Writing Ads that sell.
Ad copy writing has been used for a long time in direct mail advertising. Many people think of it as “junk” mail. But remember that the large companies which send you their advertising in the mail, employ and pay well for their copywriters.
Study the Professionals to improve your own copy writing.
A free and easy way to improve your copy writing skills, is to study these direct mail pieces very carefully. Pay close attention to the format, the type and size of the headlines, and the wording of those headlines. It does not matter what the ad is selling, if it at least caught your attention and you read some of it, then it has value.
You will notice certain keywords, which are used, and phrases which are integrated to utilize them. You will, of course, have to adapt these things to the product (your book) or services you are selling. Any direct mail advertising which you receive, brochures, ads, letters etc., should be kept in a special file for future reference.
Most of the successful on line marketers have accumulated a “swipe” file over the years containing the copy they have used to sell their products and services. Much of the effective copy in these files are a “goldmine” and are considered as such. Many times they have also known and paid top professionals to write this copy for them.
Know your audience and what they want.
Times change, people change over generations, and the language they use also evolves. A smart marketer will pay attention to what his target audience is talking about, and the words they use to describe things currently. What was “groovy” in the 60-s and “hip,” may now be “sweet” or “Awesome.” You should know the age, interests, groups and societies which your target market belongs to, as well. Even their preferred lifestyles and the cars they drive are useful information for you to have, if you are marketing to them.
If you are trying to sell books about a certain subject or in a certain genre, you should discover who reads those kinds of books. Spend an evening or weekend afternoon in a bookstore. Browse and observe, in the section you intend to write about. Look at the people who buy those books, Check out the popular titles and artists and any advertising used to get people to look at those books, and purchase them. What is their age range, what kind of clothes are they wearing, what might be their occupations? In fact, you could even start a conversation with a few of them and find out what they do for a living, why they like the book they are buying, do they read a lot, and so forth. By knowing what influences them to buy, you can also influence them to buy.
Test and tweak to see what works best.
It is all good and a lot of people are looking, but not many are buying. What can you do to improve sales? Sometimes you have to be a detective and an innovator to find out what works. You can try different colors, type style and size, different headlines, or even shorter or longer paragraphs. You will have to pay close attention to the numbers of visitors and the number of sales which your website or landing page produces to sell your book.
What benefits will your readers receive? What stimulates their interest and fulfills their needs and wants to buy your product? Have you given them the right “emotional” reason, so they must have it? Have you created value for your readers? If you have done all that, then your sales should increase.
Learn to analyze your own buying habits.
Chances are that those you are attempting to sell to, have many of the same or similar interests that you do. You buy things everyday, at the supermarket, retail stores, gas stations, bookstores etc. Notice what influenced you to purchase the products you personally use everyday. Even the movies you go to see or buy or rent have stimulating copy, written by experts, which cause you to be interested enough in the content to spend your money to find out what happens.
Deliver on the essence.
This is the essence of copy writing. Create curiosity and interest. Tell your readers what benefits, emotions and satisfaction to expect from the value you offer them. Always deliver what you promise and it will ensure your success. By being honest with your copy writing efforts, you will make certain that your readers will profit from the experience of taking advantage of your service or owning your product. Which means they will trust you, and be eager to again, purchase your next product or read your next book.
You can never go wrong if you create value.
