Copywriting and Advertising: 20 Ways to Increase Response Rates

 

David Frey's Marketing Bible sets new standards for its simple, comprehensive coverage of hundreds of techniques for marketing small businesses Get the Marketing Bible Now.

It's easy to overlook the obvious when you're putting together an ad. The following checklist will help you keep on track for better response in print, direct mail, broadcast or web advertising.

1. Is it clear what you're offering? Show the communication to someone who's had nothing to do with it and see if they understand it. And understand it quickly!

2. Is it equally clear what you want your prospect to do? Order your product, send for more info, return the questionnaire, visit your website.

3. Does your communication have a single strong idea? More than one idea can confuse and lose your prospect. And the best idea is of course linked to your strongest product or service benefit.

4. Have you shown an obvious advantage over your competition? This could be a unique benefit, lower price, better quality or else your incentive.

5. Can you make your offer seem exclusive? Prospects feel flattered if they can be among the chosen few.

6. If there's an incentive, is it brought into the communication early? And is it justified? The incentive is an added reason to buy. In a crowded market it can be the only reason to buy. So get it up there quick. And justify it. For example, "End of Season Sale" is more credible than simply "Sale".

7. Can you strengthen the communication by quoting testimonials or independent research? Satisfied customers or an objective point of view are powerful ways to persuade new prospects to buy.

8. Can you offer a guarantee to increase buyer confidence? Guarantees are as old as advertising itself - for good reason.

9. Have you made your prospect the most important part of the communication? Not your company, not even your product or service, but the improved quality of life that your prospect will enjoy if they respond.

10. If your brand is well known, is it featured strongly? Your name adds reassurance.

11. Have you given every reason to respond and, consequently, overcome any normal objections? Your communication - whether it be online, print or broadcast - has to do the work of a salesman. But as it can't hear the particular objection in your prospect's head, you need to cover all possibilities.

12. Have you made it easy to respond (and pay)? A choice of channels usually increases response.

13. Is it written in a friendly tone? It should sound as if you're talking to your prospect face to face.

14. Is the tone of voice appropriate for your target audience? Talk to consumers as if you were chatting at their kitchen table. For B2B imagine you're in their office.

15. Have you matched benefits to features? (Here's the feature) "The Golden Fund invests in China's top twenty companies... (Now the benefit) .....giving your portfolio exposure to massive growth potential."

16. Have you been specific in your claims? Not "a great choice of insurance plans" but "a choice of 17 insurance plans, allowing you to..."

17. Are words, sentences and paragraphs short and easy to read? Choose simple words. Sentences with eight words are easiest to read. Paragraphs should be bite size.

18. Do your visuals emphasize a benefit? Put captions to your visuals as they are almost always read.

19. In the case of ads and mailings, have you restated the benefits near the coupon or phone number? Or at the checkout for your website? For ads and mailings people sometimes rip out coupons to complete later. If they can't remember why they did so, it's a lost sale. Online it's at the checkout where they sometimes have a change of heart; your main benefit can keep them reassured.

20. In print and screen media, is your font easy to read? Newspapers use a serif typeface because it's easy to read. If you use sans-serif make sure there's enough space between the lines.

Copyright 2006 by Tony Brecher

Tony Brecher has over 19 years experience as a copywriter and creative director. He now runs Adwriter and creates advertising, direct mail and web content for clients large and small. For more information on how he can help you create successful advertising visit http://www.adwriter.com.au

Only 1 In 5 Of You Will Read Beyond This Headline

 

David Frey's Marketing Bible sets new standards for its simple, comprehensive coverage of hundreds of techniques for marketing small businesses Get the Marketing Bible Now.

Research indicates 8 out of 10 people don't bother to read beyond the
headline of an ad.

That would be okay if those people had no interest in whatever it is
you're selling. But they do. The fact that they bothered to read your
headline at all indicates some interest - either dormant or active - in
your product or service.

Our job, therefore, is to write a headline that entices them to read on.

Tricky, weird or funny headlines rarely make the cash register ring. The
best way forward is to write a line that promises (or implies) a
benefit. People naturally want to know "what's in it for me?" And if
there is something in it for them, they'll want to find out more.

So let's look at a few techniques to get us started.

Let's say you sell a trading system that allows people to trade from
home on their computer. It's feasible that people can use this system to
earn $100,000 a year. And they can do this in their spare time.

Your proposition is: "The trading system that earns you $100,000 a year
in your spare time." Here are 5 ways to start generating your headlines.

1. Polish the proposition. The word "earn" sounds too much like hard
work. And do we really need "trading system"? We can also flip the line
to put our prospect first. "Make $100,000 a year in your spare time."
2. Phrase it as a question. "Would you like to make $100,000 a year in
your spare time?" Or "What's stopping you from earning $100,000 a year
in your spare time?"
3. Use a How-To, as in "How to make $100,000 a year in your spare time."
4. Try a testimonial. "Last year I made $100,000 in my spare time. Now
you can too."
5. Problem-solution. "Need more income? Here's how to make $100,000 a
year in your spare time."

To explore more headline ideas, ask yourself what your prospect could
do, or how they'd feel, with the benefit of your product. In our example
they might resign from their day job. Perhaps they'd start trading full
time. "$100,000 in your spare time! How much could you earn full time?"

What do people do in their spare time? A hobby. Another headline idea:
"Turn a spare time hobby into $100,000 a year."

Here are a few more guidelines for successful headline writing:

1. Always put your prospect into the headline. Instead of "XYZ Design
Services creates moneymaking web sites," write "Turn your website into a
moneymaker with XYZ Design Services."
2. Try to keep in the present tense.
3. When possible don't use negatives - avoid negatives.
4. Be specific with savings - it adds credibility. "Save up to 38% in
our software sale."
5. Avoid conditional phrases, such as "If you like healthy eating,
you'll love this new recipe book." Better to write "You'll love these
new healthy recipes."

After you've generated at least 10 headlines put them away for a day.
When you go back to them, discard any line that doesn't support your
proposition. (Remember, you did all that hard work to ensure your
proposition is absolutely right for making sales in your market.)

Then select three headlines which you feel are the strongest and show
them to someone you trust. Get their opinion, but in the end trust your
own judgment.

Tony Brecher has over 19 years experience as a copywriter and creative
director. He now runs Adwriter and creates advertising, direct mail and
web content for clients large and small. For more information on how he
can help you create successful advertising visit http://www.adwriter.com.au