Archive for Copy and Content
Do You Make a Difference?
Posted by: | CommentsAs a writer and internet marketer, I think one of the most important questions I can and must ask myself is… “Will the work I just did make a difference in someone’s life?”
A Real, Genuine Difference.
People consume experiences, not stuff. When you’re making a difference with your presence on the Web, your visitor will experience it.
Whether you’re selling or giving away information… or a physical product…your website is For a Reason. The question you want to ask is …”Does it bring focus on what really adds meaning to your visitor’s lives? Will it, or does it make a difference?” Read More→
What are Bullets For?
Posted by: | CommentsCan you rattle off major points from some of the best articles or sales letters, or book covers you’ve seen?
If you can, the bullets have done their job. Once the title or lead catches you, you’ll be pulled into the bullets. They fascinate you, captivate you and keep you reading!
The bullets pull your eye… keep you from getting sucked down by the detail. While details may be important, they’re the back-up, supplying additional information on demand.
Right now, see if you can remember something you read recently that particularly captured your interest, and find out how many of the following are true:
1. There are no more than three to seven major bullet points.
According to numerous studies, that’s all the human mind is capable of absorbing.
2. The bullets are clear.
They build and outline the content in a way that sets out the major points so they are easily described and understood.
3. They’re logical.
Logic is the brain’s way of sorting information and seeking order. For persuasion, you will generally see the strongest bullets at the beginning (for attention) and at the end (for impact), with those having least impact in the middle. People generally only remember the beginning and the end, and what’s in the middle gets lost. This is a good one to test. If you remembered bullets from an article that stuck in your mind, which ones did you remember?
Chronological order can work as well, when the suspense builds to a crescendo, or if you’re simply building facts in step toward a conclusion.
4. They’re fascinating. Bullets are whispers of the secret that’s coming…the one you’re waiting for as you read…the one that’s going to transport you to a new place and time…NOW.
5. They establish credibility. This is the “why” bullet. “Why” bullets support and strengthen the position or sales proposition, and whet the appetite for what’s being offered. They tell us why we should get on the wagon…”because Joe and Alice did, and look at how successful they are!”
6. They drive home a point. Bullets that hit you where it hurts, or feel really good…they’re doing their job. They’re visceral…psychological triggers. You’re thinking “Right on. That is SO true.”
7. They are rapid fire. The staccato tempo beats to a rhythm our brain thinks is its Drill Sargent, and we respond with a “Yes,sir, No,sir, Now, sir.” They inject emotion, drama, and power…how you are going to gain pleasure or avoid pain. They are short and tight.
Successful writing, in any venue, is the dance of words. It’s the dance that sees you sitting on the sideline…waiting, hoping…that someone will say..”Would you care to dance?”
And when you say “Yes”, that you will be swept onto the dance floor… that someone will lead you, intrigue you, then show you, with rapid fire clarity, the moves of the dance step. And as you swoon in your partner’s arms, you will be lead once again, to what you knewwhen you started…YOU can dance…now that some one’s shown you how!
The lead catches you and draws you into ‘your’ story, the bullets pull you, and the conclusion reinforces why you’re there…because it’s your story.
So…are you ready to dance…with…or without…the Stars?
How to Attract Success: Copy and Content
Posted by: | CommentsDepending on who you ask, copy and content are considered two totally distinct entities, or they are considered close cousins.
Some draw a clear distinction, describing Copy as “The Persuader” and Content as “The Informer.”
Sales letters are copy. White papers, user manuals, encyclopedias and reports are content. Some would never put the two in the same discussion room together! Not doing so, I believe, puts you at a distinct disadvantage.
On nearly all internet marketing websites, copy is the motivator and call to action for whatever is being offered for sale, and the content describes whatever it is that is being sold.
On successful websites, both copy and content are used as effective tools in the persuasive process. Both are used to build and enhance the quality of the user experience. Quality copy will answer the prospect’s question of whether they’re at the right site; whether you have the answer to the “What’s in it for me?” with your product, or raise their level of curiosity to entice them to dig a little deeper, where they will determine that “Yes, this product IS for me.”
In digging a little deeper, quality content will provide your prospect the right information, at the right time, and in the right way to increase his interest and motivation. Both will build the call to action to its final intended conclusion… a sale.
As you can see, while copy and content are not the same, they are closely intertwined.
So why even discuss it? Because not knowing the difference can kill your chances of creating a successful website. If you want to attract success… that is if you want to bring someone to your site to buy your stuff, you need the right pitch.. copy… that opens the door, invites them in, and creates an experience he likes and trusts.
Once inside, he wants to know about what he’s getting… content… in a format that gives him all the information he needs in a manner that’s clear, concise and convincing.
If you’re going to the store to buy a new vacuum cleaner, the salesperson will undoubtedly give you the highlights of all the advantages (copy) of buying Brand X. And, you (if you’re like me) will have lots of questions about how it compares to other vacuums in price, performance, special features and overall reliability.
Then you’ll want to know how good the warranty is (content). Before you buy, you’ll need both the copy and content to convince you that this purchase is right for you. However, if your salesperson doesn’t describe the advantages of this particular vacuum well (sell the copy), you may not buy.
Or if your salesperson drones on and on about where the vacuum cleaner is made, or the robots that put the pieces together, or provides other “content” that is either irrelevant or doesn’t answer your specific questions, you also may not buy this particular vacuum. You may walk out of the store and right down the street to the next store selling vacuum cleaners. No sale.
In the last post, we talked about who you really want to visit your website? And, I think it’s safe to say, you want to attract people with the money, authority and desire to buy your product. Here are a couple of keys to doing just that.
Have quality copy and content — clear, compelling, persuasive all the way through. A process that puts the copy and content together to provide the best customer experience possible… the right incentive… the right amount of the right information for the product… and the simplest methods of closure on this sale. The right copy and content to create the incentive to take the first call to action… and return again and again.
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