|
|
How to Write
Carrot-Wielding Copy!
©2005 by Michel
Fortin
A reason behind websites that
fail is the lack of an effective direct
response sales message that's comprised of three
things: it must be 1)
captivating, 2) riveting and 3) engaging.
How can you incorporate those three elements?
First, write to be
scanned. On the Internet, people are fast-paced,
click-happy and
easily bored. Break your copy into small
paragraphs and lace your copy
with many headers with one at every two to three
paragraphs.
But once you captured your readers' attention,
the next step is to
keep them reading the copy. Your job is to not
only generate interest
but also maintain it. The latter is a much
harder task.
The debate about long versus short copy is an
old one. While long copy
is statistically proven to outperform short
copy, many of my clients
still say that long copy will never be read on
the web, and that
things online are short and fast. I fervently
protest.
Sure, things are short and fast online. But
there is a difference
between grabbing people's attention and holding
on to it. Keeping
readers riveted, hanging on to every word with
an intense desire to
discover what's next, is the goal of any direct
response copy.
|
Get a fr^ee business profile like this in the
Adlandpro Community |
|
|
|
Melissa's General Info |
 |
|
|
|
 16 Friends
Member since 11/4/2004 |
|
|
|
| Gender |
Female |
| Age |
29 |
| Location |
Williamsport, PA, United States |
| Interests |
poetry, music, my kids and husband, hiking, camping, reading, doing crafts, fishing, watching movies, gardening, fitness, meeting new people, cooking/baking, animals and more!! |
| |
|
| Company |
Stayin Home and Lovin It |
| URL |
View Stayin Home and Lovin It's web site |
| Industry |
Work from home/Stay at home mom/Wellness Products/Business building/Advertising/Networking |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(It sounds the same as reading a story, right? Well, it is.)
Prospects who are genuinely interested in the product you
offer always
want more information about it, not less. If they are not
qualified,
no matter how long or short the copy is they will just never
buy. They
won't read 15 words, much less 1,500 words.
In my experience, short copy can often result in: 1) a lower
response
rate due to the lack of information; 2) a barrage of
questions from
confused or undecided prospects; 3) or a higher level of
returns since
the product failed to meet expectations.
If long copy yields poor results, it has to do with the copy
and not
the length. It's too boring. It didn't elevate the reader's
level of
interest, and it failed to keep her reading.
Of course, writing long copy that engages, entices and
entertains the
reader is very difficult. (That's why people hire
copywriters like
me.) But when it is good, then the reader hangs onto every
word and
becomes increasingly excited the further she reads it.
Copywriters are storytellers. If your copy tells a
compelling story,
people will read it. All of it. To illustrate, one day you
notice a
book at your local bookstore. The cover, title and cover
copy pull you
into the book. The opening chapter is delectable.
|
Visitor only for $0.01. Try our pay per click search engine.
The cheapest on the market.
Start here.. |
So, you decide to buy the book.
The book is inviting, and the story compels you to read
every single
page, no matter how big the book is. In fact, the book is so
good that
you either wish it was bigger or, once finished, are
prepared to read
it over once more. You just can't put it down.
But as you read it further, you become confused and slowly
begin to
lose interest. The plot no longer invites you to keep
reading. You
drift away and find it harder to continue. Ultimately, you
stop, close
the book and then shelve it. Copy is no different.
With a riveting story, the reader becomes intimately
involved in the
plot. They see themselves in the shoes of the characters. To
do this,
you need what I call "UPWORDS," which is an acronym for:
"Universal
picture words or relatable, descriptive sentences."
"Universal picture words" means mental imagery that help to
paint
vivid pictures in the mind. Lace your copy with words that
engage as
many of the senses as possible, and cause prospects to
easily
visualize already enjoying the benefits of your offer.
"Universal" means to appeal to your audience as a whole.
Readers must
not only read your copy but also understand, internalize and
appreciate it. Remember: different words mean different
things to
different people. So, use words that can help your message
to be
interpreted in the same way by the bulk of your readers.
|
Visitor only for $0.01. Try our pay per click search engine.
The cheapest on the market.
Start here.. |
For example, in an effort to explain the importance of
initial
consultations to their patients, surgeons use analogies,
such as:
"Like a dentist, I can't give consult you over the phone
without any
x-rays of your teeth and knowing how many cavities you
have."
Similarly, use analogies, metaphors and examples, including
case
scenarios. In short, use a language to which prospects can
relate and
with which they can visualize what you're trying to
describe.
Finally, tell your readers what to do. Be active, not
passive. Use
action words and active verbs that paint vivid pictures in
the mind,
too. The more vivid the picture is, the more compelling your
request
will be. Don't be afraid to pull out your Thesaurus!
For example, you're a financial consultant. Rather than,
"Poor fiscal
management leads to financial woes," say, "stop mediocre
money
management from sucking cash straight out of your wallet!"
People can visualize the action of "sucking" better than
they can
"leading." Here's another example. Instead of, "Let me
consult you on
how to maintain your balance sheet," say, "borrow my eyes to
help you
keep a steady finger on your financial pulse."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michel Fortin is a copywriter, author and
consultant dedicated to
turning businesses into powerful magnets. His
specialty are long copy,
email and web sales letters. Get a FREE copy of
his ebook and
subscribe to his FREE monthly email newsletter,
"The Profit Pill," by
visiting
http://SuccessDoctor.com/
right now! |
|
|
Free Marketing & Promotion Newsletter
