How to Write Killer Marketing Copy
By Scott F. Geld
Written words are a powerful marketing tool. They have the ability to
persuade, reason, explain & direct the reader to take action. They can
hold
someone's imagination and open them up to possibilities never before
visualized. But used improperly or without due care & attention they
can
destroy all the good work you have done in one foul swoop.
Developing copy for your website is therefore a job that should not be
taken
on lightly. Here are 5 keys to help hold your readers' attention and
convert
them to sales and sign-ups on your site -
1) Your Headliner - It takes a matter of seconds for visitors to form
an
opinion of your site. Many factors will come into play, such as speed
of
download, graphics etc, so you'll need to grab their attention quickly
before they click off the site. A few words that stand out from the
background, graphics and the rest of your text will draw the readers'
eye -
this is your chance to make an impact and keep them on the site. It
should
be something that compels the reader to want to find out more.
2) Develop Interest - Identify with the reader and let them know that
you
understand how they feel about the challenges they face. Hint that you
have
a solution to their problem. This will hook your visitor in, and you
can
enhance its effect by using keywords and hot buttons to fire the
reader's'
desire to find out more.
3) Reveal the details - Show the reader your solution and how it will
solve
their problems and/or meet their goals. Then hit them with additional
benefits as to how what you have to offer will exceed their
expectations.
Use testimonials that verify the strength of the product or service
you are
offering. Again use keywords and hot buttons that appeal to the
readers'
emotions, and remember people buy on emotion not logic.
4) Call to Action - No marketing copy is complete without a strong
call to
action. It is the final push to close the sale that should be lined
with
incentives. The benefits should be highlighted and the reader urged to
take
action. You could even mention the consequences of not taking action -
a
deal always looks better when someone is taking it back away from you!
5) Be Professional! - In the eyes of the reader, the professionalism
of your
copy reflects the professionalism of its owner, and the more
professional it
is the more confident the reader is of you and your intentions. Make
sure
you run copy through a grammar & spell checker before uploading it to
your
site.
Scott F. Geld is the Director of Marketing for Marketing Blaster,
Inc., a
firm dedicated to providing targeted traffic and leads for ecommerce
websites:
http://www.MarketingBlaster.com