Archive for sales copy
Freelance Copywriting: The Importance of Voice
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Many online businesses fail to see why they should pay for freelance copywriting, believing that it is an unnecessary cost. They try to write their own copy or scour the freelance writing sites in an attempt to find cheap labor. They don’t realize that this can actually harm business, potentially jeopardizing all the hard work they put into designing and promoting the site.
The problem is that too many organizations are prepared to spend a small fortune on web designers, SEO consultants, and photographers, yet don’t think too much about the content. Instead of treating content as the heart of the website, it somehow becomes relegated to a secondary function, a mere afterthought.
A well-laid out, easy-to-navigate website with good images will create an image of professionalism, like a well-maintained, tidy store. It can certainly catch the eye and entice people to explore further, but it will not encourage them to buy. The way to close the deal is with words, a tried and tested technique that has worked for a few millennia.
Incompetent Employees and the Empty Store
So, why do businesses forget this ancient technique as soon as they move online? Perhaps they become enamored with the whole multi-media/flash animations/Facebook thing: while these are great marketing methods, they cannot stand alone.
Think of it as populating a store with beautiful staff, complete with flashing white teeth, perfect tans, and designer shirts: this won’t work if they are completely devoid of personality. If a potential customer asks a question only to find that the employees aren’t particularly blessed with brains, they will go elsewhere. It is the same online: you need to use words to sell, ideally well-chosen words from somebody who is knowledgeable, engaging, and interesting.
Connecting With Words: The Gift of the Freelance Writer
This is one of the keys to good freelance copywriting, as an experienced professional writer knows how to connect with people. There are a few techniques for keeping readers interested, but the common thread uniting them all is the ‘writer’s voice.’ This is a fundamental principle that is very simple to understand yet very hard to practice.
Ideally, a writer’s language should resemble how they would sound if they were speaking to the person. Try reading this passage out aloud (as long as you are not in public), and it is pretty much how I sound in real life: a slightly pompous Englishman. In fact, many writers, when they read, actually hear a little voice in their head reciting the words aloud. That is why TYPING IN ALL CAPS is a bad thing, because it actually gives some of us a headache!
A good writer can not only write how they speak, but can adapt their voice; if they were writing to an audience of grizzled building contractors, they would use a completely different voice than if they were copywriting for a site frequented by gaming geeks. That is what a good copywriter can do – they can make your site a welcoming place, greeting customers with a little human warmth, explaining exactly what your business can do for them.
The Joy of Freelance Copywriting
Of course, that is only one part of the equation, because a good copywriter can also create content that attracts search engine bots as well as human readers. Your marketing department will love you if you hire a pro copywriter, because this will make their life much easier.
Anyway, that is the end of these musings – I hope that you didn’t get too lost in the rambling. As you are at the end of the page, I must have done something right, so here is the link to the main site where you are free to contact me for a no obligation discussion. Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you soon.
Image: “Raven Releasing the Sun”, by Todd Baker
Sales Writer for Hire: How To Write Sales Copy
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For Sale
Most people have little idea of how to judge sales copy, and that really isn’t a bad thing. If people consciously thought about what they were reading, the best efforts of your sales writer for hire would be in vain. It is a professional writer’s job to use emotion and voice to entice the reader to invest in your services, using their expertise in how to write sales copy.
If you are looking for a freelance sales writer for hire, what sort of copy do you want them to produce? What makes sales copy powerful?
Sales Copy: Quality Writing vs Powerful Writing
The problem with sales writing is that it does not always correlate with quality writing. Somebody can write wonderful, flowing prose yet produce ineffective sales copy, simply because they don’t understand the little tricks and nuances required to sell products. While there are many other good reasons for producing quality content, the most important judge of sales copy is how many products you sell.
The key to good sales copy is understanding how people behave online. The vast majority of readers skim through an article, trying to pick out relevant information quickly. If they don’t find what they are looking for within a few seconds, they will simply move on to one of your competitors. That is where a professional copywriter earns their money, because they can write a sales pitch that balances quality, impact, and SEO requirements.
A Few Sales Letter Format Suggestions
Here are a few suggestions of how to judge good sales copy and determine if your sales writer knows their business.
Strong Start: The first paragraph is the most important part of your sales pitch, because it has to grab the attention and tell the reader that it is worth reading on. The first paragraph should be punchy yet information packed, identifying a problem and suggesting a solution.
Clarity: Sales copy should be clear and focused with an economy of style, telling the reader everything they want to know. The writing needs to carry passion, because you are appealing to the emotions of the reader, but it should avoid long sentences and useless adjectives.
Cliché Free: The vast majority of people are sick of hyperbole, and a pitch filled with exclamation marks and sales words such as ‘great,’ ‘super,’ amazing will fail. As a rule of thumb, if you find the word on used car forecourts, don’t use it in your sales copywriting. Subtlety is your friend.
Overcome Objections: As in real-world sales, one of the keys of selling is answering all of the potential questions and overcoming objections. If you manage to do this, your sales conversions will soon rocket.
Build Trust: Internet users are increasingly savvy and know how to avoid most of the sharks. Build trust with words and don’t insult the reader’s intelligence. Again, gentle prodding is much better than trying to metaphorically punch the reader in the face.
Sprint to the Line: To match your strong opening paragraph, you need a very strong closing paragraph, known as ‘The Call To Arms.’ This is where you persuade the reader to click through to the sales page.
Impersonality and Availability: Treading the Line
Ultimately, selling online is a different preposition to selling offline. Online, you lack the personal interaction and the ability to counter objections as they arise. You need to think ahead, because you only have one chance to impress the reader. The advantage is that you don’t need as much physical effort; once the sales copy is written, it will work 24/7 with little further action on your part.
For this reason, it is vital to get it right first time, ensuring that your copy sells and keeps on selling. A good freelance writer for hire knows how to use words to create instant impact, selling you and your products to potential clients. Hire a professional sales writer who knows how to write sales copy, and watch your profits grow.
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