Copywriting Tips For That Little Bit of Extra Edge

By Ralph Steele


Internet marketing is a vast field comprising various techniques to drive traffic and promote a product. But that's only part of the equation, but if your site fails to make conversions, then none of them won't matter. The key to writing great copy is to know what your customers want and give it to them. If you're new to IM, then you may think that copywriting is about the same as any other kind of writing, and that's not true at all. Copy that sells is more about following certain conventions that speak to the reader's heart and mind. What we'll do next is discuss just a few copywriting tips and strategies that we hope you'll use right away.

As you write your copy, almost all the time you want to discuss the product benefits, and do it as if talking just to one person. People are skeptical online, but it really depends on the market; nevertheless, give the reader as much compelling proof as much as possible. You should use strong testimonials to support your product. Sales copy can be tricky because if you do anything that sparks more doubt than they arrived with, then you're done. Getting testimonials is simple; all you need to do is ask for them from your customers and other experts in your field. Keep them short, up to 6 to 7 sentences, which talk about how the product was useful to this particular customer. Of course if you're asking for an expert's opinion, then you'll need to furnish them with a copy or sample of your product. It's not always possible, but if you're lucky enough to get someone to send a video testimonial, then that's pure gravy because they're powerul and work well.

The skillful use of urgency in copy is a time-honored and effective approach. Another device that goes hand in hand with urgency is scarcity, and if it's real and believable then the effect can be powerful. Urgency remains so effective because it appeals to something in our human nature; get this now, or wait and never get it. Besides that, there is a lot of competition online, since we're exposed to so many different marketing messages everyday. Go ahead and write some strong and believable scarcity copy. Tell them that there is a limited quantity or you will be closing down the offer soon. How many times have you seen scarcity involved with the price increasing? Lots? Us, too... so try a creative approach and use something different.

Don't forget to use lots of bullet points in your sales copy. You'll use benefit bullets to mention the benefits of the product - not the features. Bullets can be extremely effective only if they are well thought and written. Avoid using them too much, but you can use them a lot if it's appropriate and presented well.

We hope you have benefited from this short discussion on copywriting tips, and there is much more where those came from. There are no shortcuts to writing copy that works, but that should not deter you from striving to improve. There's much to learn, but if you're new to the game, then focus on knowing the difference between benefits and features. Do your bit of learning, keep yourself updated with the industry knowledge and be aware of the common copywriting mistakes that people make.




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