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If you're considering hiring copywriting help for your next brochure, Web site, or marketing project. Congratulations! You should get great results if you hire a pro to do it right. Many business owners and marketing professionals have valid concerns about letting an outsider develop their content. After all - it's... Read More
Listen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour. Time is pressing, tighter and tighter. You are hoping to come up with some topic for your project.....However, ideas on what to write about keep eluding you.What are you going to do in situations like these?Today there are various software and... Read More
I confess--I'm a marketing heretic! I've built my career on breaking all the rules--and one of the rules I break is that I don't hype.Do I put the best possible "spin" on the truth? Of course! But I refuse to deceive my readers into action.What are some of the common... Read More
Back in the late nineties, the phrase 'Content is King' was repeated and repeated and repeated by site owners and marketers alike. The belief was that the more content you had, the greater the number of visitors you would attract. Of course, the content had to be well written, relevant... Read More
Site visitors generally stay with you for as long as they feel confident that they will succeed in achieving their goal. It's a simple truth, but important. For me, it helps explain some sites I know that perform extremely well, but appear quite amateur in their design and architecture.... Read More
Hone your writing skills to project a more professional business image.The sales letter you can't put down?the advertising copy that makes you want the product?the resume that prompts you to call the job candidate this second?All these are examples of exceptional business writing. While you certainly know good writing when... Read More
Find a passage of poorly written copy, and chances are you will have found a copywriter who never figured out what it was that he or she was trying to say. Whenever I have trouble with some copy, I stop, sit back and then write at the very top of... Read More
When you come to 'know' something, there is a temptation to stop thinking about it. You put it in a box as 'known' and are happy to argue with anyone who disagrees. This is both a good and a bad thing. It is good to hold firm to your beliefs,... Read More
Sometimes it's a struggle to figure out what's the best thing to say. You're writing a heading, the first sentence of an email, the introduction to a newsletter, a short description on a homepage. But what should you say? When you have just a few words, what's the best... Read More
As you know, I'm constantly making the point that the text on web sites is not given enough attention. Which is unfortunate, because the headlines on site pages make huge demands on the skills of any writer. If you're writing a headline or heading for a site page, here are... Read More
In a previous article I talked about a few similarities between writing direct mail packages and writing web sites. In short, I concluded that as online writers we could learn a lot from direct marketers. In this article I'm going to take a look at just one of those similarities:... Read More
Regardless of how you look at it, the most important aspect ofany successful business is its advertising. In fact,the success of any business is largely dependent on good advertising. First of all, you've got to have a dynamic, spectacular ad thatattracts the eye and grabs the interest of the people... Read More
Whether you're selling a product or service, the 10 tips below are your keys to writing great copy that communicates and persuades ... to get results! These guidelines can apply to most any form of consumer marketing communications: sales letters, brochures, web copy, or direct mail. As long as your... Read More
Here's a fundamental difference between copywriting offline and copywriting for the web... - Give or take, my job as a copywriter offline was to sell, sell, sell, sell. - Online, I think, my job is best described as help, help, help, sell. How come? Because web sites are a pain... Read More
About once a month I fly off somewhere to give a one-day workshop on writing for the web. For part of the day, I invite the group to take part in a series of short tasks. In one of these I ask people to write or rewrite a web page... Read More
When you receive a sales letter with typos or grammar mistakes in it, do you take it seriously? Probably not. As soon as I see a few eighth-grade English blunders in any marketing effort, I quickly decide the author's product or service is not deserving of my time. E-mail is... Read More
I have been in the ad game for a long, long time. I have trained hundreds of writers, and I've been responsible for moving of millions £ & $ in product worldwide. Here are just a few tips that I hope will help you do a better job, and make... Read More
In order to make more sales and get more profits for your business, fist of all, you should have a good ad copy. Once you master the knowlege for how to get traffic, you will get a lot of visitors to your site. If your ad copy does not sell,... Read More
If you have children, you will doubtless remember saying to them, "You can do it."It's what we say when our toddlers first struggle to their feet.It's what we say when they face their first day at school, when they first ride a bicycle, or first swim a full length of... Read More
Nothing irritates me more than being told that there are '3 Secrets' to great copy. Worst still are those marketing promises that say something like, "3 Secrets that the copy gurus don't want you to know".Here's an example I received just the other day..."Just imagine... a report with the *exact*... Read More
I went to Google and entered a couple of different search terms.The first was, to my mind, the cliché of all cliché's: "Tomorrow's Solutions Today".And yes, there are a few companies out there that feel this is the most useful way to describe their services.To broaden my search, I tried:... Read More
"It's the headline, stupid," is the sign that hangs over my computer screen. It reminds me that to write effective articles, press releases, sales letters--whatever I want people to read--I need a powerful, grabber headline or title.You are competing with a lot of others to get the attention of potential... Read More
Many of us have been asked to write an article at one time or another. Maybe it's a contribution to the company newsletter. Or a promotional article to gain publicity for ourselves or our companies. Some of us write articles regularly for clients.No matter why you're writing an article, it's... Read More
Many of the solo professionals whom I coach are people who offer services. They're coaches, consultants, creatives. And many of them are also beginning to sell information products on their Web sites. They're smart to offer a lower-priced alternative to hiring them, and to sell a product that can gain... Read More
Hi everyone,Been ruminating on this one for a little while now but it's probably one of the most profound discoveries of my life. It all began with a little book about music and it's had such a deep influence on my copywriting and small business, indeed my whole outlook on... Read More
A letter or postcard allows you to "talk" one-on-one to your prospect. That means you should use "I" and "me" and "you" in your sales letter. Don't use the corporate sounding "we".Remember just one person is reading your letter or postcard at once. So don't write in the plural, even... Read More
Yes indeed, that's all you've got, 30 seconds to make your website visitors decide to stick around...The internet has changed how we think about the customer, the product and the competition. I'm going to take you on a journey through these new ideas and show you what has changed and... Read More
You're ready to launch that new product or promotion, & you're really counting on a piece of advertising copy to come through for you.You're looking for stellar results! And, you're determined to do everything in your power to get them. Which means surveys, thorough testing, and ongoing refinement of your... Read More
One of my most powerful marketing weapons costs me less than $1. I buy it once and it lasts me a lifetime. I use it over and over again and it never leaves my side. What on earth could it be?Well, it's my trusty notebook! It is where I store... Read More
Perhaps the most important benefit in the material that follows is its ability to provide you with the necessary concepts and constructs which are critical for becomingsuccessful by utilizing many of the high-tech, high-touch capabilities offered by the use of online marketing. Building your home business "Internet-Style" is not only... Read More
Looking to chuck that full-time job for a life of full-time writing? Or maybe you've already dumped the day job but aren't quite as busy as you'd like to be. Why not take a closer look at copywriting?Copywriting, also known as business or promotional writing, can do more than put... Read More
Now that you've decided to hire a copywriter, how do you go about finding one? Here are seven things to look for to make sure the match is a good one.#1 ? Define your expectations. Are you looking for a copywriter or a technical writer? Do you need a writer... Read More
Want to know the secret of creating MEMORABLE promotional copy? Sales copy that actually stays with your customers long after they've finished reading it?Then master the art of using words to create pictures in your customers' heads.If you can describe your products or services in such a way that it... Read More
Question: If you were starting out and had no references or a substantial resume, how would you go about finding paying customers for your services?To answer your question, I'll assume you're a junior copywriter or marketing consultant.When I first started out and didn't know a soul, I'd open the yellow... Read More
Freelance writers are a strange group of people when it comes to running their own businesses.They are outspoken and enthusiastic while selling their clients' products and services, but are hopelessly shy and reticent about blowing their own horns.They grumble and gripe about their clients being disorganized and unfocused, but are... Read More
The difference between good copy and great copy is the number of actions it generates. The more actions the copy drives, the greater the copy is.My friend John Reese, a master at simplifying what we often tend to unnecessarily complicate, says it best. He says the only metric you should... Read More
A passionate debate is currently raging in the Copywriters Forum about long versus short copy. (If you haven't joined, do so. Click the "register" link the top. It's free. There are tons of tips from other very successful copywriters.)The debate was originally sparked by a comment a very well-known Fortune... Read More
My wife and I recently bought a house.It's currently being built and moving day is slated for December. So we decided to buy some furniture in order to fill some of the "extra space." (Our new home is double the size of our current one.)Now, something really interesting happened.The story... Read More
Copy is all about words. Or is it?Copy is about using words to describe the benefits of your offer. About using words to paint vivid mental imagery. About using words to stir the senses, press all the "hot buttons" and push the reader to take some kind of action.But is... Read More
Most of the sales pieces people ask me to rewrite seem to offer great products and services. In fact, some of their offers are so good, prospects would be crazy to turn them down. But they do. And these sales pieces end up falling in my lap because they're desperately... Read More
A significant reason behind websites that fail is the lack of an effective direct response sales message. Such a message is comprised of three elements (it must be):Captivating (it captures the reader's attention) Riveting (it pulls her into reading further) Engaging (it calls her to act)How can you incorporate those... Read More
When writing direct response copy, there are a few things that can maximize the responsiveness of your message. The first and most important element that can turn any website, salesletter or ad into an action-generating mechanism is the headline.A headline is meant to do two vital things.First, it needs to... Read More
An interesting debate is currently raging among copywriters, web designers and content developers about the differences, if any, between writing copy for the web versus writing content.According to prolific copywriter Nick Usborne of ClickZ.com fame, a recent survey conducted among the readers of his email newsletter "Excess Voice," which is... Read More
When I critique, edit or rewrite sales copy, I discover that many clients commit common errors. Granted, not all of them are writers. But most of them fail to drive customer actions not because they lack writing skills but because they fail to look at their copy from their readers'... Read More
"Melissa" invaded our computers in late 1999, then "I Love You" in 2000. A year later, the "homepage.htm" attachment virus is wreaking havoc online. And now, in 2002, we have not been spared. A fury of Klez.Gen worms as they spread like wildfire has brought the web to a crawl... Read More
In the competitive marketplace of the new millennium, the demand for specialized products or services will increase. If your site sells everything or to everyone, chances are that your audience will not perceive a value in shopping from you any greater than from anyone else. Keep in mind that price... Read More
Knowing how to write, and write well, is a skill that will come in handy in all sorts of situations. And if you combine good writing skills with the persuasive selling tactics found in, say, copywriting, you'll be that much more ahead of your competition.Of all the different types of... Read More
I want to tell you how I go about writing headlines. I like to keep swap files of headlines around for future use. And how I go about doing it goes something like this...I'll find a headline I like, wherever it may be, and then I don't copy it word... Read More
I like to use power phrases when writing sales material. These power phrases add punch to a line or a paragraph and I usually use them to start off a sentence.You can generally find alot of "power phrases" when reading good sales copy. I usually keep a notebook nearby so... Read More
In order to maximize your sales efforts and fully seize your greatest profit potential, these essential elements are a "must-have" and "must-apply" in all of your action-driven marketing communications.Value-Added, Benefit-Rich Headlines Make The DifferenceA bold, mouth-watering headline is considered by many a marketer to be the most important element of... Read More
Why Some People's Ads Almost Always Make MoneyDiscover the Master Copywriter's Little-Known Secret of Locking in Profits! You don't know it yet, but in the next 5 minutes you are going to learn two things that will enable you to command someone to do something anything ? and that person... Read More
Are you a freelance copywriter working from home? If so, you've probably been on the project bidding war sites, like elance.com. You've probably seen ads like this:"Need 50 Articles Ghostwritten. 500-800 Words. Budget: $250-$500. Timeframe: one month.""How insulting!" you think to yourself, and yet sheer curiosity lures you to the... Read More
Think you can take the Copywriting Challenge on your own? Allow me to convince you otherwise! Here are eleven reasons why business owners typically choose not to hire a writer, and my argument for each.Excuse 1. "Why pay someone else when I can do the writing myself?" Next time you... Read More
As with any of the performing arts, an effective voiceover begins with a well-crafted script. You don't have to have many years of writing experience to create copy that is both effective and a pleasure for the voice actor to perform. Here are some ideas to consider before you put... Read More
Have you heard of Brian Keith Voiles? Probably not, but if you have eyes you've seen his ad campaigns and you probably even bought products that he created ad campaigns for. Would you like to have the formula he gets paid $12,500 to put into use for Fortune 500 Companies?Well... Read More
While traditional marketing can work for the book author or publisher, the return is dim for the huge effort it takes. You must promote 90% of the time to even get a milligram of attention. While you may have a success or two, most of your efforts will bring poor... Read More
These days, there's widespread acceptance that a website is an integral part of the marketing plan of any business. Likewise, it's commonly accepted that web copy is a vital component of any website. But how much web copy is enough?The pure volume of information available on the Internet is daunting... Read More
Many people feel uncertain when dealing with copywriters. Like any artform, writing is subjective; instead of black and white, most business owners and marketing managers see indistinguishable shades of grey. But copywriting possesses one key element that most other forms of art don't ? a commercial imperative.Because the copywriter's audience... Read More
New to tech-writing, or thinking about starting? The key to success is recognising that tech-writers are a necessary evil.Tech-writers are necessary because someone has to write the user doco. The programmers and managers sure as hell don't want to. This is actually part of the reason that you're evil, too.... Read More
Tech-writing is a tricky business. It's not a very high profile industry, so there's not much support around. Follow these 10 quick tips, and you'll be well on your way to a satisfying tech-writing career.1) Follow a sensible career path?STEP 1: Start in a teamSTEP 2: Stay only just long... Read More
When one is in a creative state, rarely can one also be in a detail state. Thus, mistakes in correct grammar, spelling and continuity of all details, may happen. Also, proofreading our own work can be very difficult, for all of us. This is because the same mental processes that... Read More
When I write copy for my advertising clients, I always check to make sure the three key elements are in place. 1. psychology, 2. logic, and 3. creativity. These are three very different aspects of ad writing, which, when combined, produce a highly effective message. Master the technique of each,... Read More
Summer is finally here and school is out, but learning for the rest of us continues. Whether you're a seasoned PR professional working for a top agency, a novice just beginning a career, or a mid-level manager working in-house at a small business, the time comes when we all could... Read More
Personalizing your headlines to your target audience can significantly improve your sales response. You can do this by mentioning a person by name, their city, their career field, their job title, or group right in the headline. You will find this has become quite common in email marketing. If you... Read More
We all know that words have the power to persuade, compel and most importantly, sell.However, many have likened the process to getting the 'right words' to trying to get blood from a stone.When I first started out, writing copy meant slitting my wrist and 'giving blood'.Of course, I've greatly refined... Read More
You could spend thousands of dollars on advertisement and have extremely low or no results in sales because of your poor planed copy. You shouldn't be amazed by the fact that huge corporations all over the world do that mistake and waste millions of dollars on false advertisement campaigns.However, how... Read More
Only about 20% of your copy is going to get read. The rest will simply be scanned. I'm sure you've heard the statistic before. It's nothing new. While it might sound frightening or frustrating, it's a fact of copywriting life. So what do you do next? Give up? What difference... Read More
1. Isolation technique It doesn't matter how good your copy is if they don't read it. Put blinders on and read each line (including the headlines and subheads) as if they exist in total isolation. Ask yourself if it makes sense on its own. For example, I was looking... Read More
You have to choose a character or an angle that you, the copywriter plays. Copy is interactive. There's a copywriter and a copy reader. As soon as one is gone, the relationship is over (at least for the time being). Readers don't have to stick around. There's no locked door.... Read More
Unless you know the secret motivational secrets that make people buy, your efforts in website promotion may not be fruitful.Here are some website promotion triggers to help you:1. People want to make more money. They may want to start their own business, get a higher paying job or invest in... Read More
If your ad is not generating a lot of sales, the reason may be because it is not effective.Here are secret website advertising tactics to make it more impactful and therefore generate more orders:1. You could end your ad copy by telling people what will happen if they buy your... Read More
Lots of people who seek out my copywriting services are concerned about money. Rightfully so. I'm a small business owner too, and I know what it is to have that do-it-yourself mindset. (It's exhausting!) But entrepreneurs like you and I often overlook the very reason to contract a job out... Read More
If you write for a living, you deal with deadlines. Sometimes you will have several jobs on your plate at the same time.On top of that, your clients or editors don't coordinate their demands, so you might even have two or three deadlines all falling within the same day or... Read More
How does this sound?Today, I'm going to show you how to get a fifteen page sales letter read from beginning to end and keep your prospect magnetized to *every* paragraph along the way. Impossible?The real magic behind these magnetic sales letters is not some mystical skill or secret formula but... Read More
From the early days of search engine optimization, keywords and content have always been vital to achieving your goals. Starting back in the days when we used to shove every slightly relevant keyword into our Meta tags, it has been obvious that search engines love text. The more advanced the... Read More
So, you have something you want to sell. It may be a product, a service, or a cause. It could be a membership, a subscription, or a motor car. It might be paper, health products or the idea that the humane society or the Alzheimer's association is worth giving money... Read More
As websites and electronic commerce are becoming more and more common, business owners and marketing managers are realising that quality web copy is every bit as important as impressive design. And with the ever increasing importance of search engine presence, the role of web copy has never been more critical.But... Read More
Think quick. In 10 seconds, can you list the 5 key benefits you offer your customers?I bet you said "Yes". But are you sure you listed benefits? If you'll bear with me for another 10 seconds, I'd like to test out a theory on you.Recap your answers ? maybe even... Read More
You've identified the benefits you offer your customers, but how do you turn a list of benefits into engaging web copy which converts visitors into customers?Recently I wrote an article explaining how to identify the benefits you offer your customers (http://www.divinewrite.com/benefits.htm). That article challenged business owners and marketing managers to... Read More
Every week I receive a couple of emails from people seeking advice on how to get into freelance copywriting. While there's no simple answer, and no answer which applies to everyone, there are a few tips which I believe will help most people make the move into freelance copywriting, and... Read More
What is it exactly that copywriters DO when they produce new text for a site makeover? You often see the advertisements; a designer is looking for a freelance web writer who is going to create content around a number of keywords. There's not a lot more information about the process.... Read More
What ever happened to good old fashion, fundamental copywriting? Has anyone seen AIDA? I mean, before you can run, you first have to learn how to walk, right? Yet, I see it over and over again. Marketers who can't even write a simple headline are trying to "hypnotize" readers with... Read More
Several correspondents to our newsletter, AdBriefing, say that they are having trouble writing body copy for ads. Their problem seems to be the age-old one of how to kick things off ? how to make a start. Can I help? Of course, I can.When you have been writing copy as... Read More
Pretty or elegant? Good or scrumptious? Nice or delightful? There is power in the adjectives you choose. Just like Clark Kent and Superman or Bruce Wayne and Batman, some adjectives are plain, ordinary, everyday words. Others are alter-ego Super Adjectives that leap into your customers' minds in a single bound.... Read More
One of the keys to writing good marketing copy is to differentiate your product or service from the competition with an effective selling point. And it is on precisely this element that many otherwise competent writers flounder and flop ? and so does their copy.Because the key word here is... Read More
Headlines are, without a doubt, one of the most important elements in copywriting. As has been said countless times before, if you don't get your readers' attention with the headline, the chance of them reading your copy is virtually none. But headlines (and sub-headlines) play a vital part in the... Read More
Think for a moment some day and consider the kind of advertising you see in your post box, on the TV, on your computer, on the radio, etc. Then ask yourself this question, "Would I buy this or not?" If you say "No," then ask yourself why. If you say... Read More
Whether you're wet-behind-the-ears or a seasoned copywriter, your craft will benefit by remembering one thing:You're nothing more than a salesperson.There's an old saying in the "business" that, "a copywriter is a salesperson sitting in front of a typewriter." True, few of us are using typewriters these days. The principal, however,... Read More
It was going so well, so what happened? Many copywriters get off to a wonderful start: The headline is compelling, the body copy is benefit-filled, but then comes the call-to-action and the whole thing falls apart. Why? It could be a dozen different reasons, but one of the most common... Read More
1. Use a hand written letter on your ad copy instead of text. Write the ad on a piece of paper, scan it and publish the ad on your web page. Adding a personal touch will always increase your sales.2. Publish a list of famous and respected customers who have... Read More
Building a professional reputation requires a campaign founded on your words: the positions you endorse, the motions you advocate, the accuracy of your vision. Writing for the Web can either establish your expert credibility or destroy it.When your business requires powerful words online, follow these five rules for promoting the... Read More
In its most basic form, copywriting is, among other things, the art of conveying a message in writing for the purpose of persuading someone to do something. This is especially true when writing descriptive copy. Why? Because your customer's five senses don't work on paper? they only work in person.... Read More
In part one of this article series we began looking at the Cruise Vacation Center site: a travel site whose copy was sorely lacking in emotional appeal and visual imagry. (You can see the previous version of the copy here: http://www.copywritingcourse.com/CruiseVacationCenter-Original.pdf.) In the conclusion, youll see how all... Read More
One statistic shows that over 80% of all buying decisions are emotional. That means your copywriting should be, too. This is something I firmly believe in and have preached for most of my copywriting career. However, all too often, I find people skipping the vital step of making an emotional... Read More
One thing all successful Internet marketers have in common is that they're good copywriters. If you want to have a profitable online business, you need to know how to write a copy that motivates people to buy your product... a copy that sells!In this article, I'm going to reveal 3... Read More
Much of today's accepted copywriting wisdom comes from old books written for a different, quieter world.For most of the twentieth century, widely promoting a successful message was expensive and difficult, requiring control of significant resources and substantial time commitments. Though the general public was more trusting and open to suggestion,... Read More
Ask any copywriter what the first commandment of copywriting is and they'll quickly tell you "Know Thy Target Audience." In order to write effectively you have to know this one group of people and know them well. I guess that's why many people get so frustrated when it seems they... Read More
Grab 'em and don't lose 'em. Every marketer knows that one. Human beings have very short attention spans, so you can't afford to waste your prospect's time - give them the good stuff and then let them go as soon as you can. Writing effective marketing material is all about... Read More
Most of us spend our days persuading others to buy our service, product or idea. Here is how to create powerful marketing copy to make your job easier: INTERVIEW YOURSELF.If you hired a writer to create the copy for you, he/she would likely start by interviewing you. He would ask... Read More
Last quarter I talked about interviewing / gathering data. So now you've got several thousand words of notes, hopefully digitally recorded. What comes next?GETTING ORGANIZEDI suggested organizing your interview questions into 4 groups. I'm going to label them for you A, B, C, D.·what is the business problem? = A·what... Read More
When you are beginning to write, you gather as much data as you can. You continually add allied thoughts. . You use your right brain, the creative side.So when you have an idea and your mind says, "not relevant to my core subject," you ignore the doubt. You don't cross... Read More
WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?How do you begin a dialogue with a prospect, be it in person, on your website or in print?You talk about your client's business problem.What IS your client's business problem?Answering this question is the hardest part of marketing. What we all do instead, is focus on our solution,... Read More
1) Don't just hire a good designer. Hire someone who has had plenty of experience designing business collateral. Your designer needs to ask you the right questions about the project. And he/ she needs to be able to turn the design round reasonably fast too.2) Write the copy first. I... Read More
It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by asking questions. Why? To evoke thoughts in your readers' minds, to stir up emotions, and to get customers thinking in the way you want them to think. But have you ever thought about how you phrase your questions? Are you... Read More
Advertising is key! Unfortunately most people waste their money on advertising unless they can play by the numbers. Playing by the numbers is simply spending enough money on advertising and saturating the market so much, that percentage wise, enough people will want to see what you have to offer. In... Read More
The art of writing profitable classified adsEverybody wants to make money. In fact most people would like to hit upon something that makes them instantly rich! And seemingly, one of the easiest to the fulfillment of these dreams of wealth is mail order or within the profession of the business,... Read More
Now that your website is up and running, it's time to add content. Fresh content will make your site interesting and keep people (and search engine crawlers) coming back. In order to achieve optimal web success, your site must be informative, relevant and written the way that people read the... Read More
In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as they read what you've written -- they'll click right past pages that feel "been there, read that." They're looking for a voice that says, "Hey, client, this is me!"They want to know not just what you deliver -- but how.... Read More
Having worked as a digital publishing specialist at a large corporation at my previous job, I did not think being in charge of foreign language typesetting would be too difficult. After all, the layout and the images are already prepared and I only need to flow in the text -... Read More
The notion on the great artist, Pablo Picasso's quote, "Bad artists copy. Good artists steal" is lost on many. And revolving around the graphic designer circles is the quote "Good artists copy, great artists steal" known as Picasso's quote, still. Anyway, it might just be safe to assume that Picasso... Read More
One of the most important aspects of a website today is the webcopy - sometimes called the sales letter.In days gone bye, banners and graphics were all important but now it's the words that do the selling.This short article will give you some pointers about writing good webcopy.You must know... Read More
Headlines attract attention. Headlines generate interest. The time spent writing headlines can pay you back many times over.Do you have a product or service to sell? How do you attract new customers, clients, prospects, leads or patients?Most likely you attract them through the written word in some sort of advertising,... Read More
I recently sponsored and attended Joel Christopher and Ted Nicholas's Double Birthday Bash and Interactive Marketing Summit in beautiful San Antonio, Texas. There was a fantastic lineup of speakers including John Assaraf, Joe Vitale, Brad Fallon, George McKenzie, Shawn Casey, Alan Bechtold, Tom "Big Al" Schreiter, Brian... Read More
Every person has secrets that only he or she knows, secrets that are not shared with anyone, not even the most intimate friends, partners, even soul mates. These secrets may be righteous or sinister, yet for reasons, often unknown, they are never revealed to any other person. These, the writer... Read More
Network marketing is an art as much as it is an applied science. To take a blank sheet of paper or canvas and draw or paint an interesting picture, you've got to have an imagination and creativity.The other day, I was watching some video tapes I had made of my... Read More
Everyday when I read promotional emails and advertisements, or listen to television commercials and dialogue in shows and movies, or hear people around me in everyday life use commands such as the following examples, I feel dismayed for them.This is because I understand something that many others do NOT!And, since... Read More
Freelancing is a competitive business, especially in today's fast-paced, e-focused world.Often there are hundreds of writers competing for the same, limited number of assignments, and the writer who can best showcase his or her abilities is the one who lands the job.Editors, however, are very busy people, and don't have... Read More
Have you wondered how you can make a career writing books or articles for various publications? Or are you seeking a viable second income opportunity but do not know where to start? Well, freelance writing may be the right career for you and it can open a world of lucrative... Read More
No doubt, the headline is the most important part of any advertisement or sales letter. The reason is very simple. The headline is the first thing your prospect sees when he or she looks at your advertisement.It's an advertisement for your advertisement.The only purpose of your headline is to get... Read More
Overlooking simple steps such as proofreading and grammar can affect the credibility of your website. How are you protecting yourself?A potential customer on the internet has a disadvantage over a customer walking into a brick and mortar store. Whereas the physical store has the credibility of location, physical presence (you... Read More
It's time to write your next ad or brochure. Maybe some web content. You've done all your research, and you're staring at a blank computer screen. You want to look good in print. You want to put your "best foot forward." And, of course, you want to make a barrel... Read More
Anyone who's ever tried marketing IT products or services knows that it's a specialist field. Your customers in the IT industry have very unique and specific requirements, and that means you do too. In order to write compelling copy around your offering, you need a copywriter with a... Read More
Most people can write. Some can even write well. But only a few individuals can write as quickly and persuasively as a professional writer. Effective communication requires a well-crafted message that is interesting to your audience. Anything less is a waste of your time and money.Professional writers can develop a... Read More
Whether you run a home-based business or Microsoft, one thing is always true: products do not sell themselves. So what makes customers buy? Words.Marketing gurus learned long ago that it's the words salespeople speak and ads present which are critical to the decision to buy or not to buy. So... Read More
Here's a critically important copywriting technique I use when writing sales letters and proposals for our own direct marketing services and for our clients.It's all about "price".I see it all the time. And perhaps you do too. Letters and proposals that bury the price at the very end of the... Read More
When making a purchasing decision, people have their "rip off radars" on high beam. They're wary and so they should be -- after all, they're about to spend money so they want to be sure they're not going to get ripped off, AND they want to be sure they're going... Read More
If you have done your homework then you are ready to organize and develop what will be your online content. Your content is very important as it will be used for promoting you, your work, and your website. Content serves a variety of purposes; it displays public relations, target marketing,... Read More
I do not pretend that a one-stop shop solution to content writing exists, but my experience has taught me, that working toward a 100% effective writing formula isn't a complete waste of time.At my firm (a content writing business), we find it particularly useful to go through a number of... Read More
It's true, we were all taught in school to express ourselves differently on paper, than the way we speak. To follow rules of grammar, and inject an artificial air of formality.Forgetting about this training when you write web copy is one of the best thing you can possibly do, unless... Read More
Ask yourself these questions:Are you an experienced writer?Do you want to stay at home to write?Do you want to work for yourself?Do you learn new things quickly?Are you interested in a broad number of subjects?Do you feel like you're being pigeonholed with your current writing and you want to branch... Read More
Just as great fiction is an art, so is great copywriting. Beneath the art, however, there's a foundation of basic knowledge and skills. The craft that goes into your writing.Craft comes first. Art follows.You learn the craft of writing by educating yourself, by the actual process of writing (the doing),... Read More
Hands up if the title to this article made you think that you'd strayed into a fishing feature?Perhaps you didn't quite go that far, but hopefully you were puzzled or curious enough to wonder what on earth those three angling associated words have to do with writing. The answer of... Read More
Writing headlines for your ads is the most important part of your online presence.When posting your ad to classified sites, directories, message boards, newsgroups or mailing lists, the only part of your ad that is showing is the heading.So, what your heading says will make the difference between your ad... Read More
This is a question that can be answered in a lot of different ways.But let's start with a perfectly simple and honest answer.No.No, in spite of what you might hear or read elsewhere, not everyone can succeed as a copywriter, freelance or otherwise.If someone tells you different, they are not... Read More
Subhead..How to bundle for valuable results without devaluing your productI almost clicked. Really, I did.The ad copy was compelling, the content focused. This was exactly what I was looking for. Yes, I was convinced I had found just the eBook I needed to add to my e-library.Credit card in hand,... Read More
Not everyone is a writer. Good copy writing is a science and can be learned over time. Great copy writing is an art and should problably remain in the hands of those who can craft it well.Words have power.They can make you laugh, cry experience great joy, provide encouragement or... Read More
On the Internet programmers and designers rule, not the writer. Yet words drive targeted traffic to your site, carry content, make the sale, convey marketing messages, persuade people to buy and make the difference between your site's success or failure.Here are 10 tips for writing effective web copy:1. Make sure... Read More
Content is king. Without content your website is an empty shell, a skeleton with no flesh, an empty vessel. Content can redeem the worst designed website. The right content can make your phone ring off the hook and flood your inbox with people wanting your product or service. Content is... Read More
Your sales copy is the life source of your business. If your sales copy isn't pulling in a decent conservation rate, then your business is suffering.In this article, we are going to go over an effective way to test the body of your sales copy for weaknesses. If there are... Read More
IntroductionA pencil. Yes, a pencil. In my opinion, every great idea has started with a pencil. Sure, lots stay in someone's head, but to me a great idea doesn't have any value until it's written down. Until it's written down it's just dust I the wind: here today and quickly... Read More
When you're writing or evaluating copy for a B to B marketing (also referred to as b-to-b or business to business marketing) campaign of any kind, you may think it's only appropriate to write formal copy in which you refer to yourself as "we" or "our organization" and let lots... Read More
All the world's a story. Video games have storylines; newspapers report stories; country music lyrics tell a sad tale.At a quick glance it would appear that fiction writing and copywriting are two mutually exclusive disciplines. But it just isn't so.Fiction and copywriting share the same heart: emotion.What's the goal for... Read More
COPYWRITINGAfter determining what we are going to sell, the next task is to effectively convey our message.Copywriting is the art of writing words and messages that successfully sell a product or service. From the development of the sales message on a website to classified or banner advertising, writing ad copy... Read More
One of the best marketing tools available to your internet business is good sales ad copy. This can pull in sales faster than just about anything.If you're not a writer or cringe at the thought of writing your own sales copy, you can always hire a professional, however if you're... Read More
Do you want to make $5000, $10,000 or more every month as a freelancer? Does your current published materials earn you that much or are you still struggling looking for new jobs every month? Well, ghost writing articles and books for businesses could earn you a lot of money and... Read More
Many professional freelancers will go their entire career without ever once writing a story about sex. Oh, they may craft a racy scene or two in the course of writing the next Great American Novel, or they might someday write an article about the latest in sexual research, but that's... Read More
You can turn your $200 fee to write a press release into $2,000 to carry out an entire PR campaign simply by convincing clients to invest in campaigns, instead of individual assignments. Campaigns achieve better results and cost less in the long-term for clients, compared to individual assignments. And, of... Read More
If you are interested in creating information products, you will very likely deal with editors throughout your career. You may need someone to edit a book, review a special report, or tighten up a magazine article. Even if you are a brilliant writer, it always helps to have someone else... Read More
For the e-book, Advice from Successful Freelancers: How They Built Their Careers & How You Can Too!, I asked ten questions of freelancers who were living their dream life. Following are some of their answers. They cover successful marketing techniques, how to get clients and more!1. Why did you start... Read More
Run or hustle? Eat or devour? Move or scurry? You can boost the power of your copy by boosting the quality of verbs you use. Verbs show action, and the way you describe that action can have a dramatic bearing on your readers. Why would you want to fill your... Read More
I have read thousands of ad copies online and offline over my lifetime. I have read excellent ad copies that made me buy right away and some that may have had a decent product, but had a poor ad copy that turned me away.Now that I am in business, I... Read More
From time to time you will be faced with an opportunity that looks downright scary.The temptation is to think, "Hey, that's way outside my level of expertise. I'm not ready for that."My advice to you is this: Do it.When you are faced with opportunities that are larger, more challenging and... Read More
One of the biggest challenges a copywriter faces is to make future clients feel confident in his or her ability. You know you can deliver, but your clients don't know that... yet! In my own experiences as a freelancer, I've noticed that the most hesitant potential clients often ask the... Read More
Doing the copywriting for your own website without the proper knowledge and tools is pretty much like flying blind in a snowstorm without piloting experience or instruments.It doesn't work too well.A very basic knowledge of copywriting and direct marketing principles will take you a long ways on the Web.Here are... Read More
I imagine you are the type of person who really wants to make your idea a reality. I also think that you fall into one of two groups; the first is a person who WANTS to succeed but does not know how. The second is the person who has read... Read More
You've probably seen web sites with testimonials - they can add legitimacy. But sometimes they are believable, and sometimes they are not. Are testimonials worth the effort?The answer is "Yes" if they are done right.When done correctly, testimonials can help you establish credibility and give you an opportunity to prove... Read More
We all know words are powerful. Whether written or spoken, according to advertising legend David Ogilvy, some of the most persuasive words to use in marketing are:Now Announcing Introducing Revolutionary Offer Quick Easy Compare HurryTry to incorporate these powerful words into your brochures, web content, and however else you communicate... Read More
Many small businesses fail because their owners don't pay enough attention to marketing and sales. Part of the effectiveness of a marketing effort is directly related to the sales copy you produce. This is especially true on websites. Sales copy is the words you use to convince prospective customers to... Read More
One of the least talked-about areas in copywriting education is voice. This is probably because it's tough to set general rules for something that's so personal to each of us. After all, the same things go into building your copywriting voice that go into making you who you are!Personality, upbringing,... Read More
Do you ever have brilliant ideas for articles, books or a website, but never get around to doing anything about them? Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. Trust and credibility are vital in creating consumer confidence. Being able to tell the world who you are, what you do and how... Read More
So you finally built a website for your home-based business. How exciting is that!? Now you just have to let people know you're out there. The best method is to use an SEO copywriting strategy, which optimizes your web content using popular keywords.SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. You want... Read More
When it comes to search engine optimization, copywriting plays a big role. You want to have excellent copy that appeals to both your visitors and the engines in order to create pages that will rank highly. However, sometimes there can be potential problems with fitting copy into certain types of... Read More
Writers write just like painters, paint on canvas. This is one of the reasons why it is important that you launch your writing career by getting some freelance writing work that you can get paid for doing.It does not matter how small the job is or how little the money... Read More
Putting out a high quality product is a given these days. With all the competition out there, you have to look great in every aspect. So proofreading all copy is extremely important and here are some tips to help you to proofread your own work after you've finished editing it:Read... Read More
A few weeks ago I wrote some copy for a business owner "Marvin." My copy was hard-hitting but honest and down-to-earth. He's really good in his field, so coming up with benefits was easy. What wasn't easy was convincing him to run with the copy on his duller-than-dust website."It's ... Read More
How can you gain credibility and exposure for you and your business, reach a motivated audience, develop a far-flung network, hone your presentation skills -- and get paid to do it?Many writers, artists, speakers and entrepreneurs have found an answer: they teach classes in adult education programs.Adult education is big... Read More
As the famous cowboy Will Rogers once said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there".So what does that have to do with "FREE"? Quite a lot really.Firstly, business is a constant evolution - a process, you simply cannot remain still even... Read More
There is a difference between creative writing and copywriting. It took me a while to come to terms with this but it's true, there is a difference. When I first started my home based business on the Internet I read a lot of advice about publishing articles and doing copywriting... Read More
Say the word "emotion" to a man, and he'll immediately jump out of his seat and run from the room! Utter the word "emotion" to a woman, and she begins to conjure up thoughts of romantic, long talks centered around feelings. However, speak the word "emotion" to a copywriter and... Read More
Whether you're an executive or a small business owner, chances are you will have to hire a writer somewhere along the line to create your marketing material. Here is some insight into the process, what is expected of you, and how to get the most out of your investment.But before... Read More
Web copy that's intended to sell or generate leads needs to quickly reach out and grab attention and build rapport with a target audience. You can connect with your audience more effectively if you understand something about how people process information, and how they think.Every one of us is constantly... Read More
Most people would love to make a living from freelance writing. If you tell people that you are a freelance writer, chances are that they will respond by telling you about their own desire to be a freelance writer. People often imagine that working as a freelance writer is some... Read More
Lately, I've been getting emails from other copywriters who ask me questions like "What's your secret?" and "How did you do it?" and "Can I be your apprentice?"Aw, heck, are you serious? People are talking to me like I'm some kind of demi-goddess... when really, I'm just a humble girl... Read More
The field of proofreading is not as easy to get into as you might think. In fact, there are many proof reading qualifications that you must possess in order to qualify. While these qualifications change from company to company, the over all concepts are the same throughout. Unless you can... Read More
Just as great fiction is an art, so is great copywriting. Beneath the art, however, there's a foundation of basic knowledge and skills. The craft that goes into your writing.Craft comes first. Art follows.You learn the craft of writing by educating yourself, by the actual process of writing (the doing),... Read More
Careers in copywriting are booming. Could it be that the new and ever growing market on the Internet has helped to fuel this demand? You can bet your sweet keyword that it has! With so many businesses looking to the internet for their freelance copywriters the demand for employees keeps... Read More
Do you possess the qualities of a good proof reader? Are you good with details, spotting errors in spelling, grammar, and the flow of a piece and putting together quality work? If so, you may be able to make a career out of copyediting or proofreading. For those looking to... Read More
Have you ever had the experience of hiring a freelance copy writer only to find that the project takes longer than expected, or that the fees they offered are 'flexible' in the wrong way for you to benefit. There is no doubt that copywriter rates differ greatly from one to... Read More
Today I am having a rant inside of my own head. Woo hoo, the copywriter is losing it again! Maybe.Maybe not, though. I like to think that these internal mini earthquakes I have are the root to a more productive mindset. Are you a copywriter, too? Then you probably share... Read More
Several years ago, when I was working for an agency, I was fired from an account. What that means is the client didn't want me writing for him anymore.Another writer, a friend of mine, got the account and life went on.Of course, I was pretty upset by the situation. I... Read More
If you're hunting for a good freelance copywriter and have never done it before, or if you have but find yourself needing another for the first time in a while, I don't envy you. This "brave new" e-world has turned your once straightforward search of a neatly stacked file of... Read More
If you find that your progress is blocked by a lack of time or experience, consider hiring a freelancer to jumpstart your project.Writer's block got you down? Don't let it. Every town has a freelance writer who can help you get a release or article written quickly. Or you can... Read More
The single most important element of your website's copy is the headline. Take away practically everything else and you can still manage a sale (if the headline's good enough and you have a strong enough call to action). But take away the headline and your chances for any success are... Read More
The sales letter is the key; the sales letter is the key - echoes through the Internet marketing mountains.Ad copy, sales copy, sales letter, copywriting or whatever you want to call it ? the goal is the same for every Internet marketing business.Get the traffic and convert the hits into... Read More
Ever wish for your own copywriting business?Ever wish you could become one of those internet marketing gurus and live out your dream of being who you really want to be?Well, what's stopping you? Is it time? Money? Fear of the unknown? These are the roadblocks that prevent so many of... Read More
It is important in this new paradigm of political correctness to tone down the language a bit. In this present period if you use such words like Bullshit, even when you are describing something that definitely is complete and total BS; it makes you look just as bad as what... Read More
Just because you're running a small business doesn't mean you have to run an amateur business. People judge the professionalism of a small business by many things including: the quality of the product or service offered; the dress code of the sales people; the location and decor of the... Read More
Most salespeople have great ideas, but when it comes to putting those ideas on paper for their prospects, they ramble on for pages and quickly lose their readers' interest. Why do brilliant salespeople often have such a difficult time writing effective sales materials? Quite simply, these professionals haven't mastered the... Read More
Thinking of hiring a staff writer? Think again. Below, I will give you eight geat reasons to reconsider and outsource instead.1. Save MoneyBy hiring a professional writer to handle your project, you will save some money and, ultimately, increase your bottom line. A professional copywriter works to effectively convey your... Read More
Would you like to get more sales from your online sales letter? Here are 7 easy tips that you can improve on your ad copy instantly and generate more revenue:1. Have a Strong Call to Action. Decide what is it that you want your prospect to do when reading your... Read More
In order to get ahead in your copy writing business, you need to know copywriting basics. There are several things that all business owners need to know, and here, we will touch on just a few. In order to succeed, learn all you can about copy writing and careers in... Read More
Do you have the training and skills needed for copywriting?Are you looking for a way to get your foot in the door?Will you have what it takes to succeed with your copywriting businesses?For many, these three questions drive them day in and day out to become the person that people... Read More
Have you heard the good things about the field of copywriting? If you have, then you know that a qualified copywriter is an invaluable asset to those looking for them. Becoming this asset means going to a copywriting school. Turn this to your advantage. First, most copywriting schools can be... Read More
Quality is what you need. What you don't have is time. You need to find an editing service online that can help you get the work you need done, quickly and effectively. But, where do you look? Where can you find such a service and know that it is of... Read More
As with any business, becoming a freelance business plan writer can be a challenge. The first challenges involve factors such as cash flow, getting clients, and maintaining some sort of order. Later, challenges will involve getting new clients, insuring return business and referrals, and making a profit. But, like any... Read More
At times, it can be frustrating to find freelance business writers that are of good quality, dependable, and within your budget. The good news is that there are many people who can perform at the level you need. The question is, though, how do you find the best freelance business... Read More
It doesn't matter if you're writing an article, a newspaper or magazine ad, a web page, or even a Yellow Page ad. If it has a headline, that headline is the most important component of the entire package. Waste it, and you've wasted your time.Your headline is like an ad... Read More
You only have an instant to capture your prospect's attention. No matter the medium ? a sales letter, print ad, or commercial ? she's going to make an almost instantaneous decision about whether you are worth her time or not. So you'd better start off with a bang.Hopefully, you already... Read More
Did you know that your writing can have a huge impact on how successful your site will be? If you're trying to sell a product or a service, what you say and how you say it is extremely important because you don't want to lose your visitor's interest before they... Read More
Your prospect has emotions? and you MUST touch these emotions in your sales letter. Your copy has to excite. Stir curiosity. Generate fear. Create deep desire.If it doesn't your copy will fail.The reason is simple. By and large... it's emotions that move us. Your prospect might be a man who... Read More
Year after year people make the same mistakes in direct-response copy and advertising. You can avoid the most common and costly blunders by following these profit-enhancing tips...1. WRITE IN DIRECT RESPONSE LANGUAGE:* Use short paragraphs and short words. This article has 68% short words-five letters or less. Strive for at... Read More
Freelance children's writing positions are always advertised. Rather, the schooling to learn how to write for these jobs is advertised. But, there is often a large lack of employment vacancies actually available. Many of these companies offering to train individuals in these positions claim that there are quite a few... Read More
Internet Marketing- Forget the experts, latest software program or even that book that someone is selling to get on the "best seller list" and the 200 free ebooks they are offering you. Here is what REALLY works, and it's something that you learned in kindergarden.Although less than 2% of you... Read More
Have you ever wondered how your copy sounds to your prospects when they're reading it?If you have, here's a little-known trick to making your copy sound as clear as a bell, and feel as comforting as a warm fireplace in the winter.The very best way to figure out how your... Read More
My name is Ann and I'm a grammar geek. There, it's out and I'm relieved. Does this mean my writing is perfect and consistently conforms to grammar rules? Heck, no. It does mean that I spend hours perseverating about serial commas, dangling participles, and feeling guilty if I end a... Read More
So many copywriters think that it's enough to be a stellar writer and grammatical genius. Oh, but this is so far from true. One of the most important aspects of copywriting is project management. When you're tight and together, you can deliver a perfect draft BEFORE the anticipated deadline, that... Read More
As a professional contractor who wears many hats, you owe it to yourself and your clients to be as organized as possible. In a previous article, I discussed the importance of delivering an organized draft that your co-creators can easily work from. Following are some suggestions for freelance copywriters who... Read More
I know, I know. Times are tough. You have to make due with the staff you have. It's a common and valid lament in today's workplace. You've got to do more with less, so an obvious place to cut costs is in your documentation efforts. After all, writers and editors... Read More
Even for those with the skills needed, finding copy editing jobs can seem next to impossible. The simple fact of the matter is, though, that through quality and building relationships, these jobs can be found and employment can lead to a career in the field. For those who are struggling... Read More
Is it out there? The chance to be a freelance copywriter in Los Angeles? For those looking to become a copy writer, finding employment in various cities can be difficult. In fact, most freelance writers around the world struggle to find employment or jobs that are within their own cities... Read More
So You Want To be A Copywriter?Wannabe copywriters often check out my site for information relating to my services and fees. And quite right too! I still give my competitor's websites a 'gander' every now and then, in case they're doing something that I should be doing.I receive many emails... Read More
If you've been writing web articles to help promote your business, you may also wonder if you can write articles and get paid for it. What type of articles will land you some extra cash, and what control do you have over the resubmission of your content once you hand... Read More
You've done it. Gotten that press release written. Now you're ready to send it out to your carefully chosen list of media contacts.But before you hit that "send" button, take a moment and run your press release through this checklist. Remember, you only have a few seconds to catch the... Read More
Quotations are expressions, usually in the spoken form or in literature, which are referenced to by others. Usually, quotations are written within quotation marks, as a verbum dicendi, to indicate that it was an expression given by a particular person. Nowadays, quotations are usually referenced from sources such as literature,... Read More
I've seen this ongoing debate debate jump up again recently in several Blogs and message boards and I can't help but laugh. It's not a new debate? Ever since the long copy masters of the early 1900's, people have been arguing for or against the practice.As a copywriter and conversion... Read More
Did you ever wish you could afford to hire one of those professional copy writers who charge $5000 or more to write a simple sales letter? Or worse, have you laid down your hard-earned cash for a self-proclaimed "professional" writer, and gotten back something your 3rd grader could have written?If... Read More
Assume you were faced with the task of hiring a new group of talented individuals to handle a huge account you just landed. Are you up for the task? Or perhaps you have a small job that needs completing but no one on staff can handle the project. When you... Read More
When you sit down to write a sales letter to your prospects, it can be difficult to know just where to start. Regardless of the purpose of your letter, it has to accomplish several things: capture the attention of the reader speak to the reader's individual needs give good reasons... Read More
In this article, I am going to reveal a dozen words, which could change your life. Why? Because Yale University researches have identified the 12 most powerful words in the human language? proven to attract attention and stir emotion within their readers. Here they are...? You? Save? Results? Health? Love?... Read More
Think about how much you read about and spend on health and fitness.Do you ever exercise? Take supplements? Go on a diet? Visit the doctor sometimes? Most of us do all four. And how many books, magazines, tapes of videos related to health and fitness do you have in your... Read More
In the world of web copywriters, many will try, but few will succeed. What category will you be classified as? Hopeless failure, or smashing success?Well, that's a foolish question, right? You want to be successful, of course! You know that you can razzle-dazzle 'em with your knock-'em-out, drag-'em-down copywriting skills.... Read More
Have you seen those copywriting gurus, working it on the web? How'd they get so darned famous? How can YOU get what THEY have? Here are some creative ideas for you to kick around and use in your copywriting escapades.1. Get a theme.First and foremost, to be screamingly successful as... Read More
Web marketers: have you figured out that article marketing is the secret to your success on the web?And did you realize that the more web articles you put into circulation, the more of a web celebrity you'll become, and the more money will come pouring in?So what did you do... Read More
1. Address your reader as a friend, not as "Friend."When was the last time you received a letter from someone dear to you, addressing you as "Dear Friend?" Never, right? The days of the Dear Friend letter are dead. I heard recently of a chairman of the board of a... Read More
Most people with an online presence will have to regularly deal with the issue of coming up with an appropriate headline. The problem is that most people do not take it seriously enough. Many do not realize that the headline is so important that no matter how good the content... Read More
Chances are that you are making many, if not all, of these 5 copywriting mistakes. I call them "deadly" because theyre killing your sales and your profits.Let me make you a bold promise: examine your own sales copy and eliminate these copywriting mistakes, and you will see an instant improvement... Read More
I worked as a business magazine editor for about 20 years. During that time, thousands of news stories and press releases crossed my desk.How does an editor decide what stories to run, and which ones to throw away? If you know what an editor looks for, you've got a better... Read More
Effective headlines make all the difference in whether your prospect reads your marketing materials or simply tosses them to the side. You don't even have a chance for a sale if the audience won't read what you write. One way to keep prospects reading is to give your copy attention-grabbing... Read More
If you own a shop in the middle of the desert, and nobody walks past... obviously you're not going to attract many customers.If you own a vegetarian café in the middle of a meat-eating suburb? you could get very skinny... very fast.And if you run ads where either:a) The wrong... Read More
Hi {FIRSTNAME Friend},Next time you're flicking through your local newspaper, take a good hard look at the ads. And notice how many of them give you a compelling reason to pick up the phone and get in touch with them now. You'll need to look closely because?FINDING AN AD WITH... Read More
Writing a killer headline for your copy is simple! You just need to follow simple dos and donts that make or break a headline respectively. If you think you have tried them all, check this out....TOP 9 POINTS TO FOLLOW:1. Stress on ADVANTAGE, RESULT, BENEFIT, PLEASURE, or VALUE2. EMOTIONAL headlines... Read More
When you create headlines, do you put benefits into your headlines to deliver the dream? Do you create headlines that draw your reader deeper into the rest of copy?Let me ask you a simple question. "Why do people read any printed material beyond the headline?"The answer, because there was something... Read More
Every salesperson and fledgling copywriter hears the harangue: DON'T SELL the FEATURES of a product ? SELL the BENEFITS those features bring!!!The concept's important but it confuses a lot of people. Many sellers don't understand how to build a benefit from a feature. Back when I was first learning to... Read More
Writing copy has sometimes been compared to an "art." While it does take creative skill to write great copy that generates results, there are some mistakes that you should avoid to make sure that your copy is read and acted upon.1.The copy is boring. Great copy will never be boring... Read More
Once a upon a recent time in a galaxy not so far away, I received an e-newsletter that provided valuable dos and don'ts for email newsletter publication. Ah, something about this newsletter didn't pull me in to read its tales nor did I take out the sword to slash my... Read More
According to Branding and Advertising legend, David Ogilvy: 5 times as many people read the headline than they do the body copy in a sales message. This means that unless your headline actually helps sell what you've got to offer, you'll have wasted 90% of your time, money and energy.Now,... Read More
Over the last decade, the number of companies selling their products and services on the Web or sharing information online with their target market has exploded.It's no longer frowned upon to conduct your business on the Web, and huge numbers of people are making a healthy living doing just that.... Read More
You have a choice. Do you want to be constructive and positive in a unique way? Or do you want to be destructive and negative in a unique way? History has proven the futility of the latter goal. So let's focus on your unique capacity to better yourself and those... Read More
Ripped content: well the term itself is self explanatory. Content that has been copied from some other site, without any official authority to do so. Although sounds like an extremely trivial issue but is not so, considering the strict copy right laws governing intellectual properties in various countries. Careless usage... Read More
Writing for the search engines is much different than writing in any other medium. Search engines are finicky, but they love text, so you're talking their language. When writing your web content, it's important to keep the following three things in mind.1. What You Want the Reader to Do: While... Read More
Every day, more and more of us begin new online business ventures, hoping to make a better living or just a little extra on the side. And every day, more and more of us fail.This may seem like a negative attitude, but unfortunately, it's the truth. The Internet is a... Read More
People tend to read your ads and sales letters in 2 different ways:1. Word For Word2. Skim through it and see if anything catches their eyeWhich is the exact reason why you should incorporate at least 2 sub-headlines per page.You see, many people will skim through your ad or sales... Read More
When I show some people my advertisements, I sometimes get the feedback: "I'd never read that. There's too much writing. It needs to be simpler, and cleaner."But when the ads run? they invariably work.Here's why?Imagine you were stranded on a desert island? and the man upstairs came down to speak... Read More
The huge demand for writers online is really for ghostwriters. A vast majority of the available online writing jobs for an online writer are for ghost writing projects.When a website or blog requires content, they will want a ghostwriter to churn out the content for them. In fact the demand... Read More
Copywriting ChecklistOkay, you know you have your product (or service) in front of you. Now it's time to get the word out with an attention-grabbing sales letter. But where do you begin? Whether you hire someone to write your copy, pass it off to a staff member or learn to... Read More
Each weekday during my Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp, attendees (or recruits) get a daily drill designed to reinforce the training I give on weekly phone calls. The drills are illuminating and fun. Plus these drills build your copy from the ground up. By the end of Bootcamp, you actually have... Read More
Anglers in Maine catch trout using dry flies with barbless hooks. Unless they keep tension on the line all the way to the net, they lose the trout. Your sales letters must do the same. But how?One secret to keeping busy business readers hooked is to use irresistible transition sentences.... Read More
Here's another drill ripped out of the Field Guide for my Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp. There are 20 drills total which take 15 minutes per day (my "recruits" get weekends off). Each drill stands on its own but put them all together and the impact on your salesmanship is phenomenal!... Read More
Most of us have seen a heckler at a baseball game. Sure, he's likely to draw attention, both positive and negative. The louder he hollers, the more attention he gets.But do you and I want that kind of attention? Probably not. What most of us want to do ? especially... Read More
Professional copywriters are well-familiar with what's commonly referred to as "the voice." What is this exactly, and why do you need to master it in your writing?If writing is icecream, then "the voice" is the flavor in your scoop. You may be slurping on mellow vanilla, while I'm over here... Read More
Your initial freelance writing assignments are the best way to present yourself to your client for repeated work. If you provide for them a good product, at a good price, they are likely to come back time and time again. The goal of any career, particularly as a freelancer, is... Read More
Market identification Custom writing services market is a sector of the e-commerce industry. Custom writing services are fee-based.Market size The precise size of custom writing services market is unknown, though some rough estimate could be made. The number of competitors in the market approaches nearly 200. It is also known... Read More
As a freelance copywriter in New York, your work is never done.What?Do you mean to say that it is hard to find regular freelance writing jobs, even here in New York City?For those looking to succeed, employment is hard to find only because we lack the knowledge of where to... Read More
If you made it this far, the headline for this story has caught your attention. Hot headlines are a hit with readers because they stick out, grab attention and urge them to read the rest of the story.We're all experiencing information overload and have made it a habit to skim... Read More
These days, you don't have to traverse the dark forest on the eve of the Full Moon to find a gypsy, psychic or "intuitive" as many now call themselves. Chances are, the local astrologist or tarot reader is making more than a comfortable living for herself in a corporate complex... Read More
Your goal is to land a few nice, secure freelance copywriting jobs, but how do you get them? The most important factor in finding these jobs is that you pursue the job you are looking for with all of your ducks in a row, so to speak. Here are a... Read More
Did you know that jobs writing about food are available? These opportunities are available in a variety of areas. Employment in these fields is an exciting concept. For many, getting their foot in the door is the most important and most challenging first step. In order to succeed, a wide... Read More
Your definition may differ, but I define a lapsed donor as someone who has not donated to your organization within the last year, two years or three years. Donors who have not sent you a gift in over three years are not lapsed donors. They are former donors.Lapsed donors are... Read More
A subscriber to my newsletter asks: "Got any good pointers on writing great sub-heads?" Yes, I do. Here they are.Use subheads to draw attention to your copy Why do we use subheads anyway? Because you can't just cover the important points in your copy. You've got to highlight key points... Read More
Want to get the most media attention and spotlight for your business? Then the first place to start is with a GREAT press release. Now I can almost see half of you leaving now, dreading the thought of having to write one of these. But wait!! I'm going to show... Read More
Where can you find out about freelance technical writing pay? Is there a place where you can go and find out where you stand? As with any field, pay is determined by several things, not just because you can do the work. Instead, it is about how you work, what... Read More
l. Introduce yourself to the editor of your local newspaper. (Or, if you do business within a certain neighborhood, talk to the editor of the neighborhood paper or shopper.)Tell him/her about your profession. Express your availability to serve as that paper's free-lance "expert" for that profession.2. Invite the editor to... Read More
Lets start with copyright infringement.It is easily explained as copying someone else's work without gaining permission first. This includes publishing other peoples work to your web site, newspaper, magazine or even just downloading it to your computer can be seen as copyright infringement. The last is known as a grey... Read More
How do you make your fundraising letters creative and fresh year after year when your needs don't change all that much? I am not talking about new initiatives. I'm talking about the programs that you run year after year. The membership drive that you run year after year. The funds... Read More
Imagine a bland, colorless existence. Where food had no taste, silence surrounded you and everything smelled the same.Not very appealing, is it?Now imagine a crisp, fall morning. The sun is burning away the last of a lazy fog. Robins are singing sweetly on branches covered with bright yellow leaves. You... Read More
You know what it's like, you're reading the sales material about a product you're considering buying, but, as you read, all these questions seem to pop into your mind, but there's no-one there to answer them, so you shelve your plans to purchase.If it happens to you, you can guarantee... Read More
When you want to sell something?anything? you need to first know who is going to buy it. Why? Because your ad copy has to be written to that person.You should actually picture a real person and write to them. It might be someone you know or someone you know about.... Read More
Copywriting And Content CreationOne of the most important, but often overlooked aspects of marketing is copywriting. Businesses afford much attention, time and money, on graphics, mail formats and all of the website bells and whistles. But the copy--what is said about the businesses product--is often left to the end, receiving... Read More
Think you have what it takes to be a freelance copywriter? I wasn't so sure I knew when I first started in 1999. All I knew was I desperately wanted to work from home to raise my two sons after my divorce. It took a lot of trial and error... Read More
About 50 years ago, movie serials kept theater crowds coming back week after week. Each episode ended with a "cliffhanger," a suspenseful unresolved problem. Audience members had to return the next week to see what happened.Surprisingly, this narrative form isn't new. Even in the Middle Ages, storytellers journeyed from castle... Read More
"Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book." Ralph Waldo Emerson's GoetheI'm going to share with you a method guaranteed to get your copy razor sharp in a hurry. It's an old trick I learned in journalism school, and it works great to get... Read More
This week we're going to reinforce the training that Recruits of my Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp are drilled on. In case you didn't read my last article we covered what you MUST do before you write a single word of copy. Each weekday we build on your skills of creating... Read More
Sometimes learning what not to do is as important as learning what to do. Copywriting is no exception. I oftentimes see copy that is well written, but obviously created by an amateur. How do I know? One or more of the following five mistakes was made and that killed the... Read More
Many people feel they have a story to tell or an experience to share. But time is precious and not everyone can make the words sing on the page. But there are people who can make the whole experience hassle-free. A ghostwriter will do all the work while you get... Read More
When you are going to write a press release probably the most important thing you can do is create a killer news hook. A press release without a news hook is just blatant advertising, plain and simple. There is nothing that turns off journalists more than a press release that's... Read More
Persuasive copywriting is what draws the attention of prospective customers. They see your product and are drawn it. But what makes this happen? What words can win a customer over without having them laugh at overstatements and hype? Persuasive copywriting is the style of writing that every business needs in... Read More
"Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect." Ralph Waldo EmersonWhat is the "unique selling position" in your market? Luck will not propel you to success. Understand the "cause" of your market's problem by knowing your target. Solving their problem is the "effect" they are looking... Read More
If you write copy you need a swipe file. A good swipe file can save you lot's of work and enable you to crank out more articles more oftenEvery good copywriter has a swipe file. A Swipe file contains Headlines, Articles and Article paragraphs you have previously written. Your Typical... Read More
One of the most important priorities of evey online business should be their copywriting. Online copywriting skills are a "must have" for anyone who is thinking about real success with their online business.It doesn't matter if you're marketing a product, a service, a network marketing opportunity, or if you're an... Read More
Your sales letter is the most important component in your web site or marketing campaign. It will introduces your products or services to your visitors and how people react (buy, bookmark, leave) is 80% entirely depends on your sales letter.Below, I will show you how to make you sales letter... Read More
Nothing can turn strong copy into a 97-pound weakling faster than a flawed review process. The result is severely handicapped marketing efforts and, alas, fewer sales.How can you avoid this dire marketing situation?By having a smart and consistent review process that preserves the selling power of your marketing communications. Following... Read More
Looking for inspiration for your next marketing communication? Try the children's bookshelf.Dr. Seuss has entertained young (and old) audiences for nearly 50 years with titles such as "The Cat in the Hat," "Hop on Pop" and "Green Eggs and Ham."The reason why his books remain so popular says something about... Read More
It's arguably the most important word in the copywriter's arsenal. It ranks right at the top with words like "free," "new" and "savings."I'm talking about "you.""You" is the word that gets your prospect's attention and keeps them involved. As Herschell Gordon Lewis says in "The Art of Writing Copy," "Unless... Read More
Get a Good Start for Sales SuccessThe headline to a sales letter is like the doorway to a store. The purpose of both is to draw people in. To get people in the store, a doorway has to be both attractive and inviting. To get people to read the letter,... Read More
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Itsula - Travel Reviews, Social Network, Find Friends, and more... Each weekday during my Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp, attendees (or recruits) get a daily drill designed to reinforce the training I give on weekly phone calls. The drills are illuminating... Read More So You Want To be A Copywriter?Wannabe copywriters often check out my site for information relating to my services and fees. And quite right too! I still give my competitor's... Read More One of the keys to writing good marketing copy is to differentiate your product or service from the competition with an effective selling point. And it is on precisely this... Read More Did you know that your writing can have a huge impact on how successful your site will be? If you're trying to sell a product or a service, what you... Read More Just as great fiction is an art, so is great copywriting. Beneath the art, however, there's a foundation of basic knowledge and skills. The craft that goes into your writing.Craft... Read More "Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect." Ralph Waldo EmersonWhat is the "unique selling position" in your market? Luck will not propel you to success.... Read More Where can you find out about freelance technical writing pay? Is there a place where you can go and find out where you stand? As with any field, pay is... Read More A passionate debate is currently raging in the Copywriters Forum about long versus short copy. (If you haven't joined, do so. Click the "register" link the top. It's free. There... Read More Do you have the training and skills needed for copywriting?Are you looking for a way to get your foot in the door?Will you have what it takes to succeed with... Read More When making a purchasing decision, people have their "rip off radars" on high beam. They're wary and so they should be -- after all, they're about to spend money so... Read More Find a passage of poorly written copy, and chances are you will have found a copywriter who never figured out what it was that he or she was trying to... Read More WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?How do you begin a dialogue with a prospect, be it in person, on your website or in print?You talk about your client's business problem.What IS your client's... Read More Have you seen those copywriting gurus, working it on the web? How'd they get so darned famous? How can YOU get what THEY have? Here are some creative ideas for... Read More Question: If you were starting out and had no references or a substantial resume, how would you go about finding paying customers for your services?To answer your question, I'll assume... Read More So, you have something you want to sell. It may be a product, a service, or a cause. It could be a membership, a subscription, or a motor car. It... Read More Sometimes learning what not to do is as important as learning what to do. Copywriting is no exception. I oftentimes see copy that is well written, but obviously created by... Read More You only have an instant to capture your prospect's attention. No matter the medium ? a sales letter, print ad, or commercial ? she's going to make an almost instantaneous... Read More I recently sponsored and attended Joel Christopher and Ted Nicholas's Double Birthday Bash and Interactive Marketing Summit in beautiful San Antonio, Texas. There was a fantastic lineup... Read More Just as great fiction is an art, so is great copywriting. Beneath the art, however, there's a foundation of basic knowledge and skills. The craft that goes into your writing.Craft... Read More If you've been writing web articles to help promote your business, you may also wonder if you can write articles and get paid for it. What type of articles will... Read More
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Web Writing - Dont Lose Your Visitors Attention!
Its Time To Start That Swipe File
Cause and Effect
Freelance Technical Writers - How Much Are You Worth?
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Copywriting Businesses - How You Can Get Started
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The Secret to Web Copywriting Gurudom
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How To Write Direct Mail That Really, Really Works!
Common Mistakes That Can Kill Your Web Copy
The Lead: Sinking The Hook Into Your Prospect
7 Big Ticket Copywriting Secrets I Learned from Ted Nicholas
Its Time To Start That Swipe File
Getting Paid for Your Articles
Affordable Image Hosting Much of today's accepted copywriting wisdom comes from old books written for a different, quieter world.For most of the twentieth century, widely promoting a successful message was expensive and difficult,... Read More So You Want To be A Copywriter?Wannabe copywriters often check out my site for information relating to my services and fees. And quite right too! I still give my competitor's... Read More Content is king. Without content your website is an empty shell, a skeleton with no flesh, an empty vessel. Content can redeem the worst designed website. The right content can... Read More Web copy that's intended to sell or generate leads needs to quickly reach out and grab attention and build rapport with a target audience. You can connect with your audience... Read More Many people feel they have a story to tell or an experience to share. But time is precious and not everyone can make the words sing on the page. But... Read More Perhaps the most important benefit in the material that follows is its ability to provide you with the necessary concepts and constructs which are critical for becomingsuccessful by utilizing many... Read More Quality is what you need. What you don't have is time. You need to find an editing service online that can help you get the work you need done, quickly... Read More One of the most important aspects of a website today is the webcopy - sometimes called the sales letter.In days gone bye, banners and graphics were all important but now... Read More Here's a fundamental difference between copywriting offline and copywriting for the web... - Give or take, my job as a copywriter offline was to sell, sell, sell, sell. - Online,... Read More If you write for a living, you deal with deadlines. Sometimes you will have several jobs on your plate at the same time.On top of that, your clients or editors... Read More Your initial freelance writing assignments are the best way to present yourself to your client for repeated work. If you provide for them a good product, at a good price,... Read More Freelance writers are a strange group of people when it comes to running their own businesses.They are outspoken and enthusiastic while selling their clients' products and services, but are hopelessly... Read More 1. Isolation technique It doesn't matter how good your copy is if they don't read it. Put blinders on and read each line (including the headlines and subheads) as... Read More Doing the copywriting for your own website without the proper knowledge and tools is pretty much like flying blind in a snowstorm without piloting experience or instruments.It doesn't work too... Read More Do you want to make $5000, $10,000 or more every month as a freelancer? Does your current published materials earn you that much or are you still struggling looking for... Read More Quotations are expressions, usually in the spoken form or in literature, which are referenced to by others. Usually, quotations are written within quotation marks, as a verbum dicendi, to indicate... Read More How do you make your fundraising letters creative and fresh year after year when your needs don't change all that much? I am not talking about new initiatives. I'm talking... Read More Assume you were faced with the task of hiring a new group of talented individuals to handle a huge account you just landed. Are you up for the task? Or... Read More Think you have what it takes to be a freelance copywriter? I wasn't so sure I knew when I first started in 1999. All I knew was I desperately wanted... Read More People tend to read your ads and sales letters in 2 different ways:1. Word For Word2. Skim through it and see if anything catches their eyeWhich is the exact reason... Read More
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Quotations as Expressions in Life
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