|
|
|
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...
Finding eBook Writing Topics On eBay
I was speaking to a good friend of mine who operates many businesses online and he just happened to mention that he gets many of his ideas from eBay. Even more intriguing, he told me that he could tell how much of a given product was selling on...
Jumpstart Your Writing Career
** Jumpstart Your Career by Asking "Why?" ** by Laura Backes, Publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers When developing a story or article, writers learn to incorporate the "who," "when," "where," and "how." But...
Why Copywriting Is The Secret To Your Online Success
Over the last decade, the number of companies selling their products and services on the Web or sharing information online with their target market has exploded. It's no longer frowned upon to conduct your business on the Web, and huge numbers of...
Writing A Successful Ebook
With today's advanced technology, it has never been any easier for anyone to self-publish their own ebook. What's more, you can create and market your own ebook (electronic book) for an unbelievably low price. Once you purchase an ebook compiler ...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Writing direct mail that really, really works
So, you have something you want to sell. It may be a product, a service, or a cause. It could be a membership, a subscription, or a motor car. It might be paper, health products or the idea that the humane society or the Alzheimers association is worth giving money to. It could be computer equipment, hand-sewn dolls clothes or garden gnomes.
Whatever it is you are selling, you need to let the right people know youre selling it. And one of the most effective ways of doing that is through direct mail.
Direct mail works best if you know the type of person who buys your product or service. For instance, if you sell to building contractors or pet owners you can get a targeted, personal message to them quickly.
Whats more, computers make it possible for small businesses to produce professional looking mailings at a very attractive price. They make it possible to select names from mailing lists by demographic classification, frequency of purchase or by amount of purchase. Computers allow every letter in a mailing to include the name of the addressee, not just the salutation but several times throughout the body of the letter.
Heres some tips that will help you make your campaign more effective
Always include a letter in your mailing
This may sound obvious but many mailings only contain a brochure. This is a mistake. Theres a saying Brochures are sent by companies, letters are sent by people. You need a letter because a letter is personal. And because letters persuade people to buy.
Get your letterhead right
What paper, layout and design you use are very important. I recommend you steer clear of official company letterhead and design something more appropriate to your message.
If you want people to telephone, make your phone number stand out. If you want them to visit your web site, do the same. Your address is less important because even if you want people to reply by mail theyll expect a reply paid envelope. Dont put fax and telephone together its confusing for people. Avoid using telephone numbers using letters such as, 1-800-OUR SHOP. If you absolutely must use this type of number make sure you place the numeric number close by.
Write long letters
Most people dont want to write long letters, they worry theyll sound rambling, or they think long letters dont sell. But a long letter serves a purpose. If your prospect is going to buy your product, or contribute to your cause, he needs a lot of information. A short letter
cant hope to give him enough information to consider making a purchase.
A good rule to follow is: Keep selling until you run out of selling points. By the end of your letter your prospect should have more than enough information to make a decision.
Write a friendly greeting
When possible address your prospect by his name, as this will increase your response rate. If you dont have an individual name, youll have to use a title such as Dear Business Manager, or Dear Creative Director. Dont address a householder as, Dear Householder, Instead use, Dear Animal Lover, or Dear Mercedes Owner.
Use an attention-grabbing headline
Make sure your headline is at the top of the letter. Use it to highlight the main benefit. Make sure its easy to understand and tells your reader why he should read your letter. Avoid headlines that try to be clever, or funny. They rarely work.
Ask for what you want
Dont be slow in asking for the sale. If you want the reader to buy your garden gnomes, tell him so, near the beginning. If you let him get half way down the page before telling him what you want, your letter will end up in the trash.
Write from me to you
Make your letter personal. Have one customer in mind while your writing it and address him as if he were sitting right beside you. Use the word you frequently. Instead of saying, Our lingerie is sexy say, Youll look sexy in our lingerie. Change, Our blankets are warm and comfortable, to: Youll be warm and comfortable in one of our blankets.
Get your reader to act NOW
By the end of your letter, the reader should have all the benefits of your product or service, and have become more and more interested. Now you need to get him to act. Tell him clearly and simply what you want him to do: telephone, fill in the reply card, send money, visit your web site or get a representative to call.
Finish with a PS
Make sure your PS sounds like something you just remembered to say. By, try not to start your PS with the word Remember as it shows what youre about to say contains nothing new. Instead, use the PS to highlight a benefit not already included in your letter.
About the Author
About the Author
Julia is an independent copywriter specializing in advertising, search engine marketing and direct mail. For more information on how Julia can increase your company's sales visit her website at www.juliahyde.com or email info@juliahyde.com
|
|
|
|
|
| Writing.Com: Writers, Writing, Poetry, Creative Writing, Fiction ... |
| An online community dedicated to fostering writing skills. With a free membership anyone may read, write, rate, and review works. |
| www.writing.com |
|
| Welcome to Writing-World.com! |
| Writing articles and resources. Tips about how to become a better writer, get published and find writing markets. From Moira Allen. |
| www.writing-world.com |
|
| Guide to Grammar and Writing |
| The Guide to Grammar and Writing contains scores of digital handouts on grammar and English usage, over 170 computer-graded quizzes, recommendations on ... |
| grammar.ccc.commnet.edu |
|
| Purdue University's Online Writing Lab - The OWL Family of Sites |
| Writing lab and resources. Email newsletter available. |
| owl.english.purdue.edu |
|
| OWL at Purdue University: General Writing Concerns Handouts |
| This page contains important links to the writing: planning/writing/revising aspects of the OWL website. |
| owl.english.purdue.edu |
|
| Writing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| The original Mesopotamian writing system was initially derived from a system of ... If it is deemed to be a written language, writing in China will predate ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| Writing.org - Advice for Freelance Writers |
| Articles to help you launch a freelance writing career, from a former literary agent and PLAYBOY editor. |
| www.writing.org |
|
| Writing HTML |
| More than just an HTML reference, this is a structured approach for learning how to create web pages, designed by specialists in learning at the Maricopa ... |
| www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu |
|
| National Novel Writing Month - National Novel Writing Month |
| NaNoWriMo is an annual (November) novel writing project that brings together professional and amateur writers from all over the world. |
| www.nanowrimo.org |
|
| Poynter Online |
| Apply by Dec. 11 Reporting and Writing the Untold Stories Apply by Dec. 11 ... Reporting & Writing for Multi-Platform Newsrooms. Apply by Jan. 10 ... |
| www.poynter.org |
|
| Pages tagged with "writing" on del.icio.us |
| This short online course provides a practical introduction to writing fiction. During the course you will be expected to write two short pieces for ... |
| del.icio.us |
|
| BBC Get Writing |
| The BBC's online resource for writing drama and comedy for television, radio and film. |
| www.bbc.co.uk |
|
| TOC About Writing |
| Menu of articles on writing written by professional SF/F writers. |
| www.sfwa.org |
|
| 11 Rules of Writing -- a concise guide to important grammar ... |
| A concise guide to some of the most frequently violated rules of writing, punctuation, and grammar. |
| www.junketstudies.com |
|
| NAEP Writing Subject Area |
| NAEP assesses student performance in writing periodically in grades 4, 8, and 12 for the nation, and in grades 4 and 8 for the states. |
| nces.ed.gov |
|
| Writing: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
| See all blog posts tagged with writing on Technorati. |
| www.technorati.com |
|
| IPL Teenspace: A+ Research & Writing |
| Includes step-by-step instructions on researching and writing, how to find information online and offline, as well as links to useful resources. |
| www.ipl.org |
|
| Dictionary.com: Writing Resources |
| Free online English dictionary and reference guide. List of sites writers can use. |
| dictionary.reference.com |
|
| WritingFix: Home of Interactive Writing Prompts and 6 Trait ... |
| Daily and interactive writing prompts. |
| www.writingfix.com |
|
| Advice on Academic Writing |
| Includes articles on critical reading, planning, researching, style and editing, grammar and punctuation. |
| www.utoronto.ca |
|
|