Copywriting Basics

Bringing relevant traffic to your site is a great start towards business success, but if your online business opportunity depends on your site’s visitors taking an action, such as buying a product or joining your network marketing team, then having good sales copy is just as important as quality traffic.

Most large businesses use ad agencies or pay wellknown copywriters thousands, often just for one direct sales letter. Smaller businesses and solo entrepreneurs are far more likely to write their own copy or outsource to freelance copywriters who charge less.

Sales writing, also known as copywriting, is not a skill that can be learned overnight. However, it is a skill that can be learned by reading a good book or two, following a basic outline, and studying good examples. You never stop learning, but the more you learn the better you get, and the better your conversion rates get.

Just implementing a few basic elements, even with only a bit of understanding, can increase conversions or give you a heads up on what to be on the lookout for in a freelancer’s portfolio.

With this in mind, here in a nutshell, are the basics of copy that sells. Note, while the wording, style and tone will vary from business to business and market to market, the following tips apply to all sales copy, whether a ten-page sales letter or a short lead capture page.

Grab Attention with a riveting headline or email subject line. You only have a couple of seconds to do this because if the headline doesn’t capture attention, they’re gone.

The headline’s job is not to sell or even offer a solution. The most effective headlines draw readers into the copy by either stating a problem, asking a question, announcing something new or shocking, providing a riveting fact or quote, making a promise, or stating a benefit.

Build Interest in the opening paragraphs following through from the headline. Empathize with your reader. Instead of saying you understand, show that you do. This requires understanding the main motivators and other demographics of your market, so review your market research if needed. Continue to build interest by using storytelling methods such as creating curiosity, subtly giving reasons to continue reading. Another technique is to use repetition, which, if not overdone, can be very powerful.

Evoke Desire by providing the features and benefits of your product, service, or opportunity. Anything that will make life better for the person using your product or service is a benefit. Desire for your offer can also be created in a myriad of ways, such as by using language that speaks to your target market.

For example sales copy written for people persons, such as network marketers and sales reps, should make use of language such as “Exciting,” “You’re invited,” “Your friends will be amazed,” and “New,” while copy written for accountants, engineers and IT techies would do better with words such as “Proven,” “Take your time,” “The data shows,” “Analyze.” And while you’d do best to chit chat a bit with the people-oriented group, this would annoy most of the engineer types who tend to like getting to the point.

Your market research will likely give you information such as this, but there’s also something called the DISC model (found online in copywriting how-to articles) that you can use to match language with personality types/career choices.

Qualify - Whether you are selling an informational product or a networking marketing opportunity, readers will want to know why they should listen to you – after all they don’t know you yet, unless they’ve been on your email list. Don’t come off as bragging but do share your credentials and passion.

Testimonials - With so many fake testimonials on sales letters, pictures alone aren’t enough as they are easily found at stock photo sites. So, after getting permission from your customer, include full name, city and state or country. If there’s a website, include the URL. Better yet, ask for a video (or audio) testimonial.

Call to Action - After introducing your offering, ask for the purchase or the signup. Make it as easy as you can for them to take action. Offer a solid guarantee, customer support (with at least an email address and better yet a toll-free number) and a special bonus if they purchase now. Many marketers make the mistake of adding a purchase button to click on but not asking them to click. This is no time to be shy. After all, your goal is to make money.

Format - Since many online readers skim or scan sales copy, lead them through with good subheads that are in bold or stand out in some way. As with all online writing, keep paragraphs short and make liberal use of bullet points. In a sales letter or lead capture page, most of the above is usually done in order. For example, the offering is often not introduced up front, except with certain types of headlines.

Yet, if you just want some good copy on a home page or products page, then feel free to integrate all or some of these elements where they make the most sense.

Learning how to write sales copy takes time. To learn more about each of the above elements, check out the websites of top copywriters such as Ray Edwards, Joe Vitale, Michael Fortin, Bob Bly and others. Many sell their own workshops, books, etc. but these four and others offer free tips and articles so you can see what resonates best with you.

By Jerry McVictor
Published: 7/16/2009

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