Okay, I will admit that the title of this article is a little heavy...
However, when new copy crosses my desk for review, I always use the following guidelines to measure its effectiveness. Even if you are not a seasoned copywriter, you can pull off professional advertising copy by sticking closely to these ten simple guidelines.
Become one with your audience.
Who is your target? Are you writing to small business owners, hobbyist, parents, men, women, Battlestar Galatica enthusiasts? Your target audience are the people who will eventually read and respond to your copy.
You must define your target first to determine what sort of language you will use to reach them with your story. Defining your target audience involves creating a profile of the ideal prospect. Copywriters use research tools, such as surveys, market analysis, and focus groups to better define and understand their target audiences.
Know your stuff.
If you are selling a product, service or even an idea, become well-versed in the features, and more importantly, the benefits of what you are selling. Features involve all the pertinent facts about an offering, for example, its size, color, weight, whether or not it uses batteries or is solar powered.
The more you know about a product's features, the better able you are to create dynamic benefits statements that will resonate with your target audience. People really don't care about the 72 innovate features of any particular widgit; people buy because of how they perceive the purchase will make them feel.
For example, Maxie's Super Compact Solar-Powered Portable Hair Curler is a styling product, whose prominent feature is its portability. The benefits of this product, however, reflect the emotional motives of the buyer. The major benefits might include the prestige of owning a ridiculously priced earth-friendly styling tool, the convenience of being able to beautify one's locks during a traffic jam, or the money-saving benefit of not having to purchase or replace batteries. [This product has not yet been developed, but when it is, I will definitely purchase one.]
Get a PSP.
...and I don't mean the hand-held distraction (sorry, guys). PSP stands for Principal Selling Position. This is your product's most attractive benefit, through the eyes of your target audience. In other words, you list all of your product's features and corresponding benefits and you choose the strongest benefit. That is your PSP.
If you have done this correctly, when your audience thinks of your product they will immediately associate it with a particular benefit. For example, everyone in my office loves the Visa Debit Card commercials. See below.
This commercial clearly expresses the PSP of Visa debit cards, speed and convenience. Your copy should be just as clear.
Boast the benefits.
Tout your benefits. When writing copy, make sure you are writing benefit-oriented copy. Sometimes, people get so excited about their own wonderful features that they write copy that resonates...well, with only themselves. When I worked for a large firm, we called that marketing UP (to the boss), rather than marketing OUT (to the target audience).
Your copy must answer the target's question, "What do I get out of it?" Compelling copy engages a prospects emotions and deep seated desires, like the need to feel secure, loved, sexually appealing, healthy, important and so on. By engaging your prospects gut-level emotions, you will be more able to cause them to act in your favor.
Be More Active.
You remember VERBS, don't you? Let's review. a verb is the part of a sentence that denotes the action taken, and can be expressed in either active or passive voice. The active voice is more powerful and direct, and has more energy than that of passive voice. Notice the difference in my example below.
Passive: My articles are always read by savvy professionals. Active: Savvy professionals always read my articles.
Generally speaking, in a sentence using active voice, the subject "acts." Active voice gives your words more intensity and energy. On the other hand, passive copy is impotent and uninteresting.
Be short with them.
[Don't be mean.]
Use shorter sentences with shorter words. You don't have to prove how smart you are by using twenty-letter-words, in lengthy sentences. When writing copy, less is more. cut out irrelevant words or flowery speech. State benefits simply, cutting out the fluff. Short sentences in active voice create interest, urgency and rhythm.
Catch their eye.
Formatting matters. Copywriters understand how using the propers fonts, formats and colors can make or break your copy. Copy should use formats to grab and hold the readers attention without being so distracting that the copy itself is impossible to read. There is a whole science to understanding how the eye interprets what it sees in print and on the screen, but here are a few tips.
Use intriguing headlines. Headlines are bold type that tease to reader, inspiring him to read more. Headlines should be short, powerful and easy to read. They can be written as a compelling statement or intriguing question.
Embrace the space. Break up the body of your copy with plenty of white space, including margins. This make copy easy to read and less burdensome to follow.
Bullets penetrate. One of the most effective ways to leave an impression on your reader is to use a bulleted list. Lists are easy to read and understand and are a great way to reinforce your headline. Our eyes are actually draw to bulleted lists, as they deliver information quickly and powerfully.
Make an offer.
If the purpose of your ad is to sell something, especially something new, it is a great idea to spur your potential customer to act, by making a powerful offer. Your offer is a statement like, "Act now. Limited Time Only." Offers tend to contain at least one of the following characteristics.
An exceptionally good deal, like free merchandise or dramatically reduced prices.
Limited availability or time sensitive offer, creating a sense of urgency for the prospect.
Risk-free for the prospect or a money-back guarantee/rebate
Be a bit bossy.
Don't offend anyone, but be state in specific terms what actions you expect your readers to take. Give them concise instructions that are direct and concrete. Use action words to direct your prospects next steps. Examples are "Call today," "Visit our newest location," "Register on our website."
Scream Your Name.
Take advantage of this opportunity to bring name recognition to your company or organization. Whenever you can, mention your organization by name, display the logo prominently and state the slogan or tag line. When possible use your companies name in the headline, the body and in customer testimonials. Place your company website and contact information at the bottom of the ad. by doing this you will build brand recognition, which helps to reinforce your products benefits and lead to more sales.
