Sales & Marketing Consultant, Bestselling Author & Sales Conference Speaker

Last week I gave you some essential tips for writing sales copy. I covered such topics as making comparisons, posing and solving problems, responding ahead of time, and using different ways to make your point. This week I’d like to dig deeper into what constitutes good writing and to offer some suggestions for how you can make your writing burn. That’s right, I said burn.

You might thing it an odd choice of words, but the truth is we’ve all run across really good writing and really poor writing. Writing that burns is writing that stops you dead in your tracks. It pulls you up short. It lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the page. In short, writing that burns is writing that is memorable.

In what has oft been described as the greatest novel ever written, Tolstoy begins Anna Karenina with the following line:

“All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

That, friends, is a perfect example of writing that burns. Let’s get started.

Be Provocative
One of the reasons that line from Tolstoy is so powerful is because it portends an unfortunate end to one or more of the characters we will meet as the story unfolds. As a reader, we can foresee not only that bad things will happen, but that probably many bad things will happen, and we are therefore left wanting to continue reading. Obviously, the tone you take with your own readers will be very different from Tolstoy’s, but the point is the same: you want to leave them wanting more. By being provocative, you can get people to respond or to ask for additional information. Then, you can make your sale.

Be Repetitive
Last week, I told you to make your point in different ways. This week, I want you to try simply repeating yourself. Repetition is one of the most powerful rhetorical devices a writer can use. In Tolstoy’s opening line, the word “happy” or its variation, “unhappy,” appears three times in a single sentence. There are endless ways to employ repetition in your writing.

Be Active
Wherever possible, avoid using the passive voice. It makes for weak writing. Also, try for power verbs. Consider the following sentence:

Our products are used by thousands of individuals throughout the UK.

A much more active way of writing this sentence, which makes use of power verbs, is this:

Thousands of users access our products throughout the UK.

Be Concise
Long, wordy sentences that drag on line after line are fine for Russian novels. But in sales copy, too many long sentences will turn your readers away long before they reach the end of one. Use short, lean sentences. The word lengths of your sentences should also vary one to the next. Try this: When you’re done writing, count the number of words in each sentence. There should be considerable variation. (In this paragraph, the word count looks like this: 14, 22, 4, 13, 2, 12, 5.)

These are just a few ways you can make your writing burn. Happy writing!

Happy Marketing!

Sean

(Image by Just 2 Shutter)

Sean McPheat

http://www.seanmcpheat.com

Are you searching for ways to punch up your company’s marketing efforts? Wondering what you might do to beef up your bottom line?

Today we’ll look at ideas for adding value to your sales copy. There are a number of tried and tested strategies for creating compelling copy that will engage, inspire, and ultimately, persuade your targeted audience. A great sales letter or pamphlet can produce a significant impact on your business bottom line. Let’s get started.

Make Comparisons

One of the easiest ways to engage an audience is to give them something to which they can relate. If your audience knows that others just like them love your product or service, they will be more likely to try it. Better still, if they know that the kind of people with lifestyles they aspire to have enjoy your produce or service, this will prompt them to want it even more. You can make comparisons using such techniques as analogies, metaphor, and simile.

Be a Problem-Solver

Use your copy to pose a question, which you then solve. For example, suppose you’re a professional photographer. You might say, “Isn’t it a pity that all those photos you snapped of your family are missing one thing—you?” Then spend some time qualifying the problem, really letting your reader know that you understand the problem because you’ve been there yourself. Finally, you offer a solution to the problem. For the aforementioned example, you might say, “With us behind the lens, you can join your family—and enjoy the picture for years to come.”

Offer Proof

Offering evidence that your product or service has satisfied others is a powerful tool. You might consider including testimonials from previous customers, quotes from established authorities in your field, or media mentions.

Repeat Yourself

Tell them once. Then tell them again. If you use repetition skillfully, you will effectively make your case. You don’t want to say the same thing again and again. What you want to do is make the same point, but do it in several different ways. For example, you might include a famous quote that relates to your point, then you might make your point outright, then you might illustrate your point with an example.

Respond Ahead of Time

Think in advance of what reasons your target audience may have to not want to buy your product or engage your service, and respond to those objections ahead of time in your copy. Perhaps your target audience will think of your service as a luxury item, not a necessity. You could respond to this by including a bullet list of all the reasons your service is indispensable.

The point of sales copy is to tell your story in the best way possible. With emphasis on a few solid writing techniques, such as those above, your marketing efforts will improve.

Happy Marketing!
Sean

(Image by Stuart Miles)

Sean McPheat

http://www.seanmcpheat.com

In the past we’ve spoken about copywriting and the art of developing great advertisement copy. Today, though, I’d like to take a few minutes to talk specifically about what you should be doing if you’re managing an online marketing campaign. The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is a completely different animal and you’ll need to keep that in mind as you develop web content – especially if you want to attract visitors and make sales.

Write Valuable Content

There’s really no other way of putting it. On the web, content is king – but only if you’re writing really valuable content. Don’t think you’re going to throw up a website with a few subpar articles stuffed inappropriately with keywords and still get results. Every single word you write needs to be valuable to your readers. It needs to be easy to understand and have a great, eye appealing format. If not, it’s pure garbage.

Use Extra Formatting

When writing for the web, the shorter your pieces of information the better. This means you shouldn’t write paragraphs that are a page long. That type of writing isn’t easy for the eye to scan and read. Use bold faced type, italics, bullet point lists, and short paragraphs so that your reader can scan for pieces of information and take it in small bits at a time.

Don’t Forget about Linking

On the web, writing an article is one thing but having it properly promoted is another. Internally, you’ll want to make sure you use your chosen keywords to link back to other informative pages on your own site. Externally, you’ll want to try to find some sites that are willing to link back to you and, at the same time, you’ll occasionally want to link back out to other valuable resources. You need both incoming and outgoing links for the search engines to take you seriously.

Use Formatting Tags

When writing for the web, use the H1 tag to highlight your titles as often as possible. We’re not sure why, but search engines take this type of title tag very seriously. Use your keywords in the title you’re highlighting and make sure those keywords or title words are elsewhere in the article as well. Use the H2 tag on subheadings (like the ones in this article) and Google will love you even more.

Don’t Stuff Keywords

The keywords you target in your writing are important – yes – but if you don’t use them naturally your content will sound spammy. Use your keywords in the beginning of your article, a few times throughout the body, and once at the end. Maintaining a natural keyword denisty won’t draw negative search engine attention and, in the end, your writing will be cleaner and easier to read.

Remember – writing for the web is a lot different than writing a book or print advertisement. Every word you write counts. The more focused you are, the more likely you are to get real results!

All the best,

Sean

Sean McPheat

http://www.seanmcpheat.com

As you approach your next ad campaign you may begin thinking about the things you can do to make your ad copy stand out from the competition. There are a number of approaches you can take but today I want to steer you away from one – humour.

I love a good laugh as much as the next guy but when it comes to writing ad copy humour is one thing you should absolutely avoid. Yes, humour will earn you some attention but, in reality, is it the right type of attention?

Let’s just say you write a really funny ad. It gets clipped from papers and hung on walls; people talk about it; and you might even get a few phone calls with inquiries. The problem with a humorous ad, however, is just that – it’s humorous.

People won’t take you seriously.

They’ll agree you’re a funny guy but deep in their subconscious minds they’ll be questioning whether or not you’re the right person to do business with. Will you treat their companies and concerns seriously – or turn them into jokes?

Humorous advertisements are likely to win awards for the guys who write them but often do nothing more. Avoid humor in your copy and stick towards enticing, concrete facts. You’ll be more successful in the long run.

All the best

Sean

Sean McPheat

http://www.seanmcpheat.com