Want some copy writing hints? Here are some quick pointers and reminders that will help you get on track and stay on track!
- Always remember exactly why you are writing that letter
- Know who your target audience is
- Keep the language right for your audience
- Fully understand the problems your audience is facing that you intend to solve
- Demonstrate how you can solve those problems
- Make sure your copy answers the customers likely questions
- Make sure you don’t use a single word more than necessary
- Keep your language plain and simple
- Avoid things that say we’re the best. We’re great. People won’t believe you
- It is totally fine to use words like “don’t,” instead of “do not.”
- Highlight the benefits of your products or services early, don’t make people search for it, because they won’t bother.
- Don’t write when you are bored, tired, lonely, depressed. It will shine through in your work.
- Include real stories and real testimonials (with pictures if possible)
- If you are writing for the web, ensure you know what keywords to include in the text
- Don’t use capitals or crazy fonts
- Avoid exclamation marks as they look silly and nonsensical!!!!
- Proof read your document (or give it to someone else to read)
- Your copy writing cannot contain jargon
- Must be enthusiastic and energetic
- Copy writing jobs must go to a “people” person.
- Never allow a committee to write a sales letter
- Never be boring
- Be colorful
- A killer headline will entice the reader to continue
- Spend 80% of your time and energy working on the right headline!
- Always, always, always, focus on the benefits of the product, not the features.
- Get to the point quickly – people don’t want their valuable time wasted.
- Always write the answer to the question “What’s in it for me?” and do it quickly
- Always write for your customer, and how you can help them with their problems
- Don’t spend your whole promo piece talking about you because prospects simply don’t care about you!
- Keep the flow going across and down the page. Don’t clutter the page up with masses of text boxes, lots of images etc
- Use a caption for images; don’t write on the image itself as it will draw the eye away from the image and break the reader’s flow.
- Use eye catching graphics. Avoid stock photos if you can.
- Keep it real! Copy writing has got to be real to your target audience
- Ensure your key points are easy to read and stand out from the rest of the text
- Keep it simple – no more than 2 fonts, keep it aligned, at least font 12.
- Check it before you send it – many times preferably! Get someone else to proof read it for you too.
- Make it stand out even more by putting it on a different colored, bright paper
- Repetition – you will get better results if you deliver to 5,000 houses four times, than 20,000 houses once
- What do you want the result of the ad to be? Someone to call you? email you? Make it totally clear.
- Remember, a flyer or letter can never be too long, only too boring.
- Try “call for a free brochure”, or a “free inspection.”
- Always include an offer to increase response rate
- Write a sentence just how you would say it
- Use everyday language
- Advise what could happen if they don’t choose you
- Don’t send your sales letter immediately. Let it wait for a few days without even looking at it, then look at it again through fresh eyes. Even the best copy writers in the world rarely do the absolute best piece of work first time, so wait a little.
- When you see an ad that really appeals to you with killer copy writing, cut it out and keep it. Analyze why you like it, what caught your eye, and what would make you buy the product. Then see if you can use it in your sales letters.
