One of the copywriting questions I get frequently is "How do I know what to write next in my sales copy? I'm Stuck!" Seems like a tough one, but really it's not. At least, not when you think about your copy the way you should be thinking about it.
Unfortunately, most new copywriters think of writing copy as a speech, and that's why they get stuck. They've got this image in their head of hundreds or thousands of people reading their page, and they freeze up just as they might if they were delivering the speech live. It's the stage fright that causes the writer's block.
More reasons? They use speech that is too-formal (like they're used to writing in their day-job when writing a report for their bosses' boss), and they never take risks or ask questions. The text comes out unemotional, boring, dry, and totally unmotivating. Motivation is what you're after here. . . the motivation to buy.
So take some advice here. Think of your sales letter as a conversation. A conversation that you predict and control. You determine the path of the discussion. You imagine and select the questions that your reader will ask, and you will answer. And you decide where your prospect will end up -- as the owner of your product.
More tips? Here you go:
1) Speak in personal language, with personal pronouns, like "you" and "your."
2) Be personal, casual, and actually care about who you are helping. I told a workshop member last week during his private consultation that he should rewrite his sales letter and imagine that he's transcribing (onto his sales letter) exactly what he might say if he met his prospect at a casual party. Wouldn't you just sit across the table, lean over, and ask some questions about your prospect's situation? His needs? The problems he's had solving it so far?
3) Actually add a "Frequently Asked Questions" section to your sales letter, but don't call it that. If you sell a dog training ebook, you can title it like this "The Three Biggest Dog-Training Questions, and Their Answers". Let me ask you. . . who on that website wouldn't read anything that follows that subhead? When you're stuck for what to write next, just ask yourself "What question would my reader have right now?"
4) Start where your prospect is. I am re-reading "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie right now. One of the things he says is (paraphrased) "Bait your hook with something desireable to the fish, not the fisherman." Too often, we write from our own perspective, not our customers.'
In fact, that is the single biggest mistake that someone can make with their copy. If you're trying to solve a problem that your customer doesn't have, you're not going to make a sale no matter what you say. On the other hand, if you truly know your customer -- and by that I mean his demographics, her psychographics, what he wants, what she needs, what he fears -- then you're going to be far more successful with your website sales than you ever imagined.
I call it "X-Raying your Customer" because you need to see and know what is going on beyond the surface, deep inside what motivates your prospect. "Prospect Xray" is my new ebook all about knowing your customer better. And it's major goal is to help you overcome the writer's block that most copywriters encounter. The result will be a more personal sales letter -- one that will help you make more sales than ever.
Go see Prospect Xray here: www.ProspectXray.com
One more thing. You've heard it hundreds or thousands of times before. . . "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Well, the best way to care about your customer is to actually know who your customer is.
ProspectXray will take you, step by step, into your customer's mind and motivations to help you know him or her better.
And for a limited time, it comes with a bonus ebook, "Survey Power". Use surveys to confirm and deepen what you'll learn about your prospect with the Xray.
These two ebooks together are a powerful combination, and when you get ProspectXray, you'll get SurveyPower, too. Free. At least, for now. www.ProspectXray.com
To your success,
Mark
This article is by Mark Widawer. Mr. Widawer authored THE book on designing and writing effective Landing Pages, the Landing Page Cash Machine, which shows you not only how to convert more of your site's visitors into buyers, including how to write excellent copy, but also shows you what makes an Internet business really work. Find out more at http://www.LandingPageCashMachine.com
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