Promotional Copy to Get You Attention, Without All the HYPE! I applaud you for taking time to improve your copy. It s really the most critical part of your marketing. Who I Am I m of Red Hot Copy (www.red-hotcopy.com). I have a degree in journalism and I ve been a freelance writer for over 25 years. I write a highly-acclaimed ezine on copywriting that s full of tips and techniques the pros use that you could easily adapt to your business. I m the author of a workbook called Red Hot Copy to Woo Your Target Audience, which is the most up-todate book on copywriting I know of especially since it s still at the editors until October 31 st. It s over 100 pages of exercises to guide you through building your own copy from the ground up. I ve been featured at speaking events and interviewed on the radio about copywriting. But most of all, I ve built a reputation in my industry for writing copy in a natural tone that really connects my clients to their target audience. So I get them results. And that s what I want to do for you. Why I m Having This Class I hold another class online called How to Attract More Clients with Enticing Web Copy Even if You Hate Writing. What I learned on those calls is that a lot of my clients, who are information merchants, coaches, speakers and entrepreneurs, shied away from the marketese language a lot of copy uses. I Page 1
wanted to get the word out that you don t have to promote yourself in a style that s not comfortable to you. But you DO have to be interesting. I believe copy is the most important element to your marketing and promotional materials. I also believe it s a learnable skill that people need to empower their business, and People should write their OWN copy because they know their business strengths better than anyone What We ll Cover Specifically What copy is and how to use it Features and benefits Why the headlines/subheads are even more important than your copy and how to write them How to get to your natural selling voice Hardcore copywriting techniques Next steps if you want to take your copy further Overview - What Is Copy? The great motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar said The oldest profession in the world isn t what you think it is. It s selling. Exactly. Selling is the oldest profession in the world. And copywriting is salesmanship in print. Copy describes what you do and persuades the reader to take some action. Good copywriting is based on building a relationship with your audience that withstands time. You want them to trust you so they come back again and again. That s why we re going to learn how to use a tone of voice you re comfortable with and your clients are comfortable with. Page 2
We re All in Sales You don t have to promote Ginzu knives but we really do need to capture attention. People think of salesmen as fast talkers that pressure you to buy something you don t really need. Marketer Dan Kennedy says, Entrepreneurs actually need to do more selling than many salespeople. We have to sell and resell ourselves on our ideas, goals, plans, and decisions each and every day. We have to sell our associates and our employees on doing the things we want done, the way we want them done, when we want them done. We have to sell our salespeople on our products, our services, our ideas, our leadership, themselves, their futures, on selling. We have to sell our vendors and suppliers that what we want done can be done, can be done by them, should be done by them, can be done when we need it done, should be done when we need it done, and can be done at reasonable costs, under favorable terms. We have to sell our accountants and lawyers on our strategies. We have to sell to our bankers, other lenders, and investors. The decision is not whether to sell. The decision is whether to do it masterfully and whether to enjoy it. Where to Use Copy These are some of the materials you can use copy in. As you read them, think about what copy is to describe and persuade. See why you think some of these would be considered copy : Web site content Press releases Advertorials Page 3
Marketing materials such as flyers, brochures, bookmarks Sales letters E-zines E-books Autoresponders Affiliate program Features/Benefits This is the very first thing you need to know before you can write one word about your business. You have to understand what separates you from the competition. What s the main benefit to your client? You know your features and benefits BETTER than anyone else. People want to know that they made a good purchasing decision. So they WANT to be convinced and persuaded as to why your product or service is better. One easy way to get there is to do a features and benefits exercise. There s more about this in my workbook. Features are the adjectives, or tangibles, of the product. What does it look like? What does it do? How does it help? What unique advantage does it offer? How is it different than other products? And so on. You should be able to list a three to five features. Benefits are the emotional component. How does that particular feature bring value to the customer? Will they sleep better, eat better, make more money, what? Finally, there should be one ultimate benefit that stands out. THAT is the foundation of all of your copy. Build around it. Remember, too many choices equals no choice. You must have a clear message. Page 4
Headlines It should already be pretty obvious why headlines are so important. (Remember the concept of parallel tracks). Headlines: 1) Are the first thing they see. 2) Are the first hurdle to keeping them on your page. 3) Set the tone. 4) Illustrates what they re going to get. 5) Should be a summary of the entire page. Parallel Tracks this is a copywriting technique that is used for scanners. The headline and subheads should effectively tell you what s on the page without delving into the real copy. Then scanners can gloss over the content and real readers can jump into the copy. Headline-Building Formulas Formula 1: Ultimate benefit. Once you identify your ultimate benefit, you ve found the basis of your headline. The lesser benefits become the subheads. Formula 2: Adapt it from proven headlines. Go through magazines and pay attention to what headlines attract you. Start keeping a file of them (this is called a swipe file, by the way). In copywriting this is not considered plagiarism but a perfectly acceptable way to get ideas and tested material. Formula 3: Fill In The Blanks 7 headline templates 1) How To. How To To Get (the biggest benefit your product delivers) Page 5
How To Solve All Your Money Problems Forever! 2) The Secrets Of. The Secrets Of (the ultimate benefit your product delivers) The Secrets Of Living In Style Without Any Money Worries! 3) Get Benefit Fast, Easy. (Have, Get) (benefit) In (time period) No Matter What (your bank account, skill level, etc.) Get Fit In Record Time No Matter How Out Of Shape YOU Are! 4) Solve A Problem. (Overcome) (major problem or anxiety) With This Little-Known (solution) Wipeout Depression For Good With This Little-Known Natural Remedy 5) Visualize It. Imagine. (You A) (proud owner of the dream.) Imagine. You On Top Of The Best-Seller List! 6) Number of Ways To. (specific number) Ways To (dramatize the big benefit.) The 3 Keys to Marketing Success Revealed Page 6
7) Problem Solver. (State the prospect s problem as a question) Here s A (proven, time-tested, 100% safe, guaranteed) Way To (get the ultimate benefit) Worried About Your Child s Grades In School? Here s A Guaranteed System For Turning C s Into A s! Headline Check List: Are you using attention-getting words designed to stop readers in their tracks and draw their interest? Are you using present tense? Are there quantifiable numbers in your headline? Is a specific audience identified and targeted? Does it woo the reader into the body copy? On a scale of 1-10, how powerful would you rate it? Does it appeal to the prospect s self-interest? Is it very clear at first reading or is it confusing with 2 or more possible meanings? Does it summarize what s in the rest of the copy? Does it offer the most valuable benefit? Is it believable? Could the headline be made more visually captivating with any text enhancements? How to Get to Your Natural Selling Voice We all have a natural selling voice. It s the tone we use when we re convincing our husband we need a spa weekend with the girls. Sure it benefits US but we need to focus on the benefits HE LL get. Like we ll be so much easier to get along with after a much needed break. He can watch the game in peace and eat on the sofa. Adopt an Imaginary Friend When You re Writing Page 7
Most of us were taught to write very formally. But in copy, you need to jump off the page or through the screen and make a connection with the reader. By visualizing someone specific: You can write in a conversational tone (don t worry about all the rules you learned in English). You can find your own voice in your copy. Use the present tense. Another way to get to your natural selling voice is to tape record yourself. I actually have an audio library of all my clients describing their businesses. Their natural enthusiasm comes through when they re talking rather than writing. Hardcore Copywriting Tips Before you start writing, read someone else s good copy for inspiration. Look for something in the same field you re trying to sell in. I like Gary Halbert (www.thegaryhalbertletter.com) and John Carlton (www.marketingrebelrant.com) but their style isn t compatible with everyone s, or all my clients. Write your headline FIRST, and then write the copy. If your headline stinks, kiss your prospect goodbye. Focus on verbs, not adjectives. Use short, snappy sentences. Swipe file this is a collection of copy that resonates with you. It s not to plagiarize but to stimulate good ideas. Use the 6 human motivators in your copy: The same tactics used today in copy were used over 100 years ago in ads. Human psychology doesn t change. We re still motivated by the same triggers: o Gain/Greed o Love o Self-indulgence o Self-preservation o Pride Page 8
o Duty/Guilt Include a time limit or scarcity. Read your copy out loud. Collect testimonials. Have a strong call to action at the end. Web Copy Template Remember our discussion of parallel tracks? Well, you want to have a visual outline of your service or product. So here s what is most effective in general as a web copy template. 1. Headline 2. Strong opening 3. Subhead that states the problem 4. Copy 5. Subhead that states the solution 6. Copy 7. Call to action Other elements of good web copy: Testimonials How long in business? What sets you apart? Summary Sense of urgency Bonuses Call to action Next Steps We ve covered a lot of material, so now I want to tell you what steps you can take to improve your copy beyond the scope of this class. First, I want you to listen to the audio portion of this teleseminar a minimum of 3 times more. That way it can really become a permanent way of your thinking. Page 9
Next, please go to my website and order my workbook (http://www.red-hot-copy.com/course.html). I m not saying this because I want your money. I m saying it because, as a copywriter, I scoured everywhere looking for this information in an easy-to-understand workbook format. It didn t exist. Well, now it does. And I really wish I d had this material at hand when I was crafting my own copy. It would have shaved months off the learning curve. Just a suggestion. Whatever you do and wherever you travel, thank you for devoting time to improving your promotional copy. Please let me know if I can help you in any way! Warmly, Page 10