You may well have heard it said that “long copy sells”.

I have to admit I wans’t sure about this until I read the results of a test completed by a famous Internet Marrketer.

Here are the results…

Copy Length (words)                      Response Rate

1,064                                              17.08%

1,999                                              19.09%

2,763                                              24.24%

On that basis you would have to argue that long copy sells, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind an extra 41% in sales? And, on checking my own results I certainly found that to be true in the Internet Marketing niche.

However, when I tried in the health business with my Learn to Massage product I got a rude shock. The figures were not good.

Funnily enough it’s sales people that have the main problem in believing that long copy DOES sell. Perhaps they have a problem in relating to the written word as opposed to using verbal and visual techniques. I’m not sure.

What I have noticed though is that vidoe can really boost your sales. I got an incredible increase in sales when I cut the length of copy of my Total Control product and added video to the sales page. The old sales pages was four times the length but the new page outsold it 3 to 1!

The moral of the story, long copy still sells, but video does the job far mor eeasily and effectively! It may put us copywriters out of work! But then again, maybe not!

Back again soon.

Derek

What makes a truly great headline?

Here’s a headline critique to help you with your own headline copywriting…

Did you know…

You have 4 seconds to grab your readers attention? Yes, I know I have said that before on this blog, but…it’s true.

That is why the headline is so vitally *IMPORTANT*.

So, let’s get a move on and I hope you find this helpful…

WHEN DOCTORS “FEEL ROTTEN” THIS IS WHAT THEY DO

What’s the secret of the success of this well-known headline?

First: it has the suggestion of a paradox.

How often do we think of Doctors as being sick themselves? I never expect my Doctor to be sick, and I’m willing to bet you don’t either! That’s why this headline really grabs the attention.

And when they are, what they do about it is hot information “right from the horse’s mouth”;

It carries huge implied authority and a great assurance of “reward for reading the ad.”

Note the positive promise of reward in “This Is What They Do.” Interest aroused? You bet, you just have to know what a Doctor does when he gets sick!

Also, the use of the unabashed colloquialism “feel rotten” gets attention, sounds human and natural.

It also has surprise value. We all know the language used on the advertising pages has a certain sameness and stilted quality (everyone copies everbody else after all!).

Many a headline fails to stop readers in their tracks simply because the vocabulary is so hackneyed.

No word or phrase in it has any attention-arresting element of surprise, it’s the same words, expressions, or ideas as everyone else.

This ad pulled only half the number of responses when a test was made changing

“When Doctors Feel Rotten” to  “When Doctors Don’t Feel Up To Par.”

Since the idea of using headline words not commonly used in competing ads is worth serious consideration, let us look at a few more notable examples.

For a book on scientific weight control: the one word “Pot-Belly”! (Not very elegant, but it proved an effective stopper.)

For a dictionary: a single word (onion, hog, shad, pelican, skunk,kangaroo, etc.) as the boldface headline of each in a series of small-space advertisements.

You couldn’t miss it on the page (because it was so different) you just had to know what it was all about.

The copy followed through by illustrating how simple and clear the definitions were in that particular dictionary.

For a book of golf instruction: “Don’t Belly-Ache About Your Golf This Year!”

These are excellent examples of how you can use unusual words in your headlines to grab attention. So, plenty of “food for thought” there :>) I’ll be back soon with some headline structures you can use and some worked examples that fit the templates.

As always to *YOUR* success!

Cheers now

Hello Again,

Sorry it’s been a while since I posted, I’ve been busy launching a new product in a totally different market!

If you wan to have a look and critique the copywriting please feel free :>)

www.learn-2-massage.com

And…if you’d like a freebie on how to beat today’s high fat diets…have a look at the “squeeze page” aand there’s a free eBook for you…I am good to you!

www.learn-2-massage.com/learn_to_massage_squeeze.html

Moving on…Today I am going to talk about some key pointers that you must include in your copy. This is part 1 of 3.

So, you’ve worked hard, done your market research, developed your new product (or promotion) and
you’re ready to go and counting on that sales letter or advert to deliver for you!

You’re convinced the results are going to be amazing! And, you’re determined to do everything in your power to get them. Which means surveys, thorough testing, and ongoing tweaking.

Once you’ve completed your draft, run it through this 12-point plan. Tick off these basics, and you can be fairly sure
you’ll get off to a good start.

1 - Do You Have A Compelling Headline?

I have already talked about this at length in another post. But, just to re-cap…Does it generate curiosity, pain or envy? Does it promise a compelling benefit that will make sure someone with an interest in what you’re selling will keep reading? Remember, your headline is the ad for the entire copy or ad.

I normally draft out circa 25 headlines before I begin writing the body copy. This is good copywriting practice.

Then I’ll pick best 6 or 7 I think will work and test them. The best of the rest, I generally use as sub headings
at strategic places in the rest of the copy to propel and control the reader to do what I want! To draw skimmers and back into the copy as they move down the page.

2 - Are Your Headlines Pleasing To The Eye?

I know this sounds silly, but…I find the headlines that work best are centered on the page and present a “balanced” appearance in terms of the shape they create. Using quotation marks can also help to grab more attention. Quotation marks also imply the headline is what someone else might have said about the product…third party referrals are always that bit more powerful.

3 - Does Your Opening “Stop people In Their Tracks” And Make Them Really Think?

Does it “trip” the reader, does it break into their internal working and break the normal flow of the day? Each line of your work must serve to ’sell’ the reader on continued reading, this is especially so the nearer the beginning you are.

You are looking to build enough interest and then momentum to ensure you get through enough of the points necessary to generate a greater and greater desire for the product and overcome any resistance to price. Generally
speaking, the higher the product cost, the more words required. You’ve heard the phrase “long copy sells” - this is true.

4 - How FAB (Feature, Advantage, Benefit) Balanced Is Your Copy?

It’s vitally important to paint a vivid picture of your prospects future life (and how much better it will be), as a result of purchasing your product or service. This is one of the keys to successful copywriting! Does your copy promise emotional benefits? Does it promise the realization of positive feelings, or the relief of negative ones?

Does it show how these outcomes are achieved with exact and detailed descriptions of the features and advantages
that will be delivered? Your copy must strike a balance between emotion and logic if it is to be truly effective.

O.K, some great advice there to really enhance your copywriting. Quite a long post today to make up for the lack of content over the past few weeks…I promise I’ll be back with part 2 very soon.

As always…to *YOUR* success.

Cheers now

Derek

For Online Marketing Information Click Here

Hello Again,

It’s not very often that I feel the urge to “promote” products, in fact I only ever promote stuff that I have personally paid for with my own money and use as well!

So, why should I be promoting a copywriting product today?

Well, it’s like this! I was lucky enough to meet copywriting legend Brett McFall in London recently. So that you understand, Brett has written over 8,000 sales letters in 153 different industries, and…

…wait for it…he gets paid $25k a pop!

On that basis I was delighted to be able to spend some time with him and “pick his brains”.

He was telling me the reason most sales letters fail is that the copy is… *DEAD BORING*!

Now this is a subject I’ll cover in my next post. So, if you have a product that you know has a market and it is not selling then the chances are the sales letter (your copywriting?) is the culprit.

Anyway, Brett was telling me about how he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to automate the process of writing a killer sales letter. The result was “B.U.R.P.I.E.S” a program that automates your copywriting in the style of Brett McFall!

I have to admit I was hugely sceptical, but I forked out an made a purchase.

Now, selling a competing product in Write For Riches, I shouldn’t be telling you my results, but…

…I ran one of my old sales letters through BURPIES and guess what? Amazing, a 10% increase in sales! I was gobsmacked!

So, if you’d like to have a look, get along to Brett’s site by clicking here or visiting www.apd-marketing.co.uk/burpies.html

O.K, that’s it for today, back soon with some ideas on how you can really get inside the heads of your prospects!

As always, to *YOUR* success

Cheers now

Derek

Hello Again,

I’ve got a really interesting one for you today! The importance of “you” in your copywriting. And, I’m not talking about you (personally) - no offence!

O.K, I’m joking with you a bit here. I’m talking about the use of the word “you” in your copywriting. To be honest you really should know that when you write your copy, you should talk about the customers interests not your own.

However, I have lost count of the number of times I read web copy or a salesletter where the customers interest seems to have been totally forgotten. The overwhelming focus of the copywriting is “us”, “we”etc.

“We are the leading…”, “about us”, “we do this…”

Particularly on the web, far too often, the main focus is on the company or product and NOT the customer - Wrong!

I’m sure it makes the company or website owner feel great…a big ego trip, but…and here’s the important question…does it sell? Now I understand people want reassurance that they are dealing with a reputable company, but you have to sell benefits first!

And…your website is the first place a potential customer goes once interest is aroused. Imagine this…

You walk into a shop on the high street looking to buy whatever. You look for a salesperson to help you, and…

…they rush up to you…

“Hi, we’re wonderful, the best in the street. Would you like to meet the management? Here’s our mission statement, have a read, our MD LOVES it, hey, read his bio, it’s really cool…and here’s the annual report, all those figures that show you how well we have done this last year…aren’t we fab?”

Now, how silly does that sound? So…why do so many companies and web copywrtiters feel this is the approach they must take? Are you guilty? Come on, you can be honest with me :>)

So, when copywriting, make sure you talk in terms of “you” the customer. Talk in terms of how what your product is / does will benefit your customer. When you get down to it, copywriting is really just common sense, put yourself in your customers shoes.

What reasons would YOU buy your own product?

Give those benefits to your customer while talking about him/her and you are well on your way to winning copy that truly sells.

O.K, that’s it for today, back soon with lots more help and advice to get your copywriting into “you win” mode.

Cheers now

Derek

Hello Again,

Today, I’m going to talk about one of copywriting’s most downright and dirty subjects - guarantees and refunds. O.K, I accept that these are not strictly copywriting subject matter, but the subject matter is definitely tied in and it is relevant.

For most people marketing online a refund is something most hate. But, they are a fact of life. Indeed, offering a guarantee and a refund will not “hurt” your business as some novices tend to think! The “newbie” tends to think that most people will “take advantage” of the fact that a refund guarantee is there.

“Oh, they will buy the product, then ask for the refund and keep the product”. The same as I talked last time about honesty in your copywriting…most customers are honest. You have to believe this…for your own sanity if nothing else :>)

There are some things you can do to help on the refund front though.

First up, offer a long guarantee period. You’ll notice we offer a full one year guarantee on Write For Riches. We do that for two reasons.

First up we know it is the most comprehensive “how to” copywriting product on the planet, so we have total confidence in the product.

And, secondly, (and brutally honestly), if you offer a long guarantee period, people do forget and even if they intend to get a refund, it get’s “left on the shelf” and very often never implemented. It get’s inertia working on your side!

You also need to take into account the same as that honesty I was talking about when offering a guarantee in your sales copy - this will give potential customers more trust in both you and your product. They are more likely to buy if there is a refund policy and guarantee in place.

Ask yourself…would you buy a product without a guarantee? I thought not!

So, don’t be scared or fret about offering solid and long guarantees. They definitely work for your benefit in the long run!

As always…to *YOUR* success

More soon, cheers now.

Derek

Hello Again,

As promised, I’m following on from my 1st October post on the single biggest thing you can do to make your copywriting really powerful.

If you remember I was talking about being totally honest in your copywriting and I gave some aged examples or brutally honest copy :>)

So, even today, in this modern, break-neck, instant gratification world in which we live honesty in your sales copy is still a powerful way to bring in customers and build trust and loyalty.

For example, if sales are a bit slow…as they may well be in these troubled economic times…and you want a kick start…why not simply explain sales are a bit slack and that’s the reason you’re offering a reduced price for a “limited period”.

Or maybe throw in an extra bonus because you need some extra money for “whatever purpose”.

Or, maybe you have some old stock you’d like to get rid of. If you just tell people it is “old branded” stock you are selling off as you’re introducing an new, better and updated version, this honesty will be rewarded with trust and confidence by your customers.

Indeed, we did this with some old copies of Write For Riches before we updated to the new branded version… you can see the sales page here www.write-for-riches.co.uk/apdoffer.html (and see me in “action”).

In fact, I think we might still have a few of those old versions knocking around…so if you want to get your hands on the copywriting bargain of the century (ooohh dear that was bad!), go have a look and see if the order button still works!

As always, to *YOUR* success…

Cheers now, and…have fun!

Derek