Archive for Blogroll
I don’t have time to write a nice big post today, so I’m taking the lame way out.
Here are some sites I think are worth spending time with:
The Story: Almost without fail, copy that doesn’t get good results suffers from a lack of powerful, persuasive, and pithy bullet points.
The Point: Internet readers don’t read; they skim, scan, and scroll.To suck them into your copy, use bullet points that are attention-arresting, super-scanable, scroll-stopping statements.
The Resource: My own Bullet Point Copy Explained
3 Simple Bullet Point Blueprints:
1. “How To [INSERT YOUR BENEFIT HERE]“. (”How to lose weight three times faster without ever feeling hungry or deprived”
2. “The Secret To [SOLUTION] They Don’t Want You To Know”. (”The secret to getting 60 mpg that big oil companies don’t want you to know”)
3. “The Single Most…That Even…”. (”The single most effective method of reversing heart disease that even Harvard-trained physicians have never heard about”)
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
The Story: There’s a raging debate about whether long copy still works on the web, but the answer is surprisingly no different than it was 100 years ago.
The Point: Long copy sucks (the money right off the table!). The reason long copy works is the same as ever. You must answer every possible objection in order to make the sale.
The Resource: The Death of the Salesletter
3 Ways To Use Long Copy To Rake In More Sales:
1. Tell more (and better) stories.
2. Pile up a Preponderance of Proof
3. Explain your key points and propositions in a simple, step-by-step manner.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
The Story: Let’s assume you’re writing your own copy (maybe you can’t afford to hire a professional, or you just love writing copy for your own products).
One of your first tasks as a copywriter is to break down the skepticism that your prospects (readers, site visitors, subscribers) are feeling, and get them to believe you – even just a little bit.
The Point: How do you break through that skepticism? Testimonials and proof elements.
The Resource: Any late-night infomercial
3 Ways To Use Testimonials or Proof:
1. Add more testimonials.
2. Show photographs (before and after).
3. Show evidence (pictures or screen grabs).
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
The Story: It’s one of the most common mistakes in all forms of selling – not asking for the sale.
Hard to believe? Maybe. But it’s true anyway; people just don’t want to ask for the order.
The Point: There comes a point where you’ve presented all the benefits of your offer; you’ve demonstrated its value; you’ve supplied lots of credible testimonials; you’ve shown your iron-clad guarantee… and you just need to ask for the sale.
On the Internet, this can be as easy as putting in a link that says “Order Now”.
The Resource: Gitomer
3 Ways To Un-Wimpify Your Copy:
1. Ask for the order plainly.
2. Ask for the order early.
3. Ask for the order more often.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
The Story: Have you ever read a website and it just seemed to “stiff” or “formal” to you?
Or you felt like they were talking over your head, using a lot of buzzwords and lingo you didn’t understand?
Me too.
That leads to this little tip that will really help your copy make more sales (or generate more leads, or whatever you need it to do)…
The Point: Copy should read like conversation; it should flow naturally and be easy to listen to (or read).
The Resource: Any tabloid. I like the Enquirer.
3 Ways To Keep It Simple:
1. Use strong, punchy language.
2. Write in short sentences and paragraphs.
3. Avoid jargon.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
The Story: If your copy can’t cut through the clutter, you never be able to make the sale.
The Point: The reason the old formulae are less effective is: it’s harder to get people’s attention these days. Time to step up your game.
The Resource: Attention Age Doctrine
3 Keys To Grabbing Their Attention:
1. Change Their State.
2. Stop Their Inner Chatter.
3. Appeal To Their Greed, Lust, Or Moving-Away Values.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
The Story: Follow Ernest Hemingway’s Four Simple Rules to improve your copywriting (or any writing, for that matter).
The Point: The more effusive and melodious your prose, the greater the certitude you will obfuscate the concept you are laboriously attempting to elucidate; eschew obfuscation.
The Resource: The Elements of Style
Hemingway’s Rules:
1. Use short sentences.
2. Use short first paragraphs.
3. Use vigorous language.
4. Be positive, not negative.
Note: I have written about Papa’s rules in the past. This time I decided to do a little research before doing the podcast, and found different versions. So who is right? I don’t know. My favorite version, though is at Brian Clark’s Copyblogger site.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
The Story: One of copywriting’s oldest maxims points out one of marketer’s biggest failures.
The Point: It’s not your website. It’s theirs (if you want to succeed).
The Resource: YouTube
How To Make It About The User:
1. Know your users.
2. Know your users.
3. Know your users.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
The Story: Britney Spears knows how to get your attention.
The Point: While there’s a lot of debate about Britney’s musical talent, career choices, and parenting potential, nobody can argue that she doesn’t know how to get our attention.
You can learn a lot from a diva.
The Resource: Attention Age Doctrine
Keys To Capturing Your Prospect’s Attention:
1. Be relevant to their lives.
2. Give them more of what they want.
3. Don’t betray their expectations.
Click for the Podcast Audio:
Click Here
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By Ray Edwards | December 10, 2007 
