Hands up everyone who understands why you should have a blog?

Good – now hands up those of you who actually blog?

I thought so. Just about everyone understands the power of a blog when it comes to driving traffic to your main business website. It acts as a tool for building links and as a way to elevate yourself to expert status in your chosen field. Your clients and readers will love you because you are providing them with excellent and valuable information – you are giving them something for nothing.

So, if you understand all of that, why aren’t you blogging?

Yes it takes time, results aren’t immediate and you have to have a degree of creativity to produce a post that someone is going to want to read, but surely the benefits far out weight that?

If you are humming and harring about setting up a blog, or you have one but have let it slide, have a read of this fantastic post by Coppyblogger about the 7 Deadly Sins of Blogging and push those hurdles out of the way and get blogging.

The purpose of any copywriting or sales writing is to make your reader want to buy something.

But how can you make sure your reader actually buys your product or service when they land on your website?

Put yourself in your reader’s shoes. You’ve landed on a web page, it looks quite pretty, it’s got some nice images, the copywriting is quite persuasive but you’re not 100% convinced it’s for you.

So what do you do?

Go back to your search results and look at another site? Probably. But would you actually return to the original site – would you remember which site was the original one? Probably not.

Basically if your reader navigates away from your website you are highly unlikely to see them again.

Therefore it is vital that you create a sense of urgency so your reader will buy your product there and then.

How to create urgency

The simplest way to create urgency is by using a limited time offer. Your reader won’t want to think they are going to lose out on something. It can be in relation to a discount, free bonus, price increase or even stock availability.

If it’s limited by time surely that means it will sell out fast…it must be popular…it must be the thing to have therefore I MUST HAVE IT.

There are a number of different types of limited time offer such as:

• Order now! While the price is still low. After 18^th August 2009 the price will go up to…
• Order before midnight, January 12^th 2010 and you’ll get a 25% discount!
• Order before July 9^th 2010 and you’ll get a free bonus!
• Order now while stocks last! After 12^th November 2009 we can’t guarantee we’ll have any stock left.

By using this method I can’t guarantee everyone will buy straightaway, after all not all your readers are necessarily going to be interested in your product. But if they are interested, a time limited offer will usually make them want to buy.

One of the most effective online marketing tools is the press release. However it is often misused or under-used.

Let me ask you something – in the past 12 months how many press releases have you made on behalf of your company?

20, 15, 10, 5…less…none?

When should I make a press release?

The simple answer is whenever your company does something it wants to shout about. If it’s news, press release it.

Want some examples? OK, here is just a selection of scenarios where you can spread the news through press releases:

• The launch of new products or services on your web site
• You want to publish the results of an online survey you’ve been running
• To publicise a seminar you’re hosting
• You are launching a new website
• Your company has won an online award
• Publicise online products or services you’re giving away
• If you’ve started an online club/forum
• If you’re lucky enough to have someone famous to endorse your product
• Launching a joint venture with another company
• If you’ve written a new eBook

That was just a list off the top of my head. I’m sure if you have a think you’ll find an angle you can press release about right now.

Press release golden rules

Of course, if you want your press release to stand the best possible chance of being published, you’ll have to make sure it is written correctly. By following these simple steps you should be able to create something interesting, readable and printable.

• Make sure your release reads like news and not an advert
• Only send your release to media related to the topic of your press release
• Keep it one page in length
• Your header, contact information and release date should be at the top of your release
• Use short, simple sentences and double space your lines
• Your header and first few sentences must grab your readers’ attention
• You should tell a story and mention your business, product or service in the body of the press release
• Proofread your press release looking out for grammar and spelling mistakes
• Proofread your press release looking out for grammar and spelling mistakes
• Proofread your press release looking out for grammar and spelling mistakes

No I haven’t gone mad. That last point is meant to appear 3 times. You can’t afford to send out a press release with errors in it.

Don’t forget if it’s new to you, it will probably be valuable news to someone else so shout about it.

These press release tips are brought to you by freelance copywriter Sally Ormond.

A Freelance copywriter understands that copywriting is all about writing for your reader. But did you know the way you structure your payment offers can also have a positive effect on the number of sales you make?

That doesn’t mean how you take payment (i.e. credit cards, cheque, PayPal etc.) but rather allowing your customers to try before they buy, pay later etc.

Listed below are 6 suggestions that will help you increase your sales:

1. Try before you buy

Let your customers try a free sample or shortened version of your product. By offering them something with only a few benefits (rather than the full version) they will be enticed to buy the full version to get all the benefits.

1. Let them choose their price

I haven’t gone mad. I don’t literally mean let them pay what they want. Simply list your original product and price and also offer another product for a slightly higher price. You can produce as many levels as you like and then your customer is free to choose whichever is right for them.

1. Free trial

This is a classic. The free trial option demonstrates your own confidence in your product or service and therefore it will sell itself.

1. Give something back

Offering a cash back rebate of, say 10% will help boost your sales. Plus, most customers will probably forget to send off for their rebate.

1. Pay later

By allowing the choice of buying now, pay later you’ll prevent the loss of customers who can’t afford to buy your product or service at that particular time.

1. Just a little at a time

This one goes nicely with number 5. As well as delaying payment you can also offer paying in instalments. Again this avoids losing those customers who may not be able to pay the full amount straight away.

Why don’t you give one or two of these a try?

Your headline is the hook that will get someone to read your blog post or article. Every freelance copywriter understands its importance, as should any writer out there. The problem is that when writers discover a headline that works it tends to be used to death. At the moment there are loads of ‘How to’ and list headlines (yes, they even feature on this blog) so now maybe the time has come to find a few different angles.

Brian Clark of Copyblogger has devised a useful selection of alternative headlines which will help your copywriting by injecting it with a new batch of attention-grabbing winners.

1. Who Else Wants [blank]?

Starting a headline this way is a classic strategy that suggests there is already a desire for the product or service. It may be becoming overused in internet marketing but it still works well for other subject matter:

• Who Else Wants a Great Blog Template Design?
• Who Else Wants a Higher Paying Job?
• Who Else Wants More Fun and Less Stress When on Vacation?

2. The Secret of [blank]

This is also used quite a lot but mainly because it works. Why do readers like this? Because you are sharing insider knowledge and translating it into a benefit for them.

• The Secret of Successful Podcasting
• The Secret of Protecting Your Assets in Litigation
• The Secret of Getting Your Home Loan Approved

3. Here is a Method That is Helping [blank] to [blank]

This one is simple. All you do is identify your target audience and the benefit you can provide them and fill in the blanks.

• Here is a Method That is Helping Homeowners Save Hundreds on Insurance
• Here is a Method That is Helping Children Learn to Read Sooner
• Here is a Method That is Helping Bloggers Write Better Post Titles

4. Little Known Ways to [blank]

This is a less common way of accomplishing the same thing as ‘The Secret of…’

• Little Known Ways to Save ib Your Heating Bill
• Little Known Ways to Lose Weight Quickly and Safely

5. Get Rid of [problem] Once and For All

This is a classic that identifies a problem or unfulfilled desire that the reader wants to remedy.

• Get Rid of Your Unproductive Work Habits Once and For All
• Get Rid of That Carpet Stain Once and For All

6. Here’s a Quick Way to [solve a problem]

Everyone loves a quick and easy way to solve a nagging problem.

• Here’s a Quick Way to Get Over a Cold
• Here’s a Quick Way to Potty Train Your Child
• Here’s a Quick Way to Backup Your Hard Drive

7. Now You Can Have [something desireable] [great circumstance]

This is the priceless ‘have your cake and eat’ it headline.

• Now You Can Quit Your Job and Make Even More Money
• Now You Can Own a Cool Mac and Still Run Windows

8. [Do something] like [world-class example]

Gatorade milked this one fully with the “Be Like Mike” campaign featuring Michael Jordan in the early 1990s.

• Speak Spanish Like a Diplomat
• Party Like Paris Hilton
• Blog Like an A-Lister

9. Have a [or] Build a [blank] You Can Be Proud Of

Appeal to your reader’s vanity, dissatisfaction or shame.

• Build a Body You Can Be Proud Of
• Have a Smile You Can Be Proud Of
• Build a Blog Network You Can Be Proud Of

10. What Everybody Ought to Know About [blank]

This one draws on your reader’s natural curiosity.

• What Everybody Ought to Know About ASP
• What Everybody Ought to Know About Adjustable Rate Mortgages
• What Everybody Ought to Know About Writing Great Headlines.