You know the style of advertisements I am talking about, the ones that win awards and gain recognition from the commercial art exhibitions and the like.

What’s wrong with these ads…

Or should I say the question is have you ever purchased anything from an advertisement like this?

I could almost guarantee that you although you may look at theses advertisements and think how pretty they are, you probably would not be motivated to take action.

The question is why?

The answer is really quite simple….Art and design are created to tone within the surroundings, and to please the senses.

Why does this not work for an advertisement… If you think about a park bench they are generally always green to blend within the environment, imagine if that same bench was bright red with pink spots. It would certainly gain your attention and spark your interest as to why there was a bright red bench seat with pink spots….

Do you want your advertisement to be creative and not spark the readers interest?

Or do you want the advertisement to gain the readers attention and ensure that they take action.

At the end of the day you are creating advertisements to sell your particular product or service, so make your next campaign work for you.

Here are a few tips on how to create a great advertisement?

1. Use a font that people are familiar with which is easy to read.

2. Use strong, black readable type for headlines.

3. User clear cut type for your copy.

4. Make your headlines large enough and bold enough so that even the most careless glancer cannot help but catch your message.

5. Use pictures that create value in your advertisement. Don’t use pictures that are not relevant to the product you are selling .

6. Try using a picture of the product in use.

The key to a great advertisement is in essence ‘don’t be to cleaver’, however do tell your potential customers in your text and with images why they should purchase your product.

Avoid weird, outlandish, or far-fetched pictures that have nothing to do with the product or service you are selling. Use pictures that attract buyers, not curiosity seekers.

If you try even a couple of these tips, it is guaranteed to make a difference in your next advertising campaign.

One final tip is to remember to test your changes. Make sure you understand what change has made the difference.

The aim at the end of the day is to sell products or services, so if your advertising is not working give it a review what you are doing to and implement a change one step at a time.

Rachel Wadsworth

It was only after I had read a few personal development books that I understood that when stripped down to the basics, the process of thinking is really just about asking yourself questions and then making a decision based on the answer your brain turfs back out.

“Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question.” E. E. Cummings

To illustrate this, lets use an everyday experience of crossing the road where there are several possible questions to ask and answer before you get to the other side…

“Shall I walk down to the crossing or try to cross here?” If you decide to walk down to the crossing, then: ” Shall I press the button on the crossing and or run across when there’s a gap? Shall I wave thanks to the car that stopped or not bother to take my hand out my pocket?”

You are probably not aware of all this internal questioning and turmoiling because the answers seem to pop up out of nowhere. And this is how it is for your reader when you ask them a question. What this means for you is that they are more likely to believe an idea seemingly conjured up by their own brain over a concept presented from the outside.

And this is the important thing – a question generates an answer, not an argument.

Consider these two headlines…

What if there was a way you could convert 25% of your website visitors into customers,
how much money would you make?

OR

Your website can convert 25% of your visitors into customers and make you a lot
of money.

The second statement makes a claim that a reader may not believe and they can disagree with, but the question in the first headline introduces a possibility for the brain to draw its own conclusions and fire up the imagination. The questioning approach leads your reader towards their own vision of possibility to fit in with their particular circumstances. The chances of a delivered fact marrying one hundred percent with the readers own experience is negligible and so positively invites disagreement.

When you are writing direct response copy, there is no escaping getting intimate with the product, the producer and most definitely the customer. But the right questions can bring focus and organisation to the process.

If you answer just these five simple questions then you can write web copy for almost any product…

1. What is the problem?

Here you are identifying the pain, problem or predicament for your target audience. Your audience may not even realise they have a problem and your role as the copywriter is to ensure they recognise this.

2. Why Hasn’t The Problem Been Solved?

This question forces you to delve into the history of your reader’s predicament to identify supposed solutions which have already been tried and failed.

3. What Is Possible?

This is introducing the possibility thinking for your reader – setting the stage for what life could be like when the problem, pain or predicament is sorted. This is where you paint a picture of the way life will be from now on.

4. What Is Different Now?

Why will your remedy work while others have failed? What is different about your product or service? This is the Unique Selling Point (USP) for your product and your competative advantage.

5. What Should You Do Now?

Tell your reader what they have to do next – Sign Up, Telephone, Register, Buy Now – this is the call to action.

When you’ve dispatched these five questions you have the game plan for your copy. But you only have the touchdown when you answer this…

How Do I Inject Emotion Into My Copy?

Best wishes to you

Sian Murphy
———————
100% Results Writer

sian@sianmurphycopywriter.com
01634 251079
0800 0086464
07515 951354

How do you measure the success of a sales letter?
Well the only thing that really counts is the number of sales it generates. You can read any number of books on copywriting. You can research your product and your target market. You can have the perfect headline and clearly defined all the benefits. But without that vital call to action all your efforts will be wasted.

If you feel uncomfortable closing the sale you’re not on your own. The close is probably the weakest element in all direct marketing. I’m sure you’ll agree however there’s not much point working hard on a fantastic sales presentation without closing the sale. So after you’ve done a fantastic job presenting the benefits of your product:

Ask For the Order.
The close has to be handled smoothly or sales will be lost. One big factor is you must have a product and offer that is of true value for the buyer. If you don’t truly believe this yourself it will show through your copy.

There is naturally a certain amount of inertia in all of us. In other words we might appreciate being led to an action that will benefit us but we need a bit of a push to make us act. You must provide a compelling reason as the “push” to take action.

A Reason to Act Now.
You must use a “hook” in every closing situation to make sure that your prospect acts now. A delayed sale is almost certainly a lost sale. Your “hook” must always be specific and definite.

Here are a few examples:
• Limited quantity. Only limited number available. Avoid disappointment. Order now. When xxx sets are gone this offer will expire.
• Price will rise. Orders will be honoured until xxx, after which the price will increase.
• Special combination offer. The special price for this combination will expire on xxx
• Early order discount. If your order is received by xxx you will receive 25% discount. Place your order now.

Free Bonuses.
We all love to get something free don’t we? Free is after all one of the most powerful words you can use. The bonus does have to be beneficial to your prospect. It has to be something your prospect would happily pay for. If the bonus is dull and uninteresting it won’t enhance your offer. Always make sure you tie in the offer of the free bonus for acting now, for example:

“The first xxx people who order will get this amazing xxx worth $xxx, absolutely free. So order now.”

Guarantees.
In this world of scepticism an unconditional money back guarantee is almost essential. If your product is of superior quality your returns should be minimal. Here is an example of the wording you could use:

If for any reason you are not delighted with your xxx, after you have examined it for xx days, you may return it for a prompt refund.

So don’t be shy Ask For the Order…chances are your prospect wants to buy, they just need a little push to take action.

Anne Pearson
Compelling Copywriter

http://www.mapcopywriting.com
anne@mapcopywriting.com
Skype – mapcopywriting
Tel / Fax – 01772 468979

Please feel free to use this article. All I ask in return is that you include the above signature and URL.

Need a prescription to solve your ‘product paralysis’ problems? Clean out of ideas?

Every once in a while you come across something that could determine the future of your business. You just have!

“There’s nothing new under the sun” …said Soloman way back in the mists of time and how far-sighted he was!

Maybe you’re a naturally gifted writer or you’ve persevered and can produce meticulously –crafted sales letters that really get under the skin of potential prospects, but then what? Come to a grinding full stop?  Trouble deciding where to find a product? Well, hold on to your chair as this may blow you away…

What if I told you there were millions, yes, MILLIONS of books and publications you can market – FOR FREE! No more ghost writers, no burning the midnight oil trying to write that eBook yourself.  Bliss?

I’ll let you into that big secret in a minute! 

First, though, what niche market are you aiming for?  That’s a huge subject for another day but it’s worth a quick recap: -

RESEARCH is essential to find that ‘must have’ product everyone wants.

• Google and Wordtracker are your best friends here, use them.
• Look for markets above 25,000 but not more than 100,000.  (If it’s too BIG it’s very competitive and therefore your advertising will be expensive.)
• Found your niche?  Encourage your prospects to do the work for you by offering them a poll.  They know what their burning questions are and soon you will, too!  People love to talk about themselves!
• New to polling?  Have a look at:
   
   www.surveymonkey.com (100 responses allowed and free!)
   www.askdatabase.com 
   www.oneminutepoll.com  (paid service)

The brilliant Internet marketer, millionaire Brett McFall, has his finger on the pulse when he says:

"The marketer who understands their market the most, makes the most money."

Right, so now you know EXACTLY what your customer wants, are you ready to find the answer in your personal treasure chest? Ted Cuiba knows all about it.  He did something very clever, slipping in under the radar and snatching a real gem from under our noses.  I’ll tell you what later!

“So, what is it?” you’re probably shouting by now. OKAY…

Drum roll, this deserves one…

"INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN"

This covers works that are free to use by the public  FOR ANY PURPOSE WHATSOEVER and includes some music and films.

The possibilities are endless.  For instance, you can use anything written by employees of the US Federal Government produced in the course of their duties.  So, that’s any health reports, research papers, social comment and everything in between! So, now you know what your market craves and have an ocean of information to call your own!  Creating products has never been easier – or cheaper!  

• articles
• eBooks
• audios
• blog content
• autoresponder content
• bonuses
• upsells
• backend sales
• prizes

…Free content + Imagination + Research = Soaring Profits.

The beauty is you can make your products as individual as you are and the hard work has been done for you! 

OK, so what’s the catch? Truth is, there really isn’t one!

With such a marvellous treasure chest, you’d expect a few guidelines though, wouldn’t you?

Every rose must have a couple of thorns, right?

(The following information applies to the US market – regulations for the UK market vary slightly.)

• All works published before 1923 are available.
• For works published between 1923 – 1963, copyright renewal must have taken place in the 28th year following copyrighting.  If it did, the item won’t be available to you for 95 years!  But most authors forgot to take action in that 28th year!

As promised, back to Ted Cuiba…

There has been so much written about Napoleon Hill’s "Think and Grow Rich” because it is as relevant today as it was in the 1920s! Ted knew what he was looking for because the 1937 edition of Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” is the only copy in the public domain and he has it now! Ted grabbed it, has rewritten parts of it and is busy marketing “his” product!

There’s a man who knew this secret and EXACTLY what he was looking for!

So, where do you go from here?

Finding what you want when you want it is just a click away.  Use these sites to find masterpieces just waiting for conversion to your products!

• FirstGov.gov
• FTC.Gov
• Pueblo.GSA.gov
• Google.com/unclesam

But don’t just take my word for it.  Use this insider information to turbo charge your business NOW! 

Janet Swift
Writing to Win

URL      : www.swiftcopywriting.com
Email    : enquiries@swiftcopywriting.com
Tel      : +44 (0)208 133 4088

Please feel free to use this article but I ask that you kindly include the above URL and signature.

Because your Unique Selling Point (USP), or Proposal, is the competitive advantage which sets the product apart from the competition, it should be the cornerstone of your sales copy. Perhaps you are familiar with these three famous USP’s…

Avis Rent A Car: “We’re number two. We try harder.”

FedEx: “When it absolutely, positively has to get there overnight.”

Domino’s Pizza: “Fresh, hot pizza in 30 minutes or less.”

The USP has been used to develop these now familiar slogans. But the USP is not the slogan.

A slogan is a marketing or advertising tactic generally used to position the product and create familiarity and may include the USP – but it is not the USP.

The nature of the product is often what the consumer would expect anyway and your copy must demonstrate how this is delivered, but it is not your USP. For example, you expect a burglar alarm to be 100% reliable and responsive and I doubt you would buy one unless it was. But say the alarm can be installed without wiring, while other similar products need an electrician? Now that could be the USP.

Unique Selling Point, Position or Proposal, concept and gimmick all mean much the same thing. But whatever you call it, the effect is the same; you are selling the concept, not the product. The sizzle and not the steak. The only exception to this is when the product is genuinely unique, or so new that, in itself, it can claim the title of USP. Joe Sugarman uses his adverts about the launch of digital watches to explain this…

At first, the novelty value of digital watches was enough to make them sell and all his advert needed was a picture and explanation of the features to get the orders shipping out. But this did not last long and when digital watches became plentiful he was USP hunting again. Soon after we see adverts for the thinnest digital watch, or the only digital watch with a built in alarm.

The USP and the concept sells, the product does not. I know you understand this because you do it every day you go to work. I presume you go to work to earn money? Yet I doubt you have a growing mound of paper notes. So your motivation for working is not to build a collection, but the concept of the lifestyle you exchange for the notes and coins.

Finding the USP is the copywriters job. You need a reasonable general knowledge and your first task when writing copy is to gather the product specific knowledge. And then do it all again for any likely competitors.

You must explore the product backwards, forwards, upside down and inside out from inception to manufacture, until you are an expert, possibly even THE expert. Now you know everything you need, you are ready to start writing. But STOP. Do nothing except have fun while all the information churns and integrates.

Doing nothing if you have ideas and a deadline is tricky. It takes faith.

Imagine you are about to skydive out of a plane. Your parachute is checked and primed but the only way you will absolutely know it will deploy is to jump and yank the cord. Integrating is about leaping into your brain down-time and trusting your subconscious to work.

I prefer to set out my stall before I let go. My personal process is to write down all the information I have gathered; bullet points of interest; a few headline ideas and anything else that pops out – in rough freehand. This is more about brain time than presentation. I also make sure I have stated the problem I want my subconscious to solve – I want to know what the angle is; where is the USP? I also visualise what I want to achieve – which is producing excellent copy using that one light-bulb idea. The eureka point.

Now I do something different. The more fun the better and I’m not spilling the beans on what I get up to.

Have fun…

Best wishes to you
Sian

Sian Murphy
—————–
100% Results Writer
sian@sianmurphycopywriter.com
0800 0086464
01634 251079
07515 951354

We love to get comments on articles and suggestions for future topics so please click through or email me directly. Regards, Sian

At first I was reluctant to publish this sort of article in case it encouraged readers to go hunting for errors. And then I decided it could be a useful learning exercise. So, any mistakes you find are brought to you completely free of charge as a small bonus to help you hone your proof reading skills.

Copywriters are not editors or proof readers. Most of us would not know a subject-verb non-agreement if it jumped off the page and hit us square between the eyes – which it will do for your reader if you get it wrong.

Grammar and punctuation rules guide your reader through the sentence and even if they do not know or understand the rules they will notice if you get it wrong. Aside from damaging your credibility the sentence may not mean what you intended.

1. My atrocious spelling does not detract from my copywriting skills and proofreaders can do the final polish. But spelling mistakes can reduce credibility and transform your intended word into another with a different meaning.

Spell checkers cannot be relied on and the following sentence would pass the spellchecker test:

“Those who rely on spell chequers would bee wise two sea weather there texts wood prophet from proofreading.”

These 3 tips may help…

❐ mistakes are easier to spot when you read on paper instead of on a computer screen
❐ leave as long a period of time between writing and proofreading as possible and errors become
easier to spot.
❐ using a ruler to follow the text helps you focus on each word

2. Sometimes similar sounding words get confused as in ‘affect’ and ‘effect.’

“smoking can adversely affect your health while one effect of smoking is to cause lung cancer.”

3. Using a comma between the subject and the verb can look amateurish…

“This wind powered home turbine, is the greatest invention since the windmill.”

4. Making sure your subject and the verb agrees is easy when they are next to one another as in “a man runs” or “men run.”

But it gets trickier when the sentence is longer….“Every one of these beautiful books celebrate the words of Shakespeare.”

“Every one ……celebrate.” does not flow.

But “Every one…..celebrates.” does. So the sentence should read:

“Every one of these beautiful books celebrates the words of Shakespeare.”

5. Beware of dangling participles as in “Skipping along the pavement, your heart leaps with excitement.”

Your heart does not skip. In this sentence the participle is the skipping and the subject is your heart – and they do not match. A simple restructure will sort it out.

“As you skip along the pavement, your heart leaps with excitement.” Or you could change the subject to, “Skipping along the pavement, you feel a rush of excitement.”

6. Watch out for ambiguous modifiers. A modifier is just a word which adds information to other words, as in…“We had a discussion in the car.” Here, ‘In the car’ modifies ‘discussion’ and to be safe they should be placed close together to avoid sentences like this…

“We had a discussion about the use of bicycles in the car.” when perhaps what you mean is, “We had a discussion in the car about the use of bicycles.”

7. Commas and dashes tell your reader where to pause and if you get them wrong your sentence could be nonsensical, as in…

“While walking in the precinct, I saw a lady selling balloons and an odd-looking child.”

I hope it should read as… “While walking in the precinct, I saw a lady selling balloons, and an odd-looking child.”

It is not the job of your proof reader to rewrite illegible text and any of the above gaffs could leave you with real howlers in your copy. You do not want to be this poor advertiser of car accessories, marketing to an exclusive group of motoring enthusiasts, whose advert told prospective punters about a “Private Parts Sale.”

It is the unusual writer who finds the intricacies of grammar enthralling, but if you want a witty, easy to read text which is suitable for dipping into then I strongly recommend the ‘Collins Good Writing Guide.’

But please, before you take this reference too seriously, and before you email me about your differences of opinion (especially point 4). It is not really about being right or wrong but it is about being certain your copy reads as you intended.

Best wishes to you
Sian

Sian Murphy
—————–
100% Results Writer
sian@sianmurphycopywriter.com
0800 0086464
01634 251079
07515 951354

We love to get comments on articles and suggestions for future topics so please click through or email me directly. Regards, Sian

What is the best layout for your copy? 
I know I may have mentioned this before but some copywriters get too hung up on being “creative” with fancy pictures and words. When really keeping it simple is what they should be doing.

When it comes to your layout…Simple… is best.
Readers always look first at the illustration then at the headline and then at the body copy. So give them these elements in that order. Illustration at the top followed by the headline then the body copy. This is the natural order of scanning from top to bottom. If you put the headline above the illustration you are not giving your reader what they are used to, (see article…The Eye Is A Creature Of Habit).

Headlines below illustrations are read on average by 10% more people. Which might not sound a lot but if you think there could be 10,000 readers, that’s an extra 1,000 reading your copy. Next time you’re flicking through a magazine just take note how many times the headline is put above the illustration. I think you’ll be surprised at how many are losing sales from this one simple thing.

If you are using an illustration there are a few guidelines to follow, but that’s a whole different article. Always use a caption under your illustration. Four times as many people read the caption than read the body copy.

When is an advert not an advert?
When it is set out like an editorial page. Most people don’t like adverts. If you set your ad out like an editorial page you will attract more readers.

Roughly six times as many people read the average article as read the average advertisement.

If you have a look through some of the successful news magazines with high readership you will notice similarities in their editorial layout.

• Every photograph will have a caption
• The copy is set in Serif type
• The columns of type, 35-45 characters wide
• The copy starts with drop-initials
• The type is set black on white

Now look at the adverts in the same magazines and see how many are like this:-

• Few of the photographs have captions – four times as many people read the caption than read the body copy
• The copy is set in Sans Serif – making it difficult to read
• The copy is set in one column of 120 characters or more – too wide to be easily readable
• There are very few drop-initials – drop initials increase readership
• Sometimes the copy is set in reverse, white on black – very difficult to read

So always think about the layout of your advertisement to give yourself the biggest advantage. Selling is hard enough without turning away readers before they’ve even looked at your work.

Anne Pearson
Compelling Copywriter

http://www.mapcopywriting.com
anne@mapcopywriting.com
Skype – mapcopywriting
Tel / Fax – 01772 468979

Please feel free to use this article. All I ask in return is that you include the above signature and URL.

Besides excellent copywriting technique, appropriate style is a prerequisite for producing winning sales copy and is what distinguishes it from a sales brochure or an article. These are the ten important style guidelines…

1. Long sentences can be boring and difficult to read and digest. Avoid them. When you read copy out loud to yourself lengthy sentences become more apparent. Even better, ask a friend to read to you.

2. You may think you cannot avoid a passive voice but it can appear tired and listless. With a little thought you will avoid it. Use an active voice.

3. Using Etc. may be acceptable in a catalogue but not for sales copy where your reader should not be expected to mind read. You do not have to list every product feature if you use a little professional creativity…

”The collection spans 100 years of publications by The Copywriting Masters from Caples to Ogilvy”. Or, how about…

”Caples, Ogilvy and Collier are just a few of the masters you will discover in this copywriting Course”.

4. Avoid word repetitions within close range, as in, “This comprehensive course is delivered by an experienced range of course tutors using comprehensive course material.” A thesaurus provides suitable alternatives, or trim unnecessary words.

5. Keep your copy focused. Wishy-washy copy lacks the detail and clarity a reader needs to reach a buying decision. You may have a picture in your head of what you mean by stylish, but what does stylish mean to your reader? Glamorous? Classic? Smart Casual? Your reader will not fill in your lazy ambiguous gaps. Your job is to create a clear picture for them by using sharp words for sharp copy.

6. Written sales copy is not the place to flex your humour muscle. Humour may work for TV and Radio advertising but for written copy, unless you are writing for a narrowly defined group which you know extremely well, it is so difficult to gauge their mood that it is almost doomed to fail. Good sales copy will succeed without the funnies, so why bother?

7. Get to the point in five to ten-seconds. Readers today are deluged with advertising mail, and web readers tend to browse, so tell them what it is and how they will benefit. Ten-seconds and they are gone.

8. Write clean, precise, focused sales copy and not self-indulgent prose. If you are already a copywriter you probably enjoy playing with words, but avoid self-expression and literary posturing.

9. A word of advice from the author of this article to any prospective writers of copy about serving the interests of clarity by avoiding the pitfall of prepositional phrases.

In other words – do not write sentences like this. Organise your thoughts. Decide what you want to say and deliver it in a nutshell sentence.

10. Avoid company indulgent copy. Readers do not care how stunning the company is, so stop trying to impress them. Instead focus on convincing them about how the company will benefit the reader.

Best wishes to you
Sian

Sian Murphy
—————–
100% Results Writer
sian@sianmurphycopywriter.com
0800 0086464
01634 251079
07575 951354

We love to get comments on articles and suggestions for future topics so please click through or email me directly. Â Regards, Sian

If you already have the skeleton outline for your web copy you should have…

â—† described what is possible when the product is used
◆ established why the reader’s problem has not been solved before
â—† established what has changed now
â—† suggested what action should now be taken by the reader such as opting in or buying

Some people will buy on this outline but you can flesh it out to become your 24/7 virtual salesperson using these four basic features…

â—† Inject emotion into the headline and body copy
◆ Add your bullets’ bonuses, guarantee and close
â—† Credibility building elements
â—† Psychological devises

I found injecting emotion to be the most difficult to achieve and arguably it is the most important. People buy using emotion and use logic to justify the sale, so if your words lack emotion you will be missing out.

I am sure you can intellectualise the concept of injecting emotion and appreciate why it is necessary, but how do you do it? And, how do you know when it is done?

By taking the following four stages as your injection points, it is easier to add structure to the process…

1. You can inject emotion into the problem, as in these examples…

‘Does it Frustrate You That Your Business Is Making Only A Small Fraction Of Its Profit Potential?’

‘Do You Feel Paralyzed By Fear Every Time You Want To Ask For A First Date?’

‘Does Your Ego Get Clobbered Whenever You Lose A Sale?’

2. You can inject emotion into what is possible, as in…

‘Imagine What Your Life Would Be Like When All Your Debts Are Cleared And Your Bank Balance Shows 50,000 Credit.’

‘How Would You Like It If Your Business Made A Five Figure Income Every Month – Even While The Economy Is In A Recession.’

3. Use a scenario, or tell a story, which paints a vivid picture of what it would be like for the reader if they experienced the affect of your product or service. This connects your reader to the product emotionally; it presumes the sale has already been made and allows the reader to take ownership and have a virtual experience of it.

A story outline for a weight loss product could go something like this – you may tell the story of Jane who uses your product – (I prefer to have a named person) – what happens and how Jane feels on her first day; how her life and feelings changes through the week; how she thinks, sees and feels differently to the old Jane now she has experienced the product. Finally you could close your story with a visit to a clothes shop which before she used your product, Jane would only glance through the window as she rushed by, and how she feels now as the skinny jeans slide up over her hips and how confident and sexy she feels.

A word of warning. You must understand your reader and their problem so that your scenario reverberates with them. If you are off key, it will not work.

4. Replace rational left-brain words with those favoured by the intuitive, emotional and creative right-brain hemisphere.

Many professionals now consider the concept of left and right brain thinking to be established. By swapping left-brain logical words for the more sparkly right-brain equivalent you rack up the emotional score, so…

You are worried, not concerned
Rich and not wealthy
Sorry, not regretful
Lucky and not fortunate
Funny rather than humorous

This article has left-brain words because its purpose is to deliver information. Your web copy must be factual while engaging the emotional right – side of your reader’s brain if you want to energize the buying neurons.

Best wishes

Sian

Sian Murphy
—————–
100% Results Writer
sian@sianmurphycopywriter.com
0800 0086464
01634 251079
07575 951354

We love to get comments on articles and suggestions for future topics so please click through or email directly. Â Regards, Sian

When you understand what motivates and persuades your reader to act then you can write copy which communicates from inside their own perspective.

Motivation can be either Towards or Away-from. The goal of making money can explain this. If you want money to buy a bigger house or a Rolls Royce, then you are moving towards a future goal.

Whereas, wanting money to avoid living in a small house or taking the bus is moving away-from an unpleasant situation.

Being 100% towards or 100% away-from are the motivational poles but for most people motivation for each goal has a bit of both. For example, 80% is about getting the big house but 20% about avoiding poverty.

Even if you appreciate your prospect’s problem you will not know their motivational make up. No matter, for when you understand how the motivational nature varies among individuals, your copy can account for this and lead your reader to a grander vision.

If you assume your reader has a 50:50 split between towards and away-from motivation you should cover all eventualities. Using the weight-loss market to illustrate…

‘Imagine how you will feel as a slinky size 2 dress swishes around your curves and you look in the mirror to see the silky fabric drape smoothly over your hips”. (Towards)

“Never again will you have to worry about unsightly cellulite bulges and trying to squeeze into your clothes.” (Away from)

But sorting out the motivation is half the job. You must also create action and each reader has a personal ‘convincing’ routine to run through before reaching their buying decision. Understanding and incorporating the four basic ‘convincers’ into your copywriting and marketing techniques will fulfill this for many readers.

Prospects with an automatic convincer, need little convincing and tend to just buy on first sight. They are in the minority and often have debts spiraling out of control.

The average person has a three time convincer routine and need exposure to a product three times before buying. Why trust to luck that your product is the third they see? You can increase your chances by pitching in three different ways or at different times by using a video, sales letter and a follow up e-mail for example.

Long sales copy can repeatedly present the product using testimonials, stories, photos, pictures and factual copy. The following phrase may also be useful…

‘here are a number of options… I’m sure you will find one of them right for you’

Some readers need a period of time to lapse between seeing and buying. Here is the value of gathering contact details. I am not talking about harassing or nagging, just presenting your offer again.

The person with a consistent convincer is the easiest, because regardless of how many times they see, hear, or read your proposal they will not buy. You could try including this phrase along with a cast iron guarantee…

‘I know you will never be completely convinced and that’s the reason why you’ll just have to experience this to be sure it’s right for you.”

But really, do not waste time with this group because the small proportion you convert, combined with their high maintenance, will divert your attention from offering and delivering value for the bulk of your potential customer base.

Best wishes

Sian

Sian Murphy
—————–
100% Results Writer
sian@sianmurphycopywriter.com
0800 0086464
01634 251079
07575 951354

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