Local Call Number: 0845 47 47 486 |
Local Call Number: 0845 47 47 486 |
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We've all done it, received a piece of direct mail and been so underwhelmed it's been filed straight in the bin; or gone to a website that doesn't deliver what it promised and within seconds gone surfing elsewhere; or glanced at an email in our inbox that doesn't immediately grab our attention and hit delete without another thought.
On each occasion a potential sale has been lost. The question is, do your customers and prospects treat your direct mail, website or emails in the same way? If your direct mail isn't read, your website isn't surfed, or your email isn't opened you're losing business, wasting your money and your time. Do you even know what happens to your mailing, emails or visitors to your website? If you do and you want to do something about it, do you have either the time or the expertise? If you don't, you need to find out. Questions, questions. But you need answers. I can answer these questions by writing copy that boosts your sales and saves you wasted time and money adding real value to your business. So, ring me now on 0845 47 47 486 to discuss how I can help you with copy writing that sells. Read on to discover some principles of how your copy can boost your enquiries and sales. Copywriting that Sells
Copywriting, or should it be copy writing or even copy-writing? Personally, I don’t think it matters. Anyway, copywriting is different to just writing. In most cases marketing copy-writing is really about selling.
Even more than that, it should be about benefit selling, because benefits are what motivates people to buy. This is where things begin to go wrong for most people. You see writing good sales copy is not about you, it’s about who you’re writing to. The problem is that many copywriters have only done just that, write copy, but they have never done any selling and often miss the connection between the two. For example, how many times have you read a sales letter, and advert, an email, or the page of a website and been faced by a list of product or service features, but without a benefit is sight?
People don't buy features, they buy benefits. With over 27 years experience in sales and marketing as well as writing copy and editorial for over 60 media titles, including The Daily Telegraph and The Mirror, I have the relevant sales and marketing knowledge and skills to help you sell your product or service.
Powerful, compelling words are essential in many areas of your marketing, so you need to consider using a copywriter for all of the following marketing channels:
Good copywriting is as much about knowing about your target audience as it is about what you write. That’s why before I write copy for my clients I meet with them to learn about who they want to read the copy. Only then do I consider putting pen to paper. In essence good copy writing skills include: 1. Staying focussed on the reader Every line must mean something to your reader and it starts with your opening sentence. Whether it’s a sales letter, webpage, email or brochure the first line is your best chance of grabbing the attention of your reader. From then on you mustn’t lose focus on your reader and start wandering off telling them all about you. What you need to do is to start talking about their concerns, problems, needs and wants. 2. Being brief What I mean by this is don’t be long-winded. Don’t use 3 words when 1 will do. Don’t have your sentences go on and on and on. Don’t tell them all about you and your business when all they are wondering is what you can do for them. However, brevity does not necessarily mean short copy... 3. Long copy v short copy In particular, when it comes to direct mail marketing, time and time again results show that long copy outperforms short copy i.e. a two page (or longer) sales letter will get more responses than a one page sales letter. Of course, this assumes that what you’re writing engages the reader and is not deadly boring! It doesn’t sound right does it? Nobody, especially busy business owners, sits down and reads a long sales letter or email do they? Well, in truth they do. But again, to make this work you must have plenty of interesting information to share with your reader that engages them, draws them in and convinces them you can answer their questions, solve their problem or fulfil their need. 4. Tell stories Right from the cradle we are hardwired to listen to stories. So weaving a story-like narrative into your copy can be a powerful way of getting your message across. The most obvious way of doing just this is through case studies. 5. Ask questions The problem with the written word is that it lacks the multi-dimensional communication of tone, gesture and eye contact that you have when you’re talking to someone. It also lacks the essential element of dialogue when you take it in turns to ask and answer questions. So, isn’t this a bit of a problem when it comes to using the written word to communicate? Not really, because you can still ask questions, and even different types of questions. So how does asking questions without a spoken dialogue work? Because even if you read a question you will think of an answer and that leads a reader to engage in your letter as if it were the spoken word. Let’s just remind ourselves of the different type of question we can ask:
6. Establish rapport This is to do with emotions, not facts. It’s about building a bridge between you and your reader, letting them know you’re aware of their concerns, problems and needs. It’s asking them about how they are feeling and making them feel you understand them.
7. Sell the sizzle not the sausage As already mentioned above. people buy benefits not features. So what's the difference? A feature is what a product or service has, a benefit anwers the question, "what's in it for me?"
Turning features into benefits requires you to identify the advantage to the customer of each feature and then promote the advantage as a benefit that solves their problem, meets their need, or appeals to their emotions.
It sounds easy, but it's amazing how many businesses really struggle in their marketing to identify the difference between a feature and a benefit, let alone focus their marketing on benefit selling.
8. Use Fresh Ideas Creativity is an essential part of good copywriting. But it needs to be kept under control and it can be elusive. My experience shows that often business owners are too close to their product or service to be able to see the fresh angle or new idea that will stick in the mind of their target customer. An outsider’s viewpoint may just give you the missing ‘fizz’ you need to improve your sales letter, email or website. It’s no accident that my business is called Fresh Ideas Marketing, because that’s exactly what I offer you – fresh ideas. And whilst we’re on the subject of fresh ideas and a second set of eyes there’s another service I offer... Proof Reading & Editing
Even if you are confident enough to do your own copywriting a second pair of eyes to proof read your copy can be a valuable resource. For example, my service proof reading can:
To talk about how I can help you with copywriting, proof reading or editing ring me now on 0845 47 47 486
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The following are marketing services I offer to my clients. All the services I offer are aimed at achieving a two-fold outcome. First, to grow you business, second, to be a value added resource to your business in terms of saving you time and providing you with marketing services and solutions.
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Simply identify the areas where you need advice, or if there is other help and advice you need not on the list, just contact me on 0845 47 47 486 so we can discuss it
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