|
|
|
Fixing Bad Web Site Copy
Let’s face it – a lot of web pages and web sites out there could use a little improvement in the copywriting department! From boring prose to bad sentence structure, from poor logic to inadequate copy optimization, I’ve seen it all. And this is...
Freelance Writing on the Internet
So, you’ve decided to take up a career in freelance writing. You’ve hooked up the computer, installed the printer, and learnt the nitty-gritty of your word processor. You’ve maybe even been published a couple of times. You’re all set to conquer...
How to Write Ad Copy that Sells
When I write copy for my advertising clients, I always check to make sure the three key elements are in place. 1. psychology, 2. logic, and 3. creativity. These are three very different aspects of ad writing, which, when combined, produce a highly...
SEO Copywriting Makeover: Good Rankings but No Sales Part 1 of 2
by Karon Thackston © 2004-2005 http://www.copywritingcourse.com It's been a myth for as long as the Internet has been in existence. Get good rankings and your site will be successful. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that has never been...
Solving the "I Get Tons of Traffic But No Sales" Mystery
by Karon Thackston © 2003 http://www.copywritingcourse.com I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard the statement, “I get tons of traffic, but no sales.” It’s normally followed by comments like: “My site is highly optimized for the...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copywriting Successes and Failures: A Comparison Of the Good and Bad
by Karon Thackston © 2002
http://www.copywritingcourse.com
It’s about 7:00am and time to start my day. While my exact routine varies, one of the first things I always do is check email. As the flood rolls in, I have my finger poised on the delete button… aimed and ready to fire. But then something catches my eye.
On this morning, I decided to take a closer look at one email in particular. That led me to also lend a critical eye to some other ads as well. So below, I’ll give you my evaluation of a few of the many email ads I’ve received… which ones got my attention, which ones I just rolled my eyes at… and why.
Attention Getter
Here’s one that is well targeted, indeed! The headline read: “Inquiry About Becoming An Affiliate.” That got my attention because my copywriting course does have an affiliate program. I’m always interested in adding new affiliates to the group. So I read on.
Part of the message is below:
-----------------------
Good morning. I would like to inquire about possibly working with you and your company on an affiliate basis.
My company maintains a fresh, 100%, opt-in email database exceeding 15,000,000 qualified consumers. These consumers have specifically requested to receive purchase information regarding your product(s) or service(s).
If you're interested, I would be glad to speak with you about a cost-per-action (CPA) email campaign that WILL make additional sales and generate alternative revenue.
----------------------
While the generic line about my product(s) or service(s) let me know immediately that this was a “canned” ad, it still gave me something to think about. Did I respond? Yes! Why? If I could get the copywriting course in front of over 15,000,000, and pay the same affiliate commission I was paying anyway, what would I have to lose?
Rolling My Eyes
However, among the pile of emails were some real duds. I must get 10 of these ridiculous emails a week. You’ve no doubt seen them, too. They say something like “I joined this program a few months ago and promptly forgot about it.” Oh please!
Why did I roll my eyes at this one? While it started off good, it wasn’t punchy enough to get me to respond right away. That’s no major crime. It often takes repeated exposure of the same message to get a good response. But… when you get the exact same message from several
different people 3 or 4 times a day – you find out quickly that this is an overused ad, not a personal recommendation.
Then there are the ads that are just extremely targeted . A few headline examples are:
Karon, FREE 30-Day Sample of HGH – One problem with this is that I don’t need Human Growth Hormone. The other problem is that clicking the email launches one of those automatic scripts that take you directly to the site. Something I personally can’t stand! I also get at least 3 of these annoying things a day. With me, chances are that if the ad pops up a screen when I click it, I delete the thing before the screen even finishing loading.
Health Discovery! No Diet! No Exercise! – All the exclamation points immediately let me know that this is a hard sell scam. Not to mention, I have trouble keeping weight ON… not off. This one was deleted without reading any further due to simple irrelevance.
Approved and Ready! – The copy of this ad simply stated: “Your home refinance loan is approved! To get your approved amount, go here.” Hmmm… if memory serves me correctly, I never applied for a home loan. Click!
As you can see, all of my first impressions were based on the subject line. Other factors in the ad copy contributed to my final decision about whether to look into the offer. The subject line, however, was the single playing card as to whether I would read ANY of the copy.
Final notes: put the majority of your time into developing your subject line. Then test, test, test to get the best results. Also, make very, VERY sure your mailing list is targeted. With all the options today for segmenting lists, you have the luxury to email your ads to a group much more specific than “women over 30.” The more targeted you can get, the better your response will be.
Which words make *your* customers buy? Let Karon show you. Boost your profits by learning to write strategically created copy that hits a nerve and makes the sale. Boost your search engine rankings, too! 3 FREE bonuses with your purchase. Learn more now at http://www.copywritingcourse.com
About the Author
Karon is Owner and President of KT & Associates who offers targeted copywriting, copy editing & ezine article services. Receive her FREE ebook, Marketing Made Easy and subscribe to her ezine "Business Essentials" at when you visit her site at http://www.ktamarketing.com.
|
|
|
|
|
| Copywriting . Net |
| Copywriting . Net. The Internet's copywriting service center for Web and print marketing communications. |
| www.copywriting.net |
|
| Copywriting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| As search-engine algorithms get smarter every day, this Search engine optimization (SEO) copywriting is more and more about writing for human visitors as ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| Copywriting - SEO Copywriting - Learn copywriting |
| Copywriting .com has just changed hands and will open its doors again in a few weeks. If you'd like to be notified when we launch, please send an email to: ... |
| www.copywriting.com |
|
| Copywriting 101 | Copyblogger |
| Copywriting 101 Tutorial Copywriting is one of the most essential ... Subscribe to Copyblogger to learn more about copywriting and online marketing. ... |
| www.copyblogger.com |
|
| The Copywriting Site - Free information, tips, and tricks on ... |
| The Copywriting Site: Here you get free information tips and tricks on copywriting that sells. - Marketing Writing. |
| noriainternational.com |
|
| Copywriting courses. Become a copywriter. |
| Copywriting courses for copywriters; plus tips on buying copy and hiring a copywriter. |
| www.inst.org |
|
| Advertising & Online Copywriting, Search Engine Copywriting ... |
| Advertising copywriting and search engine copywriting that impresses your visitors and the engines. |
| www.marketingwords.com |
|
| Free tutorials on copywriting, web content, advertising, internet ... |
| How to dramatically improve response from your Advertising, Internet marketing, Direct Mail and Web pages with powerful copywriting. |
| www.adcopywriting.com |
|
| Copywriting: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
| See all blog posts tagged with copywriting on Technorati. |
| www.technorati.com |
|
| Advertising Copywriter, Website Copywriter, SEO Copywriter ... |
| Need a copywriter who can really grasp your business? Copywriting for websites, SEO, ads, brochures, articles... Elegant, no-fuss copywriting that really ... |
| www.divinewrite.com |
|
| Copywriting |
| Every advertising medium is different. And so is copywriting for each element. Business owners can find out what to look for when hiring a copywriter. |
| advertising.about.com |
|
| Copywriting Secrets - Master Copywriter - Killer Copy Writing |
| FREE E-Course Reveals The Latest Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets You've Gotta Know! ... "Now You Can Grab The Latest No-BS Advanced Copywriting Secrets That ... |
| www.websiteconversionexpert.com |
|
| Text Wizard® Copywriting - UK freelance copywriter, scriptwriter ... |
| Plain English with fizz: copywriting that stays on brand and on your mind. UK copywriter. |
| www.textwizard.com |
|
| Getting Real: Copywriting is interface design - Signal vs. Noise ... |
| Copywriting isn’t something to be left to the guy on your team who writes long ... So, I’m considering adding copywriting to my list of responsibilities, ... |
| www.37signals.com |
|
| Amazon.com: Persuasive Online Copywriting: How to Take Your Words ... |
| Amazon.com: Persuasive Online Copywriting: How to Take Your Words to the Bank: Books: Bryan Eisenberg,Jeffrey Eisenberg,Lisa T. Davis by Bryan Eisenberg ... |
| www.amazon.com |
|
| Michele PW |
| Watch your business soar when you put the power of great copywriting, results-driven marketing solutions and amazing creativity to work for your business. |
| www.writingusa.com |
|
| Pages tagged with "copywriting" on del.icio.us |
| Good Copywriting: A blog about copywriting on the web ... Copywriting tips for online marketing success from Copyblogger · save this. copywriting blog ... |
| del.icio.us |
|
| Online Copywriting: Subscribe to the Excess Voice Newsletter |
| Online Copywriting: Nick Usborne's Excess Voice newsletter includes dozens of articles and a comprehensive list of resources and reviews for writers of ... |
| www.excessvoice.com |
|
| Linda Westphal, Freelance Advertising Copywriter |
| Experienced copywriter for direct marketing articles, and advertising tips. Citrus Heights, California. |
| www.lindawestphal.com |
|
| Copywriting: Projects on Elance |
| Copywriting, Between $250 and $500, 7, 11/29/2006 1:45 AM ... Copywriting, Prefer not to disclose, 0, 12/1/2006 2:41 PM, 6 d, 22 h+, Authentication Status ... |
| www.elance.com |
|
|