Great copywriting is about knowing who your prospect is, what they need, what they REALLY want and how your product will give it to them ... specically, specifically, specifically.

Like any piece of written material your ad should have a title, a beginning, a middle and an end.

You have a split second to grab their attention and hold it. That's what the headline is for - to arouse their curiousity, get their attention, lure them with exciting, very specific benefits and get them hooked enough to want to spend time reading your ad.

The next most important part of your copy is the opening. It needs to be as punchy and attention grabbing as the headline. It needs to be powerful enough to make your reader want to read on. The minute your copy becomes boring or braggish, your reader will switch off. The key is to make each paragraph exciting enough to make your reader want to read on to the next paragraph.

Make each paragraph flow onto the next and identify more and more benefits that specifically relate to your prospect.

And finally, the ending must have a climax and then a specific ending where you ask for the order.

Here are some specific tips that help you do that:

1. Know your objectives.

How many enquiries do you want? How many sales do you want? Can you sell directly off the page or do you need a 2 step approach?

2. Remember advertising is salesmanship in print and remember that the more you tell, the more you sell.

3. Always ensure your promotional efforts are measurable so you know exactly how much "bang" you're getting for your buck.

4. Remember, specifics sell. For instance, 49 is more believable than 50.

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5. Use a headline that flags your reader down based on who they are or what their interests are

eg. "Doctors ... Here's a " or "Garden lovers ... "

6. Identify with their problem or need.

eg. "There's no doubt about it. Being in business is tough. Burning the midnight oil etc.etc.

7. Hint at a solution.

eg. "Now there's an easy way to ..."

8. Explain how you're going to solve their problem.

eg. "At xyz company we have a widget that does this that and the other so you ..."

9. Show them proof by giving specific results, mentioning testimonials and mentioning a guarantee. This dissolves scepticism and therefore lowers the barriers to doing business with you.

10. Articulate your "point of difference" ... what sets you apart from your competitors. Shout it from the rooftops.

eg. delivered in 30 minutes or it’s FREE.

11. Offer free information, such as an information pack or catalogue. Describe that free information and why it is so useful.

Give it an interesting title, such as ‘56 ways to increase your wealth using just $56’.

11. Tell them to act by making an offer and stressing urgency. Simply ask them to ring, fax, or write to post an order. Make it a limited offer.

eg. "Offer ends April 4, 2001 so call now".

12. Include your address in the last paragraph of copy, beneath your logo, and in your response device, in and easy to read font.

13. Include a toll-free number in extra large type in your ad.

14. Use a coupon or response device, it increases responses by 25% to 100%.

15. Give plenty of room for readers to fill out the coupon details and give it a headline like "Yes, I'd like to learn how to cut my mortgage interest bill in half."

16. Give lots of options in your response device. These may include getting a report, a free consultation, a phone call from a salesperson etc.

17. Put a dashed or cut along the dotted line border on an ad less than a quarter page. It gives a coupon-like appearance and makes people cut it out and keep it. You can even say "cut out this ad and send it to us for more information."

18. A reply paid device can double your responses because it makes it that much easier for people to respond.

19. Put in a reference number to make testing and measuring easier. Have the reader made aware they should quote the reference number when they call.

20. The layout must be (first and foremost) easy to read. "Serif" (Times New Roman) typefaces are easier to read than "sans serif" (Arial).

21. Look at the ads that have worked best for you to see if you can distinguish a common theme in them.

About The Author
Kris Mills of Words that Sell is a top selling copywriterand respected author of numerous publications. For more copywriting and direct marketing tips, visit: Synergie.com

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