Entries Tagged 'copywriting' ↓

A copywriter knows that to get their readers to do what they want they have to get inside their heads and understand what makes them tick.

Psychology is therefore a big part of the copywriting process.

Understanding how your reader feels, what they are looking for in life and what problems they are looking for solutions to is the real key to effective copywriting.

It sounds rather daunting, but it is something that can be easily achieved.

Put yourself in the shoes of your reader – why would they want the product you are selling? What will they get out of it? What problem could they have that would be solved by it?

OK, that may seem too much like guess work for many, so how about doing a bit of research. I am sure you know people from all walks of life, many of whom could be prospective buyers. Talk to them; ask them their opinion on the product. Tell them about it and see how they react. Ask them:

• What would make them buy?
• Why they would buy?
• What they would hope to achieve from buying it?

Armed with your newfound insight in to why they would buy, you now need to incorporate into your copy some psychological triggers that will encourage them to get out their credit cards:

1. People love surprises – tell them they’ll get a surprise free bonus when ordering.
2. People want an easier life – make ordering easy and give easy product instructions.
3. People like security – tell them you provide a secure ordering process and privacy policy.
4. People like compliments – praise them for considering your product.
5. People are curious about how it will affect their lifestyle – use ‘Secret’ and ‘Confidential’ to pick their curiosity.
6. People like to invest in their future – use the words ‘invest in your product’ rather than ‘buy’.
7. People like to have the newest or latest things – use words like ‘new’, ‘just released’.
8. People want their problems solved – tell them what problems they have and how your product will solve them.

For many people buying is an emotional action rather than a rational one. By utilising these psychological triggers you can persuade them to buy your product.

The result? Happy customers and a happy copywriting client.

Sally Ormond is a professional freelance copywriter. She has worked with numerous companies spanning a wide range of industries. Her comprehensive range of copywriting services helps her clients save time and money while increasing sales and their market visibility.

You may recall a post on this blog a little while ago called “Proofreading – 3 Simple Steps to Perfection” in which I mentioned a letter I’d received from Google. It was offering £50 of free advertising with Google AdWords but they’d made a blunder:

1. You control where you ad is showing – by country, region or town

Argh! How could a company like Google make such a mistake?

Well, this morning I received another letter from them with the same offer. Guess what?

I opened the envelope with baited breath…had they heeded my words?…Had the letter been properly proofread this time?…

The answer is…YES!

The entire letter is blunder free. Well done Google!!!!!

Everyone knows what a metaphor is. Every work of fiction that you pick up is jam packed with them. By transferring the qualities of one object to another can enhance that object’s emotional impact and change the way the reader sees things.

Metaphors simplify complex principles into imagery that the reader can relate to, break down and fully understand. They enable them to picture the scenario you are describing in terms that they can relate to.

You may be asking yourself why a copywriter is writing about a literary aid such as this. Well, metaphors also have a place in business writing – they can be one of the copywriter’s most persuasive and powerful devices in their literary armoury.

When people ask me how to write good sales copy I always employ a metaphor – write as though you were having a chat over a coffee. Picture yourself sat telling your best mate about this fantastic product and what it has done for you. By employing this method you are steered away from using descriptive language and start to use figurative speech.

Emotional Logic

Buying decisions are always based on emotion and logic, and metaphors can be powerful in attaching emotional significance to the seemingly mundane. When they are used creatively and with imagination, metaphors will colour your writing with feeling and paint pictures in your reader’s mind.

If you use tried old clichés your writing will sound tired – try to be original. I know that is often easier said than done but it will help your writing sound more imaginative and add vibrancy to your persuasive argument.

By employing metaphors you will be adding a while new dimension to your writing. It will become vibrant, vivid and vivacious. Your readers will be able to connect with it. They will be inspired.

I know, I’m a freelancer so I’m bound to say that you should outsource your copywriting.

But don’t just dimiss it. Take a few minutes to think about it.

What happens to you when you are exposed to the same environment continuously?

1. You become totally enveloped by your surroundings and the culture of your business.
2. Before you realise what is happening, you are speaking a different language to the mere mortals that exist outside your work realm.
3. Your products are fantastic (in your eyes anyway) and you can’t think of a single reason why someone wouldn’t by them.
4. You love every feature of it.

Well, there are 4 very good reasons why you should get a freelance copywriter in to write your web copy, brochure copy, newsletters, email campaigns etc etc etc.

You see what a copywriter will bring to the table is:

1. A fresh pair of eyes.
2. Copy that isn’t littered with jargon and techy phrases.
3. An objective view of your product.
4. An ability to identify and sell the benefits of your product.

Now doesn’ that sound like the perfect solution? Find a great freelancer and you’ll develop a relationship that will see your sales soar, an increase in your targeted web traffic and greater visibilty in the marketplace.

Everyone thinks they can write well, and to be fair, some people can. But assuming you can write great sales copy just because you are literate is rather like me assuming I can handle an F1 car just because I can drive.

Just as you would get in a professional if you have any electrical, plumbing or IT problems, why not get in a professional to ensure your sales copy is as strong as possible.

Cor, I wish I could write like you…You make it look so easy….Yeah, but it’s alright for you, you’re good at this

As a copywriter it is my job to be able to create compelling and persuasive copy to sell your product or service to a target audience. The above are just some of the comments I get when people see my work.

I hate to dispel the mythical aura around what I do, but the final result that is published isn’t the first result that I come up with.

One of the keys to great writing is careful editing. It is a vital part of the writing process and one that many people skip to save time. But if you do skip it, you’ll end up with error ridden copy that isn’t effective. Here are a few tips to help with this important stage of the creative process:

1. Take a step back – when you’ve done as much as you can do in the first draft, walk away. Not permanently but just leave it alone for a while. Go and walk the dog, have a cuppa, read, get on with another project…anything that will take your mind off what you’ve just written. You’ll be amazed at how many errors you find when you return.
2. Remember your reader – it is very easy to forget who you are writing for. Think about your target audience. Is the tone right for them? Are you using the correct language – is it too high-brow? Make sure you don’t use any jargon. Is it convincing?
3. Get your pruning sheers out – now is the time to be ruthless. Cut down any overly long sentences. Make sure their construction is simple to read and understand. Remove any grandiose words. Keep your writing active.
4. Don’t trust the spell checker – it is the one feature of Word that has made us all lazy. Rely on it at your peril. Check and re-check real names. Make sure you’re using the right contractions (i.e. you’re when you mean you are). One tip here is that I read sentences backwards because it forces you to concentrate on every word.
5. Print and read – I don’t know about you, but I hate reading off a screen. By far the easiest way to edit your work and spot mistakes, is to print it off and read it aloud. You might feel a bit of a Charlie but it will help you spot mistakes, identify overly long sentences and change words to get the right sound and rhythm so it is easy to read and understand.
6. Hit it again Sam – Just when you think you’re ready to publish, stop and go through points 1 – 5 again. Go through them as many times as you like until you are 100% happy with your work. You only get one shot at it so you have to make sure it’s right.

Error ridden copy is sloppy, unprofessional and won’t portray your company in a very good light. It really is worth taking the time to get it right.

So I guess the real moral of this story is don’t leave the writing to the last minute. Be prepared – if you are running a DM campaign, reworking your web copy or carrying out an e-shot you know you will need copy, so make sure you allocate sufficient time to get it written.