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Copywriting Makeover: Making An Emotional Connection - Part 2 of 2
by Karon Thackston © 2004 http://www.copywritingcourse.com 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...
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HOW TO WRITE MONEY-MAKING "HOW-TO" REPORTS This is the "real" Money Maker in the Mail Order business - the basic "How To" Report. It's something anyone can produce, and with all the proper ingredients at the right time, you can become independently...
Freelance Copywriting Advice #1: Take the Scary Jobs
From time to time you will be faced with an opportunity that looks downright scary. The temptation is to think, "Hey, that's way outside my level of expertise. I'm not ready for that." My advice to you is this: Do it. When you are faced with...
"How To Get Started With A Career In Copywriting"
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Writing For Free: When & When Not to Do It!
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What's So Different About Writing Web Copy?
To write persuasive web copy, it really is an advantage to know
how to successfully write for off-line publications.
Because Copywriting techniques that work off-line, also work
equally well on-line! We have to make some changes of course to
accommodate the restrictions imposed by the computer screen,
and the problems that navigation sometimes presents.
But the successful techniques for effective web copy remain the
same. And these techniques have been around for decades
Good web copy doesn't attract the attention it deserves. Copy
just isn't cool. Because good persuasive copy doesn't attract
attention to itself. It sits there on the page delivering its
message skillfully and unobtrusively, focusing attention on the
PRODUCT and the READER. And quietly doing its job of selling.
And most of the really successful Internet marketers employ
excellent, uncluttered copy on their sites.
That's why they are successful.
It's so easy and cheap to build a Website these days and set up
a storefront. And that's great. There's room for the small guy
to compete alongside the 'big guns'. And with no previous
business or advertising experience he can build a 100 page
super-duper animated site in minutes. But when the sales don't
come in the answer seems to be to change the animated GIFs,
Java script, site banners and other gizmos to grab the
attention.
Meanwhile the clever marketers, the successful ones, rake in
the sales with strong, professionally crafted selling copy. And
it's copy they've taken the time to learn for themselves. Or
they've employed a good professional copywriter to do it for
them. They know it's WORDS that sell, not gizmos. Which words?
----- Words that SELL!
After you have drawn up the approximate overall structure of
your site, and BEFORE you design the fine details, decide WHAT
you're going to say and WHO you are going to say it to.
THEN begin writing your copy.
Write it, re-write it and cut out the dead wood. Crystallize
your message. Hone it, polish it, and examine every single word
for relevancy and maximum effect. Keep re-writing it until
you're sure it's a winner!
Don't be tempted to 'make do'. If it takes a week and it's
still not right - spend another week until it is right. And a
third week if need be until you're absolutely convinced you
can't improve another single word. Remember - your profits are
at stake!
---------- Here's An Excellent Tip.
Print out your copy and read it out loud. If it doesn't sound
like an everyday conversation there's something wrong.
Have a
friend read it out to you. If she stumbles over any words, or
has to re-read a sentence, you'll know it needs re-writing.
Then build the Web site around your copy.
Only add pictures and graphics if you are convinced they
enhance and support your copy! That way you will see that most
of the beautifully designed logos, banners and gizmos you had
in mind, will simply distract your readers from the one most
important thing on your site - your sales message.
---------- Here's A Few Other Important Points.
1) Far too many web sites have no headline. If your Web pages
haven't got headlines, give them one NOW.
Just because your reader is already at your page doesn't
necessarily mean he knows what to expect. A headline TELLS him
what to expect. It also gives you, your company, and your site
an identity that hopefully your reader will remember.
2) Fire your BIGGEST GUN first - in your headline.
3) Push your USP into your reader's face.
4) Pack your message with benefits, benefits and more benefits.
5) Use plenty of white space.
6) Break your copy up into bite-sized chunks.
7) Make it easy to contact you from every page.
8) Place a 'HOME' button on every page.
9) Make your copy as long as it needs to be to get your WHOLE
message across.
10) EMPHASIZE your key points.
11) Use Testimonials with imagination. Don't just list them on
a separate page. Your readers won't look for them.
12) TELL your reader what to do. (e.g. Order Now!)
13) Make it extremely easy to order.
14) SHOW your reader how to order.
15) At the ordering stage re-state your guarantee.
16) After she has submitted her order make sure she is told the
order has been received. Then send her a Thank you email. She
needs to be re-assured she has made the right decision. Prevent
'Buyers Remorse' or she may cancel!
17) Be totally professional about absolutely everything.
So there you have it. A very brief summary of the copywriting
techniques used by the most successful Marketers and
Copywriters on and off the Web!
Just ordinary people with the good sense to stick to PROVEN
methods which achieve EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS!
About the Author
Joe Robson is co-author of 'Make Your Words SELL' with Ken
Evoy. Joe and Tom Glander own The Newbie Club which is
bulging with unique NET and PC Newbie tutorials and eBooks.
JUMP ON OVER to http://newbieclub.com/home/fun_easy and
look at their very professional Affiliate Program. It's BIG!
Joe's Copywriting site is at http://www.adcopywriting.com
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