them interested. So make sure you:
Address them directly
Create empathy to get their attention
Talk to them
If that sounds a bit daunting, when you're writing imagine your reader sitting opposite you. Write to them as you would talk to them; be conversational. By doing this you will engage them and keep their interest. If you don't engage them they'll start gazing out the window and you'd have lost them.
This may take a bit of practice and it won't make you an amazing freelance copywriter over night. But, over time, as you get more confident you will start to see a better return on your sales copy as you engage with your readers and put them first.
Sally Ormond of http://www.briarcopywriting.com, is a professional marketing copywriter, SEO website copywriter and advertising copywriting with extensive experience in both B2B and B2C markets.
To have a chat about how she can help you send an email to sally@briarcopywriting.com or call +44(0)1449 779605.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Ormond
What Makes a Good Copywriter ?
Yes, copywriting, especially the excellent kind, is a developed skill and not an inborn one. It is not necessary that an individual who has a post-graduate degree in English or any other language is a good copywriter and the other side of the coin is that a good or excellent copywriter doesn't need much of linguistic education to be successful. In short, the attributes that make a good copywriter are his understanding of the niche, understanding of the targeted readers and his life's experience as a whole. Let us look at these aspects in greater detail...
Understanding of the niche: If one is writing a copy about a particular niche, say the oil industry, the copywriter needs to understand the niche either by experience or by virtue of detailed research. A professional copywriter is not expected to have experience in every niche, so the latter holds good. In essence, he or she needs to have absolutely excellent research skills and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge... The more exposure a copywriter gets to the niche, the better his copy will be.
Understanding of targeted readers: Readers may be traditional as in newspapers or magazines or modern as in internet based publishing. Whatever the category of readers, a good copywriter needs to have a good understanding of his reader base and attune his linguistic as well as expression skills to cater to their tastes and readability. Using niche oriented jargon would help but keeping that to a lower level is advisable. As in the above example, an oil niche professional would understand "slick" differently than a person outside the niche. So, a good copywriter needs to understand his target readers and adjust his style to make the copy look "slick" and make it stick where it should.
Experience: A look or an outlook or an insight into people is very important for a good copywriter. Although, it may seem irrelevant to a new copywriter or one who is not a copywriter, a little experience will prove otherwise... A good copywriter is the one who appeals to all readers to some extent or the other, making the required impression amongst the target audience. To make that impression, he or she needs to understand the mental makeup by putting himself into their shoes. This comes only with experience and this experience is the key to becoming a good copywriter.
Therefore, becoming a good and professional copywriter is not really a learned process but a good copywriter becomes better by writing continuously and by gaining experience in different niches and different kinds of target audience.
Any suggestions.. or any disagreements.. Mail me to argue and exchange ideas..!
Anil Kumar Pammidimukkala is a well known for his SEO copywriting skills and has a great experience in successfully completing over 500 projects in the niche mainly through freelance assignments. His content bases SEO skills are yet unparalleled and he has helped a lot of internet marketers tame search engines.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anil_K_Pammidimukkala
Understanding of the niche: If one is writing a copy about a particular niche, say the oil industry, the copywriter needs to understand the niche either by experience or by virtue of detailed research. A professional copywriter is not expected to have experience in every niche, so the latter holds good. In essence, he or she needs to have absolutely excellent research skills and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge... The more exposure a copywriter gets to the niche, the better his copy will be.
Understanding of targeted readers: Readers may be traditional as in newspapers or magazines or modern as in internet based publishing. Whatever the category of readers, a good copywriter needs to have a good understanding of his reader base and attune his linguistic as well as expression skills to cater to their tastes and readability. Using niche oriented jargon would help but keeping that to a lower level is advisable. As in the above example, an oil niche professional would understand "slick" differently than a person outside the niche. So, a good copywriter needs to understand his target readers and adjust his style to make the copy look "slick" and make it stick where it should.
Experience: A look or an outlook or an insight into people is very important for a good copywriter. Although, it may seem irrelevant to a new copywriter or one who is not a copywriter, a little experience will prove otherwise... A good copywriter is the one who appeals to all readers to some extent or the other, making the required impression amongst the target audience. To make that impression, he or she needs to understand the mental makeup by putting himself into their shoes. This comes only with experience and this experience is the key to becoming a good copywriter.
Therefore, becoming a good and professional copywriter is not really a learned process but a good copywriter becomes better by writing continuously and by gaining experience in different niches and different kinds of target audience.
Any suggestions.. or any disagreements.. Mail me to argue and exchange ideas..!
Anil Kumar Pammidimukkala is a well known for his SEO copywriting skills and has a great experience in successfully completing over 500 projects in the niche mainly through freelance assignments. His content bases SEO skills are yet unparalleled and he has helped a lot of internet marketers tame search engines.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anil_K_Pammidimukkala
Make Your Copywriting More Appealing.
Copywriting, or writing for advertising, is a very important part of any business's advertising strategy. Bad copywriting abounds, and boring or bland copywriting does as well. By adding a little excitement to your writing, you can enliven your customer and get them more interested in the product or service you're describing, and can gain their attention immediately.
For instance, if you have a direct mail piece going to a customer, you've got a very short window in which to catch that customer's attention. Chances are, as soon as your customer decides that someone is trying to sell them something, they will discard your mailer and your chance to win them over will be gone. First, let the customer know how your product or service is useful to them. It's good to make this very obvious, and very friendly. Any overbearing tone will immediately turn your customer off. This way,
your mailer will gain attention from those who would actually use the product or service, and others will remember when or if they need your product or service in the future. Make yourself obvious from the very beginning. Your customer will then have a good idea of what you are describing, and can read in detail if this product or service is something that they would consider buying. With a bland introduction or boring writing, you can easily lose a customer! So keep it exciting and quick and get straight to the point, and you'll be sure to have the most effect.
Are you really interested in driving massive traffic to your website? Here's the answer:
Secret Article Weapon - Download your free ebook now.
Mark Abrahams is a full time internet marketer who has helped others to earn a living online.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A._Abrahams
For instance, if you have a direct mail piece going to a customer, you've got a very short window in which to catch that customer's attention. Chances are, as soon as your customer decides that someone is trying to sell them something, they will discard your mailer and your chance to win them over will be gone. First, let the customer know how your product or service is useful to them. It's good to make this very obvious, and very friendly. Any overbearing tone will immediately turn your customer off. This way,
your mailer will gain attention from those who would actually use the product or service, and others will remember when or if they need your product or service in the future. Make yourself obvious from the very beginning. Your customer will then have a good idea of what you are describing, and can read in detail if this product or service is something that they would consider buying. With a bland introduction or boring writing, you can easily lose a customer! So keep it exciting and quick and get straight to the point, and you'll be sure to have the most effect.
Are you really interested in driving massive traffic to your website? Here's the answer:
Secret Article Weapon - Download your free ebook now.
Mark Abrahams is a full time internet marketer who has helped others to earn a living online.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A._Abrahams
Seven Ways to Improve Your Copy.
Copy is king...if it is done right.
It also will not make or break your offer if you do not have a good product or offer put together, if you do not have a good list to promote to, and if you are trying to sell something that you THINK they want but have never asked if they truly want.
Let's say you have those things in place.
Here are 7 things to spice up your copy so it performs better (aka - makes you money)
1) Re-write it so it sounds just like a conversation you would have with a friend of 10 years that has expressed interest in what you do. Someone you are comfortable with. Someone you can cut through the bull with. Someone you can be brutally honest with. Someone who will take action. Write to those people and make it sound just like a conversation - and your results will improve.
2) Take out the first 2 paragraphs of your copy. Think of it this way - it is just like clearing your throat when you get up to talk to a group of people. Unless your voice is warmed up you will need a few seconds to get going. Same in writing copy. The first few paragraphs can typically be taken out and have a more powerful impact. Try it.
3) Take your headline out and run it as a classified ad in an appropriate paper. If it does not pull calls or inquiries - you can make it stronger.
4) Test a 2 step offer. The first thing your prospects see is an ad that compels them to ask for free information. Not trying to sell them anything in the ad. You are convincing them you have some free information that is very useful. Then in the report and follow up - you can go in for the sale.
5) Shorten your paragraphs. You see it all the time online - long blocks of booooorrring text. Break them up - the best range is 5-7 lines MAX per paragraph. Much less intimidating online.
6) Have someone else (preferably in the 12-18 year old range - even younger) read it out loud. Listen for points they stumble on and make sure you make those parts smoother.
7) Get rid of the word "will" as much as possible. Example - "this will make your goal setting much easier" - eliminating 'will' makes it "this makes your goal setting much easier". That simple step and word deletion adds power and impact.
Again - copy can always be tested and improved until the results show negative effects on sales.
Try new things - you never know what will be a hit.
Troy
Troy D. White
http://www.smallbusinesscopywriter.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_White
It also will not make or break your offer if you do not have a good product or offer put together, if you do not have a good list to promote to, and if you are trying to sell something that you THINK they want but have never asked if they truly want.
Let's say you have those things in place.
Here are 7 things to spice up your copy so it performs better (aka - makes you money)
1) Re-write it so it sounds just like a conversation you would have with a friend of 10 years that has expressed interest in what you do. Someone you are comfortable with. Someone you can cut through the bull with. Someone you can be brutally honest with. Someone who will take action. Write to those people and make it sound just like a conversation - and your results will improve.
2) Take out the first 2 paragraphs of your copy. Think of it this way - it is just like clearing your throat when you get up to talk to a group of people. Unless your voice is warmed up you will need a few seconds to get going. Same in writing copy. The first few paragraphs can typically be taken out and have a more powerful impact. Try it.
3) Take your headline out and run it as a classified ad in an appropriate paper. If it does not pull calls or inquiries - you can make it stronger.
4) Test a 2 step offer. The first thing your prospects see is an ad that compels them to ask for free information. Not trying to sell them anything in the ad. You are convincing them you have some free information that is very useful. Then in the report and follow up - you can go in for the sale.
5) Shorten your paragraphs. You see it all the time online - long blocks of booooorrring text. Break them up - the best range is 5-7 lines MAX per paragraph. Much less intimidating online.
6) Have someone else (preferably in the 12-18 year old range - even younger) read it out loud. Listen for points they stumble on and make sure you make those parts smoother.
7) Get rid of the word "will" as much as possible. Example - "this will make your goal setting much easier" - eliminating 'will' makes it "this makes your goal setting much easier". That simple step and word deletion adds power and impact.
Again - copy can always be tested and improved until the results show negative effects on sales.
Try new things - you never know what will be a hit.
Troy
Troy D. White
http://www.smallbusinesscopywriter.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_White
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