PART I:

COPY WRITING!!!

Master this skill and your sites really will convert like crazy because copy writing is the key to conversion.

Good copy + good offer = cash.

It really is that simple. In fact good copy + bad offer has still made many marketers a fortune. Plus it’s not as difficult to learn how to write good copy as you may think.

So I’m going to start posting my guide to great copy, piece by piece. I’ve studied copy writing for years and I love it, because it’s actually all about psychology as you’ll see.

So first of all, always remember that visitors to your site are usually in the market for what you’re selling. People will not just wander onto your site, they’ll arrive because:

• They’ve clicked on one of your ads
• They’ve read your article and clicked on your link
• They’ve read your comment on a forum and clicked on your link
• They’ve found your site in the search engines because they searched for
your site subject (keyword)
• They’ve clicked on some other form of advertising or self promotion

In other words, when they arrive at your site, all you have to do is convince them they’ve made the right decision. Now before you run off screaming, please understand, you don’t have to become a copywriting expert. But it would help if you understood the basics.

And I mean really help. Then as you go along you can build your knowledge and techniques.

Rejection free selling

Copy writing can best be described as “Salesmanship in print”. It’s persuasive writing that aims to get someone to do, something you want them to do. It could be to buy your product, sign up for your list or click on one of the links on your site.

Now don’t panic about the word “Salesmanship”, because unlike a normal salesman, sorry . . salesperson, you never have to face your prospect.

You don’t have to cope with the rejection attached to real world selling. Simply because the only way they can reject YOU is if they don’t buy your product, click on your link etc etc.

The good thing is, if people aren’t doing what you’re asking them to do you can simply change your copy. Maybe your headline, your benefits, your call to action.

You could simply change these, one at a time, and log the results. Did they make your conversions increase? Or decrease? Perhaps there was no change?

That’s the great thing about having a website, you can change things in minutes, watch the results, then keep or discard the changes. I’ve actually seen examples of changes to a sites copy, improving conversions by 400%, 500%, even up to 1000%!!

When you understand the main principles of copy writing, marketing becomes so much easier and so much more effective.

So what are the main principles? Well to start with you need to learn about headlines . . . and that’s where I carry on next time.

PART II:

I told you in Part 1 that I’d explain the main principles of Copywriting didn’t I? OK, well the first one is Headlines.

Some of you may have read this before. I posted on MoreNiche about the importance of headlines. So if it sounds familiar, you now know why.

The most important part of your copy is your headline. It draws people in to the rest of your page. (Or Ad) If someone finds your headline interesting, they are far more likely to then read your sub-head or opening paragraph.

And your opening paragraph should keep your visitors interested enough to read your second paragraph, and so on.

Your headline should GRAB your visitor’s attention.

“Hi, welcome to my site” just doesn’t cut it.

How about . . .

“New top secret Russian herbal weight loss discovery, will give you the firm, toned and sexy body you’ve always dreamed of OVERNIGHT . . . without leaving stretchmarks!!! ”

Tell me if I’m wrong but you would read the next paragraph . . . would you not?

Now I’ll agree, it’s an extreme example. Or is it? I’ve seen real headlines that are not that far removed from the above.

The best headlines are normally based around the benefits someone will have once they’ve used the product. In the example above the benefit is getting a sex symbol body without stretch marks. Simple enough?

This approach normally works because it’s emotive. And always remember, we buy based on emotions and rationalise that decision later, just to make us feel better.

Find the problems your visitors need to solve and offer the solution. It’s generally far easier to sell to a “hungry crowd” than hobby type markets.

The hungry crowd need it now, right now, TODAY!

That’s why your headline is so important.

We live in an OCEAN of marketing messages and yours has to stand out. One of my favourite copywriters is an Australian guy called Brett McFall. I always remember something he said about making yourself noticed:

“You have to stand out like a hippo in a herd of flamingos”

When people arrive at your site, you need a way to capture their interest. A good headline will do that. After all, the majority of people go online looking for information.

Have YOU got the information they’re looking for? Can you solve their problem? Make their life better? Make them richer? Make them slimmer? Tell them.

When you pick up a newspaper, how do you decide which articles to read? Headlines of course.

1. “Local woman finds pine cone washed up on beach.”

2. “Government to lower age of retirement to 40 and introduce £50,000
bonus, plus unlimited cash on demand system for pensioners.”

Which story would you read? Unless you’re a rare pinecone collector, I’m guessing number 2.

OK, so you are starting to understand why your headline is the most important part of your website copy, aren’t you? Good! Next time, I’ll cover the types of headline you can use and why they’re effective.

Written by Phil, who is a Project Manger at highprofits.com

Tags: conversion, copy writing, copywriting, copywriting expert, fortune, marketers, persuasive writing, psychology, real world, rejection, right decision, salesmanship, salesperson, search engines, self promotion, writing master