A common mistake that many copywriters, whether beginner or experienced, seem to make is jumping immediately into the writing process.
You may wonder what is wrong with that; it is called copyWRITING after all.
The fact is that doing that can be disastrous because, don’t forget, the end purpose is to sell.
Yet, how is it possible to sell something you don’t know?
Before beginning the writing process, there are 5 important steps that you should be take to be sure that the sales copy will best represent the product or service. They are:
1. Know Your Target Prospect
The first thing to do is understand your target audience.
You will be writing to them so the more you understand them, the more you can “be” them, the more success you will have.
You will be writing to their interests using words that are familiar to them.
Words have power, they can move people so you must choose the right words (those that will excite and comfort the prospect) and say them in the right way (the way they want to hear them).
This can be a powerful marketing ally.
2. Learn About the Product and Offer
Actually read, use, listen to, watch the product.
Analyze its strengths but make sure you understand the benefits to the prospects; find those benefits that prospects will actually want.
Always approach this from the point of view of the prospect.
What benefits will prospects desire?
Understand those or more properly feel them.
3. Find the Differentiators
Compare the product or service against other, similar, offers in the market.
What makes the product or service stand out and be unique?
Remember, be the prospect and ask yourself “why would I buy this product or service instead of another one?”
4. Plan, Plan and Plan
Every sales letter requires it’s own plan.
Most will require long sales copy, while others can do the job with less; the key is to make sure you have every word you need and do not have one word more than necessary – each word should “earn” it’s place and this is driven from the plan.
Most sales letters need a lot of “proof” and others shouldn’t have it because it could actually hurt credibility.
Most sales letters need to address many possible objections and others won’t need to.
Create the plan from your knowledge of the prospective audience and the product or service.
5. Don’t Try to Sell it if You Don’t Believe it
It is very hard for most people to try to sell something they aren’t convinced will truly help the prospect.
This lack of belief will subtly enter the sales copy and while you may not see it the prospect will feel it
Conclusion
After you’ve understood the target audience and the product or service then look for the differentiators (the Unique Selling Proposition).
Then create a plan and, if you’ve convinced yourself that it can help the prospects, you are ready to write your sales letter.
Talk soon,
The Shameless (Ethical) Marketer
http://www.8-8-8Sale.com
http://www.MusicForInternetMarketers.com
http://www.MadMondaySale.com
http://www.2ForTuesdaySale.com
http://www.SecretsOfGoogleAdWords.com
O.Y. The person who was, and continues to be, the most instrumental person in teaching me copywriting, including how to best use Power Words for maximum effect, is Dan Kennedy. You can get 2 free months of his Inner Circle newsletter by going to http://www.StreetGuideToCopywriting.com/HighlyRecommends/GKIC
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