Best Kept Copywriting Secrets Exposed

Apr 18
07:49

2012

Bob Hoffman

Bob Hoffman

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Proven techniques are revealed to help you improve your sales copywriting skills and increase your sales conversion rate. If you need to boost the results of your persuasive writing, you are about to discover secrets guaranteed to improve your copywriting quality, save you time and help you make more money.

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Secret 1 - The power of human emotions

To understand and harness the power of persuasive writing,Best Kept Copywriting Secrets Exposed Articles you first need to learn and apply techniques that interact with basic human emotions.

The following list of emotions ‘triggers’ people into action.  If your products and services satisfy the psychological needs inherent in all of us, your writing must make it abundantly clear.  Knowing about these emotions helps shape your copywriting to achieve favourable results from your sales campaigns.

  • Comfort and Convenience
  • Desire for Gain
  • Emotional Satisfaction
  • Fear of Loss
  • Pride of Ownership
  • Security and Protection

 Secret 2 - The 5 elements of persuasion

Sales copywriting must persuade your potential customers to accept your recommendations. There are 5 essential elements required to persuade your reader.  When writing, make sure the elements appear in the exact same order as presented in the following list…

State the reader's problem

Identify and write about a particular problem or difficulty to create pain for the reader.

State the consequences for the reader if the problem remains unsolved

Expose and amplify the relentless pain to be experienced if nothing changes to resolve the problem or difficulty.

State your proposed solution to the problem

Clearly explain in detail how you can help remove the pain with your products and services.

State the benefits for the reader when the problem is solved

Stimulate the reader’s imaginative powers to visualise a world devoid of the current problem.

 Request a specific call to action

If you have written a persuasive case to establish your ability to end the problematic pain, tell the reader what you want them to do next.

A call to action asks for an order.  This step is generally overlooked by new or timid salespeople.  You absolutely must ask for the order.  The sense of urgency you create in the reader’s mind depends on the product or service that removes the ‘pain’ associated with a specific problem.  Consider the following examples…

The Soft Sell

A soft sell approach appeals to the basic human emotion, desire for gain:

Sign-up today for free information about the fast and easy way to…

Urgency Selling

To create a sense of urgency, the writing style stimulates the emotion, fear of loss:

                Better hurry!  Offer available only while stocks last.

Fear Selling

The self-preservation instinct stimulates the emotions, security and protection:

               Don’t risk your life and property.  Protect your family with…

Secret 3 - The layout structure of web pages and print ads

Sales copywriting follows a specific pattern that leads the reader to your desired outcome... a sale.

Get their attention first

Write a headline that compels people to read your sales writing.  If it draws most readers into your first paragraph, you have written a winning headline.

 

Talk more about them – less about you

Avoid wasting precious space boasting about your business prowess, boring the reader with a myriad of reasons why you are the best choice.  Focus on the customer.  Explain how your expertise is going to help them.

Explain features and benefits

Focus on the customer’s needs using the features and benefits strategy.  List the features of your products and services and explain how they benefit customers by helping with a want or need.

Qualify your business

Include details about your business qualifications, credentials, awards, partnerships and other evidence that validates your ability to deliver superior quality and service.

Establish credibility

Provide proof of your business integrity.  Include customer testimonials and publish actual case studies of how you identified and solved a difficult problem for a customer.

Create value

Use examples of how your business is different from competitors.  While low prices are attractive, offer something of substance that reinforces tangible and sustainable value in the customer’s mind.

Call to action

Give your reader clear, unmistakable instructions about what you expect them to do next.  In other words, ask for the order.