Copywriting Classes

ABC Company has sent you a one-page prospecting letter. It’s an invitation to a workshop. It opens like this:

“Dear Mr. Yan,

“My name is Jane Doe. I am writing you today as a representative for ABC Company. ABC is a company specializing in the technologies and tools used to organize and manage information relating the organizational aspects of businesses. I have decided to serve on the Board of ABC Company this year to follow my heart and dreams, and do my part in making technology solutions available to small and medium sized business. It is my belief that solution providers (not just ABC Company) will start delivering Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and IT solutions in a manner that is easy for users to implement, and at a price that is affordable to organizations of all sizes.”

What’s wrong with this opening paragraph?

There’s no benefit, no purpose, and no excitement. It’s long, dry, and doesn’t stir your senses. It targets too huge a group instead of pinpointing one or three segments of the group. In shortit’s painfully boring and won’t bring home the bacon.

Let’s continue on with another two paragraphs from this actual promotion…

“On Thursday, November 9th, 2006, ABC Company is organizing, for the first time, an event designed specifically for small and medium size business. On behalf of the ABC Board, I would like to invite you to join us at this chapter meeting. This meeting will provide you with the basics of ECM, and will also provide an interactive session where you may discuss your company’s IT requirements to many solution providers.

“In addition, many organizations in San Diego are being invited to this event and you will find this the perfect opportunity to network with other successful businesses in our community.”

Okay: that’s enough. I’m sure you got it because you didn’t get it. I didn’t either.

Are you familiar with Microsoft Word’s Office Assistant? When it’s incoherent to what you’re typingit scratches its head in confusion. Well, haven’t you been scratching your head?

Because I bet you’re still wondering:

What is ECM?

What can it do for me?

What is your definition of affordable?

Why is Jane (following her heart and dreams) important to me?

Aren’t there other technology solutions providers?

Can Jane give me something more concrete than her belief?

I don’t know…

Because her letter raises more questions that were never addressed. And it’s sad to say, she will attract a majority of the wrong audience (networking junkies) to this event.

Dear reader, I hope you are savvy enough not to send your letters out as Jane did. It’s lifeless, doesn’t grab you by the jugular, or compel you to respond. It doesn’t shout, “Hey mister, you really need this!”

Its major downfall is that it’s full of logic. Which misses the mark because people make decisions on emotion. Then support that decision through logic.

Here’s what Jane could have written:

Have You Profited from the Internet Revolution?

“Dear Tommy,

“The Internet is raking in millions of dollars for big companies. And with today’s advanced technology, even a housewife in Oshkosh, Wisconsin can market her goods worldwide. Which begs me to ask…

“Is your company getting its slice of that delicious Internet pie? Or will you bury your head in sand waiting for the Internet to crash?

“If you think the Internet will be around well after you’ve retiredthen it’s time to shift your company into hyperdrive at our next Enterprise Content Management Summit. We’ll show you the ins and outs of making money on the Internet because we’ve helped large companies land on sure footing after making the jump. We’ll also help you blah, blah, blah…”

See the difference?

You can create more compelling copy by painting word pictures and lacing it with emotion. You’ll get lots better response and make more money too.

Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy’s Tease weekly e-zine to inspire people to succeed in business and personal growth. Get your free subscription today at www.TommyYan.com.

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There is an ongoing debate about web copy. Some say that it should be similar to direct mail copy. Others state that is should be written in a more editorial, news offering style. However, both styles work. Both styles generate thousands of dollars of money for the website owners. Why is this?

The reason is quite simple really.

The reason that both styles work, and work well, is because the copywriter has learned one overwhelmingly important aspect to writing web copy, and any copy for that matter. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE! This is THE most important aspect to writing effective web copy that there is. You must know your prospect or audience. And that’s the ticket to writing seriously great web copy. Web copy that effectively pulls in large amounts of cash.

This is vitally important and cannot be overlooked. You can do everything else right, but if you don’t know your audience, your copy will fail miserably. You have to take the time to get to know your audience as well as you know your best friend. You have to know what it is that makes your audience tick. You have to know what keeps them up at night.

In getting to know your audience, you must learn what some of their deepest desires are. If you don’t? You’re wasting your time and money. This holds true for direct mail copy as well as web copy. This is what makes those long, direct mail style websites sell the product or service that is being promoted. It’s also what makes those editorial, news offering websites so effective.

This is SO IMPORTANT that it cannot be overstated. It cannot be overlooked. You must know your audience. Only then can you, or the copywriter that you have hired, write effectively. Knowing your audience will also dictate which style of writing web copy will be the most effective.

So the next time you hire a copywriter to write your web copy, supply them with as much information as you can get your hands on about your audience. And if you are writing the web copy yourself, make sure that you take the necessary time to learn as much as you can about your audience. If you do this, you will be greatly rewarded by increased sales, increased leads, or increased sign ups.

Copyright 2005 Gary Glasscock

Gary Glasscock is a freelance copywriter specializing in writing effective web copy and direct mail copy. He has studied under many of the current “great” copywriters as well as studying many of the all-time great copywriters. As a result, he has developed a style that is cumulative of all these influences. Gary’s website is located at http://www.gc-copywriting.com

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I am really happy now because my efforts on writing the headline above have finally paid off!

Most e-books and reports on headline generation are incomplete and rehashed information. Many of them are nothing more than a pile of out-dated theories that get no results. In a nutshell, they tell you to apply one formula and get a miraculous money-making headline! They all miss what a headline really is.

Here is why…

Basically, a headline is a sentence that attracts reader’s attention. Right?

But everyone uses headlines and no one really stands out of the crowd though. That’s why you need a ‘good’ headline. So you apply one of those ‘miraculous formulas’ and you come up with a good headline. In that case, you can force prospects to ignore your competitors’ headlines and read yours! Great.

But as you can see. People are smart. Most of marketers use those formulas just as you do now. Just when you thought you would made a start, you are back where you begin.

You definitely need something that beats any good headline out there. You need a ‘proven’ headline!

I won’t waste your time here. So, I will get to the point and tell you about my “make or break” secret to choosing effective titles. I have discovered this technique through my 4 years of writing on the web. Here it is:

Headlines which shift your focus, will also do the same with your customers -Period.

And here is exactly how I apply it to my copywriting…

First, I brainstorm a series of simple lines using the obvious mechanical components like:

1. Use one of these formulas (but not necessary!):

The “How to…” formula:

How to become _____

How to earn _____

How to get _____

How to improve your _____

How to win _____

I will give you a classic that has proven to be successful: “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.

2. Use benefits not features:
You have certainly heard about this before. And yes, it also applies to headlines. For example:
Headline #1: “How to Send Your Article to Hundreds of Editors”
Headline #2: “How to Get Your Article Published by Dozens of Editors”

Personally, I prefer the second headline because it is much more interesting. Don’t you think?

3. Use power words into your headline:
A power word can really entice people to action. I maintain a list of power words I use from time to time. Here are a few:

Automatic, Bonus, Easy, Exclusive, Free, Guarantee, New…

The important thing is place one or two of these power words so that the headline becomes stronger. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t say you stuff the title with these words! Use them only if they do really apply to your ad copy.

Well, try to compile a list of three up to five ‘raw’ headlines from what you have learned so far. But wait, do not publish them; not yet. Before that, you need to select the most appealing title. The one that will drive most visitors attention. How can you do that?

Simple. Just read all your headlines out loud and ‘zero-in’ the one that makes you take action… The one that leaves you wanting more.

I call this, the proven headline.

In fact, this is the title that can almost guarantee that readers will notice it. How do I know that?

Very simple. I believe that your qualified audience will always be attracted by the same things you are interested in. If one sentence can have such an effect on you, it will do the same on your targeted audience. It is as simple as that. And it works!

Don’t worry if you cannot seem to come up with the proven headline on your own. I still have a fantastic solution for you at the end of this article!

With that said, I have to tell you about a phenomenon that is spreading around the internet. I am talking about software automation. And especially, headline generation software. I have been building software for the Internet business since 2002, so I know how these bots work.

People love these programs because they are easy to use. I can understand that. But do they know that the headlines generated that way are not gauranteed. To simplify to the extreme, these programs adapt well-known headline formulas to your business -no more than that. The drawback is the lack of updates. In fact, theorical templates that once worked well, don’t pull anything today.

So if you plan to invest buckets of cash on one of these programs, ask for regular updates (that should be free of charge). Otherwise, you are throwing your hard-earned money in unprofitable advertising and rehashed information.

Another popular alternative is testing your headlines. Yes, the same old ‘trial-and-error’ cycle. You know… placing a headline, checking out your web log stats weekly to figure out the click-through rate. Then comparing it with the previous headline results and repeating the whole process over and over again…

Please, don’t get me wrong, the headline testing is fine. There is nothing wrong with this concept. But it is too difficult to set up and maintain. Actually, I know of no marketer who enjoys doing that. I mean, who has the time (and nerves!) to place, check, track, compare, refine, replace again week after week…

Unless you have plenty of hours a day to spend in front of your computer. Or you are well paid for doing that!

As an online marketer (merchant or affiliate), you cannot afford to explode your marketing budget on testing like $Million companies do. In fact, if there is one secret on success online, it could be this: “Get the best from your money and time”.

It is all a return-on-investment game. If you have $45 to spend in marketing your online business then make a ‘$45′ marketing plan. Otherwise, you are heading to bankruptcy sooner or later! And remember, you are running a business instead of just a hobby.

Don’t make the mistakes we have made; it has taken me 4 years to discover this real good method. My advice is let people test and adapt what really works to your own needs; that’s just good business!

Get Dozens of New Power Headlines Every Day Utilizing ONE Simple, Proven Resource: Our 5000+ Time-Tested Power Headlines Database. To Get Instant Access, FREE Consultation and Detailed Information, mailto:proven-headline@sendfree.com

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