Copywriting Basics
Answer the Questions You'd Want Answered
(All words marked in red are defined at the end of the article.)
By: George Dodge
Anyone can write effective Internet copy.
You just have to know a few copywriting basics known to
journalists and writers as the 5 W's. Throw one "H" in there and all your
copywriting basics are covered.
Who? Tell the reader who your product will help. This should be your target market.
What? Tell your reader what your product or service will do to
improve their lives. In other words, tell them the benefits they will receive, what's in
it for them.
When? When is the offer good for? If there is a special offer, when does it expire? When
will the product or service help them, immediately or over time?
Where? Where can you order the product or service? Where will it work?
Why? Tell your reader why he or she needs your product or service. Why will it benefit
them? Why should they sign up or order today? Why is the quantity or offer limited?
How? How do they register or order? How much will it cost? How much return will they see
for their investment? How does it work?
Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? There is no trick - it really is as easy as that. Put
yourself in the shoes of the reader and answer the questions you would likely ask or want
answered about your product or service. Answer those questions clearly and thoroughly and
your Web copy is complete.
These copywriting tips and copywriting techniques will work not just for Web copywriting
but also for direct market, copywriting, other online
copywriting, and offline copywriting as well.
Below are a few other copywriting basics that will help you write your web site copy.
1. Keep it simple. No one wants to drudge through a long, drawn out confusing explanation.
If you can't say it simply, that's fine. But by all means, simplify when you can.
2. Make sure your copy urges a call to action either in the body
copy, or text of the article, or in the headline. Words like "Act Now,"
"Limited Time Offer," or "Limited Supply" will urge your readers to
contact you sooner rather than later.
3. Keep it honest. Don't make wild claims just to get business. Build a good reputation by
being up front and honest with your potential customers. In addition to appreciating your
honesty, they will recommend you to others as a business owner who is true to your word
and claims.
4. If you make an offer, make it one that is hard to pass up. Don't waste your readers'
time with small, worthless offers. Think about the coupons you see in magazines and
newspapers. Do you take time to clip them? If so, it's because the offer is of value to
you.
5. How long should your copy be? As long as it takes to adequately answer the above
questions for your product or service.
An unanswered question is considered an objection in your potential customer's mind. So,
be sure to answer all their objections.
Keep these Internet copywriting basics in mind as you prepare the articles or sales
letters that will appear on your Web site. Don't be intimidated because you don't have any
professional writing experience. Most people want to do business with an honest person who
knows the product or service well that he or she is trying to sell.
You don't have to be a professional writer to do that. The only requirement is that you
truly believe in the product or service which you are trying to sell. If you do, your
enthusiasm will shine through your writing. If you do not believe in your product or
service, your lack of enthusiasm will shine through also.
So, in summary, answer the above questions as clearly and simply as you can, be honest,
avoid hype, make an irresistible offer, and be sure to
include a call to action. If you do all these things you
will master the copywriting basics and should have no trouble converting your Website
visitors into customers.
Copyright 2005
Article Source: http://marketingarticlebank.com
Definition of Terms:
Internet copy: written
advertisement
Copywriting: writing advertising
copy
Target market: the segment of the market that you wish to promote
your product to. For example: young mothers
Direct market: a promotion delivered directly to the individual
customer via postal mail
Body copy: the main area of
text
Hype: extravagant claims
Call to action: directing
the reader to take action for e.g. “Click here and order NOW”
Outsource: to have an outside
person do the work for you for a fee.
====================================
RELATED ARTICLES OF INTEREST
(Click on the
following links:)
Larry
Dotson’s Hypnotic Business Center.
This site is jam packed with copy writing articles:
Find all the
Copywriting Articles
you could ever need here:
Software
to assist you
with headline writing
Now go forth; write and test, write and test, write and
test. If writing isn’t a particular talent of yours then you can always outsource for
that particular part of your business. However, I do recommend that you go through the
motions and spend some time on this exercise because sometimes with a little effort you
can uncover talents you didn’t know you had. Maybe you have a copywriting talent
hidden away and it just needs a little digging to bring it out.
This happened to me, I hadn’t written anything for 15 years
and then I started my online business and through working on my ad copy and receiving the
advice of others I rediscovered my talent for writing. I was good at it and I’d
forgotten all about it! It really is not necessary to be good at or to do everything that
needs to be done in your business. Find your talents, use them, outsource
(see definition above) the rest to others who are
talented in different areas to you and get on with the job of being successful. Simplicity
itself!
Lesley Moorhouse
Compulist Services of Australia
Queensland, Australia
|
![j0234754[1].gif (11368 bytes)](j02347541.gif)
