Is there a formula for writing copy that sells?
June 4th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comI did some work for a new client this week who asked me the following question via email:
What makes an ad work? What in an ad gets someone to contact me, or better yet what is the formula to writing ads since I will have to continually be changing them to stay fresh?
Yes, there’s a formula, although those who have been writing copy for a long time don’t necessarily have to run through this checklist. They just end up writing “standard ad copy” automatically. It’s not unlike riding a bike or doing the dishes - after you get good at it, you just don’t need to think about the steps anymore.
Okay, so here’s my response to the question.
In ad copywriting, many follow what’s known as the AIDA formula - Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. This is the short explanation of how it goes.
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Posted in AIDA Method, Call to Action, Copywriting Big Guns, Copywriting Techniques, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Persuasive Copywriting, Sales Letters, Wordfeeder Copywriting | 2 Comments »We Versus You in Your Copywriting…
June 3rd, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comIs it Better To Talk To Your Customer Or Talk About Yourself?
Many marketing, copywriting and sales experts will tell you that your marketing copy should talk to your customer as opposed to talking about yourself. They insist that the copy you employ be directed at the customer by using the word “you” throughout. (They call this the second person perspective.)
However, many people feel that using the you approach is too salesman like, and unprofessional. They prefer to talk about their company, their accomplishments and themselves. Copy written in this manner uses the word “we” (or I) over and again (the first person perspective).
So which way is right?
Here’s an argument for using you in your copy. Suppose you’re on a date and the person you’re with won’t stop talking about himself or herself. All night it’s, “I did this and I do that.”
It’s great to hear entertaining stories - but the person on the listening end is bound to feel excluded after a while.
The same idea applies to marketing copy. People want to feel like they’re part of a conversation as opposed to being talked AT. Not to mention - “you” puts the focus on the reader and engages him in the discussion.
But what about the idea that using “you” makes your copy sound too much like a sales pitch?
It’s true that “you” is one of the most powerful words you can use in sales copy, which is why it’s so effective, and used so often. So it’s no wonder that people who want to avoid sounding like a salesperson take the high road, so to speak, and avoid using “you” in their marketing copy.
However, when you think about it, using an exclusive “we” approach comes with its own negative stigma. It can be seen as arrogance - or worse - inadequacy. “I can’t offer anything to you, and I’m not interested in you - so I’ll just talk about myself.”
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Posted in Copywriting Techniques, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Marketing Communications, Persuasive Copywriting, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »Benefits Vs. Features in Your Copywriting…
February 13th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comHow Knowing the Difference can Increase Your Sales
People don’t normally buy products based solely on technical specs and data unless they’re working in R&D labs or in some other science based environments. The fact is that most people buy based on emotion and then rationalize their purchases using logic.
That’s why it’s not enough for you to simply spout off the features of what you’re offering - you have to give customers a benefit that they can clearly embrace and understand.
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Posted in Direct Mail Copywriting, Marketing Communications, Persuasive Copywriting, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »Your Copywriting: Turning Over Sales, or Turning Off Customers?
January 3rd, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comThe history books don’t lie; there’s great power in the written word. That means as much for advertising as it does for any type of communication. And whether you have a brick and mortar business, an e-commerce site or a combination of the two, your marketing and sales copy can either make you a success, or put you in the dump.
It’s worth being choosy about the way you convey yourself when pitching your products and promoting your business. Next time you have the occasion to write some copy, don’t just make it “good” - make a bold statement that your readers won’t soon forget. To get warmed up for your business copywriting challenge, ask yourself these questions:
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Posted in Brochure Copywriting, Business Writing, Copywriting for the Web, Direct Mail Copywriting, Marketing Communications, Newsletter Copywriting, Persuasive Copywriting, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »How Emotionally Driven Copywriting can Increase Your Bottom Line
December 11th, 2007 Dina at Wordfeeder.comfrom Wordfeeder.com Copywriting & Marketing
All of us make purchases – both on and offline – based on our emotional attachment to what we’re buying.
It’s said that we buy things based on our emotions and then rationalize them with logic.
Take the purchase of a vehicle for example. If all we’re concerned about is getting from point A to point B we’d buy the cheapest, most economical car and be done with it. But when we buy vehicles, we’re buying more than transportation. We’re buying something that makes us feel cool, rich, popular, etc.
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Posted in Brochure Copywriting, Copywriting Techniques, Copywriting for the Web, Direct Mail Copywriting, Landing Pages, Sales Letters, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »