SUBJECT: Lesson #7 - Devil in the Detail

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For copywriters, the devil is actually in the generality.
Details are interesting and draw the reader in (remember the
Martians who ate that poor Chihuahua?). They lend some authority
to the information contained in your copy, and this helps to
relax the reader into feeling it’s safe to take action and buy. 

• Be Interesting, Get Excited

Someone, somewhere in the world, wants to buy what your copy is
attempting to promote. You may find it impossible to believe,
but if you want to write interesting copy then you’d better
accept it’s true. Your task as a copywriter is to understand the
mindset of the target audience, even where this is a niche
crowd, and to get excited on their behalf. Enthusiasm sells.

• Offer Testimonials 

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that testimonials can be
fabricated. Short of getting the phone numbers of satisfied
customers for prospective new customers to call up, testimonials
have to work on the basis of trust. Nevertheless, a sales page
without testimonials looks decidedly unconvincing. 

• Offer a Guarantee

In conjunction with an impressive list of testimonials, a
money-back guarantee is a powerful sales tool to add to your
copy. This may not be up to you, of course, but you should
certainly have the confidence of knowing that making this
suggestion to a client shows you have a sound understanding of
what does and doesn’t work. In cases where guarantees are given,
less than 2% of customers ever claim their money back

• Go for the Close

There is not much point writing scintillating copy if you don’t
ask for the order. It is not distasteful to do this, but a lot
of copy avoids doing so. People know pretty quickly when they
are reading an advert, however cunningly disguised as help and
advice at the outset, and they expect it to end with a bid for
their cash. Ask for the order, make it simple for the customer
to buy, and close the sale. It’s the whole point of direct
response copy.

• Weave your Spell

More precisely, weave a sprinkling of magic words into your copy
and see how they work wonders. Certain words have, over time,
proven to be powerful influencers when strategically dropped
into promotional copy.

Powerful, amazing, astonishing, exciting, fantastic,
fascinating, phenomenal, revolutionary, wonderful, special,
unique, super, exclusive, incredible … and other similar
superlatives.

And don’t forget offer-related words, and words that suggest an
event to take notice of: guaranteed, urgent, announcing, new,
introducing, first, free, improved, initial, limited offer,
time-sensitive, time-limited, revealing, successful,
breakthrough …

Finally, keep in mind the personal connection you make when you
talk to your audience in the second person singular: YOU. 

• Be Truthful

This means be truthful with your audience and with yourself.
Sincerity sells. Copy that lies or bends the truth passes
straight into the bad copy category, despite any sales it might
elicit. Bad reps are too easily spread around these days via the
internet. Also be aware that “time-sensitive” offers that
actually never end are highly disingenuous and can insult the
customer’s intelligence. In this down economy, you don’t really
need to explain why a discount is being offered. 

• Be Honest With Yourself

For your own part, face up to the truth of your own work. Ask
yourself if what you’ve written would cause you to buy. If not,
what is lacking that can be added, or weak that can be
strengthened?

• Review and Rewrite

You will answer the above question about the quality of your own
work far more easily by carrying out a serious and repeated
review of it before you submit it. It is a very rare copywriter
who can write a perfect piece of copy straight off. If you think
you can do this, you are either amazing or deluded. 

It is perfectly normal to finish your copy and then want to
rewrite parts of it, and to go through this many times until you
finally read through and have no corrections you wish to make.
That process does not make you an amateur; it’s what makes you a
professional.

Naturally, this extra work will effectively reduce your hourly
rate of pay, but it should make for a very happy client, and
that will mean repeat business and often referred business. 

• Understand the Power of Words

This is the most fundamental point, but covers more than the
overall message you are conveying. You need to be aware of the
connotations of each word and phrase you use, and be happy that
you are giving out the right message. 


To Your Success,
YOUR NAME
YOUR LINK