| |
| |
|
Copywriting Information |
|
|
|
The Power of Saying You Can
If you have children, you will doubtless remember saying to them, "You can do it." It's what we say when our toddlers first struggle to their feet. It's what we say when they face their first day at school, when they first ride a bicycle, or first swim a full length of a pool. Children face the challenges of early life with greater confidence when they are supported by the belief and support of their parents. And it doesn't stop at childhood. We continue to say, "You can do it" when our teens take their driving test, apply for college or dress up for that first job interview. I recently finished reading John Le Carre's book, The Constant Gardener. He frequently touches on the thought that adults are simply the children they once were, with all their childhood strengths and weaknesses, masquerading in grown-up bodies. I think he's right. As adults, at home and at work, we still crave the support and belief of those around us - our partner, our colleagues, our bosses. When faced with a tough career challenge, it's still reassuring to have someone put a hand on our shoulder and say, "You can do it." With this in mind, consider some of the copy you write on your Web site, and in your emails and newsletter. Where you now say something like: At Acme Trust we support local arts through our funding program. Consider saying this: Through Acme Trust you can successfully apply for a grant to support local arts. Where you say: Acme Business Intelligence software aggregates data from across the enterprise and makes it available to your managers... Think about this: With Acme Business Intelligence Software you can provide senior management with reports that are complete and on time. Or instead of saying: Acme Newsletter Builder provides dozens of ready-to-use design templates... Say: With Acme Newsletter Builder you can create professionally-designed newsletters in just a few minutes. Each of these examples simply shifts the focus from the company to the customer and says, "You can do it". That's stage one. When we encourage our young children, we are also there to help and support them. Try the same with the inner children of your customers and prospects. So stage two is to provide not only your product or service, but also the support to help your customers succeed. Try adding a line or two like these: Speak to one of the Acme Trust advisors and find out how to write a successful grant application. As an Acme Business Intelligence customer, you will be allocated Acme Support Representative. Not sure how to get started with Acme Newsletter Builder? Ask for help at any time through our Live Chat support service. If you subscribe to that original premise that we each of us retain many of the fears and insecurities of our childhood, you now have a couple of very simple ways in which to reassure and support your customers and prospects. Let them know that they CAN do it with your product or service. And remind them that you are right there, with all the support they need, in order to help them succeed. Nick Usborne is a copywriter, author, speaker and advocat of good writing. You can access all his archived newsletter articles on copywriting and writing for the web at his Excess Voice site. You'll find more articles and resources on how to make money as a freelance writer at his Freelance Writing Success site.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Five Tips for Writing Eyeball-Grabbing Headlines If you made it this far, the headline for this story has caught your attention. Hot headlines are a hit with readers because they stick out, grab attention and urge them to read the rest of the story. Discover Your Creativity You have a choice. Do you want to be constructive and positive in a unique way? Or do you want to be destructive and negative in a unique way? History has proven the futility of the latter goal. Direct Mail Sales Letters Flow Better With Subheads A subscriber to my newsletter asks: "Got any good pointers on writing great sub-heads?" Yes, I do. Here they are. Copywriting: Secrets of a Freelancer Lately, I've been getting emails from other copywriters who ask me questions like "What's your secret?" and "How did you do it?" and "Can I be your apprentice?"Aw, heck, are you serious? People are talking to me like I'm some kind of demi-goddess.. Health and Fitness: A Huge Industry in Need of Writers Think about how much you read about and spend on health and fitness.Do you ever exercise? Take supplements? Go on a diet? Visit the doctor sometimes? Most of us do all four. How to Hold Peoples Interest throughout those Long Copy Sales Letters People tend to read your ads and sales letters in 2 different ways:1. Word For Word2. How You Can Proofread Your Own Work Putting out a high quality product is a given these days. With all the competition out there, you have to look great in every aspect. How to Write Ad Copy that Sells When I write copy for my advertising clients, I always check to make sure the three key elements are in place. 1. To Start Making Cash from Your Online Writing, You Must Draw Blood First Writers write just like painters, paint on canvas. This is one of the reasons why it is important that you launch your writing career by getting some freelance writing work that you can get paid for doing. A Quick Free n Easy Content Writing Course I do not pretend that a one-stop shop solution to content writing exists, but my experience has taught me, that working toward a 100% effective writing formula isn't a complete waste of time.At my firm (a content writing business), we find it particularly useful to go through a number of steps before we put pen to paper. Freelance Technical Writers - How Much Are You Worth? Where can you find out about freelance technical writing pay? Is there a place where you can go and find out where you stand? As with any field, pay is determined by several things, not just because you can do the work. Instead, it is about how you work, what type of work you do and how well you work with other people. Copyright, Copyrighting, and Online Copyright Abuse - Save Yourself the Headache by Reading This! Lets start with copyright infringement.It is easily explained as copying someone else's work without gaining permission first. How to Make the Most of Your Website Copywriter Many people feel uncertain when dealing with copywriters. Like any artform, writing is subjective; instead of black and white, most business owners and marketing managers see indistinguishable shades of grey. Kick-Starting Body Copy Several correspondents to our newsletter, AdBriefing, say that they are having trouble writing body copy for ads. Their problem seems to be the age-old one of how to kick things off - how to make a start. Freelance Writers: Double Your Income Freelance writers are a strange group of people when it comes to running their own businesses.They are outspoken and enthusiastic while selling their clients' products and services, but are hopelessly shy and reticent about blowing their own horns. How to Write a Direct Mail Fundraising Letter (Four Tips for Fund Raising Success) 1. Address your reader as a friend, not as "Friend. How To Write Direct Mail That Really, Really Works! So, you have something you want to sell. It may be a product, a service, or a cause. The Formulas Freelance Copywriters Employ When Creating Web Content What is it exactly that copywriters DO when they produce new text for a site makeover? You often see the advertisements; a designer is looking for a freelance web writer who is going to create content around a number of keywords. There's not a lot more information about the process. Internet Marketing 102: Copy What Works Internet Marketing- Forget the experts, latest software program or even that book that someone is selling to get on the "best seller list" and the 200 free ebooks they are offering you. Here is what REALLY works, and it's something that you learned in kindergarden. Finding Your Clients Business Problem Leads to Better Copy WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?How do you begin a dialogue with a prospect, be it in person, on your website or in print?You talk about your client's business problem.What IS your client's business problem?Answering this question is the hardest part of marketing.
|
| Index | Site map |
| © 2009 VirBooks Home |
| PLAE | Solar System |
