Attract More Customers with Bonus Offers (They’re Not Just for Sales Letter Copy)

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve suggested that a client use bonuses with their copy only to hear, “But I own an ecommerce website.  I don’t use sales letters.”  Bonus offers are not by any means exclusive to sales letters.  In fact, bonuses were around long before direct mail or online sales letters came into being.  And they’ve stood the test of time because everybody loves getting something free.

Retail & E-tail Bonuses

Whether you’re walking through a store or shopping online, you can find bonuses at every turn.  Gold Toe just ran a promotion where you could buy a six-pack of athletic socks and get one bonus pair free (making it a seven-pack).

Computer manufacturers are famous for loading up on bonuses especially during the holiday and back-to-school seasons.  For example, you can find laptops that come with a free printer or digital camera in just about every store during these times.

Travel Bonuses

Cruise companies got in on the bonus act many years ago.  It’s typical to find packages where you purchase passage on a voyage and receive a free excursion or free cruise dollars to use onboard.

Even Disney – who is famous for charging full price for everything – is now offering bonuses to attract more visitors to its parks.  A click to their website as I was writing this article uncovered a free Disney dining plan with the purchase of a four-night package.

So, as you can see, bonuses are not just used in correlation with info products and sales letters.  Does that mean you should throw everything you can think of at your site visitor in an effort to get his/her attention?  Absolutely not.

The Unwritten Rules of Using Bonuses

If you ask most copywriters who have had success with using bonuses, you’ll find we play by many of the same unwritten rules.  The bonuses you offer must:

1.  Be Applicable – If you’re selling steaks, you wouldn’t want to offer a personal CD player as a bonus.  Why?  It makes no sense.  It’s not related to what you’re selling.  A better idea would be a grilling utensil set, an apron branded with your company name or maybe a collection of marinades and rubs.

2.  Have Perceived Value – Whether it cost you a lot or a little, the bonus needs to be valuable to the recipient.  Using a bonus ebook or report is a great example here because the ebook didn’t cost you anything monetarily.  It took some time to pull all your thoughts out and put them into book format, but the digital product itself doesn’t have a cost.  However, the information you share through the ebook with your customers may be extremely valuable to them.  With the information you provide, your customers may gain new skills that make them more profitable, etc.  Even though the ebook had little or no tangible cost, it was perceived as valuable.

3.  Not Overload the Customer – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen information products in particular that offer a long, ongoing list of bonuses.  I kid you not… 10, 15, 20 ebooks or reports: way too much for anybody to practically use.  This type of hype may work on newbies and those unfamiliar with the Internet, but for the most part they are viewed as a lame attempt to garner sales.  Many times, the bonuses offered in these situations are given away free on almost every other website of a similar nature and, therefore, their value has significantly declined.  (Go back and reread rule #2.)  More is not better.  Better is better.

Creating Target Market Profiles Improves Your Content & Copywriting

I have an amazing team of writers I work with on a regular basis.  Each has his/her own specialty from article writing to technology.  It’s fun to watch these pros go through the process of creating copy that speaks specifically to the target customer we’re aiming to attract.  Sometimes everything flows smoothly, but occasionally we hit a bump or two before getting the details nailed down.  Here’s an example.

One client sells a car-care product.  They told us that their target customer was a guy in his mid-twenties who loved his car.  The overall picture of who we were writing to, however, really didn’t click until we got down to the nitty-gritty and developed a complete profile.

We wrote the article this client commissioned and turned in our first draft.  “Too serious and too complex,” was the response.  So I asked a few more questions (the only way to create a truly accurate profile) and found out that this was the guy next door.  Not only did he love his car, he   * l  o  v  e  d *  his car.  If it came down to a choice between eating or fiddling with his car, the car would win.  What’s more, he was (most often) a blue collar worker.  Whether he drove a VW or a BMW, he worked a regular job.  He was not an executive or career professional.

Going Deeper Makes All the Difference

With that in mind, we made some additional changes.  While the response from the client improved, they felt the article was still written on too high of a level to hold the interest of their target customer.

“We need a picture.  We need to actually see what this guy looks like,” was my thought.  We’d given him a name, but something about him wasn’t clicking.  I went on a hunt to find a photo online that would represent our car fanatic.  It didn’t take long to find a guy in his mid-twenties standing by a car engine.  Clad in a flannel shirt and jeans, hair rather tasseled, this dude was the epitome of our man.

I could just envision him every Saturday out in the driveway meticulously washing, waxing or otherwise detailing his vehicle.  He lives for his ride and it is pretty much the sole source of his pride and joy.

This particular guy knows his car inside out and wants nothing more than to care for it, and keep it looking and running like new.  With the photo available to round out the profile, it was easier than ever to write to our guy and the millions of others just like him that fall into the target segment.

Developing Profiles Pays Off

Creating profiles helps give you an inside look at who your customers are, what they want and how they will use your products/services.  And you can certainly have more than one profile.  Look at Jenny Craig (the weight loss company).  They’ve matched the profiles of their target customer segments to celebrity personalities including Kirstie Alley, Valerie Bertinelli and Jason Alexander.

With physical attributes, personality quirks, habits, likes, dislikes, photos and other details in hand, you can create personas of your target segments.  This simple exercise takes only a few hours of research and work to compile, but can pay off enormously in profits once your copy or content really hits the mark.

Want to learn how to craft spot-on profiles and personas so you can write exceptional web & SEO copy?  Karon’s Step-by-Step Copywriting Course can help. Visit http://www.CopywritingCourse.com for details on this self-paced and self-scoring home-study course that lets you learn by doing real-life practice assignments. Compare your answers to Karon’s in the back of the book so you’ll know you’re on the right track.

Continuity in SEO Copywriting Improves Rankings and Conversions

It has become a fundamental principle of Internet marketing.  When sending a prospect from some form of trigger (banner ad, pay-per-click ad, tweet, etc.) to the landing page, there must be continuity: the message must flow.

For example, when constructing pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, there has to be continuity between the ad and the landing page.  The use of the same keyphrases, copy that flows seamlessly from ad to landing page and other factors can make or break your campaign. If these elements aren’t in place the disconnect your visitors will suffer will confuse them and send them packing.

Why then do we rarely see any consistency in these areas when writing search engine optimized (SEO) copy?

Create Links in a Chain

On most web pages the tag sets are scattered.  Take note the next time you’re surfing.  You’ll see title tags that are unrelated to the description tag, both of which are distant from the headline of the copy on the actual page, etc., etc., etc.  There is no flow.  Nothing exists to usher the prospect from one step to the next.

It should work just like links in a chain.  One is directly connected to the next and so forth.  The basis of writing organic SEO copy is developing and following the same topic from your visitor’s first exposure to your site (the organic Google/Bing/Yahoo! listing title) to the call-to-action on the web page itself.  It should – in essence – work exactly like the process when writing a paid ad/landing page combo.

Take it One Step at a Time

Create a plan before you write pages with optimized copy.  Don’t view it with tunnel vision; strictly from the standpoint of what’s happening on the page.  Take it one step at a time and walk the path your prospects will walk.

    Where will the site visitor come from? An organic search engine listing.
    What’s the first exposure to your site? The title tag of the organic listing.
    If the title tag captures their attention, where will they look for more information? The description tag underneath the title tag.
    When they click to your web page, how will they know they are in the right place? The message (copy) and keyphrases will be carried through from the search engine results page (SERP) to the web page.

See how it works?  With each glance, with each click, the visitor takes a new step toward conversion.  That’s because, just like with paid marketing campaigns, you’ve laid out a clear path for your prospects to follow rather than forcing them to navigate a rocky and confusing road.

META Tags are Dead, Right? So Why Do I Need Them?

One of the first, and most basic, elements of search engine optimization (SEO) is META tags.  Almost everyone quickly discovers the title, description and keyword tag located in the HTML coding of each web page.  However, there are many misconceptions and myths floating around online. Let’s take a minute to go through the latest information about these tags so you’ll know what you need to create and why.

Title Tag

The title tag is actually not a META tag. It is simply the title given to a particular page of your site.  If you’ll look in the source code of most any web page, you’ll see something that looks like this. (I’ve added bolding to make it easier to read.)

The title holds a lot of weight with Google and other engines.  It also is the first exposure searchers have to your website so it must play a dual role.  First, it should contain at least your primary keyphrase.  If there is room, insert others as well.  Second, it should entice the searcher to click to your site as opposed to choosing any other option such as the other nine organic listings, 10-11 paid AdWords ads and possibly an eight-pack of local listings.

Just filling your title tag with keyphrases is usually not the best route to take, in my opinion.  While it is important to the rankings equation, it also must fulfill its status as a copywriting platform.  You have to get across why your site is different or better than the others the searcher will encounter. You have to attract people who are interested in what you sell and discourage those who really don’t match your target market.

For instance, using the same example above, let’s see what types of listings would appear when we do a search for “copywriting course” in Google.  We’ll look at the top four organic (free) results.

 The first one includes keyphrases and also specifically outlines what type of copywriting course this is: Web and SEO.  That would tell anyone looking to learn direct mail or other forms of copywriting to look elsewhere.  The title is very specific and clear.

The second listing’s title is just stuffed with keyphrases.  In fact, it doesn’t look like it has anything to do with copywriting courses based on the description. (Take note of how the two work together. We’ll look at the description tag next.)

The third offers copywriting course reviews. Simple and clear enough.

The forth title is lacking.  It states the company’s name.  No keyphrase at all.  If people are familiar with this organization, that tag would be fine.  But for those who don’t know who American Writers is, the tag would do little to persuade them.  No keyphrase + no persuasion = poor results.

How long should the title tag be?  In reality, it can be as long as you want.  However, only around 65-70 characters (including spaces) will be displayed.  The rest will be truncated.

Description Tag

While Google no longer uses the description tag for ranking purposes, it is still an important element to include on every page.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking that, just because this tag no longer holds ranking value, it shouldn’t contain keyphrases.  By all means, it should.

When you begin a search for something on Google, you type in whichever terms come to mind that describe what you’re looking for.  You have those phrases on your mind because they represent what you’re trying to find.  You’re sensitive to seeing those words on the screen.  You’re attuned to search listings that use those phrases.  Add all this to the fact that keyphrases are bolded in the description tag and it gives a powerful one-two punch that attracts searchers to your listing.

“But Google doesn’t always display the description tag. Why bother?”  Because eight times out of 10, Google will use the tag you provide *if* it is relevant to the search query.  In other words, if it matches what the searcher is looking for (i.e., includes keyphrases) it is very likely to be used.  It’s the times that the description doesn’t effectively describe the search or when no description is provided that Google opts to select its own description from the content on your page.

The length?  Again, you can put an entire paragraph if you want, but only about 175 characters will show in the listing.

Keyword Tag

The keyword META tag hasn’t been used since the mid-1990s.  It doesn’t hurt to put a few phrases in this tag, including perhaps some common misspellings, but it won’t help your rankings one bit.

Now that you understand the dual purpose of tags and what’s at stake rankings-wise, you can go about crafting a tag set that encourages clicks and contributes to solid search engine positioning.

Copywriting Makeover: Local Vet Increases Business via the Web

After working for several years for a prominent, local veterinary practice that had multiple branches, Dr. Wendi Lily-Bare decided it was time to go out on her own.  She arranged to purchase one of the smaller clinics which would allow her to keep the existing business name and equipment.  However, the current website was not included in the bargain.

With an understanding of how important a high-ranking website is to a local, small business, Dr. Lily-Bare quickly began making plans for the creation of her online presence.  Those plans included the use of copy (text) that connected emotionally with her site visitors and clearly showed them why they should choose Pet Friends over all the other available veterinary clinics in town.

Researching the Best Options for Keyphrases

As is the case with all search engine optimization (SEO) copywriting, the first step in the process of creating the Pet Friends site was to research the best keyphrases for use in the copy and tags.

These same keyphrases would also be used in developing the clinic’s local Google listing.  This would allow Dr. Lily-Bare’s site to potentially come up in the “Local Business Results” section of Google whenever someone typed in a keyphrase related to one of her pages.

Being a local business in a relatively small town, we decided to work with general veterinary-related terms and attach what’s referred to as a “geo-modifier” to them.  (Local businesses must include their specific location in order to weed out prospects that are outside their service area.)

Basically, we looked for keyphrases such as “veterinarian” or “veterinary clinic” and added the exact locale which, in this case, was Northeast Columbia, South Carolina.  After compiling a list of good phrase candidates, we divided them up among the site pages.

Hook Prospects Right from the Start

While many people believe writing copy only applies to the individual web pages, there is actually another step that is just as important.  Writing the title and description tags for each page is vital in securing that initial click.

What happens when you go to Google or another engine and conduct a search?  You’re provided with a whole page full of possible websites that might meet your needs.  How do you decide which ones to click?  By reading the title and description of each site on the page.

Vets that have title tags which are bland (such as Veterinary Services, Vet in Baltimore, Pet Urgent Care) don’t do themselves any favors.  There are ways to include keyphrases and still make a connection with your prospects. For instance, Pet Friends’ Home page title tag reads:

Because They’re Family | Veterinary Clinic | Northeast Columbia, South Carolina (SC)

A keyphrase is there.  The location is there.  And there was still room for an emotional tweak at the beginning which helps to capture the attention of searchers.  After all, if you can’t get them to click your title tag, it won’t matter much what you say on your Home page, will it?

Writing the Copy

If you’ve ever shopped at Walmart for toothpaste, you’re sure to understand the frustration of most online searchers.  On the toothpaste aisle, you see dozens of choices.  All clean your teeth.  All freshen your breath.  If you rule out the specialty toothpaste products (such as those for sensitive teeth or with extra whitening power that cost $8.00 a tube), then that leaves many left over.  How do you choose?

The same dilemma applies when searching for a local vet.  Go to most vet websites and you’ll find they talk about themselves instead of to the site visitors, they don’t give a clear reason to choose them over all the other vets, and they have no special features/services.  Remove all the specialists and you’ve got a whole list of “just vets” to select from.  How are you supposed to make an intelligent choice?

When it comes to toothpaste, most people default to a mindset of “they are all the same.”  Unfortunately, most pet owners do likewise when searching for a new vet.  We set out to make sure Pet Friends’ site visitors knew they were different.

The Home page headline set the tone: “Because They’re More Than Pets. They’re Family.”  Rather than babbling on with company-focused copy, we shot an arrow into the heart of every pet-owning site visitor that landed on the Home page.  Rather than displaying the same old list of standard services that every other vet had on their Home page, we played on the fact that pets are family members in every sense of the word.  The copy clearly relayed a message that Pet Friends’ staff members were all pet owners and pet lovers who saw your cat or dog in a very “human” light.

The Results

Because this was a brand-new site, there was no benchmark for comparison.  Nonetheless, measuring results wasn’t hard since they came so quickly and were so obvious.

Within days of launching the new copy, Pet Friends’ site had worked its way up to top 20 rankings for many search terms.  Within a couple of weeks, at least half of the terms ranked in the top 10.

Now, several months after launch, Pet Friends’ site has page-one rankings for all but two of their 18 preferred keyphrases.

According to Dr. Lily-Bare, “We write on every new patient’s chart how they found out about us.  I always check when I’m looking over their chart.  We’ve gotten a lot of new patients from people who have found us through Google and other search engines.  It’s an excellent way to advertise that continues to pay off month after month.”

Anchor Your Copy to Keep it on Track

I was talking with a copywriting coaching client the other week.  During our session, I mentioned that he needed to anchor back to the headline as he wrote his copy.  This is a point where most people get derailed when writing.  Let me explain.

The headline is – by far – the most important element of any copy, online or off.  It is the most read part that must capture the attention of your prospects in order to cause them to continue reading.  Many copywriters, however, develop excellent headlines, but then veer off into left field while writing.

Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days

For someone that wants to drop a few pounds quickly, this headline would be a big draw.  Your copy might start by empathizing with your target customer, letting him or her know that you understand where they are coming from and that you have a great solution for his/her weight problem.  “Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days” is what hooked your reader. How do you think they’ll feel if – after the first bit of copy – all you talk about why losing 10 pounds is a desirable goal? Or why losing 10 pounds will make them more healthy?  Those are excellent benefits to include with relation to losing 10 pounds, but that information doesn’t support the headline in and of itself.  It doesn’t reinforce the promise you made… the promise that the reader can lose 10 pounds in 10 days.

As you write, look back at your headline and ask yourself, “Is this information supporting the headline?”

If you’ve added a few bullet points to the copy, you might work it this way:

Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days

It seems like an easy task, but losing 10 pounds can be as big a challenge as losing 50 unless you understand these fundamental mistakes most dieters make. Losing 10 pounds is a very desirable goal. You may even have all the right motivation: to be healthy, to look better, to increase your energy.  But failure still looms for most people. That’s precisely why Henry’s Weight Loss System was created.

•     No drugs.
•     No caffeine.
•     No exercise.
•     No group sessions.

Through this unique system of gizmos, your body supernaturally adapts until – at the end of 10 days – you miraculously find you have dropped 10 pounds without even trying.

Etc., etc., etc.

Did you follow that?  The last sentence reinforced the headline.  Yes, I empathized.  Yes, I gave benefits.  But I also anchored all that back to the headline so I could remind readers of the original promise that they were interested in.

If you made a promise, support the promise.  If you asked a question, answer it.  If you don’t keep your prospects engaged, they will leave.  Whether you’re writing an ecommerce product description for a coffeemaker or long-form copy for a new type of software, anchor back to the headline, support the hook that captured your readers’ attention, and you’ll greatly increase the chance of converting them into buyers.

Making It Easy for Customers To Choose You

Isn’t it frustrating?  All you need is a new computer desk (or whatever you may be currently shopping for), but you can’t make a decision.  It shouldn’t be this hard, should it?  What’s holding you back?

Here’s something every web site owner should know.  When visitors come to your site, they are looking for a reason to buy from you.  Think that’s stating the obvious?  You’d be surprised!  I come across countless sites every day that do everything but give the visitor a reason to buy, subscribe, click, call or otherwise take action.  It’s a fatal mistake in any business, but it’s especially damaging for web-based companies.

Let’s continue with our example of buying a computer desk. You start with the big three office-supply stores.  You click the “office furniture” link, and you’re faced with a barrage of links to pages about lamps, printer stands, bookshelves and more.  Then you get to the desks.  Computer desks, desk collections, metal desks, workstations… geez!  There are lots of links, but no information.  Finally, after drudging through pages of links, you find some actual copy that describes a desk you think you might want.

You look over the features. You write down the price.  You gather the shipping or delivery information.  Great!  Now, on to the next site.

When you arrive, everything looks almost the same except the logo.  Same navigation, same links, same inventory, same prices.  The shipping amount is the same, and the delivery policy is identical to the site you just came from.  As you click from site to site, it’s like déjà vu.  How are you supposed to make a decision to buy when all your options are equal?  What will be the determining factor between site A and site B?

If you’re feeling frustrated just reading this scenario, imagine how your site visitors feel.  When they come to your site, they are looking for a clear reason to buy from you instead of all the other sites.  Do you give them a reason?  Do you give them several reasons?

If all factors are equal – even if all factors are similar – your visitors will find it difficult to make a decision.  When they start guessing at which site would be best to buy from, you start losing business.  Maybe they’ll choose you, maybe they won’t.  There is a way to ensure you are chosen over your competition.  You have to clearly point out how you are different or better than every other option available.

MarketingExperiments.com recently published their findings in regards to differentiating your company from others.  They reported that most companies – when asked what their most unique aspect was – answered, “Our great customer service.”  I have bad news for you.  That won’t cut it.  Why?  Because, in most cases, when customers are visiting sites to gather information and make purchasing decisions, they won’t come in contact with your customer service department.  It would be a nonissue until something went wrong.

Also, since most businesses are claiming excellent customer service, it’s an overused promise that has begun to carry less and less weight.  You need something solid.  You need something that is persuasive.  If I were standing in front of you and told you that I was considering buying my desk from you or from Vendor Z, what would you say to convince me to buy from you?  Here are some things to consider when trying to discover ways to differentiate yourself from other businesses.

•     Offer free shipping (on all orders or on orders over a certain amount)
•     Increase your inventory
•     Decrease your inventory and only carry specialty items
•     Lower your prices
•     Raise your prices (works well for premium goods & services)
•     Increase your area of expertise (for service-based businesses)
•     Specialize or narrow your niche
•     Achieve ratings or rankings from well-known associations or organizations
•     Apply for a patent
•     Win awards
•     Offer a customer loyalty program

Conduct an online survey of your visitors to ask what they want.  (SurveyMonkey.com is great for this.)  Look back over your complaints and other feedback for ideas about how to set yourself apart.  Email existing customers (if you have their permission to do so) and ask them why they chose you.  Whatever you do, don’t stay in a position where you are exactly the same as (or highly similar to) your competition.  The chances are far too great you’ll get lost in the crowd.

5 Common Mistakes That Will Kill Your Web Copy

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 they killed the copy.

You must plan before you write copy.  Most of these mistakes came about because a newbie put fingers to keyboard and started rambling.  But once you understand why these mistakes are so deadly you can easily avoid them and overcome them before you ever write the first word.

Pull up your site in a browser and follow along.  See if you’ve made any of these mistakes on your site.

#1 – Writing Without Knowing Your Target Audience

This is, without a doubt, the biggest mistake of copywriting and the #1 killer of conversions.  Why?  I’ll answer with a question.

When you write a letter (or email), do you just start writing and decide afterwards who you’re going to send the letter to?  Of course not.  So why, then, do so many people just jump in and start writing website copy without having a clue about who they are writing to?

How can people communicate with their site visitors if they have no idea who they are, what they are looking for, their preferred communication style, what problems they face, how they hope to use the product/service to solve those problems and countless other information?  Truth is, you can’t.

Take knowing your target customers to the extreme.  Find out everything you can about them.  Then combine all that info to create an imaginary person (or imaginary people) who fit the profile of your target audience members.  You can even name them if you want to.  Then – with every sentence – write to that person (or persons).

#2 – Writing Without Knowing the Product/Service

Like it or not, copywriters have to be salespeople.  That means you have to know all the details of the product or service you’re writing about.  How else can you convincingly convey the information to prospects who visit the site?

Ask your client for samples of products, use of the services or access to member areas of a site before you begin writing.  Using or taking part in what your client is offering to his/her visitors will make a huge difference in the quality and persuasiveness of your copy.  Nothing comes across as well as copywriting that has been created from experience.

#3 – Writing About the Company Instead of To the Site Visitor

For the most part – at least in the beginning – your site visitors don’t care about your company.  Rather than hear about how long you’ve been in business and that you’re specialists in this, that or the other thing, customers would rather find out how your product/service can benefit them.

If your home page starts with something like this, you’re in trouble: “ABC Company is the specialist in [insert industry here] with over 20 years experience.  We provide [fill in the blank] with our extensive knowledge and helpful service. Dedicated to providing the highest quality, we guarantee our work with a 100% money-back promise.”

You’re we-ing all over yourself.  The customer has the money.  Don’t you think the copy should at least acknowledge him/her at some point?  Rather than using “we,” “us” and “our” so much, turn it around.

Talk to your site visitors instead of about the company.  Let them know you understand their needs and have answers to their problems.  Don’t ignore them by talking only about yourself.

#4 – Outlining Features Instead of Benefits or End Results

Features are nice, but benefits and end results make the sale because they clearly explain why the customer will be better off after buying your product or using your service. One of the biggest selling factors in copywriting is the ability to tell the customer what he/she can do with a product or service.

Take a tip from the infomercials.  They don’t simply tell you that a rotisserie cooker rotates as it cooks a chicken.  No!  They tell you that this rotisserie cooker can bake a whole, marinated, Italian herb chicken that’s juicy, moist and succulent.  That the seasonings slowly seep into the meat so you get bite after tender bite of flavorful chicken so good you’ll beg for more.  Who cares that the thing has a pointed, metal prong that rotates a chicken while it cooks?  You’re buying it because it can deliver that wonderful whole, marinated, Italian herb chicken!

#5 – Neglecting the Medium

Does it make a difference as to where your copy appears online?  Isn’t all Web copy the same?  The answers are “Yes” and “No.”  Landing pages are not the same as home pages, which are not the same as catalog pages, which are not the same as sales letters, and so on and so on.  Don’t neglect to find out the differences between these and the other types of Web copy.  They all have special considerations that should be studied before you begin writing.

What Lands End Can Teach You about Writing to Your Target Audience

Have you shopped with Lands End lately?  If so, you may have noticed that the women’s pants sold on their site come in Fit 1 (modern), Fit 2 (original) and Fit 3 (traditional).  But have you paid attention to the way they target the ladies who probably wear these pants?  It’s a prime example of creating personas and writing specifically to them.

So you’ll understand, let me explain what’s different about the 3 fits.  Fit 1 sits much lower on the waist and has slightly fitted legs (think 20s and 30s mostly).  Fit 2 sits just below the waist and has legs that are a bit more relaxed (probably built to attract late-30s to mid-50s).  Fit 3 sits at your waist, often has elastic in the waistband, and has relaxed legs (aiming for mid-50s on up).

Here’s one snippet of copy for a pair of shorts with a Fit 3 (traditional) waist:

    Finding the right shorts can be a tricky proposition. So many are too short — or not as comfortable as you’d like. These are summery, yet modest. A back-elastic waist adds comfort. And they’re easy-care, too!

Notice the language is well-suited to senior citizens (generally those 55 and up).  It talks about shorts being “too short,” the comfort, having modest styling, elastic waist and easy care. All things someone in this particular age group might appreciate.

Let’s look at a pair of shorts that, at first glance, appear to have almost the same styling as the ones above.  See how the copy changes for this item with a Fit 2 (original) waist?

    Shorts with a little something extra — a distinctive buckle detail at the waist. Stretch twill makes them easy as can be, and they have a modest-yet-flattering Bermuda length.

Now, instead of just moderate length and comfortableness we’re talking about distinctive buckles and “modest-yet-flattering” length.

Then there’s Fit 1 (modern).

    Here’s the Weekend Chino fabric you love, given an extra measure of style with button details and cuffed legs. For girls who like short shorts, they’re just about perfect.

Obviously targeted to a younger set, this copy talks about an “extra measure of style,” details, girls (not women) and “short shorts.”  Not something that would likely appeal to a grandmother.

The next time you’re faced with creating copy for products or services, think about the different individuals who will be using them.  When you write specifically to each segment of your target audience, they feel a greater connection with you and are more likely to buy.

Opening Sentences That Close the Sale

It’s one of the best pieces of copywriting advice I’ve ever been given. “As often as possible, start your paragraphs with sentences that hook readers and drive them deeper into the copy.” Why? Because – after the headline – the first sentence in any paragraph is what gets read most often. After that point, customers usually skip to the next section unless they feel compelled to keep reading. That means your job, as the copywriter, is to entice them into each segment, so they will consume as much of your copy as possible. Take your cue from Reader’s Digest. They crank out – issue after issue – exceptional opening lines for their articles that engage then hook readers. What happens next? The reader is pulled into the story full force. Here are some examples.

    It was a horrific display of irreverence.

    By the way she dressed, you would have never guessed she was only 14.

    As he reached into the box, something inside it moved.

See? Those sentences boost your curiosity. They make you wonder what happens next. They cause you to visualize a scene that might be taking place. You can do the same thing from a marketing perspective when you write your copy.

For instance, rather than starting the copy for an email to Australian hotels like this:

    You may be aware of www._______.com – we are an Australian-owned and managed online hotel booking service.

Really capture their attention with an opening sentence that is specific to them like this:

    Now you have the opportunity to affordably position your hotel in front of approximately 6,000 travellers every day that are looking for accommodations exclusively in Australia.

For an Australian hotel that depends on the Internet to generate reservations, that sentence gives them many reasons to keep reading.

Here are some other before-and-after examples of opening sentences.

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BEFORE: Hello and welcome to our website. If you are looking for [enter product name here], you are at the right site. (In this case, the example is from a wedding photographer’s site.)

AFTER: We don’t take pictures. We capture precious memories that you can enjoy for a lifetime.

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BEFORE: Our site has been online since 2000, and this marks our 6th year online providing designer-inspired sunglasses.

AFTER: How do you get the latest designer-inspired looks without paying outrageous prices?

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BEFORE: Our cruise website offers unbeatable rates and a diverse array of travel services guaranteed to satisfy even the most discriminating vacationer.

AFTER: Just imagine yourself on the white sand beaches of Honolulu, hiking through the balmy rainforests of Belize or whisking down a powdery, snow-covered mountain in Aspen… all at up to 50% off!

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BEFORE: Thank you for shopping for your corporate gifts at _________.com. We hope your shopping experience is delightful.

AFTER: When you truly impress your clients with distinctive corporate gifts, they remember you longer, feel a closer relationship and are more likely to reward you with increased sales.

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See the difference? The “before” sentences are dull, average and unflattering. The “after” sentences are intriguing, imaginative and enticing.

Don’t stop after you create inviting headlines. Keep the momentum going by writing intriguing opening sentences, too. When you do, you’ll help convert more site visitors into paying customers.

One Size Does Not Fit All when It Comes to Writing Copy

I shake my head every time I read one of these blanket statements. I’m amazed at how so many people still think that one size of copy still fits everyone. It’s just not true.

Here’s an example. A while back, I read, “Prospects hate being bombarded by text-heavy pages, especially on a home/landing page.” This is coming from Internet Marketing Report in relation to business-to-business (B2B) websites. I’m sorry, but I completely disagree.

Just because a website is B2B does not automatically mean every single one of its visitors will “hate being bombarded by text-heavy pages.” The product or service itself, how familiar the product or service is to the market, the target customer’s preferred communication style and a dozen other factors contribute to the decision about whether or not long copy or short should be used.

On the other hand, we have direct-mail experts who’ve taken their style of copywriting (sales letters) online. And, just like the ultra-short copy suggested by the Internet Marketing Report article, long copy has its audience.

If you ask direct marketers, they’ll swear that the long, scrolling, often hype-filled sales letters are the end-all, be-all of copywriting. Again, nothing could be further from the truth. The same reasoning applies to those who say you must use a sales letter as opposed to those demanding short copy.

DISC Helps Us Understand

You may have heard of the DISC model that categorizes people into four primary groups (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance). There are others as well, including Myers-Briggs. No matter how you group people, the point is that everyone is not the same.

So then, how can one style of copy possibly fit everyone? It doesn’t. There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. Whether you’re B2B or B2C, you have to know your target audience and communicate with them in the way that they will be most receptive.

For instance, people high in Steadiness traits on the DISC model prefer longer copy. What’s more, those high in Steadiness make up over 40% of the population of the U.S. Those high in Compliance crave details. They, too, would want longer copy. Dominance types want the bottom line first and possibly details later if they deem them necessary. And Influence? Those high in Influence move at the speed of light and make decisions on a whim. They aren’t much into details either.

Combine with these four styles the additional factors that being male or female add and you’ve really got your hands full. Want to get extremely precise? Toss in some persona/profile elements that deal with lifestyle, convictions and more. It’s enough to make your head spin at times.

Use Your Judgment

Before you buy into a blanket statement about consumers – whether it pertains to writing copy, setting prices or anything else – use your judgment. Does what’s being suggested really make sense for everybody? Is it possible that all people across the entire globe respond in the same way? No.

We all communicate differently. We shop differently. We make decisions based on different criteria. We respond to different stimuli. If there’s one common denominator, it is that we’re all different.

Make Additional Income by Performing Keyword Research

Whether you’re a virtual assistant, copywriter, web design pro or search engine optimizer, keyword research is a useful and necessary service you can add to your lineup.  Anyone with a website or blog who aims to rank high in the search engines can benefit from professional-quality keyword research.

Why Would Others Pay You to Perform Keyword Research?

Because, as a trained professional, you will gather and evaluate data and make confident decisions. You won’t be an amateur who doesn’t understand the finer points of this craft and guesses at which terms are best to use where.

The issue lies in the fact that most people *think* they know how to conduct keyword research.  Either that or they believe it solely depends on search counts.  But because they haven’t been trained and they don’t stay on top of the latest developments, they aren’t aware of the little things that can make a huge difference.

For instance, did you know that Wordtracker presents annual search counts?  Most people believe they deliver daily counts.  They did, years ago, but their website states (in several places) that the search totals displayed on their site are for a 365-day period.  Just imagine if you incorrectly think you’re comparing daily Wordtracker results with monthly Google results?  You’re research is going to be seriously flawed.

An Ongoing Source of Revenue

Conducting keyword research is not a one-time event.  New products and services are coming out all the time.  New ways to describe things are constantly developing. For instance, “search engine copywriting” has gotten several new names over the past few years.  You now hear it called “SEO content writing” or “keyword optimization writing” among other things.

If search engine writers wanted to attract traffic from every possible source, they would need to continually research new keywords to optimize their website pages for.  The same is true for every other industry.  Here’s another example.

There are major differences sometimes in what keywords a company uses and which ones customers use.  A client of mine manufacturers those big inflatable advertising balloons that are shaped like soda bottles or giant products.  The company called these “cold-air inflatables” or other industry-related terms.  Their customers, however, used phrases like “giant advertising balloons” and so forth.

As you can see, there are numerous reasons your clients would need repeated keyword research, meaning you have an ongoing source of revenue IF you learn to do it right.

Is Keyword Research That Hard to Do?

Not when you know how   The problem is, most people don’t take the time or spend the money to get professional training.  If you aren’t shown the right way to conduct keyword research, you will almost certainly hang a hard left turn that takes you down the wrong path.  If your research doesn’t produce results for your clients, you’ve wasted your time as well as your clients’ time and money.

Here’s what I recommend.  It’s a keyword research guide I wrote called “Demystifying Keyword Research.” No, don’t worry… it’s not a $100+ complicated ebook that will take you 6 months to read.  In fact, it’s not for sale at all.  But I will GIVE you a FREE copy.

Included in this guide is everything you need to know to conduct professional-level keyword research, choose the best search terms for various web pages and more.  It’s a mere 25 pages long, but don’t worry: I didn’t skimp on any of the information you need to know.  I just took out all the fluff and boiled down the good stuff into an easy-to-understand, quick-read format.

How do you get your free copy of “Demystifying Keyword Research?”  Simply click to this page now http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keywordreport.html and start creating a new and profitable source of income for your business.

Is it Time for a Copywriting Face Lift?

I just had to laugh! During a recent conversation about how often you should change your copy, I had one person tell me “Well, if there were any good copywriters out there, they’d be able to write it once, and it would work forever!” Oh really? Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

It is extremely rare for advertising copy to last for extended periods of time. Changing your copy is a given, the reason being that people and events change. Since we, as copywriters, are reaching our customers on an emotional level, we have to stay in tune with what’s going on in their lives and their worlds. Let’s look at an example.

Say you rent mailing lists. Your primary benefit might be that you have the largest lists available offering a minimum of 100,000 names per category. Things are going great, and you’re renting lists like wildfire. But then – right in the middle of your success – the postal service increases rates substantially.

All of a sudden, your rentals begin to drop dramatically. Here you are screaming about the largest lists available anywhere, and your customer is thinking about how much his postage expense is going to skyrocket.

The businesses you rent lists to are now very concerned. What *used* to be your biggest benefit is now your biggest deterrent. Your customers no longer want to rent lists that have a minimum of 100,000 names. Instead, they’d love to be able to rent much smaller lists – in the 5,000 to 10,000 quantity range. Yep! You guessed it. It’s time to change your copy, USP and all!

Any number of aspects can cause a change in focus for your target customer, and therefore a need to rewrite your copy. Here are some of the more common ones for businesses:

    New tax laws
    New mandatory expenses (such as a postage increase)
    Starting a new business
    Closing a business
    Stock price increase
    Stock price decrease

Business to consumer sales can be affected, too. Personal circumstances that change every day include:

    Buying a new home
    Retiring
    Getting married
    Getting divorced
    Having a baby
    Receiving a tax refund
    Receiving an inheritance

What do I recommend? Twice a year, take a good, long look at your copy. What has changed in your marketplace? What laws, regulations, or events have been implemented or have taken place? Will these things have an impact on your customers? How will you respond to them?

Take that information and compare it to what your current copy says. Is your message clear? Are there benefits you need to update or change? Is your copy still making the most positive impact on your potential customers that it can?

If not, don’t hesitate to make changes. After all, your copy is your key to new customers and repeat customers. And, as I said in the beginning, hardly any copy will last forever. Eventually, everybody is due for a copy facelift.

Want a quick and easy way to learn web & SEO copywriting? Get Karon’s self-paced Step-by-Step Copywriting Course.  Lessons, examples and answers walk you through every aspect of writing expert-level copy for your site. Get details, watch videos & more at http://www.CopywritingCourse.com.

How Poor Usability Can Kill Your Copy and Conversions

It’s funny how we, as website owners, don’t always think like our visitors. A course of action that might seem perfectly obvious to us may stop our visitors right in the middle of their buying process. Take, for instance, e-commerce–type copy. Do you realize that what happens after your customers read your copy could make or break your sale? I’m not talking about shopping cart abandonment. I’m talking about good communication that keeps the buying cycle moving forward. Let me give you a real-world example.

One website offered custom-designed gift bags. The photos on their site were gorgeous. The copy seemed self-explanatory until I got to the request for quote page. There I found a form that asked questions I wasn’t expecting. I was supposed to explain my preference of fabric color, the type of handle I wanted and a description of any accessories that should be added to the bag. I had no idea how to answer.

Because the copy stated that each gift bag was custom designed, I assumed I’d be given options to choose from. Instead, as it turned out, I was responsible for knowing precisely what I wanted and also for describing it in detail in writing on the request for quote form. It set me back a little.

Since most people aren’t very comfortable with writing, I can easily see how a page like this would immediately stop visitors and send them packing. I could place the most compelling copy ever written on the sales page for these bags – copy that would have visitors primed and ready to whip out their credit cards. But after clicking to a request for quote page like the one described above, most would likely not order.

Would that be the fault of the copywriting? No. Yet most site owners would assume the text wasn’t doing its job. Low conversions, in this case, would be an error in the sales process.

Web Page Copy Doesn’t Involve Just One Page

Unless you’re talking about a specific landing page that is created for the sole purpose of receiving clicks from a targeted PPC ad campaign, there are very few instances where the copy on one web page won’t be affected by the pages around it.

Visitors click in and out of pages and back and forth throughout your site. They can also enter your site from literally hundreds of different links around the Net. For this and other reasons, you have to consider where they might come from and where they’ll be headed.

How to Test

One of the best ways to make sure your site flows as it should is to ask several outsiders to take a tour. Have them start at one of the many beginning points (a search engine listing, a link to you from another site, your home page, etc.) and click through just as a customer would. Ask them to make notes about what they didn’t understand as they go along so you’ll know where to tweak your copy.

You may even choose to give them specific tasks to complete while they are there. For example, ask them to read the copy and then explain the benefits of a new product or service you’ve added, or ask them to tell you the process for registering for the members-only area of your site.

Another good idea is to draw a flowchart of your website. Seeing all the pages on paper can oftentimes give you a better understanding of how the copy on each page might affect all the others surrounding it. Once you take a look at the big picture and get some feedback, use that information to shore up the weak copy on your site.

When you take time to see things from your visitors’ perspective and then implement adjustments accordingly, you’ll begin to notice increases in conversions. And that makes all the work worth your while.

Need to write copy that impresses the search engines AND your site visitors? Karon’s Step-by-Step Copywriting Course holds the key. Get details, watch videos & more at http://www.CopywritingCourse.com.

Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?

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 doing it in a way that will have the greatest impact on your readers or are you just throwing questions on a page?

Behaviorally speaking, not everybody responds in the same way to the same questions.  Those with different communications styles will relate in a variety of ways depending on how you phrase your sentence.

Using the DISC Behavioral Profile, let me explain what I mean and show you how you can start asking the right questions in the right way to suit your customers.

D = Dominance

Those who fall in the Dominance category of the DISC profile are described as: in control, powerful, confident, visionaries, and risk takers.  These people can be managers, CEOs, high-ranking military personnel, entrepreneurs, and the like.

Those who are considered high in Dominance want to stick to business. They expect the facts to be presented logically.  They want presentations to be clear, specific, and to the point.

This group of people will respond better to specific “what” questions.  For example, let’s say we’re developing a headline for an ultra-fast printer.  You wouldn’t want to write a headline that asks, “How Do You Cure a Need for Speed?”  That question is vague; it’s not specific, and it begins with the word “how.”

CEOs, upper management, and others in this category aren’t the least bit interested in “how” you do anything.  They are visionaries.  They look at the big picture, not the little details.  Details are somebody else’s job!

Instead, try rewriting that headline to include the word “what” and to be specific, like this: “What Cures a Need for Speed?”

You can see a similar relation in other behavioral styles (I, S, and C) and the types of questions people in each prefer.

I = Influence

Those high in Influence are generally found in the sales field or other fields that require a lot of people/social interaction.  They move fast and want to focus on people-oriented tasks.  They love to give their opinions and to be asked for their thoughts on a matter.  They love to be the center of attention.

This group responds well to “feeling” questions. Not just about themselves, but also about others.  For example: “Remember the excitement you felt when _____?” or “How would your child feel if _____?”

S = Steadiness

Those in the Steadiness group want to be seen as people – not a number.  They appreciate logic, a touch of personal interaction, and they are detail-oriented.  They are generally slow decision-makers and are not wild about taking unqualified risks.  Those who fall into the Steadiness category make up 40% of the general population and come from all walks of life.

People high in steadiness would be likely to respond better to questions beginning with “how.”  Possibilities include “How many times have you wished ____?” or “How often do you ____?”  They also respond well to questions that make them think, like “Is your copy getting results?”  They’ll likely want to know what you can do about it if the answer is “no.”

C = Compliance

When describing someone who falls into the Compliance category, these phrases come to mind: critical thinker, prepared, quality-oriented, incredibly detailed, specific, and slow decision-maker.  You’ll generally find these types working as engineers, bankers, accountants, scientists, and the like.

Those high in Compliance will respond best to questions including statistics and questions that force them to look at all sides of an issue/problem.  For example, “68% of All Drivers Pay Too Much for Auto Insurance. Are You?”  Another idea is “Widget or Thingee… Which Makes the Most Sense?”

Phrasing your questions in a way that allows your target customers to relate only makes sense.  When you hit a nerve – people will respond.  Asking the right questions… in the right way… within your copy will get you one step closer to closing the sale.

Copy not getting results?  Learn to write SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://www.copywritingcourse.com. While you’re there, sign up for your free 7-part website copywriting tutorial.

Are You Making These 3 Deadly Website Copywriting Mistakes?

It’s a common question.  “What copywriting mistakes should I avoid?”  There are many, but the 3 I chose might surprise you.  Why?  Because while these can potentially cause the greatest amount of damage they are not ones most copywriters talk about.

Why?  Because these aren’t the “sexy” copywriting mistakes.  They aren’t the quick-fix aspects. They require thinking and judgment and… … work!  However, they are the ones that – when implemented correctly – can drastically boost the performance of your copy and content whether that be a blog post, article, web page, email or other forms of text.

Copywriting Mistake #1 – Writing Without a Plan

Regardless of what you write, you’ll get better results if you perform due diligence with a little prior planning.  In fact, if you go through the planning phase of copywriting, chances are the copy will all but write itself.  How so?

Because research allows you the opportunity to get to know your target customer, organize your thoughts, outline features, benefits and end results, get your creative juices flowing, and much more. It also allows you to overcome what might otherwise become copywriting mistakes.

Take this article, for instance.  When I started, I didn’t just lay fingers to keyboard and begin rambling on.  I thought about the topic I’d like to approach.  I looked into keyphrases that might be a good fit. (For this piece, I chose “copywriting mistakes” and “copywriting mistake.”)

Then, I gave some thought about what – specifically – I’d like to accomplish in the article.  What, precisely, did I want to communicate to you?  Those became the “3 copywriting mistakes” mentioned in the headline as well as the outline for my writing.

All that was left to do was fill in the blanks.

The same applies to writing website copy.  When you follow a process for outlining features, benefits and end results, researching keywords, and creating a skeleton of what the page should accomplish, it all falls into place much easier.

Copywriting Mistake #2 – Writing About Your Company/Product Instead of To Your Site Visitor

One of my biggest pet peeves – and one of the most common copywriting mistakes I see – is ignoring your site visitors.  Indulge me for a minute as I climb on my soapbox.

If someone walked into your office, shook your hand and asked how you could help them, you would not immediately begin to rattle off everything you believed to be a strong point about your product or company.  No.  What would you do?  You’d start getting to know the customer.

You would ask questions.  You would find out what their problems/challenges are.  You’d get details on specifically what they want to do/accomplish and then you would address their exact issues.

Instead of “we do this and we do that and our company… let us help… we, we, us, us, our, our, our…blah, blah, blah” you would speak to the customer who is seated in front of you.  Instead of “we-ing all over yourself,” you’d say something like this:

“Mr. Smith, you can get to where you want to go. It’s not as hard as you think.  You can improve the image others have of your company and help reinforce your brand with a system that offers 3 important advantages.  First, you’ll find that ____________________________….”  You get the idea.

Does that mean you can never use “us” or “we” or “our?”  Certainly not!  But keep it to a minimum.  I’d venture to guess you should you those words less than 10% of the time.  After all, it’s not about you… it’s about the ones who have the money:  your customers.

Copywriting Mistake #3 – Thinking Copywriting Only Happens on Your Web Page

If you plan to write search engine optimized copy, you’ll have to understand that your copy actually begins in the search engine results pages (SERPs).  The title tag and the META description tag create a little advertisement for you in Yahoo!, Google, Bing and the other engines.

Let’s say a surfer types in “black cowboy boots” (for example).  The very first exposure that customer has to your web page is what they find in the SERPs. Which of these tag sets grabs your attention?

    Black Cowboy Boots – Black Cowboy Boots

    Black cowboy boots are manufactured by all of the major cowboy boot makers. This most popular boot comes in various styles depending on your needs.

    

    Black Cowboy Boots – Free Shipping and Return Shipping

    Buy cowboy boots with a price guarantee and top rated customer service. You can compare multiple … Dan Post Boots Eel Cowboy – Black (Men’s) $249.95 …

    

    Western Spurs, Tshirts, Western Wear, Art, Posters

    Black Cowboy Boot with Spurs keychains · Black Cowboy Boot with Spurs Key Chain by White_Wedding. praying cowboy pet clothing · praying cowboy dog shirt …

I don’t know about you, but I’d be clicking that free shipping one with the price guarantee!

You have to write your title tag and META description tag as an advertisement. Tell the surfer why they should click to your page as opposed to the other 10,000 in the SERPs. What’s in it for them if they click to you?

So, now you know.  And now that you know, you can avoid making the 3 most deadly copywriting mistakes small business owners make.

Want to learn to write web and SEO copy the right way?  Karon’s Step-by-Step Copywriting Course walks you through.  Get details about this home-study course today at http://www.CopywritingCourse.com.