Member Article

Now, 3 killer copywriting secrets every business owner should know

Websites and emails, leaflets and adverts… we’re bombarded with words, pictures, slogans and sales messages everyday.

But, when it comes to marketing your own business, how can you make sure your voice is heard above the madding crowd?

These 3 killer copywriting secrets will give you the best chance of cutting through the noise.

1. The Travis Bickle guide to getting attention

First, find a pad of Post-it notes and a marker pen. Then, write down this quote from Robert de Niro in Taxi Driver in big, bold letters.

“You talkin’ to me?”

And stick the note on the corner of your computer screen.

Now, remember to look at it every time you put fingers to keyboard or pen to paper to promote your business.

Picture your ideal customer – the one who buys lots of what you produce, pays their bills on time and recommends you to all their friends - and make sure you write to them.

How?

It’s simple. Just remember to use the word ‘you’.

Yes, ‘you’.

Simple.

“I’m talkin’ to you.”

Not ‘some of you’, just ‘you’, my ideal customer.

2. Killer headlines - and why they work

Statistics have shown that 8 out of 10 people read headlines. But only 2 out of 10 people go on to read the rest of what’s written.

Which explains why a good headline is vital to getting any piece of writing – be it a sales page, a blog post or a web page - read. A good headline draws your customer in and, when done well, gets them to read on to the next line of your message. And the next…

Good headlines contain one of three elements:

• A benefit – e.g. ‘Save money and valuable time today’
• An exciting snippet of news – e.g. ‘My exclusive interview with Lord Sugar’
• Something to arouse the reader’s curiosity –e.g. ‘53 ways Twitter can help you build your online business’

Killer headlines contain all three elements – like, ummm … oh yes, the title of this article.

3.The space bar is your friend

Your inbox is overflowing, you have a to-do-list as long as your arm when a sales letter lands on your desk for a new widget that your company desperately needs.

The trouble is, the letter is dense, the page is filled with black ink. It’s full of long-winded sentences, jargon and clichés.

Do you wade through it – or do you leave it until later and risk losing it in piles of more paper?

Breaking up your writing with headlines, subheadings (or crossheads) and lots of white space allows your words to breathe.

It gives you room to highlight the key benefits your company offers and it’s the best way to make sure that, even if your reader only has a minute to spare, he’ll take away the message you wanted to send.

And there you have it. Three killer copywriting secrets that will make sure your message is heard. And help your business to succeed.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katherine, Haydn Grey .