Archive for Internet Copywriting Tips
Good Web Content – Copywriting 5 Simple Steps
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The blueprint to Good Web Content – Copywriting can be laid out in 5 simple steps. Let’s look at the 5 steps now-
Good Web Content Step 1- What is the problem (3 P’s of Copywriting – Pain, Problem Predicament)?
Most sales, both online and off, are based on solving problems. Once you have identified your target audience it is now your job to identify the problem(s) that your target audience has that can be solved by your products or services. In copywriting terms there are the p’s Pain, Problem or predicament.
If you attempt to write a prescription for your audience before they recoginize they have a problem you’ll seem like a doctor who writes prescriptions before the patient feels sick. The people in your target audience may not know they have a problem so it is your job to make them recognize it.
Once your audience understands they have a problem you have to let them know that you understand their problem. Like the old saying that goes something like this "People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care."
You want the audience that is reading your good web content to say hey he/she understands my problem he/she reads me like a book.
Good Web Content Step 2- Why hasn’t the problem been solved (What has been tried and failed)?
Continuing on with you being the doctor for your target audience this is where you further identify the history of the problem, predicament, or pain and look into what has previously been prescribed and failed. As you make progress through all 5 steps of the Good Web Content-Copywriting blueprint you’ll begin to see how the answers(s) to this question serve to build your audience’s anticipation about a new solution you’re about to reveal.
Simply write down the reason(s) why the problem continues and lingers. How is it that they haven’t solved their problem, and why are they still stuck in the rut? A few factual sentences will do.
Good Web Content Step 3- What it possible (Imagine What Life Looks Like Without the Pain, Problem or Predicament)?
In coaching, this is called possibility thinking. This is where you set the stage for what life would look like and what could hapeen when your audiences problem pain or predicament is eliminated. Here you must go beyond stating the obvious. For example "The Pain In Your Knees Will Disappear" is not enough. You must draw a picture of what is possible now that the pain is gone. You will be able to (engage in specific activities again) you were unable to engage in because of your knee pain. You can accomplish all your dreams in life now that the pain in your knees is no longer able to hold you back. This is a dramatic promise. But you get the point.
Good Web Content Step 4- What Is Different Now (Differentiation Is Key Know Your USP)?
How will things change for your prospects? This is where you explain who you are and how your product or service can help them, as well as what is different about your product or service that will eliminate their problem. This is where your USP unique selling proposition comes in. This is your competitive advantage that you proclaim to your prospects, customers or clients.
Go ahead and write just a few sentences about what differentiates your product/service. Present just the substance not the details.
Good Web Content Step 5- What should you do now?
When you’re done with 1-4 above this is the simple part you now tell your viewers to do what you started out wanting them to do and that is sign up, pick up the phone, register, opt-in or buy the product or service you’re selling.
This is your call to action where you state exactly what you want your prospect to do.
There you have it. Once you have made it through the five steps above you have a blueprint for building good web content. You now have the structure all you have to do is fill it it. The fact is, with this good web copy blueprint you can make some sales.
P.S. Looking for a way to speed up your learning curve when it comes to good web content and copywriting? Check out this Ultimate Copywriting Crash Course.
Copywriting Training in Two Simple Steps
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Copywriting training is something that can be boiled down into two simple steps. Let’s go on a quick journey together into how you can begin to write powerful copy by studying these two things:
1- The work of other successful copywriters. This is by far the fastest way to get you to a functional level when it comes to the skill of copywriting. Once you begin to understand how to use this skill, the incredible power it offers will make the world your oyster. Haven’t you ever noticed when you spend a lot of time with someone you start to talk like them and you’ll even use similar words? I was hanging out with Canadians for a time and I started to sound like them. I had someone here in California, who was from Canada originally, upon first meeting me ask if I was from Canada as well. So hanging out with the most successful copywriters and spending time studying their work will have the same effect.
A simple bit of homework for you is to read successful sales letters and advertisements daily so you start to adopt the same patterns. You will start to use the same words and phrases and get the feel for the flow of success in copywriting by doing this homework. If you commit to using the resources that are available to us all and start this process, you will be at a functional place within 3-6 months time. Now let’s look at the second critical piece of this puzzle.
2- Human psychology- no this is not some voodoo magic, it’s real and it’s about using your copywriting skills to persuade people to take specific actions or adopt certain viewpoints or opinions. In any situation, the ideas, concepts and beliefs of the person with the strength of reality will be adopted by the other. Example, I was in a room recently with one of the top direct response marketers online and he was able to shift the room in 60 minutes. Resulting in him being able to command $ 30,000.oo in sales in 60 seconds. This proves the point that sales are just a transfer of belief from one person to another. People buy your reality.
Copywriting is salesmanship in print. Simple, end of story. So when you are focusing on your copywriting training, remember that people buy based on emotions and they justify making the purchase with logic. When your belief is complete and strong, other people will adopt it and accept it as truth.
Cheers to your copywriting training success- Sharon Ann Irwin
Internet Copywriting Tips…Getting People to Buy
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In my previous post on Internet Copywriting Tips, I promised to follow up with this post about what it takes in more detail to get people to buy from you. Let’s get to it…this is fun stuff.
Things that will be a must in your copy will be emotion since the vast majority of our population buys on emotion and then backs it up with logic. Bottomline, emotion sells. Also, be sure you add bullet points, bonuses, guarantees and a close. To learn compelling bullet points, go out and get bullet points from some of the best copywriting you follow and hand write them out. This will do wonders for developing your skill in this area. Some of the world’s best copywriters are self-taught.
When it comes to bonuses it is a widely accepted belief in direct marketing that sales increase significantly with offers that include free bonuses or gifts. Ever see an infomercial…just kidding. Most of us have and what do they do as a part of the offer…offer free things and bonuses for taking action now or placing your order now. This is the easiest way to explain it. As you study other skilled professionals in the copywriting arena you will begin to see this over and over day in and out.
The guarantee is often times “all the risk is not on the buyer”, meaning it’s a money back guarantee. This takes the risk off the table and gets rid of any obstacles to making a sale.
The close is misunderstood by some. Some believe that if you’ve put your offer out, the close just happens. Not true. The sequence that you present your copy and the hot buttons is crucial. This is not like a store where a customer walks in and sees the price of items. Your price is revealed at the end of your offer, which means you have plenty of time to get them primed to buy. A key to this will be to start closing on your first page (your homepage) and lead all the way up to the offer with multiple closes along the way.
Add in credibility elements such as testimonials, interesting stories, case studies, significant facts, quotes or statistics about your products or services. Don’t have all of these items readily available. You can fill in the gaps with some speedy work and research on the web.
There are key psychological elements that will be used as well. Since this topic is so large, I’ll follow-up on it in a future post. Stay tuned for more value in this area. When it comes to the words you use, you’ll want to replace any rational words with emotional words. This has to do with our left brain “rational” and our right brain “emotional”.
