Just about every marketer on the Internet
claims to be the best around and will lead you to believe that no one else knows as much
or can teach you as quickly and thoroughly as they can. It would seem that they
erroneously assume that by admiring someone else's teachings they can lessen their
marketability as the "great persuader" in salesmanship.
In truth, while they may not admit it
publicly, every marketer studies the technique or style of others on a continuing basis.
I'll be the first to admit that I seek out, read and revise my methods of copywriting
thanks to the best of the best. And I have discovered that even perfection is often
flawed.
We are in an age where videos, movies,
television, radio and computer games scream for our attention. They produce more
information than than anybody can possibly retain. Therefore, If I want to hold someone's
attention, make a written offer that compels them to read to the last line and reach for
their wallet --- then I must learn to outshine my competition and dazzle me readers.
If you think back, I'm sure you remember
times when you were reading something so mesmerizing that you never heard the phone ring,
or if you did you didn't answer it. So absorbed were you that you didn't realize where an
hour had gone... or, held up a halting hand when someone attempted to interrupt you with a
question. Yeah, I've been there too. And that's exactly the kind of writing I am talking
about.
Irresistible writing rivets your eyes to
the page. Words are so clear, so concise that the effect is hypnotic... and you remember
what you have read because it is unforgettable. The only place to learn this is from the
"proven experts".
Going back many years, I remember radio
programs that my grandmother listened to daily. These were no more than half-hour serials
like "Porsha Faces Life", and there was always a crisis at the end of the daily
broadcast that left you hanging. "Tune in tomorrow and answer the question -- how
will Porsha react to the news that blah, blah, blah?
In today's novel writings, each chapter
will leave you with a similar "cliff hanger", something untold that will stir
your curiosity. A good piece of fiction will not allow you to stop between chapters, and a
top-notch one will forbid you to stop until the end.
Now then --- if you can write an
advertisement, article, or eBook preview that will stir the curiosity of your reader
without giving them the whole story... if the "cliff-hanger" compels them to
fill out a form, send you an email, or sign up for a free trial, you have discovered the
author inside you.
© 2004 Esther Smith
Related Information:
How
To Write Marketing Cliff-Hangers
How
To Write Persuasive Headlines
Two Little Words That Will
Dramatically Increase Your Profits
5 Steps To Hypnotizing Your Customers
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