The Most Important Factors in Writing Copy

If you want to make sure your sales copy will work, consider these benchmarks to insure your message is persuasive and to the point. These are an important part of the process I and other professional copywriters use and you might want to do the same.

Attention-getting headline and supporting lead-in

Studies have shown that 80% of the impact and success of just about any type of ad is contingent on the effectiveness of 20% of the wording. And that 20% consists of the headline and lead-in or opening equivalent. When you think about it, doesn’t this make perfect sense? The headline is the “ad for the ad” and the lead-in is the confirmation that whatever you promised in the headline will be delivered.

Therefore, it’s imperative that you spend enough time on developing a good headline and lead-in. Give yourself (or your copywriter) two deadlines: One for the headline and lead-in, and one for the rest of the piece.

When you or your copywriter has crafted the best headline and lead-in, it’s time for a little subjective testing. Separately show your headline and lead-in to at least four unrelated people and ask them to grade your work on a scale of 1 to 4, with 4 being the best. Here’s what you want to know:

1. If you had the problem addressed by the headline, would it get your attention and cause you to read the lead-in?

2. After you read the lead-in, would you want to know more?

If you don’t get at least a 3 from everyone on both questions, get some constructive suggestions. Ask what they thought they’d read after the headline (as opposed to what they did read). Ask them why they would read further after the lead-in.

This exercise is important because copywriters are only human and as such they have their own life experiences to guide them. Sometimes a copywriter will write from his own perspective rather than from the point of view of a qualified prospect. It’s always a good idea to get a subjective read from third parties to validate the direction of a promotion before you invest a lot of time and money in it.

Reasons To Believe

Once you’ve decided on the headline and lead-in, it’s time to credentialize the benefit claims you made. This is known as “proof.” In other words, you or your copywriter must now prove to the audience that you will deliver on your promises.

Ideally, it’s best to make one strong promise and then support it with as much substance as you can, However, this is not always possible because often you can’t know for sure what benefit is the most important until you do a little testing. Studies have shown that people will get confused if you discuss more than three benefits up front. So keep your benefits to one to three.

Now make sure that each benefit is supported by at least three types of proof. These could be based on research, testing, personal or customer experience, etc. The more specific and quantifiable your proof statements are, the better they will be believed.

Call to Action

The final portion of your promotion should be to ask people to do something. This is your call to action. Many top copywriters create their call to action first, and then they write their headline, lead-in and the rest of the ad. Think of the call to action as a destination and the rest of the copy as the journey. You must know where you’re going if you want to plan the best route to get there. It’s the same with advertising.

Your call to action should be specific: “Call Now!” “Visit our Website Now!” “Come in Today!” And if all possible you should create a sense of urgency by adding a “kicker.” “Call in the next 24 hours and get a free bonus of X, a $Y value.”

Take a look at the last advertising piece you or your copywriter created, and then use the three benchmarks above to help you get the most from your efforts.

For assistance with copywriting and marketing strategy that can help you reach your goals contact Ben Edwards today at 617-670-1888, ext. 1. Ben uses a proven system that guarantees more effective advertising copy.

Why Good Copy is Essential to the Success of Your Marketing

Picture this… The President of the United States walks up to the lectern for the State of the Union Address. Instead of speaking, he holds up pictures that he hopes will represent the concepts he wants to convey to the audience. Some of the pictures have a few words on them, like “Just do it,” “We’re with you,” or “That was easy.” There is a noticeable discomfort in the audience as people start to wonder what’s going on. They don’t understand what the President is trying to communicate. Would you want a president who couldn’t communicate his positions?

Most people would answer no. But when it comes to communicating the benefits of buying their products or services, many business people use the same kind of image-based communications. They couldn’t understand what the President was trying to say, yet they use the same method to talk to their customers.

When communicating your message to the world, please realize that it’s the WORDS that sell, NOT the graphics. Yes, it’s important to use relevant images where appropriate to make your message multi-dimensional. But it’s the headline, lead-in, support statements and call to action that motivate people to buy, NOT the pictures (unless, of course, you SELL pictures).

It’s important to choose the right words, especially if you have a limited budget. If you’re like most business people, you can’t afford to use image-based words, either. It’s possible that Nike has ingrained the words, “Just do it” into our psyches. But do these words really motivate people to choose Nike shoes over Adidas or New Balance when they’re walking next to a wall full of athletic shoes? Sure it’s possible that they might look at Nike shoes first, but ultimately it’s the look and feel of the shoe, along with the price, that will be the deciding factors.

Quick: Who uses the following slogans? “We’re with you.” “That was easy.” (Circuit City and Staples) If you didn’t know you’re not alone. A national survey found that NO ONE could identify or remember these two slogans.

So when contemplating your next ad campaign, remember that it’s the words, not the graphics that sell. And be sure to choose words that convey a specific benefit that is meaningful to your target audience. This is where a good copywriter can help you avoid wasting your money on ads that won’t work.