If you’re ... an engine, doing your taxes or baking a cake, you follow a set process and ... happens in a certain order. It’s the same with ... ... is about knowin
If you’re re-building an engine, doing your taxes or baking a
cake, you follow a set process and everything happens in
a certain order. It’s the same with advertising.
Great copywriting is about knowing who your prospect is,
what they need, what they REALLY want and how your
product will give it to them ... specically, specifically,
specifically.
Like any piece of written material your ad should have a title,
a beginning, a middle and an end.
You have a split second to grab their attention and hold it.
That's what the headline is for - to arouse their curiousity, get
their attention, lure them with exciting, very specific benefits
and get them hooked enough to want to spend time reading
your ad.
The next most important part of your copy is the opening. It
needs to be as punchy and attention grabbing as the headline.
It needs to be powerful enough to make your reader want to
read on. The minute your copy becomes boring or braggish,
your reader will switch off. The key is to make each paragraph
exciting enough to make your reader want to read on to the
next paragraph.
Make each paragraph flow onto the next and identify more
and more benefits that specifically relate to your prospect.
And finally, the ending must have a climax and then a specific
ending where you ask for the order.
Here are some specific tips that help you do that:
1. Know your objectives.
How many enquiries do you want? How many sales do you
want? Can you sell directly off the page or do you need a 2
step approach?
2. Remember advertising is salesmanship in print and
remember that the more you tell, the more you sell.
3. Always ensure your promotional efforts are measurable so
you know exactly how much "bang" you're getting for your
buck.
4. Remember, specifics sell. For instance, 49 is more
believable than 50.
5. Use a headline that flags your reader down based on who
they are or what their interests are
eg. "Doctors ... Here's a " or "Garden lovers ... "
6. Identify with their problem or need.
eg. "There's no doubt about it. Being in business is tough.
Burning the midnight oil etc.etc.
7. Hint at a solution.
eg. "Now there's an easy way to ..."
8. Explain how you're going to solve their problem.
eg. "At xyz company we have a widget that does this that
and the other so you ..."
9. Show them proof by giving specific results, mentioning
testimonials and mentioning a guarantee. This dissolves
scepticsim and therefore lowers the barriers to doing
business with you.
10. Articulate your "point of difference" ... what sets you
apart from your competitors. Shout it from the rooftops.
Eg. delivered in 30 minutes or it’s FREE.
11. Offer free information, such as an information pack or
catalogue. Describe that free information and why it is so
useful.
Give it an interesting title, such as ‘56 ways to increase your
wealth using just $56’.
11. Tell them to act by making an offer and stressing
urgency. Simply ask them to ring, fax, or write to post an
order. Make it a limited offer. eg.
"Offer ends April 4, 2001 so call now".
12. Include your address in the last paragraph of copy,
beneath your logo, and in your response device, in and
easy to read font.
13. Include a toll-free number in extra large type in your ad.
14. Use a coupon or response device, it increases
responses by 25% to 100%.
15.Give plenty of room for readers to fill out the coupon
details and give it a headline like "Yes, I'd like to learn
how to cut my mortgage interest bill in half."
16. Give lots of options in your response device. These
may include getting a report, a free consultation, a
phone call from a salesperson etc.
17. Put a dashed or cut along the dotted line border on
an ad less than ¼ page. It gives a coupon-like
appearance and makes people cut it out and keep it.
You can even say "cut out this ad and send it to us for
more information."
18. A reply paid device can double your responses
because it makes it that much easier for people to
respond.
19. Put in a reference number to make testing and
measuring easier. Have the reader made aware they
should quote the reference number when they call.
20. The layout must be (first and foremost) easy to read.
"Serif" (Times New Roman) typefaces are easier to read
than "sans serif" (Arial).
21.Look at the ads that have worked best for you to see
if you can distinguish a common theme in them.
