Copywriting Analysis: Anatomy of a Winning Sales Letter

by David Garfinkel

People always bug me about showing them a winning sales letter and telling them why it's so good.

Well... if you're one of those people (or even if you're not)... today's your lucky day.

I have a real-time case study you should look at right away.

How it happened:

Last Tuesday, I'm in the Lenscrafters store in Culver City, California. My &*#^!@&! reading glasses have jettisoned the bolt that keeps the frame nice 'n' tight around my right-eye lens.

I can't read without these glasses. And I'm on the road; far, far away from home.

As I'm standing in the store wondering which is worse -- the $30 in cab fares to and from the hotel, or the $5 fee for a bolt the size of a grain of sand -- my cell phone rings.

It's Sterling Valentine, and he sounds anxious. Really anxious. Sterling is the talented filmmaker I met in Orlando in February.

Sterling has just launched a new product and his copy is sucking wind -- his estimation. His conversion rate is way too low.

He needs help... and fast.

I can't even see at this point, mind you... but I know exactly who to send him to. Mike Morgan of Outsource Copy.

Long story short, my glasses got fixed, I got back to the hotel in one piece... and Sterling's rewrite improved conversion by an astounding 655%.

~ ~ ~

That's very nice, you say.

But why should I care? (you ask)

I agree. So, as Publisher of the World Copywriting Newsletter, I simply couldn't leave well enough alone.

I figured Mike Morgan owed me one for the referral (he is a mentoring client of mine, and far be it from me to cut him any slack whatsoever)... so... I interviewed him and asked him to tell me (and you) exactly what he did to increase conversion by more than six-fold.

Since I mentor by intimidation, he instantly agreed to reveal some key points:

1. Headline

His final new 3-part headline was:

(pre-headline) What's most amazing is there's NO learning curve at all... and yet your new-found WEALTH will make you one of the biggest hitters in town... guaranteed!

(main headline) "How A Completely Self-Taught Newbie Marketer Ignored "The Herd"... And Stumbled On The ONE BIG DARN SECRET To Instantly Transform You From Clueless Rookie To Online Hotshot... Especially If You've Got No List, No Partners, or No Product!"

(second headline) Incredible discovery reveals exactly why some marketers are winners and others never make the big time. Here's how you can tap into that goldmine with no effort at all.

His original new headline didn't pass muster. (Yes, you see, you're not the only copywriter who "negotiates" with you clients.)

The original Mike Morgan new headline talked about what the "so-called experts" teach and how the "Self-Taught Newbie Marketer" ignored their advice.

Too confusing, Sterling and his mentor Ken McArthur pointed out.

Changing "so-called experts" to "the herd" not only made the point clearer, but also added intrigue that practically FORCES the reader to continue on.

(If you want to see the whole sales letter now, go to

http://www.davidgarfinkel.com/rewrite )

2. Short copy? Forget-about-it

Me: Mike, did you cut length or make the copy longer?

Mike: The original copy was very light on word count. I felt we needed to tell a potential prospect more. I know for a fact that JV's are a huge shortcut to success. (I'm involved in several myself.)

So benefits were fortified and I tuned into peoples favorite radio station, WIIFM (What's In It For Me!)

The copy was lengthened from about 10 or 12 pages to 24.

3. Targeting the market, right in the sales letter

In the original that Sterling wrote, he never mentioned the specific kind of marketer who could use joint ventures.

Mike dug and dug and came up with a list, which he included in his rewrite. The benefit of doing this is, the person reading the copy knows right away if this product is for him or her... or not.

Here's the list Mike included in the sales letter:

* Affiliate Marketers
* Programmers
* Adsense Marketers
* Webmasters
* Copywriters
* List Owners
* Information Marketers
* Brick and Mortar Businesses
* Teleseminar Leaders
* Subject Matter Experts
* Coaches
* Consultants
* Authors
* Speakers
* Trainers
* Product Developers
* Membership sites
* Promoters

4. Putting some punch into the bullets

Me: What did you do with the bullet points?

Mike: Well, one of the first things I noticed about the old copy for JV Formula was the bullets. They didn't sing… in fact they whimpered.

The only way to produce killer bullets for the letter was to know the product inside and out. Well, that's hard to do by itself in 48 hours, let alone adding the task of producing a winning promotion.

So I got some help. My research assistant Dan is an animal researcher. I told him the things I needed and he slurped up 156 pages of transcripts and pulled out every amazing fact, tidbit and strategy he could find. Then he correlated each one to the specific DVD it was presented on.

I saved the bullets for last and hunkered down with some classical music to fire up my tired neurons. 6 hours later I had created the best bullets I could in the time frame.

Now, people would have a good flavor of the content on each DVD.

5. Adding Value

Me: What did you do to add more value to the offer?

Mike: We created the JV Incubator.

Sterling immediately saw the extra value to putting everyone who invests in his course into a community where they would have instant access to each other.

He made a huge investment into a killer portal to make it happen.

This removes every obstacle, every excuse and every barrier to turning what folks learn into practice. Imagine the value of hundreds of like minded individuals connecting together in a family that rapidly forms profitable joint venture teams. Sterling himself can help guide the group so they avoid pitfalls and enjoy true synergy.

~ ~ ~

Yeah.

There you have a minicourse in how to revamp a sales letter that isn't doing so well, with some excellent "after" examples... on a sales letter that increased conversion by more than a factor of six.

I would save this newsletter, if I were you, for the next promotion you do. Use these five points: headline, long copy, targeting, bullet points, adding value...

... as a checklist. You can't go wrong by focusing on those five factors alone. Or certainly, as where to start.

And it will be a Course in Copywriting Excellence to study the sales letter in detail.

Go to:

http://www.davidgarfinkel.com/rewrite

Cheers,

David Garfinkel
Publisher, World Copywriting Newsletter

Search Engine Optimisation Copywriting - the Top Ten Pitfalls

In the last few years, search engine optimisation copywriting in
the UK and around the world has changed beyond recognition, as
has the way sites are optimised by their design, coding and
links. However, the biggest changes have been with SEO
copywriting. Some of the same old mistakes are being made, and
with all the changes to the ways search engines rank sites,
fresh pitfalls are appearing. This article looks at some of the
most common mistakes and omissions in SEO copywriting - and how
to avoid them.

1. Too much time on the look, not enough on the content.
If, like me, you're in the business of SEO copywriting, this is
a perennial bugbear. The content of your website is more
important than its design, and it's going to be even more key in
the future. Search engines rank websites for what's in them.
You're almost certainly paying your site design people a great
deal of money - but you're wasting it if your copy is an
afterthought and few people visit your website. Invest time and
money in copywriting. Better still, talk to your copywriter
while the site is being designed, rather than ask him or her to
fill in the empty spaces afterwards.

2. Lack of keywords. Keyword selection is the most
critical single factor in search engine optimisation. Yet all
too often businesses ignore it. If you're a blue chip company it
rarely matters - people are going to come to your site anyway.
But any small or mid-size company ignores it at their peril. If
your site isn't optimised in the way it's written (not just in
the way it's coded) then you're losing out on customers - big
time.

3. Optimising keywords that no-one is searching for.
Your company may pride itself on its great service, but it's
pointless to optimise 'great service' or anything along those
lines, as no-one will be searching for it. (In fact it can be
positively counter-productive, as some search engines treat
'service' as a stop word and mark down accordingly.) You can
find a free search engine query tool at www.overture.com, or you
can pay for a more detailed and comprehensive one at
www.wordtracker.com. These will tell you which terms have been
searched for recently and how often.

4. Optimising keywords that everyone is searching for.
You need to be specific in what you optimise. If you're selling
jewelry (or 'jewellery', as it's spelled in the UK), then it's
no use simply optimising for the word 'jewelry'. Be more
specific. Even phrases like 'antique jewelry' or 'beaded
jewelry' are searched for many thousands of times a month. Find
out what people are searching for and see what you're up against
by going to a couple of search engines and entering those terms.
If your competitors are all optimising for a specific term, it's
probably best to avoid it if you can find an alternative that
will still bring in the traffic.

4. Alternate spellings and endings. Think laterally,
think creatively, think how others would spell or term
something. Are you going to optimise for 'jewelry' or
'jewellery' - or both? How about 'website' or 'web site'? - both
versions are common. And so on. Don't try and cover all the
bases - but do try and check them against what's being searched
for and how many times and in what context you'll find that
keyword on the internet. That way you're more likely to make the
best choices.

5. Keyword density. The general rule of thumb is to try
and get them in headings or subheads, and early on in the copy.
Two to five times overall on a page, with an absolute maximum of
three different keywords per page is what to aim for. Some
pundits recommend keyword density of up to 5%. This is almost
certainly too much, and some search engines will actually
penalise you for it.

6. Clumsy use of keywords. Beware of your copy becoming
awkward if you try and repeat your keywords too often:

"If you're looking for wonderful widgets, this is the best
place for wonderful widgets. Our wonderful widgets are better
than any other wonderful widgets you've heard of..."

Copy like that puts off anyone reading your website. And
nowadays, when keywords are crowded in like that, it's putting
off the search engines as well.

7. The amount of text. Opinions vary as to exactly how
long a page should be. Your homepage should be no longer than
around 250 - 300 words, but you can easily double that if needs
be for other pages. All pages should have clear headings,
subheads, and short paragraphs. A page could be as little as 100
words. What it won't be, if it's optimised correctly, is a
single paragraph of 30 -50 words.

8. Missing the extras. Text links within your site and
anchor text pointing to it are important elements of search
engine optimisation copywriting. Text links between pages in
your site make it easier for search engine spiders to travel
across the whole site. You should therefore always look to
include them within your site, unless your site is too complex
for it to be practicable, in which case your site needs a
hierarchical structure. Anchor text is the visible text in a
hyperlink - as in the following:

"Effective href="http://ideaswise.com/website_copywriter.html/">search
engine optimisation copywriting is essential for
getting the most out of your website."

Of course, the anchor text that helps your site up the rankings
is actually on a hyperlink from an outside site - but good
anchor text is text that's written in the right way, with the
correct keyword. So get your copywriter to suggest anchor text
with which outside sites can link to yours.

9. Doorway pages that aren't proper pages. Doorway pages
are - or were - simply pages within your site that were
optimised so that very often they were the first pages that
visitors reached. However, the phrase 'doorway page' nowadays
tends to refer a page that has very little to do with a site,
but is merely optimised for a couple of key phrases and aims to
immediately redirect the visitor to the site proper. There's
nothing wrong with optimising several pages on your site - in
fact it's generally an excellent idea, as it allows you to cover
many keywords. Just make sure that each optimised page has
original content, is a genuine part of your site, and is shown
on your sitemap.

10. Resting on your laurels. This is perhaps the most
common failing of all. A properly optimised site should get you
up near the top of the rankings. But you'll need to keep working
on it if you want to stay there. Every day around 7 million
items - documents, pages whatever - are added to the internet.
Your competitors are going to be choosing keywords and
optimising websites of their own. One way to develop and keep
high rankings is with relevant links. Another is by adding
original content, such as articles or newsletters - so keep your
copywriter busy.

About the author:
Peter Wise is a freelance advertising copywriter, website
copywriter and SEO copywriter based in London, UK. He also
writes direct mail, brochures, newsletter articles and press
releases. You can reach him at +44 (0) 7767 687524. For further
information, please visit href="http://ideaswise.com/">http://ideaswise.com/

The Word Perfect And Emotionally Charged Singing Sales Letter is

An effective sales letter is much more than a bunch of words
describing what you have for sale, but judging by some of the
sales messages on far too many websites, not a lot of people
know that.

The 'buy one get one free' mentality is still alive and kicking
and working overtime all over the Internet, but sadly at the
expense of the English language.

A sales letter, whether written for an online product or service
promotion or for print and mail, has a specific job to do. It
has to sell. It's your salesman. And it doesn't matter how good
or how bad your product or service is, the sales letter is your
marketing lifeline.

It truly amazes me when some companies, who are willing to spend
thousands on product development then thousands on a state of
the art website, go on to fill it with snippets of grammatically
flawed information and with more typos yuo cun shak a stuck at.

In my opinion, poor grammar and typing errors account for more
lost sales from websites than just about any other factor. Why?
Because they instantly lose you credibility. Potential customers
need to feel reassured that the product you are selling is
genuine. Also, that you are genuine and your business is not
about ripping people off.

A poorly created sales message will tell your customers you
don't care. You don't care about communicating with them. You
don't really care about the message on your website. So why
then, would you expect them to care about enriching you by
buying your products? They simply won't.

A website sales message has to work much harder than its printed
counterpart because it has less time in which to convince the
prospect to buy. People tend to 'quick scan' website sales
messages, whereas a printed letter can be read at leisure
anywhere that's convenient.

Every single website owner who is trying to sell a product or
service to a customer could improve their conversion rate
dramatically if they would only spend a little more time on
their sales copy.

So correct grammar and spelling is the number one priority for
your sales letter.

Next is the structure of the letter. Your sales message must
always follow the principals of AIDA. It must attract Attention,
stir Interest, instil a feeling of Desire and make a call to
Action. Why? Because this formula has been tried and tested over
and over and has been proven to be the perfect structure.

If you think of a sales letter as being like a song. Then think
how your favourite songs make you feel. Happy, sad, upbeat or
melancholy, songs are meant to stir the emotions because people
like to feel moved. If a sales letter sounds like music to your
customer's ears, you've just chalked up another sale.

Your sales letter is your song with which you have to
intriguingly introduce yourself, slowly seduce your customer and
make them feel exactly the way they want. If it gets them
reaching for their credit cards, it has conveyed the right
tuneful words at the right time. The words of your sales letter
must have the power to say it all.

We can all learn much from how music affects us. It can reflect
our moods, our emotions and our wants and needs. It's a very
powerful medium that can literally make us feel happy or sad.
But it is only words after all. Just words accompanied by music.
The most important thing to remember is how the words of a song
can affect us emotionally.

Then remember this. Every buying decision we make is based on
our emotions. Understand this, and incorporate emotionally
stirring words into your sales copy.

Another important aspect to consider, when writing a sales
letter is, we generally buy things because we want them and not
because we need them. Your sales copy has got to make your
prospects want what you're selling. Don't try to make them feel
as though they need what you're selling. Only they will know
what they need in their life.

Getting back to the song connection, if you take away the music
the song (message) is still there. The music certainly helps the
words flow and can help create the mood, but without the words,
the meaning of the 'piece' is left to the imagination.

Next time you're thinking of creating a sales letter for your
website, remember to pay particular attention to the grammar and
spelling. Construct your letter using the AIDA principle and
think about how you might present your letter with emotion.

Nothing is more powerful than the written word.

Bill Knight is a professional International Copywriter based in
the UK. He writes mainly for the UK and US markets, but also has
clients from all over the world.

http://www.knight-writer.co.uk

Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn't Write Your Website Like Your

Even nowadays, too many companies are essentially cutting up
their printed brochures and pasting them online as the prime
content for their website. It seems like the cheap and easy
option - but actually it's the very expensive one, and it will
cost them countless customers and almost guarantee low search
engine rankings. Here are the main reasons why you need to
create content for your website from scratch - and not recycle
existing print copy.

1. Your brochure is primarily aimed at one audience -
customers. Your website is aimed at two - customers and search
engines. People read text online quite differently from the way
they read printed materials. They scan much more, for one thing.

2. Print copy often contains a lot of puffery phrases like 'our
service is second to none'. 'Service' is a stop word with some
search engines and will be ignored in a search query. And how
many people use phrases like 'second to none' in a search?

3. Your brochure is a fixed and rigid entity. You might reprint
it every couple of years, but essentially it's an unchanging
unit of 4, 8, 12 or whatever pages. You can do roll-folds, print
it on glossy paper or write it upside down in Esperanto if you
want, but once it's done it's done. Your website can not only
change, it should - and frequently.

4. Your website can certainly reflect your brochure. But it also
has to act as your sales letter, your shop window, your
receptionist, your storeroom, your sales assistant, your
despatch department, your PR department, your think-tank, your
newsletter, your press ad, your poster, your helpline and...you
name it.

5. Does your brochure have one to three keywords per page,
repeated an optimum number of times and in the right places? Of
course not - one of the main reasons why your website should be
treated separately.

6. Is your brochure written in such a way that anyone can pick
it up and read any page and without even looking at the front
cover, let alone the index, find what they're looking for?
Remember, a visitor can arrive on any page of your website. They
should know what you're about straightaway - and if the page has
been optimised well, there's a good chance visitors will find
what they're looking for at once.

7. Good print copy is clear, concise and broken up into short
sentences and paragraphs, with easy to read headlines and
subheads. This applies in spades to website copy, which readers
scan even more than they would a printed page.

8. A brochure can be put in a briefcase, in-tray or just left on
a shelf or table for perusing at leisure. With a website you
have only seconds to gain interest and retention.

9. How do your customers obtain their brochures? Are they handed
over by a salesperson or distributed at exhibitions? Sent out
with a covering letter? Unless the visitor has been personally
directed to your website, chances are he or she is viewing it
cold, with nothing to back it up. This needs to be taken into
consideration when writing it.

10. Need more information? Like to view our other products? Want
to contact us? Looking for testimonials? With a website, all
these questions can be answered with a single click, and the
copy should always be written with that in mind. Remember, you
can't click on a printed brochure.

So never just stick your brochure online and hope - you'll be
disappointed every time. Write your website from scratch. Better
still, get a professional like me to write it. I can also handle
your brochure writing, if you happen to need a brochure writer.
But I promise the content of each will be very different.

Peter Wise is an advertising copywriter, website copywriter and
SEO copywriter based in London, UK. He also writes direct mail,
brochures, newsletter articles and press releases. You can reach
him at +44 (0) 7767 687524. For further information, please
visit http://ideaswise.com/

SEO Copywriter - Finding The Website Writer You Really Need

Search engines and the way they work are constantly evolving.
What works today is ineffective or even illegal tomorrow.
Writing for search engines is a skill that involves specialist
and up-to-date knowledge. Here's what to look out for if you
need someone adept at search engine copywriting.

Have they written websites before?

It may seem an obvious question, but web copywriting is a very
different game from writing for print or broadcast. Ask for URLs
of websites they've written and see for yourself how well
written they are.

Are they experienced in search engine copywriting?

Your prospective SEO copywriter may not have been asked to
optimise many sites - even now, a majority of websites aren't
optimised. However, he or she should be able to point you
towards any that have. It's easy to work out for yourself how
effective the search engine copywriting has been. Simply look at
the front page, and one or two other key pages as well, if need
be. It should be straightforward to work out what the keyword
phrases are. Then enter these keywords into Google, Yahoo or
another leading search engine and see where the site ranks.
Unless the site is less than a few months old, it should be up
near the top of the rankings.

Do they have a site themselves?

Is it simply a site to showcase their work, or is it optimised
to attract customers like yourself? (If you found them via a
search engine, they must be doing something right.) Does it link
to examples of websites they've written? If their site isn't
optimised, ask them why it isn't. If they're serious about
search engine copywriting, the first site they optimised should
have been their own.

Have they balanced the needs of the search engines with
those of the reader?

A seasoned SEO copywriter knows that there's always a compromise
between appealing to the reader and appealing to the search
engine spiders. The optimised web copy they write should never
appear stilted, forced or overly repetitive.

What will they charge you?

They should give you a fixed price, which should include one or
two rounds of revisions. Assuming you don't change the brief,
they should stick to this price. Make sure they don't charge you
extra for including keywords. Assuming you supply them with the
correct keywords at the outset, it's no harder for a good SEO
copywriter to incorporate them into the copy than it is to write
non-optimised copy. (Supplying new keywords after a first draft
is another matter.)



Do they know how to research keywords?

It's worth budgeting extra to let your SEO copywriter help with
the initial analysis. They should also check to see which
keywords your main competitors are using and decide whether it's
worth going head to head with them, or whether it makes more
sense to optimise alternatives. However, bear in mind that some
keywords are seasonal, and that the worth of many other keywords
can change over time.

What should you expect from them once the site is
finished?

Before hiring an SEO copywriter, ask them how often your site
should be updated. The correct answer is 'very often', if you
want your site to stay high in the rankings. Then, assuming you
don't want to do it in-house, ask if they are prepared to add
extra content or articles which can act as pages for you on a
regular basis.

Should I let the web designers supply the copywriter?

Web design or search engine marketing companies may have their
own in-house copywriters who can create content for you. Or they
may use their own freelancers. However, this can have two
drawbacks. In the first place, companies are going to cost a lot
more than individuals you find yourself. Secondly, if you cease
to work with your marketing company, you risk losing your online
voice and style. So you may prefer to find your own copywriter -
any good and experienced freelancer will happily work with your
designers to ensure you achieve the best possible result.

Are they local to you?

This is not essential by any means, but it can help in certain
projects. If you do favour a local copywriter, remember to build
in the cost of the meetings, although most copywriters are happy
to attend an initial local meeting or briefing for free.

Have they got experience in writing for your field?

You might think that this is one of the most important criteria.
Actually, it's one of the least, which is why I've left it until
last. Don't worry if they haven't done work specifically in your
field before. A good copywriter can communicate anything. If you
specialise in UK holidays, don't go for the copywriter who has
written average work for one of your competitors. Go for one
who's written excellent work in several fields, but not
necessarily yours. He or she will almost certainly do a better
job.

Peter Wise is an advertising copywriter, website copywriter and
SEO copywriter based in London, UK. He also writes direct mail,
brochures, newsletter articles and press releases. You can reach
him at +44 (0) 7767 687524. For further information, please
visit http://ideaswise.com/

Advertising Copywriting - The Top Ten Clichйs and Why You Should

We've all seen them plenty of times. Frankly, once is too many.
Copy clichйs are more likely to put off prospective customers
than convince them to buy your product or service. If your
advertising copywriter comes up with them, find another
advertising copywriter. Here are the worst offenders in the UK -
and the reasons why you should never use them.

Expect the unexpected - This is number one on the list
for a reason. It's the advertising clichй you're most likely to
be subjected to and, ironically, it disproves what it's actually
saying. Think about it. You've seen it so many times, you just
know what to expect when you see a phrase like this. Something
everyday, so-so and ....expected.

The best just got better - Are you (and the Advertising
Standards Authority) quite sure about that? And what happens
when that which got better gets...even better?

Tomorrow's xxxxx today - Just about acceptable when first
coined, but soon devalued by overuse - and the realisation that
the accuracy of predictions isn't what it used to be.

A once in a lifetime opportunity - Precisely how many
once-in-a-lifetime opportunities can one person have?

The best kept secret in... - Then why are you advertising
it to all and sundry?

The Rolls Royce of... - At one point this was so common
(and misplaced) that Rolls Royce started to sue companies for
making the comparison. Nowadays, it just sounds ridiculous.

Thinking outside the box - A popular entrant in the last
few years that has become almost omnipresent. Likely to show a
writer who thinks very much inside the box - and should be
locked up in one.

Our people are our most important assets - There was once
a Dilbert cartoon about this one. Turned out that people were
actually about fifth. Just below paperclips. Seriously, though,
far too many companies use the phrase to play lip service to the
concept.

Let us help take you into the 21st century - The
successor to 'let us help take you into the 20th century", a
clichй used almost until the champagne was being poured to
celebrate the new millennium. And nearly as meaningless as its
predecessor.

Open the door to success - The door you can actually
hear is the one banging shut as the prospective but bored
customer makes a smart exit.

About the author:

Peter Wise is an advertising copywriter, website copywriter
and SEO copywriter based in London, UK. He also writes direct
mail, brochures, newsletter articles and press releases...but
not clichйs if he can possibly help it. You can reach him at +44
(0) 7767 687524. For further information, please visit href="http://ideaswise.com/">http://ideaswise.com/

Does Your Copywriting Trigger What Makes Your Visitors Buy?

You study your website stats and see the amount of traffic
coming through. Nice numbers. But when you compare your traffic
against your sales, what do you get? A small fraction of 1%?
Wouldn't you love to see those conversions grow? But how can you
get them to buy?

The secret isn't some magic trick or tool. But your Internet
marketing is just shooting into the dark if you don't know the
needs that lead people to buy and how to focus your copywriting
to tap those needs.

Two main needs drive all people no matter what the demographic:
1) a desire to expand their world and become more than what they
are, and 2) a desire for safety. These needs conflict: the
desire to grow leads us to head out into the unknown;
self-protection leads us to circle the wagons and dig in against
unknown dangers.

Each person strikes their own balance between these two
contradictory needs. Understanding the way that different
personality types balance these needs is the key to effective
copywriting for them.

Methodical Personality Type

The methodical personality type balances strongly toward safety.
They need facts, lots of details, to assure themselves that they
are making the safest, most logical choice. Make no mistake,
methodical personality types decide to buy based on their
emotions like everyone else, but they feel a need to back up
their desire to buy with sound intellectual arguments.

To get them to buy, your copywriting needs to help them narrow
their choices. Avoid giving them too many options. They easily
get lost trying to find the best option among a series of equals.

One option to offer, though, is between your plain product at a
cheaper price or a more expensive price with lots of additional
features. Methodical thinkers are much more likely to choose the
more expensive version because it reinforces their image of
being a wise shopper. And it changes their decision from
deciding between buying or not buying into deciding between
buying a more valuable deal or a less expensive offer. But
either way, their decision gives you a sale.

Give them solid reasons to buy and buy now. Lead them through
your sales process in an easy and non-threatening way. Give them
the details they need to make themselves feel that they made a
rational decision. They want their purchases to be well-reasoned
and risk-free, and want to see themselves as smart shoppers.

Competitive Personality Type

The competitive personality type is less averse to risk, but
still needs to feel that their purchase reaffirms the way they
see themselves. They, too, consider facts in making their
purchase, but rely more on gut feelings of how well the purchase
puts them ahead of where they were.

The key to copywriting for this personality type is to recognize
their need to see the way they define themselves reflected in
what they buy. Recognize what types of self-images your product
reflects and sprinkle your sales copy with words and phrases
that help your competitive types see your product reinforce
their self-image.

Cast a wide enough net in fitting your product's image to
theirs, but don't try to cover every possible self image or
you'll get too generic to appeal to any of them.

Gregarious Personality Type

The gregarious personality type seeks to feel connected to those
around them. They are more willing to trust, more willing to
venture into the unknown, but are hesitant to assume the full
risk until others have proven that the path is safe. They
respond especially well to copywriting that shows how your
product has benefited others.

Catch their attention by talking about positive results that
others have experienced. Testimonials of satisfied customers or
pictures that show happy people enjoying your product also are
important. Make sure your copywriting provides them with
evidence that others have found your product worthwhile. They'll
feel more comfortable taking their own risk with it.

Spontaneous Personality Type

The spontaneous personality type is the most open to
exploration. They are the trend-setters, the early adopters, who
blaze the trail for everyone else. They will take risks. But not
unless you offer to fill the chief need for something better,
something that will let them to grow beyond what they are.

Surprise them. Intrigue them with the unexpected and they'll
make that leap of faith with you. Present them with the boring
old status quo approach and they'll move on to something more
intriguing.

Understanding what drives these four different types of
customers is essential to copywriting effectively for them. In
copywriting, as in clothing, one size most definitely does not
fit all.

About the author:

Jeff Baas' journey through writing, public speaking and web
marketing have uncovered basic principles that promote success
in virtually every career path. Check out these principles that
he outlines as they relate to Internet marketing in the Seven
Steps to Starting a Small Business Online that form the focus of
his tips and recommendations at http://www.onestopwebsupport.com

10 Common Direct Mail Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Successful direct mail does not need to be elaborate full color
printing or creative design. The major factors contributing to a
successful direct mail program are in the planning and
implementing of the program. Avoid the following common blunders
when developing your next mailing.

1. Ignoring the most important factor in direct mail success:
the list. Not spending enough time and effort upfront when you
select your list can lead to wasting money and time. In direct
mail, a mailing list is not just a way of reaching your market:
it is your market. Get your ad agency or list broker involved in
the early stages to help you identify and select the best list.

2. Not tracking or testing. Many marketers seldom test one
mailing piece against another. As a result, they repeat their
failures and have no idea of what works.

3. Giving up too easily. Marketers need to be patient with
mailings. Prospects may need to see your name several times
before they take action.

4. Not having an offer. A well-thought-out offer is essential in
a successful mailing. A prospect needs something to which to
respond. Studies have shown that the most impactful word is
"free."

5. Too verbose. Get to the point quickly. Prospects are too busy
to read and interpret lengthy (and sometimes boring) content.

6. Saving the best for last. Saving the strongest sales pitch
for the end and hoping to build to a climatic conclusion will
ensure disaster. A typical prospect reads for only a few seconds
before deciding whether to continue reading or throw your
mailing in the trash.

7. Poor follow-up. Your mailing will yield greater results if
you phone your prospects soon after the mailing. In addition,
slow fulfillment of literature requests will destroy the initial
interest that you worked so hard to build.

8. Not using the magic words. "Free gift", "no obligation",
"details inside", "limited time only" are examples of clichй
phrases that still get results.

9. Starting with the product - not with the prospect. You or
your product is not important to the prospect. The reader only
wants to know, "What's in it for me?"

10. Creating and editing direct mail by committee. The fewer
people who are involved the better. Copy re-writes and graphic
design changes can cost money and time and typically have little
effect on the results of the mailing.

About the author:

Avery Manko is the owner of The Manko Company, a marketing
consulting firm in West Chester, PA. His firm specializes in
developing and implementing marketing programs for small and
medium sized businesses. Contact him at 610-725-9844 or
avery@mankocompany.com. For more about The Manko Company, go to
www.mankocompany.com

How to Easily Boost Your Productivity -- and Your Income!

How disciplined are you?

If you're like most freelancers, you love the "time freedom" of
your lifestyle. No more punching a time clock or being chained
to a desk. No more "hanging up quickly" when the boss walks by.

As a freelancer those days are gone forever...but one quickly
learns that in order to make a great living as a copywriter,
you're now the "boss" to whom you must be accountable!

It's ironic, to be sure. And as you strive for higher and higher
income and greater and greater success, you'll realize that
neither will come without strict time discipline on your part.

Setting Your "Policy"

Now that you work from home (as most freelance writers do),
people will know that you're available for rides to the airport
and other favors. Since part of the pleasure of freelancing is
its time flexibility, you might want to be able to say "yes"
from time to time.

However there's a big danger lurking called "part time work,"
and if you spend too much time not working, you wind up with
"part time pay." If you have a family or small children,
enormous amounts of time can also be siphoned away through small
but endless interruptions.

The best way to deal with "time thieves" is to institute a
"policy," as most businesses do. When you say "I'm sorry, my
policy is to devote two hours per week to doing favors and this
week I've already used them up," you'll probably find little
resistance. That's because policies are like printed signs:
people rarely argue with them.

A Simple But Powerful Daily Schedule Document

As a freelancer, you'll need to create your own work system and
your own documents. Over the years I've refined my own system
and documents to near perfection (I'm always changing and
improving as ideas come to me).

One of my most powerful documents is my "Daily Timesheet and
Schedule." It helps me prioritize my most important projects,
lays out what I need to do in half hour increments, shames me
into doing my daily exercise routine, and forces me to be
accountable throughout the day. If someone needs a favor of me,
it must go on the Daily Schedule where it "bumps" a work item.

Here is the Formula for Creating Your Own "Task Master"

Since it's so easy for us freelancers to procrastinate when
we're faced with a task we'd rather put off, I put right at the
top of my Daily Schedule the question, "How will I earn money
today?" And then I must write it down in the top position for
that day's work.

This forces me to put aside the fun but less important jobs, to
focus on the most lucrative.

My Daily Schedule also has two columns: the left hand column is
for "Task"; the right hand column is for "Activity." The Task
column shows what I should be doing at any appointed time. The
Activity column shows what I AM doing.

Having to write down what I'm actually doing under "Activity"
exposes those moments when I'm doing something I shouldn't be
doing...those time-wasters that detract from my income. You can
imagine how powerful it is to acknowledge -- by physically
writing it down -- that you're not doing what you're supposed to
be doing!

If you adopt this system for keeping you on the
straight-and-narrow, be sure to create your plan for the day the
night before. That way you can gather the tools, papers,
research and other items you need so you can truly stay on
schedule throughout the day.

By working from such a schedule you can identify your personal
work weaknesses, increase your billable time and effectiveness,
and conquer your procrastination.

Try this system for yourself and see if you don't get more done,
earn more, and feel more successful -- because you are!

About the author:

Award-winning copywriter and freelance writer's coach Chris
Marlow publishes a free newsletter for freelancers who want to
build a successful business. Visit:
http://www.FreelancersBusinessBulletin.com

7 Must-Do Tips To Create A Powerful Ad Copy

When creating an ad copy, you should make it believable and
persuasive. Some of us are missing some crucial things to
include. Here are 7 tips to help you create a powerful ad copy.

1. Use a "P.S." at the end of your ad copy. This is where you
either want to repeat a strong benefit or use a strong close,
like a free bonus. For example, "P.S. You can get (product),
worth over ($), for the low price of ($)!" Another example,
"P.S. I can not guarantee the (No.) bonuses will be here
tomorrow!"

2. You could end your ad copy with a discounted price. Just list
your regular price and then offer a discounted price off the
order 'right now'. You could also offer a rebate that takes
effect instantly. For example, you could say, "Instead of paying
$99, you could order now and get an instant rebate of $20 - you
only pay $79!"

3. You could end your ad copy with a free sample or trial of
your product. If your ad didn't attract them to buy, maybe a
free sample or trial would. If you were selling an e-book, you
could give them a free sample at the end of your ad copy. For
example, you could say, "If you're still not sure about
ordering, download a FREE sample chapter!"

4. Motivate people to buy your product. Tell them positive
things. For example, you could say, "You can now reach your
goals and change your life if you buy our product." If you come
across positive in your ad copy, they will become positive about
reaching their goals using your product.

5. Never assume people believe the information in your ad copy.
You need to back-up all your claims with indisputable evidence.
For example, you could include testimonials, expert
endorsements, third party tests or studies, strong guarantees, a
list of customers, pictures of customers, etc.

6. Create a bond with your visitors by bringing up likes or
dislikes you have in common with them in your ad copy. Just make
sure you do your research. For example, you could say, "I hate
it when you have to wait in line for a long time at the
drive-through." Another example, "I really like it when I have
extra money to spend."

7. Ask people at the end of your copy why they decided not to
buy. This will give you new ideas on how to produce ad copy
that's more profitable. Have a web form or e-mail link in place
so they can answer you. You may find out they don't like your
guarantee or graphics. It could be anything.

Use these 7 tips and you'll create your own powerful ad copy.

Azwan Asmat is the author of The Ecom Blog. For more proven tips
on online business, subscribe to his monthly newsletter.Visit
http://www.ecommerce-newbie.com/ecom