Auto Biz Software

So… “image” copywriters and direct response copywriters. What’s the difference and why might you care? Well, there is a world of difference in the copy they’ll write you, the fees they’ll charge and the results you’ll get.

This is all fine and dandy and there’s a place for both of them in the copywriting world. No, the problem starts when the copywriter doesn’t know which he or she is; or, even worse, when the client doesn’t know, either (and worst of all, neither knows the difference between the two).

Let’s begin by looking at the “image” copywriter. An “image” copywriter will write you solid, readable copy… but… it doesn’t necessarily make good sales copy (measured only by its success in making money!)

It’s everything from the local company brochure and ad in the local paper to the big, expensive ads in the national press which are described in back-slapping fashion as “creative”, “funny”, “quirky” and award-winning.

Unfortunately, these ads are also ineffective and don’t actually make the advertiser any money.

Look, you don’t necessarily want “creative”, because good sales copy – and this can mean only copy that actually makes you money – is surprisingly formulaic and based on some very simple and very old fundamentals which have survived the test of the last few thousand years and aren’t going to stop working before you and I are long dead and past caring. This is the kind of copy you’ll get from a direct response copywriter.

Let me illustrate all this with a simple exercise: take your Yellow Pages and open it up. The stupid is so bad it hurts. Because what you’ll see is thousands and thousands of “image ads”, comprising the company’s name, their logo, some stuff about what they “do”, and ending with something like “and if we can help you, give us a call”.

This description sums up nearly every everything you’ll ever see from an “image” copywriter. It’s not that they can’t actually write. It’s just that, unlike a direct response copywriter, they’ve never actually studied the art and science of writing persuasive sales copy. You can spot them a mile away because their blurb usually says something like “I write persuasive copy that really gets results”.

If they really knew how to write persuasive sales copy that really gets results, they’d be a bit more dramatic, exciting and… well… persuasive about it.

On the other hand, a direct response copywriter is very different (and not just in the copy they write, either. I’ll come back to this).

He (or she) writes you a headline to grab the attention of the ideal buyer and then hand-crafts you copy which typically details the problem, points out the dire consequences of not getting it solved RIGHT NOW and then offers the only possible sane, safe and drop-dead simple solution. Finally the copy asks – sometimes insists – the reader takes action right away to get this problem solved just in case the entire planet self-destructs because of the reader’s laziness.

Now, I know some copywriters go too far with their claims, like saying they can “compel” people to buy. This is arrant nonsense bordering on fraud and it is plainly so – because if it were true, then he (or she) would be “compelling” rich multi-millionaires to buy umpty-million-dollar yachts from them instead of writing copy for a living, but I digress.

But, that aside, in essence, the “image” copywriter TELLS and direct response copywriter SELLS.

So, which kind do you want? Which kind is best?

Well, it all depends on what you’re trying to do.

If you’re just looking for “filler” say for SEO or free reports and white papers, then an “image” copywriter is probably fine. It’s the 80/20 rule. So, “image” copywriters are best employed on the 80% of copy bringing you just 20% of your profits.

They generally ask lower fees than a direct response copywriter because they’re selling you words rather than profits. That means they’re commoditised and come at ten a penny. They’re also more like the hired-help and typically write what you tell them to. Like I said, they see their business very differently.

On the other hand direct response copywriters not only going to charge you high fees, but they’re often going to tell you some unpleasant truths about your marketing unless you’re already an expert yourself and know what you’re doing. You need these people working on the 20% of your copy bringing in 80% of your income (and it’s worth investing 16x as much in them for their services, because that’s what their services are worth in comparison).

And don’t necessarily to “like” the copy you get because unless you’re in your own target market, it’s not meant to appeal to you. It’s neither necessary nor required, although it is nice when it happens (and don’t be tempted to “tweak” it on the quiet so it seems more “palatable”. Every time my clients do this, response goes down).

Ultimately, all that matters is your copy sells and makes you money.

Curiously, you’ll find a good direct response copywriter is also a good “image” copywriter, but the reverse is rarely true because the skills required by the direct response copywriter are much more involved and harder to learn.

The main point I want you to take away from this article is: you always want a direct response copywriter or marketer working on your business. I won’t be so arrogant as to say there are no circumstances whatsoever in which you’d want an “image” copywriter but I confess I can’t think of any except to provide that relatively unimportant 80% of so-so copy.

You see, even if you don’t want your brochure or other “telling” literature to read like a full-blown sales letter, there’s no reason for it not to sell subtly.

And I’m afraid an “image” copywriter simply doesn’t know how to write sales copy. Sure, you’ll get a perfectly literate and readable brochure… but it won’t sell.

And since a direct response copywriter is usually also a very competent “image” copywriter when he needs to be, there’s no reason not to take on a direct response guy and every reason to make sure you do.

Blogs of Interest

You need something written to sell your product or service. You turn to the Internet, tap the word ‘copywriter’ into Google and search. Bingo!

Thousands of results, plus a swag of Google Ads to boot. So who do you choose? Is the best copywriter the one who’s at the top of the search pile?

Not necessarily. What they are good at – or someone who’s affiliated with them is good at – is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). They know the techniques and tricks to get their website to the top of the search engine rankings. These copywriters are called, quite naturally, SEO copywriters.

Do you need a SEO Copywriter?

If you have a website and need it to climb the search engine rankings, you should consider the services of a SEO copywriter.

The SEO copywriter writes your web page text so that it includes specific search terms, known as keywords. He or she will aim for a keyword density of 3-5 per cent. So for every 100 words, your keyword should appear at least 3 times. The art of SEO copywriting is to make it all read smoothly and, more importantly, persuade the reader that your site is worth staying at until they do whatever it is you want them to do.

In addition to writing the text, a good SEO copywriter ensures that other page elements are optimised for search engines. This includes the Title, Description and Keyword tags, as well as alt text and headings.

All this will help your website climb the ranks. But it’s only part of the solution. A major factor in search engine rankings is the number of links around the Internet that lead to your site. There are several strategies to help you achieve this – but that’s another story.

What about a Direct Mail Copywriter?

A Direct Mail Copywriter is more accurately described as a Direct Response Copywriter. This copywriter can produce not only mailings, but also copy for most mediums, whether it be print, TV or radio. Everything he or she writes should be crafted to get a response from the reader, viewer or listener.

Take a look at any successful direct response advertising and you’ll find the copywriter has followed a formula, often referred to as AIDA, which stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Adding Conviction after Desire can make the advertising work harder.

Building your brand is not the prime focus of the Direct Response Copywriter. But an element of branding can and should be put into all direct response communications, even if it’s only your tag line.

Or do you need a specialist Brand Copywriter?

If you have a recognised brand or intend to build one, the Brand Copywriter can create the kind of ideas and copy that strikes an emotional appeal in the consumer’s mind.

Most global and national brands are built with the help of full service advertising agencies. An agency gives the kind of total approach – planning, strategy, research, media, creative, production – needed to build a brand.

However, hiring a freelance Brand Copywriter can be far more cost-effective. Before the Brand Copywriter starts work, he needs to know exactly what you want your brand to convey. That’s not a problem if your brand already exists, but if you want to create one you’ll need to have done your research.

In addition – and this goes for all advertising – you need to know your proposition for the job your hired copywriter is going to work on. Your proposition is a short statement that gives the single most compelling reason as to why someone should buy your product or service. Failure to produce a well-conceived proposition is the major reason much advertising fails to produce the desired results.

Don’t forget Technical Copywriters

If your product or service is of a highly technical nature then you’ll need a Technical Copywriter to convey its benefits to your target audience. That could mean communicating to other technically literate people, or else turning the techno-language into everyday speak for a wider audience.

When you know what type of copywriter you want, you then need to find one that’s good in his or her particular field. Check copywriting samples first. Any copywriter of merit will have at least a couple of well-known brand names in their portfolio. Does the copy read well? Does it persuade? If so, ring them up and talk to them. If you feel a rapport developing, that’s a good sign you’ve got the right copywriter.

Blogs of Interest

“Effective, Profitable Copywriting Secrets will drastically improve your sales letters conversion and increase your bottom line. Discover How To Write Killer Ad Copy From A Master Copywriter”

I was staring at my computer screen working on my copywriting and was drawing a complete blank. While I was staring, it hit me – I really needed guidance with my mediocre copywriting skills.

Discouraged after searching through dozens of copywriting products on the internet, I nearly gave up. Most of them seemed so over-hyped that I didn’t believe they could stand up to their promises. So, I avoided those. I was looking for a product that I could learn effective copywriting skills from and apply it to my SEO copywriting. After what seemed like hours, I finally found exactly what I was looking for.

I downloaded Profitable Copywriting Secrets, a tell-all ebook written by master copywriter Stuart Elliott. It’s filled with astonishing information revealing secret, breakthrough methods of the copywriting masters who have written million dollar sales pages. I began reading and my initial thought was “Wow! I can personally profit from the incredible information in Profitable Copywriting Secrets!”

Glancing at the clock, it was already 1:00 A.M. I really needed some sleep but Profitable Copywriting Secrets is so reveailng that I stayed up and read anyway. I was tired the next day but it was worth it! I do lots of SEO copywriting and I am going to apply Stuart Elliott’s unique ideas immediately. My SEO copywriting skills will suffer no more!

What I Liked

I found Profitable Copywriting Secrets to be more than just a copywriting guide – it’s filled with the powerful tactics Stuart Elliott uses to look into the mind of the consumer and generate more sales.

Stuart Elliott guides you through the maze of copywriting pitfalls with ease. Profitable Copywriting Secrets shows you what to avoid and how to create a successful sales letter. It also shows you the exact layout of an effective sales letter and how to tailor it to your business so you can begin to increase your conversion rate immediatey. Profitabe Copywriting Secrets provides you with an insider’s view of ‘killer ad’ copywriting.

Stuart Elliott’s experience has given him great insight into a sales prospect’s thoughts and the ability to teach you how to gain that insight. He has a keen eye for the sales process and how to turn that process into a sales letter that will generate sales. Guaranteed or your money back! This will also be handy with my SEO copywriting. Getting into the prospect’s mind is an important part of any copywriting that can make or break the sale.

Along with the e book, you’ll receive a free sales letter critique. Stuart rolled out the service in response to requests from many would be home based entrepreneurs who don’t have the resources to pay the 0 or more per hour that industry experts demand.

The fact that Stuart Elliott once had to sell his CD collection to put food on the table means that he started his copywriting career down and out and worked his way up to be a master copywriter. He’s an ordinary guy who’s excelled at wordsmithing and figued out how to profit from it.

What Could Be Improved

About the only thing that could possibly be an improvement to Profitable Copywriting Secrets would be the addition of summaries to the end of each chapter. I found myself scrolling a bit to find something I’d already read and wanted to read again.

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely! Never again will I be stuck for words and waste my precious time. It’s worth every penny of its low price which means you have nothing to lose. Stuart Elliott takes all the risk with an 8 week no-nonsense money back gurantee that you won’t need. I am anxious to apply the fantastic secrets I’ve discovered in Profitable Copywriting Secrets to my SEO copywriting and increase my own sales!

A quote from Stuart Elliott’s Profitable Copywriting Secrets:

“Selling is the number one skill you MUST learn if you are going to be in business, and this applies to offline, too. If you do not know how to sell, you and your business will struggle financially.”

Stop losing sales with pitiful sales copy. Investing less than forty dollars right now to own your copy of Profitable Copywriting Secrets could make you thousands in the future.

Blogs of Interest

If you are looking for a sales copywriting expert to help you sell your product, you may be unsure as to how to find a good one. As your well aware the Internet is a large database of information when it comes to finding something you want, including a good copywriter. Once you start searching online for a sales copywriter, you will find that there are thousands, if not more, for you to choose from. But the question is do you know What Good Sales Copy is and whether it suits your product or not?

Being a good sales copywriter is much more than being able to write a good article or story. Libraries are full of books that provide good stories. The idea is you need to be able to engage the people that look at your website and persuade them into a sale. What can someone whos good at sales copywriting do for you?

A sales copywriter knows how to make the audience “see” how the product will help them, they also know how to use the write vocabulary to sympathise and relete to potential prospects. They will be able to provide readers of your webpage with solutions to their problems. Everyone wants to know that someone has a solution to their problem. If they’re in pain or somethings broken and they want to know how to fix it, a good copywriter should know how to relate to these people. They should be able to convince the readerss and provide them with the perfect answer and fix to their problems.

If you think you’ve found someone whos good at sales copywriting, be sure to go through some of his work first. ask to see samples and demonstartions. Look for the qualities and skills mentioned above in his copywriting and then your sure your on to a winner.

Have you ever founf yourself buying something you absolutely had to have, because it seemed so perfect, You feel like your really going to use it and couldnt do without it.I certainly have. I’ll tell you what i bought- i bought from a good sales letter, a good sales pitch, they made it seem so appealing and essential. These are the kind of people you want writing sales copy for you, so if you feel that impulse upon studying their work, your set.

Now that you know what you are looking for in a sales copy writer, you have to find one that fits the bill, so to speak. Start your search online. You’d be surprised the number of there are that are  becoming independent and not part of a company or business writing. They can also offer great prices for their excellent work, since they dont have the tie-ins to big companies

When you find some names that appear promising as good writers, ask for references. If they that good, they will have several people who are willing to provide references.

Ask the companies know that using the services of a writer of sales and see if they can recommend any other copywriters. Referrals are the best way to ensure you’re getting a sales copywriting professional. Make a list of all the names you’ve found for potential sales letter specialists. Once you have your list, begin the “interview” process to reduce the number that best suits your needs.

Blogs of Interest

Zazou Marketing writes copy that grabs attention, conveys benefits, alleviates distrust, creates interest, and closes the deal. In effect, we act a little like your top salesperson. Zazou Marketing offers the following services: Effective article writing and marketing, freelance writer marketing, marketing communications writer, marketing writer, copywriter, freelance copywriter, advertising copywriter, marketing copywriter, copywriting, professional copywriter, content editor, content editing, freelance writing, freelance writer.

One of the biggest misconceptions about copywriting is that anyone who is good at writing is naturally good at copywriting. The truth is that while you do need to be good at writing in order to be good at copywriting, the reverse is not true. You do not need to be good at copywriting to be good at writing. Huh?!

Let’s break it down: The misconception is largely based on the fact that copywriting is a bit of a foreign concept to most people. But if you’re in the business world, you probably come across copywriting every day of your working life. That’s because copywriting is any business writing that is used to sell, promote or market a company’s services or products. So, copywriting projects are simply any marketing communications—such as direct mail, ads, a website, newsletters, articles or press releases—that a company produces.

But what exactly are the common threads between such diverse copywriting projects? For one, there is an informational aspect to each of these copywriting projects. However, there is more to it than simply delivering information. There is always a greater purpose to the piece. Of course, the specific intention of a copywriting project varies, but, in general, copywriting projects are meant to attract customers and make sales. Remember that not all copywriting projects need to actually close a sale—although, it’s great if they do. But all copywriting projects do need to move your business toward a goal, whether creating a relationship, fueling interest, attracting leads, etc. Simply put, copywriting projects need to contribute to your business objectives.

There are a few typical ways that companies traditionally use copywriting. For one, direct response communications ask the reader to respond right away. This type of copywriting project takes many forms, whether direct mail, an advertisement, a website or a brochure.

Another common use for copywriting is for public relations. This indirect communication establishes credibility and gets you in the public eye through articles in magazines, newspapers, television, radio, journals, etc.

Whatever the method, all copywriting projects will be more effective if they entice, influence and create desire—hence why good copywriting needs to be well-written. But since a good novel need not entice, influence and create desire, not all writers need be good at copywriting.

http://www.zazoumarketing.com

Blogs of Interest