Who writes sales copy best?
If you weren’t top of the class in English, or you have never written anything longer than a thank you note, sitting down to write sales copy for your new product can be very daunting.
With the number of freelance copywriters advertising their services on the web, it can be tempting to outsource this task, but there are many reasons why you are the best person for the job.
1. You know your business and your product better than any freelance writer.
2. You know the characteristics of your target audience, and what your customers will want to know about your product.
3. You are honestly passionate about your product and this will shine through your writing.
4. You will want to build up a relationship with your customers and this is easier if they are familiar with your ‘voice’, instead of the voice of a freelance writer.
Of course you can pay a writer to produce your copy if you are really struggling to do it yourself.
This might be expensive, but you can use the time you would have used writing to focus on other areas of your business.
If you do use a copywriter, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
a. Make sure they have as much information as possible about your product
b. Ask them to test your product if at all possible
c. Try to give them an example of your ‘voice’ to imitate
d. Before you post the copy make sure there is nothing in it you wouldn’t say yourself
Research Exercise: Start collecting landing pages, sales letters and other copy that catches your eye.
Place the items in a folder or binder. This is called a swipe file and it’ll come in handy when you write some of your own copy.
How to write copy like a pro.
1. Research the product you are writing about.
Unless you are convinced about the benefits of the product yourself you are unlikely to be able to sell it convincingly.
This will be easier if you are writing to sell your own product, but if you are selling an affiliate product make sure you have as much information about it as possible and test it yourself to give your copywriting that personal touch.
2. Learn the difference between benefits and features
The main question your customers will want answered is “what will this product do for me?”
They will be more concerned with how they will benefit from the product than what it actually does.
Will it make them richer, smarter, prettier, more respected, thinner, or happier?
When you are looking for benefits it is often useful to make a list of your product’s features and then determine the benefits of each of those features.
Here is an example using internet marketing as a product.
Product = internet marketing
Feature = working at home
Benefits = flexibility of working hours; ability to spend more time with children
To sell the concept of working online you would not simply state that you can work at home, you would need to emphasize the benefits of doing this. As you can see with this simple example, each feature can have a number of benefits.
3. Practice makes perfect
Sitting down to write when you are out of practice is never easy and your copy is unlikely to flow easily.
Writing something every day, no matter what it is, will really improve your copywriting skills.
If you do not have any writing to do for your business, you could write something in a journal about your experiences that day or week.
This could be used later as inspiration for articles or blog posts.
4. Learn to edit your writing ruthlessly
Every word or phrase you write must have a purpose, and increase your chances of making a sale.
Be honest with yourself when you are editing your copy. If any of it does not motivate the reader to buy then it is unnecessary delete it.
Words and phrases that do not encourage sales will dilute the impact of your copy, making it ineffective.
5. Increase the credibility of your writing
Although great copy is crucial for generating sales, your customers might need a little extra something to convince them to buy from you.
They may be more easily persuaded by the opinion of someone who has already bought from you, the offer of something for free, or the possibility of getting their money back if they are not satisfied with your product.
Some potential elements to add to your copy are:
- high quality and true testimonials
- detailed case studies explaining exactly how your product will benefit them
- free bonus material such as an e-book
- a money back guarantee
6. Visualize your target customer
Sales copy must feel personal and give the impression that you are actually talking to your audience, so it often helps to imagine your target customer and write as if you are chatting to them or writing a letter to them.
The more detailed you are about your target customer, the more convincing your copy will be, so don’t be afraid to be very specific about who they are.
Ask yourself some of the following questions:
- How old are they?
- Are they employed?
- What do they do?
- Are they male or female?
- How much time do they have online?
- What is their income?
- What is their intelligence level?
- What do they do in their spare time?
- Do they have children? How old?
- Do they own a house?
- Do they have a garden?
The list of possible questions goes on and on and there may be questions that are more relevant to the particular product you are selling. Spend some time getting to know your audience; the importance of this should not be underestimated.
It is always easier to target a demographic that you are actually a part of. As moms we are usually more convinced by writers who actually have children themselves.
Business Planning Exercise: Document who your target market is. Write a description of who your typical customer is or would be.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment