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Copywriting 101

How to Craft Compelling Copy

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Copywriting is one of the most essential elements of effective

online marketing.

The art and science of direct-response copywriting involves strategically

delivering words (whether written or spoken) which get people to take some

form of action.

Copywriters are some of the highest-paid writers in the world, but to become

a truly proficient and profitable copy expert, you’ll need to invest time and

energy in studying the craft.

To truly excel as a copywriter, you may even want to consider investing in

a copywriting course that can provide you more comprehensive training. If

you’d prefer to get started with a free resource, this ebook is designed to get

you up and running with the basics of writing great copy.

Ready to get started?

Let take a peek behind the curtain, and discover the real “secrets” to

improving your copywriting skills as a content marketer.

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Don’t Read This, or the Kitty Gets It

by Brian Clark

Poor Fluffy. I asked you not to do this, and you’ve gone and broken the rules.

Things don’t look good for this cute little kitten I’ve taken hostage in case my

demands were not met. She is awfully sweet, though.

We’ll just have to wait until later on in the chapter to decide the fate of Fluffy.

But first, we really do need to discuss the ultimate goal of good copywriting.

Stick with me and I’ll go easy on the cat. Deal?

Let’s get started. What is the primary purpose of any piece of writing that

you put out online — whether a blog post, a networking email, a sales letter

or a tutorial?

For starters, to get what you’ve written read, right?

Makes sense.

So, what’s the primary purpose of your headline, your graphics, your fonts, and

every other part of the content?

The simple, surprising answer is...

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To get the first sentence read.

This may seem somewhat simplistic to you, or maybe even confusing.

I came across this way of looking at copywriting later in my studies. I had

spent plenty of time trying to master the art of writing a perfect headline, or

properly conveying product benefits, or learning how to craft a compelling

call to action.

But it all came together for me when legendary copywriter and direct

marketer Joe Sugarman shared his secret for becoming a great copywriter:

Every element of copy has just one purpose — to

get the first sentence read.

In his seminars, Sugarman would quiz his students on the purpose of various

copy elements: the headline, the graphics, the sub-headlines, etc. Why are

they important?

“What is the purpose of a headline?” Sugarman would ask.

Every time the student started with some complicated, jargon-filled

explanation, he would cut them off.

“The purpose is to get the first sentence read,” he would counter.

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“And the purpose of the first sentence is to get the second sentence read,”

he continued.

And so on, down a slippery slide that leads to your offer and the sale.

This is an extremely valuable way to go about structuring any writing, and it’s

crucial to writing intended to persuade or sell. Many times we find ourselves

so eager to arrive at our conclusion that we forget that the essence of making

a persuasive point (or causing any action) is how we get there.

Step by step.

Now ... how do we get there?

With this simple framework in mind, the stage is set for drilling down deeper

into the nitty gritty of the “step by step.” We’re now in a better position to

more fully appreciate the specific techniques that apply to all of the various

elements of strong copy.

For example, we can now see:

•• Why a strong, compelling headline is critical

•• Why immediately focusing on the benefit to the reader is so crucial

•• Why you must make a promise to the reader that you later fulfill, and

•• Why you must back up everything you’ve said with very specific proof.

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If no one reads, all is lost.

And the key to getting someone to read is one sentence at a time, so

compelled by that sentence that they want to read the next. In other words,

how you say it is how you get there.

And while I did get you to read this entire chapter, I wouldn’t exactly

recommend the strategy employed here. It worked, but pulling cheap stunts

like this won’t help you in the long run.

Besides ... my four year old daughter staged a daring rescue of the kitten

when I wasn’t looking.

Kids!

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To Be, or Not to Be

Now that’s a question.

The first six words of Hamlet’s Act III, Scene 1 soliloquy are without doubt the

most famous line William Shakespeare ever wrote. It’s also one of the most

recognizable quotes in the English-speaking world.

And not a single word over three letters long.

The lesson? Keep it simple. Good copy is written in clear, concise, simple words

that get your point across. It’s conversational.

You can also fracture the occasional rule of grammar, if it helps to make

your writing more digestible. Sentence fragments, one-sentence paragraphs,

beginning with conjunctions and ending in prepositions are all fine,

even desirable.

And don’t forget to use plenty of bullets and numbered lists. Think your

audience is too sophisticated for this? Don’t be so sure.

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A recent study shows that more than 50 percent of students at four-year

schools and more than 75 percent at two-year colleges in the United States

could not:

•• Interpret a table about exercise and blood pressure;

•• Understand the arguments of newspaper editorials; or

•• Compare credit card offers with different interest rates and annual fees.

The bad news is that these kids are more literate than the average US adult,

which is not that surprising considering that the vast majority of US adults

have less education.

So ... keep it simple and clear. No one will ever complain that your writing is

too easy to understand.

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How to Write Headlines That Work

Your headline is the first (and perhaps only) impression you make on a

prospective reader. Without a headline or post title that turns a skimmer into a

reader, the rest of your words may as well not even exist.

But a headline can do more than simply grab attention. A great headline can

also communicate a full message to its intended audience, and it absolutely

must lure the reader into your body text.

At its essence, a compelling headline must promise some kind of benefit or

reward for the reader, in trade for the valuable time it takes to read more.

In The Copywriter’s Handbook, copywriter Bob Bly sets forth eight time-tested

headline categories that compel action and rake in sales:

•• Direct Headlines go straight to the heart of the matter, without any

attempt at cleverness. Bly gives the example of Pure Silk Blouses – 30

Percent Off as a headline that states the selling proposition directly. A

direct blog post title might read Free SEO E-book.

•• An Indirect Headline takes a more subtle approach. It uses curiosity to

raise a question in the reader’s mind, which the body copy answers.

Often a double meaning is utilized, which is useful online. An article

might have the headline Fresh Bait Works Best and yet have nothing

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to do with fishing, because it’s actually about writing timely content

that acts as link bait.

•• A News Headline is pretty self-explanatory, as long as the news itself

is actually, well ... news. A product announcement, an improved

version, or even a content scoop can be the basis of a compelling news

headline. Think Introducing Flickr 2.0 or My Exclusive Interview

With Steve Jobs.

•• The How-to Headline is everywhere, online and off, for one reason

only – it works like a charm. Bly says, “Many advertising writers claim

if you begin with the words how to, you can’t write a bad headline.” An

example would be, umm... oh yes... the title of this section of the book.

•• A Question Headline must do more than simply ask a question, it must

be a question that, according to Bly, the reader can empathize with

or would like to see answered. He gives this example from Psychology

Today: Do You Close the Bathroom Door Even When You’re the Only

One Home? Another example used in Internet marketing guru-ville is

Who Else Wants to Get Rich Online?

•• The Command Headline boldly tells the prospect what he needs to do,

such as Exxon’s old Put a Tiger in Your Tank campaign. Bly indicates

that the first word should be a strong verb demanding action, such as

Subscribe to Copyblogger Today!

•• Another effective technique is called the Reason Why Headline. Your

body text consists of a numbered list of product features or tips, which

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you then incorporate into the headline, such as Two Hundred Reasons

Why Open Source Software Beats Microsoft. It’s not even necessary

to include the words “reasons why.” This technique is actually the

underlying strategy behind the ubiquitous blogger “list” posts, such as

8 Ways to Build Blog Traffic.

•• Finally, we have the Testimonial Headline, which is highly effective

because it presents outside proof that you offer great value. This entails

taking what someone else has said about you, your product or service,

and using their actual words in your headline. Quotation marks let the

reader know that they are reading a testimonial, which will continue in

the body copy. An example might be “I Read Copyblogger First Thing

Each Morning,” admits Angelina Jolie.

Hey, we can dream, can’t we?

Next, let’s take a look at why headlines are so important (with some surprising

statistics and stories) and get more tips on how to improve your headline-

writing skills.

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Writing Headlines That Get Results

It’s no surprise to discover that one of the most popular blog posts Brian Clark

ever wrote for Copyblogger was How to Write Headlines That Work.

Every copywriter and every journalist knows the importance of a powerful

headline, and that awareness has spilled into the business blogosphere, where

everyone is a bit of a copywriter and a bit of a journalist.

Despite that, many still underestimate just how important headlines are. So

here are some anecdotes, facts, and guidelines that can help you write even

better headlines (and also let you know how much you should focus on them).

The 50/50 Rule of Headlines

According to some of the best copywriters of all time, you should spend

half of the entire time it takes to write a piece of persuasive content on the

headline. So if you have a blog post that is really important to you or your

business, one that you really want people to read, you should downright

obsess over your post title.

Advertising legend David Ogilvy knew the power of headlines, and how the

headline literally determined whether the advertisement would get read. He

rewrote this famous headline for an automobile advertisement 104 times:

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At 60 miles an hour, the only thing you hear in the new Rolls Royce is the ticking of

the dashboard clock ...

Master copywriter Gene Schwartz often spent an entire week on the first 50

words of a sales piece — the headline and the opening paragraph. Those

50 words are the most important part of any persuasive writing, and writing

them well takes time.

Even for the masters.

The 80/20 Rule of Headlines

Here are some interesting statistics.

On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10

will read the rest. This is the secret to the power of the headline, and why it so

highly determines the effectiveness of the entire piece.

The better the headline, the better your odds of beating the averages and

getting what you’ve written read by a larger percentage of people.

Writing a great headline doesn’t guarantee the success of your writing. The

benefit conveyed in the headline still needs to be properly satisfied in the

body copy, either with your content or your offer.

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But great body content with a bad or even marginal headline is doomed to

go unread.

How to Write a Great Headline

In the last section of this ebook, we looked at the different categories of

headlines that work. Now we’ll look at analytical techniques for producing

great headlines.

The copywriting trainers at American Writers & Artists teach The Four U’s

approach to writing headlines.

Headlines, subheads and bullets should:

•• Be USEFUL to the reader,

•• Provide him with a sense of URGENCY,

•• Convey the idea that the main benefit is somehow UNIQUE; and

•• Do all of the above in an ULTRA-SPECIFIC way.

Copywriter Clayton Makepeace says to ask yourself six questions before you

start to write your headline:

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•• Does your headline offer the reader a reward for reading?

•• What specifics could you add to make your headline more intriguing

and believable?

•• Does your headline trigger a strong, actionable emotion the reader

already has about the subject at hand?

•• Does your headline present a proposition that will instantly get your

prospect nodding his or her head?

• • Could your headline benefit from the inclusion of a proposed transaction?

•• Could you add an element of intrigue to drive the prospect into your

opening copy?

Makepeace’s six questions combined with the basic structure of The Four U’s

provide an excellent framework for writing spectacular headlines. Note that

just about any headline which satisfies the framework will fall into one of the

eight categories you learned in the last section.

It takes work and focus, but the effort will make you a more popular blogger

and a more profitable businessperson.

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The Structure of Persuasive Copy

We’ve seen that the purpose of each element of copy is designed to get the

first sentence read, then from there keep the reader engaged step by step to

the conclusion. We know to keep things clear, concise and simple so that our

writing communicates with ease.

And we definitely understand the make-or-break importance of an attention-

grabbing headline.

So ... how do we then structure our content to be persuasive?

Good content structure is never written in stone, but persuasive copy will do

certain things and contain certain elements time and time again. Whether

you’re writing a sales page, long blog post, or promotional ebook, the flow will

determine effectiveness.

Here are some guidelines:

•• First of all, focus on the reader – make an important promise early

on (with your headline and opening paragraphs) that tells the reader

what’s in it for her. Never allow readers to question why they are

bothering to pay attention.

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•• Each separate part of your narrative should have a main idea

(something compelling) and a main purpose (to rile up the reader, to

counter an opposing view, etc) which supports your bigger point and

promise. Don’t digress, and don’t ramble. Stay laser focused.

•• Be ultra-specific in your assertions, and always make sure to give

“reasons why.” General statements which are unsupported by specific

facts cause a reader’s BS detector to go on high alert.

•• Demonstrate large amounts of credibility, using statistics, expert

references, and testimonials as appropriate. You must be authoritative

– if you’re not an existing expert on a subject, you’d better have done

your research.

•• After building your credibility and authority, make sure you get back

to the most important person — the reader. What’s STILL in it for him?

Restate the hook and the promise that got readers engaged in the

first place.

•• Make an offer. Whether you’re selling a product or selling an idea,

you’ve got to explicitly present it for acceptance by the reader. Be bold

and firm when you present your offer, and relieve the reader’s risk of

acceptance by standing behind what you say.

•• Sum everything up, returning full circle to your original promise and

demonstrate how you’ve fulfilled it.

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•• These are some of the key elements of persuasive copy. Use them to

provide a “roadmap” to your writing, and you’ll achieve better results.

Now that you know the basics of creating persuasive copy, let’s dig into one

particular element of copywriting that often trips up beginners -- features

and benefits.

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Now Featuring Benefits

One of the most repeated rules of compelling copy is to stress benefits, not

features. In other words, identify the underlying benefit that each feature of a

product or service provides to the prospect, because that’s what will prompt

the purchase.

This is one rule that always applies, except when it doesn’t. We’ll look at the

exceptions in a bit.

Fake Benefits

The idea of highlighting benefits over features seems simple. But it’s often

tough to do in practice.

Writers often end up with fake benefits instead.

Top copywriter Clayton Makepeace asserts that fake benefits will kill sales

copy, so you have to be on the lookout for them in your writing. He uses this

headline as an example:

“Balance Blood Sugar Levels Naturally!”

That sounds pretty beneficial, doesn’t it? In reality, there’s not a single real

benefit in the headline.

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True Benefits

Makepeace advises to apply his patented “forehead slap” test to see if your

copy truly contains a benefit to the reader. In other words, have you ever

woken up from a deep sleep, slapped yourself in the forehead, and exclaimed

“Man... I need to balance my blood sugar levels naturally!”

It doesn’t happen. So getting someone to pull out their wallet to buy that so-

called “benefit” will be difficult at best.

Here’s how Makepeace identifies the real benefit hidden in that headline:

Nobody really wants to balance their blood sugar levels. But anyone in his or her

right mind DOES want to avoid the misery of blindness ... cold, numb, painful

limbs ... amputation ... and premature death that go along with diabetes.

A high risk person will want to avoid the terrible effects of diabetes. That is the

true benefit that the example product offers.

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How to Extract True Benefits

So, how do you successfully extract true benefits from features? Here’s a

four-step process that works:

•• First, make a list of every feature of your product or service.

•• Second, ask yourself why each feature is included in the first place.

•• Third, take the “why” and ask “how” does this connect with the

prospect’s desires?

•• Fourth, get to the absolute root of what’s in it for the prospect at an

emotional level.

Let’s look at a product feature for a fictional News Feed Reader app:

Feature:

“Contains an artificial intelligence algorithm.”

Why it’s there:

“Adds greater utility by adapting and customizing the user’s

information experience.”

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What’s in it for them:

“Keeps the things you read the most at the forefront when you’re in a hurry.”

Emotional Root:

“Stay up to date on the things that add value to your life and career, without

getting stressed out from information overload.”

Getting to the emotional root is crucial for effective consumer sales. But what

about business prospects?

When Features Work

When selling to business or highly technical people, features alone can

sometimes do the trick. Pandering to emotions will only annoy them. Besides,

unlike consumers (who mostly “want” things rather than “need” them),

business and tech buyers often truly need a solution to a problem or a tool to

complete a task. When a feature is fairly well known and expected from your

audience, you don’t need to sell it.

However, with innovative features, you still need to move the prospect

down the four-step path. While the phrase “contains an artificial intelligence

algorithm” may be enough to get the Slashdot reader salivating, he’ll still want

to know how it works and what it does for him. The What’s in it for me? aspect

remains crucial.

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For business buyers, you’re stressing “bottom line” benefits from innovative

features. If you can demonstrate that the prospect will be a hero because your

CRM product will save her company $120,000 a year compared to the current

customer relationship management choice, you’ve got a good shot.

While that may seem like a no-brainer purchase to you, you’ll still need to

strongly support the promised benefit with a detailed explanation of how

the features actually deliver. Remember, change scares the business buyer,

because it’s their job or small business on the line if the product disappoints.

Sell With Benefits, Support With Features

We’re not as logical as we’d like to think we are. Most of our decisions are

based on deep-rooted emotional motivations, which we then justify with

logical processes. So, first help the right brain create desire, then satisfy the left

brain with features and hard data so that the wallet actually emerges.

Persuading your reader with features and benefits is important -- but you

also need to know how to craft a truly compelling offer. Let’s look at some

guidelines for creating offers in our next section.

“Kids Eat Free” and Other Irresistible Offers

The sign says it all — “Kids Eat Free Every Monday and Tuesday.” It’s out in

front of a Mexican food restaurant on my way home.

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That’s called an offer. It’s not the restaurant’s main offering (which is trading

Mexican food for money). As far as that goes, this is probably the third best

(out of four) Mexican food joints in my hometown.

But every Monday and Tuesday night, the place is packed. They’ve made an

appealing offer that caused people to take action.

“Offer” is a contractual term. It’s an invitation to enter into an economic

relationship, or any relationship really.

The relationship is based on mutual promises. I’ll do this for you if you give me

money or attention or sex or friendship...

If there’s no acceptance of the invitation, there’s no contract and

no relationship.

Uber-marketer Mark Joyner devotes an entire book to the subject of offers.

He demonstrates that hugely successful businesses are built upon an

Irresistible Offer.

Joyner’s work makes great companion reading to Seth Godin’s All Marketers

Are Liars, because both books say the same thing in different ways.

Formulating an irresistible offer means telling a story that people want to hear,

so they naturally respond.

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You must then live the story and fulfill the offer.

It’s helpful to think about offers as coming in two varieties – primary and

promotional. I’ll highlight a couple of Joyner’s favorite irresistible offers to

demonstrate one of each type.

Primary Offers: Federal Express

FedEx is a billion dollar company so essential that corporate commerce

might grind to a halt if they and their progeny ceased business. The company

originated with an idea expressed in a Yale undergraduate term paper

authored by founder Fred Smith, which according to popular lore received a C

from his skeptical professor.

The company filled a huge need at the time, because the monopolistic United

States Postal Service provided unacceptable results to really important people,

mainly on Wall Street. So Fred took Wall Street’s money and became essential

by providing an offer that couldn’t be refused – guaranteed overnight delivery.

When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.

About the only thing this offer doesn’t communicate is price. If the price

wasn’t right, FedEx would not have blasted off; but in the early days, price

wasn’t the first question you asked if it really, absolutely, positively had to be

there the next morning.

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Promotional Offers: Domino’s Pizza

Tom Monaghan entered the world of pizza with a single location he bought

in 1960. Pizza is a tough business – it’s the only food item that has its own

category in the Yellow Pages, and there are always several shops to choose

from in any reasonably populated area.

While trying to expand the business, Monaghan faced near bankruptcy and

franchise disputes that almost buried Domino’s. But one single promotional

idea changed everything and put Domino’s in an overwhelmingly dominant

position in this ultra-competitive field:

30 minutes or less... or it’s free.

That simple guarantee was explosive. The secret to the offer’s success resides

in the nature of your average tired, hungry, time-strapped citizen. What seems

like the safer bet – the tastiest pizza in town with unpredictable timing, or the

pizza that arrives in a half an hour or else ends up a free meal?

The irony is, back before Domino’s had to discontinue the offer in 1993 due to

an auto injury lawsuit, the pizza sucked. Some think it still does.

Each day, millions of people in more than 60 countries eat Domino’s.

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Make an Offer

It’s troubling to see so many entities trying to gain business online, yet

without ever making a compelling offer. There’s no apparent reason why

someone should select you from the overcrowded field, because often you’ve

made no express offer at all.

So many websites assume that a visitor will get the obvious value that the

owner knows he provides. Value is communicated through offers, however,

and those offers must be communicated quickly and explicitly. Consider your

own surfing habits for a second, and ask yourself – why would my target

audience be any different?

In the lingo of direct-response copywriting, an offer is a call to action. For

bloggers, desired actions include having a reader subscribe, bookmark you,

make comments, respond to surveys, share your post on social networking

sites, and utilize your information resources that double as sales tools.

Start making offers if you want some action.

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This Ebook Rocks ... I Guarantee It!

There you have it. You just can’t go wrong reading this ebook.

We’ve guaranteed your satisfaction. Those are powerful words, right?

But what does our guarantee really mean? What if you think this ebook is

actually marginal at best? There’s no money to return. And we can’t give you

back your valuable time if you feel it was wasted.

Boy... we’d better make this good.

No Power Without Proof

Advertisements proclaiming “satisfaction guaranteed” are fairly common –

and that’s the problem: the statement can come across as just another hollow

promise, because it often is.

Every promise you make to a prospect should be both fulfilled and

guaranteed. When you sell something in exchange for someone’s hard-

earned money, the promise is that the product or service will meet, or exceed,

expectations. The guarantee means you will give the money back if the buyer

feels that’s not actually the case.

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The word guarantee is extremely powerful, but only coupled with evidence

of substance. The proof behind the guarantee accomplishes two things – it

demonstrates confidence in your offering, and relieves the risk to the buyer.

Confidence and Risk

Every contemplated purchase carries risk to the buyer. Before consumer

protection laws, the rule was caveat emptor (let the buyer beware), and these

days buyers are still cautious, even leery – especially of unknown vendors.

Even when already emotionally and logically committed to what you have to

offer, buyers don’t want to make a mistake. It’s up to you to help them get over

the hump.

The way to get past the buyer’s uncertainty is to first demonstrate

confidence in your offering. Not through boasts or sales prattle, but with a

good old-fashioned, no-questions-asked, “money-where-my-mouth-is”

cash-back guarantee.

Return periods of 30, 60 or 90 days work great. Some direct marketers go

as far as 6 months, a year, or even a lifetime money back guarantee. The longer

the better.

Other techniques involve a “return premium.” The seller allows you to keep all

or part of the materials delivered even after the refund, or promises to pay you

double your money back (or some other multiple).

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Now that’s confidence, and it speaks directly to the buyer’s

lingering reservations.

You’ve now created a risk-free buying environment. Your conversion

of prospects to customers will skyrocket compared to the same offer,

sans guarantee.

Guaranteed Higher Profits

“Whoa there,” many of you are saying, “I can’t do that kind of thing. It’s way

too risky for me.”

Our first response might be to ask you how much faith you have in your

offering. If your faith is lacking, improve your product or service. As we’ve seen

with Domino’s Pizza and Federal Express (see previous section), the guarantee

was the key that made the offers irresistible.

But you’ve spotted the essence of the technique – you’re taking the buyer’s

risk and shifting it over to yourself. Assuming the faith in your offering is there,

here’s why you shouldn’t be concerned:

First of all, you will get some returns, no matter how much value you deliver.

The reason is that your guarantee will generate a much higher number of sales.

By taking the risk away from the buyer, invariably you’ll sell to someone who

the product wasn’t suited for. That’s okay; the numbers are working for you.

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Your returns will be lower than you think, even among those who experience

buyer’s remorse. We like to remain consistent on a psychological basis, and

our brains work hard to validate our earlier decisions. Couple that with the

ambivalence people experience when faced with initiating the return process

(especially for physical products), and the sale remains in place.

When it comes to information products, some people will rip you off. They’ll

happily consume the knowledge you offer, and still demand a refund. If your

product is digital, some will share your hard work with other people, and you

won’t make a dime. Don’t worry about it. Believe it or not, most people are

honest. Don’t lose sleep over those that are not. Your sales (and profits) are up,

perhaps dramatically, because of your guarantee. That was the goal, right?

There are certainly other methods to keep customers happy and minimize

returns, but the general rule is to always make a strong, substantive guarantee

that actually transfers the reader’s risk back over to you.

Now that you’re comfortable with the basics of offers, guarantees, and writing

about features vs. benefits, let’s take a look at some unique ways to write

persuasive copy.

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7 Scientifically-Backed Copywriting Tips

by Gregory Ciotti

Writing persuasive copy is a necessity if you want to sell products, services, or

ideas online.

While great writing is truly an art, those looking to improve their craft

as a copywriter can find a lot of help from behavioral psychology and

neuroscience studies.

The only problem is that good writers are often busy people, and they

don’t have time to slog through dry research papers to find an interesting

nugget or two.

Fortunately, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you, and today you’ll get to

look at 7 fascinating studies on the mind ... and see how you can apply their

findings to produce more persuasive copy.

Sound good? Let’s jump in!

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1. Make em’ feel something

Imagine with us, if you will ...

You’re watching football, and your team’s quarterback gets slammed with a

bone-crunching tackle, snapping a rib.

Ooh ...

Can’t you just feel yourself cringing at the thought?

That’s the power of mirror neurons and how they affect the human mind.

According to research on the subject, these neurons activate when you

observe something happening, and then transfer some of the feeling (if it’s

powerful enough) on to you.

It’s likely that they’re biologically useful for necessary evolutionary traits, such

as empathy, or “walking in someone else’s shoes.”

Although a majority of the current research on mirror neurons focuses on

literal observation, great writers know that strong emotions can be conveyed

through words as well.

Think about the first example ... if you did cringe at the thought of a man

breaking his ribs, you’re already experiencing this effect in action!

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When crafting compelling copy, you have to understand what keeps your

potential reader up at night.

It’s easy for us to write out, “Envision this ...,” but it’s not as easy to get people

to care.

You have to speak to a feeling that’s already there -- not try to force one on

your reader.

If you’re selling software that takes the hassle out of content optimization, you

need to speak to the frustrated entreproducer who’s tired of nitpicking and

game-playing for Google, and who wants to get back to writing.

If you’re selling beer, you need to invoke memories of good times spent with

friends over an ice-cold beverage.

Using this information on mirror neurons to transfer a desired feeling onto

readers is effective, but it’s only going to work if you know what makes those

readers tick.

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2. Be wary of “selling” savings

Here’s something you should know — if you’re using precious real estate to

chest thump about your low prices, you’re doing it wrong.

Not only has research shown us that asking customers to directly compare

prices is a bad idea, but a study from Stanford University has revealed that that

selling “time” is far more effective (for most businesses) than selling money.

Jennifer Aaker, the lead researcher in the Stanford study, sought to explain

why companies like Miller would use a slogan such as ...

It’s Miller Time!

As an inexpensive beer, shouldn’t they be promoting their reasonable

prices instead?

It turns out, no.

A person’s experience with a product tends to foster feelings of personal

connection with it, referring to time typically leads to more favorable attitudes

— and to more purchases.

What does this have to do with writing great copy?

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Writing compelling copy helps you speak to what really matters to your buyer

— and that’s their time, troubles, and objectives.

We know that customers are willing to pay more for exceptional service, but

you also need to understand that they’re willing to pay your prices if you speak

to them in a way that shows you value what they hope to achieve. Your efforts

will be perceived as far more genuine (and effective) than trying to sell them

on bottom-dollar prices.

Or, as Professor Mogliner would put it:

Ultimately, time is a more scarce resource — once it’s gone, it’s gone — and

therefore it’s more meaningful to us.

3. Sweat the small stuff

This is an incredibly important study for copywriters and conversion experts.

A fascinating piece of research from Carnegie Mellon University was able to

show that the devil really is in the details, especially when it comes to creating

copy which converts.

In the study, researchers tested how changing a single phrase would affect

conversions over the long haul.

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They did this by setting up a free DVD trial program that customers could sign

up for, and testing it between two different phrases ...

•• “A $5 fee”

•• “A small $5 fee”

Here’s the best part:

They found that the second phrase was able to increase signup rates by

over 20%.

The science behind it is actually pretty interesting: researchers found that this

emphasis on the “small” fee made it far easier to deal with for conservative

spenders, also known as “tightwad” customers.

When it comes to great copywriting, however, the lesson is more in the art of

great writing rather than in the “science.”

You must take the time to measure, improve, and track the success of your

craft. Great writers today have no excuses for not testing their work, so make

sure you’re sweating the small stuff and keeping tabs on how it performs.

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4. Embrace your devilish side

A big mistake that many copywriters make is making little effort to

be authentic.

Everything is high-level: they promise the world, and since many consumers

are hesitant to believe crazy claims, they’re more likely to glaze over your copy,

rather than get swept up by it.

The answer?

Create strong copy that addresses their objections head-on.

You might be familiar with the term “devil’s advocate,” which is when someone

takes a position they don’t inherently agree with in order to prove a point.

What you might not know is that the Catholic church used to use a person

called the “devil’s advocate” when they canonized someone into sainthood.

Their job was to find flaws with the person so the debate around them

was impartial.

They ended the practice ... and with good cause, because you’ll soon see

that playing the devil’s advocate actually enhances the persuasiveness of the

original argument!

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A study by social psychologist Charlan Nemeth was able to show that

arguments framed in the “devil’s advocate” style were more likely to persuade

listeners to support the original argument, rather than to disagree with it.

Nemeth (and a few other researchers) have concluded that this occurs

because potential flaws and concerns are brought up (and subsequently

addressed) when engaging in the devil’s advocate style, either by the speaker,

or — subliminally — by the listener.

When you’re listening to a persuasive argument and you think to yourself:

But will that address ____?

... you’re much more likely to be persuaded if the speaker says something like:

Many of you are probably worried about ____ right now.

... because your concerns are put in the spotlight, instead of being ignored or

swept under the rug.

So instead of trying to paint a picture of an infallible offer, point out common

concerns that customers may have — then assure them with facts and

evidence that they have nothing to worry about.

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5. Don’t rely on adjectives alone

Some writers might not agree with this, but college kids will tell you: an

admissions letter is one of the most stressful pieces of persuasive copy you

can write.

And believe me, it is very much a piece of selling copy — you’re selling you to

some person who decides the fate of your future.

Interestingly enough, in this analysis of persuasive admission letters — as

discussed by the Harvard MBA admissions director who read them — verbs

beat out adjectives more often than not.

Verbs get specific and are harder to ignore, especially in a vain world where

everybody describes themselves with the same trite adjectives.

How about this example ...

We know this guy Brian who is intelligent, hard-working, and really insightful.

Big whoop.

Now what if we told you that he founded a successful company, he created a

popular blog, and he leads a talented team.

Much more impressive, right?

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Verbs get in your face, and since your competitors will be fluffing up their

copy with adjectives they found in a thesaurus, you can win people over by

describing what you actually do.

6. Include “power” words

Smart copywriters know that there are certain persuasive words that hold

more sway than others.

The top 5 persuasive words are as follows:

•• “You” (in actuality, someone’s name, such as when sending an email

newsletter)

•• Free

•• Because

•• Instantly

•• New

Here’s the breakdown ...

“You” – According to recent research examining brain activation, few things

light us up quite like seeing our own names in print or on the screen. Our

names are intrinsically tied to our self-perception, and we become more

engaged, and even more trusting of a message when our name appears in it.

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Free – Dan Ariely, in his book Predictably Irrational, revealed a study with

chocolate truffles and Hershey’s Kisses that was quite startling: when the

Kisses were advertised as free, people chose them over the truffles by 38%

... despite the fact that most people had chosen the truffles when the Kisses

were just a penny!

Because – In a classic study from Robert Cialdini, the research found that

people were more willing to heed to a request (in this case, to cut in line)

when people used the word “because”... even if the request was nonsensical

(for example, “Can I use the copy machine first because I need to make

a copy?”).

Instantly – We all want things yesterday. According to certain MRI studies,

few words light up our mid-brain quite like those that invoke a sense of fast

reward. Let people know you’ll solve their problems quickly, and they’ll be

more prone to buy.

New – Novelty plays an incredibly important role in activating our brain’s

reward center and in keeping us happy with our purchases. The research

shows that perceived “newness” is important for a product, but can actually

be damaging for a brand (people trust brands that have been around for a

long time).

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7. Use transportation for persuasion

Why do good stories consume us so completely?

No other form of writing can keep you up into the wee hours of the night

(willingly!) quite like stories.

According to research from social psychologists Melanie Green and Timothy

Brock, there’s a very simple reason why stories are so persuasive:

Transportation leads to persuasion.

People can block out sales pitches, but everybody loves listening to stories.

Their research shows that stories have a tendency to get in “under the

radar” and transport us to another place; in this place we may embrace things

we’d likely scoff at in the harsh “real world.”

This is great news for those adept at telling an enchanting tale, but how can

the rest of us write more persuasive stories?

According to additional research by the duo, the following tactics work well:

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Detailed imagery: Imagery paints the picture for story. It’s hard to understand

how scary Mordor is without Tolkien giving you detailed descriptions of the

barren landscapes, the looming presence of Mt. Doom, and the horrifying

screams of the Nazgul.

Suspense: How do you get people to finish a story? Leave them begging to

know the end in the very beginning. It’s hard for us to not finish things that

catch our attention, so lead with something exciting first — not later.

Metaphors and irony: The reason that stories like Animal Farm are so popular

is because they tell a hidden tale through metaphor (such as depicting the rise

of Stalin). Many good stories include these elements so that readers will have

“Aha!” moments, allowing them to truly grasp the author’s message.

Modeling: If you’re looking to have someone change a behavior (or take a

desired action), you can “model” the action via a story. When we listen to

transformation tales, we re-imagine ourselves as the main character, and

according to the research, it makes the action easier to understand.

Do you have a better understanding of how to improve your persuasive copy

using these techniques? Then let’s address one of the biggest questions

beginning copywriters ask.

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The Long and the Short of Copywriting

by Brian Clark

They’re some of the most often-asked questions about copywriting.

Long or short copy, which works best? What about headlines — how long

should they be?

The correct answer usually drives people crazy, which is...

Whatever works.

Before you start throwing things at us, we’ll elaborate.

Headlines: 8 Words or Less, Except ...

The traditional wisdom about headlines is that they should be short. There are

plenty of exceptions to this rule (including a big one we’ll discuss below).

However, reviewing The 100 Greatest Advertisements by Julian Lewis Watkins

shows that 95% of the most effective headlines from the early years of

magazine copywriting were less than eight words. But magazine copywriters

had to worry about brevity due to space concerns.

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Studies done from the direct mail industry show that about 50% to 60% of the

most effective headlines are eight words or less, leaving ample indication that

longer headlines work, too.

Now, here’s an exception that applies online. Perhaps you’ve seen web

sales letters or landing pages which have a headline that looks like a short

paragraph. These long headlines can’t possibly be working, right?

Well, according to the eye-tracking study released by user-interface expert

Jakob Nielsen, webpage visitors read in an “F” pattern, scrolling intently across

the top of the page where the headline should be, then making their way back

again across the first subhead, then down the left hand side of the page to see

if anything else is of interest.

This study verifies the 80/20 rules of headlines (see above). But it also

demonstrates that you might want to include more information in your

headline than 8 words can usually get across in an effort to get the rest of the

page read.

All in all though, short headlines are easier to scan and cannot be missed.

My general rule of thumb is to write the shortest headline possible that

convincingly conveys a unique benefit to the reader so they’ll read the body.

It’s not always easy, but it’s extremely important.

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Long Copy vs. Short Copy

Does anyone read those long sales letters that go on and on?

Yes they do, and for many products, long copy outsells short copy by a large

margin. The basic rule of copy length is the same as headlines – as long as

necessary, but no longer.

The key is writing copy that’s interesting and informative to someone who

actually cares. But beyond that, there are some guidelines that can help, so

let’s see what the experts say.

Bob Bly says that the length of your copy will depend on three things:

•• The Product: the more features and benefits a product has, the longer

the copy.

•• The Audience: Certain people want as much information as they can

get before making a purchase. This is especially true of people on the

Internet, and especially true with information products.

•• The Purpose: What’s the goal? Generating a lead for a service business

requires less detail, but an ad that aims to make a sale must overcome

every objection the potential buyer may have.

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Joe Sugarman says two factors increase the need for more copy:

•• Price point: The higher the price, the more copy required to justify or

create the need.

•• Unusual Item: The more unusual the product, the more you need to

relate that product to the user by clearly demonstrating the benefits.

Michel Fortin sets forth four categories of products, with each successive

category requiring longer copy:

•• Convenience products: Fills an immediate need, low price, low

thought, short copy.

•• Shopping products: A little higher priced, more thought and

opportunity to “shop around,” a little longer copy.

•• Specialty products: With exotic goods, luxury cars, expensive jewelry,

art, etcetera, longer copy is definitely needed.

•• Unsought products: When people have never realized that their

lives were incomplete without your product, get ready to write some

lengthy copy.

Read Michel’s blog post here for an elaboration of his ideas about the long

copy vs. short copy debate. Great stuff.

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Whatever Works

So, we come full circle. The guidelines set forth by these copywriting pros can

help, but the answer remains the same:

The length of your headline and your copy will depend on whatever works for

whatever you are selling.

And the only way to know what works is to test different approaches.

Test various headlines to see which works best at capturing attention and

communicating a benefit. Test the amount of information you provide. Does

more or less work better at producing the desired action?

Ultimately, that’s the only answer that matters to you.

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A Short Guide to Writing Good Copy

by Kelton Reid

The term “style” is thrown around a lot by writers, but it’s a misnomer for

copywriters because “style” doesn’t work in the extremely short attention

economy of the internet.

Good copy isn’t necessarily “stylish,” but copy that establishes trust, authority,

builds relationships, and gets people talking, sharing, and buying is in high

demand. A lack of style is what makes it work, so writers who master this

“style” are sought after and revered.

Legendary ad man David Ogilvy was one of those sought-after writers, and he

said, “A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing

attention to itself.”

It sounds counterintuitive, but it holds up under pressure, and I’ll explain why

great content marketing is built on that exact premise.

Clear communication is the key to effective copy

Your best copy needs to be “display window clear,” and you need to be out

there every morning with your Windex to make sure it doesn’t distract from

the product or service you provide for your clients and customers.

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Every writer eventually reaches for a style guide to help them craft clear copy,

and there are countless helpful rulebooks and list posts that offer writers

advice about proper usage and consistent language.

Copyblogger actually has its own internal style guide, and members of

the editorial crew often squabble about usage over (virtual) martinis.

We are also big fans of the classic English guidebook, The Elements of Style

by Strunk & White.

In it, William Strunk advises writers,

“A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a

paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same

reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary

lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This

requires not that the writer make all his sentences

short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects

only in outline, but that every word tell.”

This is very solid advice for online publishers ... that was written in 1918!

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A copywriter comes to the rescue

It was actually famed writer E. B. White who updated professor Strunk’s

“little” 43 page English rulebook in 1959. White revived it from scholastic

obscurity to become what Time magazine has called “one of the 100 best and

most influential books written in English since 1923.”

E. B. White was more than a revered journalist (contributor to the New Yorker

for 60 years), and award-winning children’s author (Charlotte’s Web).

He honed his writing style as a copywriter in the 1920s, and contributed what

he learned to The Elements of Style re-issue in chapter V, “An Approach to Style.”

It’s no secret why this revered text is so short, and so effective.

Mr. White edited the style guide with some reluctance, and was quoted years

later as saying,

“My role in the revival of Strunk’s book was a fluke —

just something I took on because I was not doing

anything else at the time. It cost me a year out of my

life, so little did I know about grammar.”

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Make every word tell

White’s lack of grammatical knowledge did not prevent the guide from

becoming a bestseller for the better part of the last 50 years.

In interviews, White wanted to remind writers that rules are meant to be

broken, and that every writer has their own unique point of view and voice.

Style results more from what a person is than from what he knows.

Every writer can memorize rules — but how you get people’s attention

requires some creativity.

Don’t get too hung up on the rules, or your copy might end up sucking, and

that would break the first rule of Copyblogger.

What we present to you next is an annotated guide to effective online

copywriting “style.” This list is only a sampling of the vast amount of

knowledge available to online publishers and content marketers, but it

contains a few things that have helped us most along the way.

1. Use common spelling

Flourishes and variations of common words distract your readers and

pull them out of the story you’re telling (unless your demographic is girls

aged 7-13).

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Avoid:

•• Pleez for please

•• Thru for through

•• Nite for night

•• 2moro for tomorrow

•• @ for at

Tweets and text messages require some brevity, slang, and LOL acronyms, but

connecting with your audience in longer copy requires fewer distractions.

2. Avoid hyperbole and fancy words

Sometimes, you will need to tone down your language.

Good copy cuts like a knife. When it’s action you’re after, avoid big words that

make you sound like you’re trying too hard to sound smart or important.

E. B. White said it best,

“Do not be tempted by a twenty-dollar word, when

there is a ten-center handy.”

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3. Put the reader first

It is our job as copywriters to tap into the hopes, dreams, and fears of our

audience. This requires research, and the magic of the word “you.”

Proven to be one of the English language’s most powerful words, you is a word

that can’t lose.

4. Write in a natural way

You must speak the language of your audience, and do it in a way that

conveys you are a real person, with genuine interest in offering your help

and expertise.

How else are your prospects going to get to know, like, and trust you? How

else are search engines going to recognize that you have the answers to

people’s questions?

Research, research, research. Know your audience inside and out, and

understand the language they use when they speak about your topic. Then

use that language in your copy.

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5. Work from an outline

Outlines work! If you don’t have the energy or time to sketch out a simple

AIDA outline, give yourself some idea of the goals you’d like to accomplish.

Even something as simple as a post-it-note with a few bullet points works.

Successful writers use outlines — they’re helpful in reminding you to stick to

the point.

6. Write with nouns and verbs

Precise language convinces; flowery language distracts.

Concise and specific copy moves the prospect along, but adjectives and

adverbs are (often) just filler. The more descriptors you throw in there,

the higher the chances are that someone with the attention span of a

hummingbird will click away (unless you are describing the features of

something technical).

7. Revise and rewrite

World-class copywriter and advertising executive David Ogilvy is quoted as saying,

“I am a lousy copywriter, but I am a good editor.”

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He would edit his first draft four or five times before showing it to a client, who

would inevitably change it again.

8. Do not overwrite

Without clarity, your copy doesn’t stand a chance. Overwriting is a symptom of

underthinking. Good copy is damn hard to write.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it

well enough.”

– Albert Einstein

9. Do not overstate

Superlatives have the power to wreck your copy.

When you overstate or exaggerate your claims (with things like trumped-up

testimonials), you risk losing the trust of your audience.

An understated promise often does a better job of capturing reader attention

than screaming hype does.

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10. Don’t mix metaphors

If a product sings when used correctly, but sinks if used improperly, then it is

guilty of being both a songstress and an anchor, and this is very distracting.

Stick to one metaphor or the other, but not both in one sentence.

11. Simplify your language

Make every word tell.

Delete the words that are just window dressing.

Need Some Examples?

If you need some examples of how to create good copy (that follows the rules

above), read on for 10 killer samples.

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10 Ways to Write Damn Good Copy

by Demian Farnworth

Writing effective copy is both an art and a science.

It’s an art because it requires creativity, a sense of beauty and style — a certain

aptitude, mastery, and special knowledge. Artistic advertising allows you to

create content marketing that’s not just practical and persuasive, but awe-

inspiring and breathtaking.

Writing effective copy is also a science, because it exists in the world of tests,

trial and failure, improvement, breakthroughs, education, and predictability.

Scientific advertising allows you to develop an idea, then test that idea. It’s

how you know if your content marketing is working.

In bad copy, one (or both) of these elements are missing. In good copy, they

are both abundant.

Read on, and we’ll explore ten examples of good copy living (and selling) out

in the wild ...

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1. Plain copy

The most basic approach to writing effective copy is to simply introduce

the product without gimmick or style. It’s a simple presentation of the facts

and benefits.

There is no story. There is no conversation. There is no “sizzle” and no

superlative claims.

Think Google Analytics.

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Google’s copy isn’t going to win any literary awards, but it will get the

job done.

It will give a prospect the information she needs to make an informed decision

about the product.

2. Storytelling copy

As we’ve talked about before — everyone loves a good story.

We like hearing about people (especially interesting people). We want to know

more about people who’ve suffered challenges we can relate to, who can tell

us how they overcame those challenges.

And the moral of the story, coincidentally, is that your product was the catalyst

to overcoming those odds.

You might find this storytelling technique in an email series, a landing page, or

a short video. Whatever the format, you’ll get four basic traits in the story:

•• Opening: Introduce the pain. Show how the character of the story had

a normal life, then how that life was shattered by a change of events.

•• Conflict: How is the life of the main character threatened if he or she

does not respond to the problem? What does her journey look like as

she tackles this challenge?

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•• Dialogue: People are drawn to conversations in a story. It’s human

interest at its root: two people talking to each other. We are also drawn

to dialogue because it’s easy to read.

•• Solution: Finally, your product is introduced as the cure for your

character’s problem. You increase the credibility of your product by

sharing specific results (347% increase in conversion, for example).

Your story doesn’t have to be dramatic — it just has to be interesting to your

target audience. And this is where good research comes in.

3. Conversational copy

John Caples calls conversational copy “You and Me.”

Write this style of copy like a conversation between two people: the

copywriter and the prospect.

The language here would be no different than a salesman sitting down

for lunch with a customer and talking through a sales presentation. It’s a

straightforward approach that tries to identify with the reader:

“I know how you feel. I felt the same way. That all changed when I found

x, y and z.”

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Keep in mind that you don’t have to be a polished copywriter to create

effective conversational copy. Often your passion for the product will come to

life on the page.

In fact, you can record a conversation about the product, transcribe that

conversation, and use it as a rough draft. It’s an easy way to create natural,

conversational copy.

4. John Lennon copy

When John Lennon asked us to imagine there was no heaven or hell, no

countries, religion, or war, he was using an effective tool of persuasion:

imaginative copy.

As an advertiser, you can ask your target audience to imagine a painless way

to lose weight, or what it would feel like to be a successful travel writer.

Imaginative copy typically begins with words like imagine, close your eyes,

pretend for a moment, discover, or picture this in the first paragraph of the text.

This is the concept behind AWAI’s Barefoot Writer presentation.

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In this example, you are asked to imagine your life in a certain way —

to picture what it would be like to live your dream, whatever that dream

might be.

Then the copywriter paints a picture of achieving that ideal life through

your product.

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5. Long copy

The fundamental premise behind long copy is, “The more you tell, the more

you sell.” Ads that are long on facts and benefits will convert well.

Unlike a face-to-face conversation with a salesperson, a written ad has only

one chance to convert a reader. If you get in front of the reader, you’ve got to

lay it all out on the table.

Take the Google Analytics example above.

Page after page of facts and benefits are presented because the proposition

isn’t simple — typical prospects are going to be asking a lot of questions.

Better to anticipate those questions, and answer them in the copy.

But when you’re following the basic rules of content marketing that works,

remember that you don’t have to present all the facts and benefits up front.

You can leak the presentation over a period of weeks through an email

autoresponder (like our Content series), or a registration-based content library

(like MyCopyblogger).

In this way, you’re turning long copy into short, easily-digestible snippets.

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6. Killer poet copy

Here at Copyblogger, we love Ernest Hemingway and David Sedaris, but we

aren’t so enamored by their writing abilities that we try to imitate their styles

at the expense of teaching and selling.

Our goal isn’t to convince our audience that we’re smart — it’s educating and

selling with our copy.

As David Ogilvy once said, “We sell, or else.” But we try to sell with style. We try

to balance the killer with the poet.

Killer poet copy sees writing as a means to an end (making a sale), and the ad

as an end in itself (beautiful design and moving story).

In other words, the killer poet combines style with selling. Creativity with

marketing. Story with solution.

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7. Direct-from-CEO copy

It’s a known fact — third-party endorsements can help you sell products.

But it’s equally effective to position your selling argument as a direct

communication between the company founder and his or her customer.

This down-to-earth approach levels the playing field. It telegraphs to the

customer, “See, the CEO isn’t some cold and remote figurehead interested in

profit only. He’s approachable and friendly. He cares about us.”

Jeff Bezos of Amazon is a superb example:

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Notice this letter is conversational as well as plain: it’s a simple statement of

the facts and benefits between two people: Jeff and you.

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8. Frank copy

Some copy will explain the ugly truth about the product.

This approach doesn’t start with the jewels of your goods — it starts with

the warts.

When selling a car, you might point out the endless repairs that need to be

done — thin brake pads, leaky transmission, busted sway bar, and inoperable

dashboard — before you introduce the leather seats, Monsoon stereo system,

sun roof, brand-new tires, and supercharged engine.

What you’re saying is this car will need a lot of TLC. You might even go as far as

to say, “Make no mistake here — there’s much work to be done here.”

And here’s a curious thing: when you are honest and transparent about

product weaknesses, the customer trusts you.

When the reader trusts you, they will be considerably more likely to believe

you when you point out the good qualities of your product.

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9. Superlative copy

There are also times when you can make outlandish claims.

Claims like (these are actual ads):

•• A revolutionary material from this Nevada mine could make investors a

fortune in 2013

•• “Stores across U.S. selling out of what some call a new ‘miracle’ diet

fighter”

•• Obey this one weird loophole to get car insurance as low as $9

But you can only make extraordinary claims when you have the proof to

back it up. The evidence can be in statistics, testimonials, or research — or

preferably all three.

The problem with superlative copy is that it’s often hard to make outlandish

claims and not sound like you are hyping it up — so use this type of

copy sparingly.

Generally, it’s good to follow the “Remove All Hype” policy.

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10. Rejection copy

Rejection copy turns conventional wisdom on its head and tries to discourage

people from being interested in your product.

This type of copy is a direct challenge to the reader that leverages the velvet

rope approach — the idea that only an exclusive set of people are invited to

use a product.

The American Express Black Card is a good example here — this card is

reserved for the world’s wealthiest and most elite. The only way you can get

your hands on one is if you are invited.

Similarly, consider the dating site Beautiful People. If you want to be part of

this exclusive dating club made up of “beautiful” people, then you have to be

voted in by existing members:

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Potential rejection startles readers — they don’t expect to be turned down,

especially not from an advertiser.

This approach also keys into our sense of wanting to belong. It generates that

curiosity itch, and activates our pride. We think, “How dare they say I might

not be good enough to get into their club? I’ll show them.”

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Conclusion

In the end, great copy often combines several of these techniques into one ad.

The CEO of a company writes a conversational sales letter built around a story

about his passion for his product (whether it is peaches or water pumps).

A copywriter writes a long rejection ad that explains why certain people are

excluded from receiving an invitation to dine at an exclusive restaurant.

Or a Savile Row tailor writes a plain but elegant sales letter about his suits,

which have been worn by kings and presidents.

This is the art and science of copywriting.

Now that we’ve seen examples of great copywriting, let’s look at the flip side

— what does really bad copywriting look like?

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7 Ways to Write Damn Bad Copy

by Demian Farnworth

It’s obvious that creativity is an essential part of being a remarkable writer.

But when a results-oriented writer and an image-oriented writer each say the

word “creative,” they are talking about two completely different things.

The results-oriented writer emphasizes problem solving with clear, concise,

and compelling copy (for example: How do I demonstrate that our product

will solve our target customer’s problem?).

The image-oriented writer puts an emphasis on artistic, clever, or humorous

copy (for example: How can I demonstrate how entertaining and crafty I am?).

With that in mind, here are seven kinds of copy you need to avoid (with a little

help from legendary copywriter John Caples).

Copywriters beware ...

1. Lyrical

This is the type of copy that you see from someone who loves words — long

words in particular.

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Words like jentacular (pertaining to breakfast), slubberdegullion (a filthy

slobbering person), and recumbentitbus (a knockdown blow).

This is the person whose grandmother squeezed her cheeks and said, “You are

our little wordsmith.” Whose English Literature cronies would stroke their chins

and say, “I think you’re on to something. Not sure what, but you’re on to it.”

Let’s imagine this wordsmith works for Black & Decker. She is asked to write

sales copy for a cordless drill. It might look like this:

Wanted: a hollow place in a solid mass of

hard, fibrous substance.

Carpenters, with one little boring unit made from the 22nd element

of the periodic table you can create a precise aperture in any piece of

wood. And, behold, with the ergonomic grip zone constraining is done

with amenity and gratification. Visit any one of our facilities if you are

predisposed to acquiring a unit.

The only problem is this is a painful piece to read. Nobody knows what you

are talking about. It is a guessing game — and your audience doesn’t have the

patience to guess.

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2. Sentimental

Sentimental copy sounds like it was written by a college student who enjoys

sunsets, foreign films, incense, and long bubble baths.

He is a copywriter with a single and solitary goal: to make you “feel” the copy.

If you don’t feel the copy, then he’s failed.

He stands in the door way — a tear hangs like a sapphire from his eyelash, ready

to plunge into the depths of his lonely and loveless heart. You are drinking from

the cup of the dark night, confused by the decaying shadow of his love, dazed by

the breath of a broken promise. When he lowers the veil on your heart, you will

fling yourself into the depths of hunger and death.

Know what he’s trying to sell? Me neither.

That might work for a Nicholas Sparks novel, but never in advertising. Shoot

for the straight and the simple.

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3. Outlandish

This is your garden variety snake-oil salesman.

•• The product that will eliminate $45,000 in debt in less than 45 days!

•• The DVD that swears you can look like a Russian body builder with

nothing more than a chair and four minutes a day!

•• The stock that will make Google’s stock price look like a steal.

It’s the world of yellow highlight markers, images of jaw-dropping tax returns

and promises of endless freedom to indulge in every whim.

But it’s also a world of broken dreams where you might make a mint in the

short term, but over time, your reputation will sour.

This type of advertising betrays confidence. It does harm. It stings, and leaves

a bad taste in our mouths. Sonia calls this the troll under the bridge — and it’s a

sure fire way to kill conversions.

It appears when we are young and suckered into the milk-can con job at the

traveling carnival. Or the Sea-Monkey hoax where you are lead to believe you

will spawn little people in an aquarium — but what you end up with is just

cheap fish food.

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You feel stupid for falling for such tricks. You vow never to fall again. You grow

a thick skin to advertising. And every honest salesman and every sincere sales

page that crosses your path is viewed as a fraud.

There is a limit to credibility. A limit to what people will believe. If you cross

that invisible line in your sales copy, people will shut you down.

Better to make a promise that you know your audience will believe without

having to stretch their judgment. Better yet, tell the ugly truth. What you say

after that will be easier to swallow.

4. Humorous

The problem with humorous copy is that humor is fickle. It’s a minefield. For

every person who laughs at a blonde joke, you have one person who hates

you for it.

Some people like deadpan humor. Others like dark humor. Some like slapstick.

Still others like sarcasm. Many like bathroom humor while others want the

highbrow sort.

Unless you are absolutely certain that a majority of your paying customers like

dark humor, then don’t use it.

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What you find funny is likely insulting to others — and that will damage the

effectiveness of your copy. That’s not a risk you should be willing to take.

Of course, there are the rare exceptions. There are writers who occasionally go

down the absurd, clever, humorous route — and it pays off.

Your chances, however, are much better if you stick to clear, concise, and

compelling copy. Or at the very least, avoid humor until you’re certain you are

actually funny.

5. Short

Short copy — so brief that the entire advertisement could fit on the back of a

business card — is bliss for those who use it.

Think cologne producers or financial institutions. Sometimes an entire page in

a magazine is devoted to the name of the product, plus an alluring slogan:

“Seduction is essential,” or “Your money is

your money.”

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Nobody knows what those slogans mean, not even the marketing director.

But it’s that mystery we love.

“Unfortunately, mysterious copy does not pay

the bills.”

It goes against the grain of tested advertising methods that have proven

longer copy will virtually always outsell short copy.

6. Clever

Clever is what you get when you have a writer who thinks he is smart —

smarter than the average reader — and he’s out to prove how smart he is.

So he writes the clever ad.

Clever is also what you get when you don’t have a marketing clue.

Let’s say you’re an architect selling the benefits of your firm, and you write

this headline:

“We will make sure that your house is not square.”

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You meant “not cool” but, hey, look at you — you said it in a clever way! Word

play! Everyone in your firm thinks you are a genius! Unfortunately, everyone

else will think you are a moron for trying to sell them a house that will one day

flop over.

Few people actually read clever advertisements. They are confused by the

headline, and the few who do read recognize what you are trying (and failing)

to do.

If your job rides upon effective advertising, then make sure it accomplishes

these four things:

•• Promises to solve a meaningful problem.

•• Paints a picture of what your life will be like if that problem is solved.

•• Proves that you will deliver on your promise.

•• Pushes the prospect to subscribe, download, donate, share or buy.

Effective content marketing builds upon the self-interest of your customer.

And when you give them the kind of content they don’t want to delete—you

won’t need clever copywriting.

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7. Advertorial

Once a popular and effective approach — used by some of the best

copywriters in the land — the advertorial is now overused (possibly even flat-

out abused).

What exactly is an advertorial? It’s nothing more than an advertisement

dressed up to look like a piece of news.

Here’s what we see at the bottom of an article on one of our local

news websites:

In a box clearly marked “Advertisement” there is a handful of ads that are

supposed to be “news”: “Weird Illinois Loophole” or “New Policy in Illinois.”

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But what looks like an editorial news piece is clearly an ad:

In the lede, you have loaded language like “scammed” and “overpaying,” to

hit those hot buttons—so even if you miss the word ADVERTISEMENT,

readers will sense this is not really meant to inform, but to persuade.

This approach is misleading — almost sleazy — and not unlike the

outlandish approach.

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But here’s the thing — these ads have been running for a very long time. That

tells us two things:

•• They are getting great clickthroughs

•• They are making money

The question becomes: is there a better way to be profitable? We think there

is. It’s called content marketing.

Focus on your audience ...

There’s one thing that all of the examples above share — a complete lack of

concern for the audience they intend to reach. In each example the spotlight

is put on the writer:

“Look at me, I am a poet. I am funny.

Clever. Mysterious!”

Good copywriters, good advertising copy, and good content marketing,

however, put the focus on the audience, the prospective customer. If you truly

take care of your audience, they will eventually take care of you.

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Nearly done!

We’re nearly done with our Copywriting 101 lessons — we’ve just got one

more for you. As a successful copywriter, there’s a practice you will want to

turn into a steady habit, and that’s learning from other writers. You’ll find out

how to draw inspiration from your peers, teachers, compatriots and mentors.

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The #1 Secret to Writing Great Copy Is ...

Using words that work with the people you’re trying to persuade.

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Study and draw inspiration from great copy

that works.

I’m not talking about copy that you personally think is great. It’s a mistake to

judge advertising like regular people do – as entertainment. Madison Avenue

has a great gig producing short entertainment pieces called commercials that

often don’t sell much of anything.

I’m talking about drawing inspiration from advertising copy that has

demonstrated its effectiveness by actually working as intended. Like a direct

mail piece that has raked in millions and millions of dollars in sales.

Why Professional Copywriters Use Swipe Files

A copywriting “swipe file” is a collection of winning ads. Sales letters, space

ads, headline collections, plus bits and pieces of copy that have been

marketplace proven to make big money. A carefully-collected swipe file is the

essential starting point for most new copywriting campaigns.

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It’s a bit like why lawyers begin with a basic form when drafting a new legal

document, or why web designers start with a basic code structure. Start with

something solid, and customize from there.

The problem with the swipe file approach is context. Many new and

inexperienced writers (and often many pros) will miss the mark when trying to

adapt past copy to a new situation.

Yep . . . the winning formula becomes a bust when inappropriately applied.

The Art of Listening

Luckily, we’ve got an impressive set of new tools that will let us uncover the

context, right down to the very language our prospects are using.

Most marketers make the mistake of thinking social media is a tool for talking.

They believe it’s for distributing a message far and wide, and measuring the

response that comes back.

It’s true that the internet is a direct response playground. Marketers haven’t

had this clear a picture of their buyers since the days of the bazaar. But the

social web is also the most powerful market research tool you’ll ever use.

Sites like Twitter and Facebook can tell you the exact words your prospects

are using to describe their wishes, hopes, fears, worries, and dissatisfactions.

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And the words people use when searching for information makes keyword

research a goldmine that goes way beyond SEO.

Email marketing and blogs allow your prospects to engage you in a

conversation, to tell you what they want and how they want it, and just as

important, to demonstrate what they respond to.

The Right Words, in the Right Context

The swipe file still has a place, and smart copywriters still maintain them.

(Though they may have more headlines from Google Adwords than from

direct mail these days.)

But the most effective copywriters also remember that classic piece of wisdom

from Grandma:

“You have two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as

much as you talk.”

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Where You Can Go From Here

As content marketers, we need a veritable arsenal of skills.

•• We need to know how to perform effective research.

•• We have to be world-class experts in our industries.

•• We must know how to connect with our readers.

But of all our skills, copywriting may just be the most important. Because

as content marketers, we’re in the business of selling something. It might

be high-end consulting services, or could be a fantastic line of t-shirts and

sweatshirts. No matter what we’re selling, we must be able to persuade people

to buy.

Copywriting skills truly separate the wheat from the chaff in the land of

content marketers, and hopefully we’ve given you a good crash course on how

to hone and perfect your persuasive writing methods.

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Copywriting 101 How To Craft Compelling Copy

Copywriting 101 How To Craft Compelling Copy