Post on 09-Apr-2020
Copywriting:Unique Elements and Proven
Tips for Writing Powerful Copy
Presented By:
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mail: P.O. Box 509 Eau Claire, WI 54702-0509 • telephone: 866-352-9539 • fax: 715-802-1131email: customerservice@lorman.com • website: www.lorman.com • seminar id: 404168
Bob BlyBob Bly, Copywriter/Consultant
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Copywriting:Unique Elements and Proven Tips
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mail: P.O. Box 509 Eau Claire, WI 54702-0509 • telephone: 866-352-9539 • fax: 715-802-1131email: customerservice@lorman.com • website: www.lorman.com • seminar id: 404168
Prepared By:Bob Bly
Bob Bly, Copywriter/Consultant
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WORLD’S BEST-KEPT COPYWRITING SECRETS
Presented By Robert W. Bly
www.bly.com
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• The secret of the Big Promise.
• The USP: your product’s "reason for being.“
• The Secondary Promise.
• The secret of the 4 U’s.
• Understanding the buyer’s Core Complex with "BDF."
• The FAB pyramid of features and benefits.
• The 4 legs of the stool.
• The Motivating sequence.
• The secret of Abundant Proof.
• Tested copywriting formulas.
• 6 keys to irresistible offers.
WHAT WE WILL COVER TODAY:
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets2
“Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement.”
– Samuel Johnson
THE SECRET OF THE BIG PROMISE
“The basis of every great advertisement is a credible promise.”
– Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake (G.P. Putnam, 1997), p. 155
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets3
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World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets4
MAKE A BIGPROMISE.
“Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement.”
– Samuel Johnson
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets5
BIG PROMISE –BIG PROOF!
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1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer. Each advertisement must say to the reader: “Buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit.”
2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique -- either a uniqueness of brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field.
3. The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions, i.e., pull over new customers to your product.
THE USP(Unique Selling Proposition)
– Rosser Reeves, Reality in Advertising(Alfred A. Knopf, 1961)
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets6
WHAT’S THE USP?
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets7
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WHICH PULLED BEST?
A
B
ATTENTION
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets8
• The danger of a Big Promise is that it may sound so fantastic that the reader does not believe it.
• In that case, use a “Secondary Promise.”
• The Secondary Promise is a lesser benefit that the product also delivers.
• Although not as large as the Big Promise, the Secondary Promise should be big enough so that, by itself, it is reason enough to order the product … yet small enough so that it is easily believed.
• This way, even if the reader is totally skeptical about the Big Promise, he can believe the Secondary Promise and order on that basis alone.
HAVE A SECONDARY PROMISE
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets9
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THE SECONDARY PROMISE
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets10
The Big Promise
The Secondary Promise
• Urgent
• Unique
• Ultra-Specific
• Useful
THE 4 U’S
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RATE EACH HEADLINE(1=weakest; 4=strongest)
“Free White Paper”
Urgent ……………………. [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
Unique …………………… [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
Ultra-Specific …………... [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
Useful ……………………. [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets12
RATE EACH HEADLINE(1=weakest; 4=strongest)
“Why Japanese Women Have Beautiful Skin”
Urgent ……………………. [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
Unique …………………… [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
Ultra-Specific …………... [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
Useful ……………………. [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets13
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THE RULE OF 3 BENEFITS
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets14
BELIEFS, DESIRES, AND FEELINGS(BDF)
Product Prospect
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets15
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Audience/Market:_________________________________________
1. ____________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________
BELIEFS, DESIRES, AND FEELINGS
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets16
ADDRESSING THE CORE COMPLEX GENERATED A HUGE RESPONSE.
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets17
THE COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP
Important news for every systems professional who has ever felt like telling an end-user, “Go to hell…”
Dear IT Manager:
It’s ironic.
Today’s users demand to be treated as customers of IT.
Yet many systems professionals don’t have the customer service skills to make the relationship work.
Our training program, “Interpersonal Skills for IT Professionals,” solves that problem… by giving IT staff the skills they need to deal effectively with end-users and top management in today’s service-orient corporate environment.
Presented jointly by The Center for Technical Communication and The Communication Workshop – two leaders in teaching soft skills to technical professionals – “Interpersonal Skills for IT Professionals” quickly brings your team to a new level in listening, negotiating, team work, customer service, and other vital skills for communicating complex systems ideas and technical processes to managers and end users.
Many leading companies – including IBM, AT&T, Symbol Technologies, Price Waterhouse, Cigna, American Airlines, Lever Brothers, Barnett Technologies, First Union and Turner Broadcasting – count on us to help their technical professionals communicate more effectively and work more productively. You can too.
For more information, including an outline of our “Interpersonal Skills for IT Professionals” program, just complete and mail the enclosed reply card. Or call (516) 767-9590. You’ll be glad you did.
Sincerely,
Gary Blake, Ph.D., Director
P.S. Reply now and we’ll also send you a FREE copy of our new tip sheet. “The IT Professionals’ Guide to Improving Listening Skills.” It will help everyone in your department gain a quicker, more accurate understanding of what users want, while helping to transform your customers from uninitiated “end users” into “educated consumers” who are easier and more reasonable to deal with.
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Appeal to OEMs, VARs, distributors, dealers, agents, engineers, designers, reps, technical evaluators, and other technical buyers.
Appeal to sophisticated and experienced users, middle managers, hobbyists, enthusiasts, experts, comparison shoppers, past buyers, professionals, frequent buyers, knowledgeable buyers.
Appeal to consumers, top-level executives, entrepreneurs, first-time buyers, end users, novices, current customers, prospects.
Appeal to consumers, unsophisticated buyers, casual users, "dreamers," opportunity seekers
What the Product is or has
A Feature Other Products Lack
What the Product Does
The "Benefit of the Benefit"
FEATURES & BENEFITS PYRAMID
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets18
FEATURES & BENEFITS OF A NO.2 PENCIL
Features BenefitsPencil is a wooden cylinder surrounding a graphite core.
Can be re-sharpened as often as you like to ensure clean, crisp writing.
One end is capped by a rubber eraser.
Convenient eraser lets you correct writing errors cleanly and quickly.
Eraser attached with metal band.Tight fitting band holds eraser snugly in place – no pencils ruined by eraser coming loose.
Pencil is 7½ inches long. 7½ inch graphite core ensures long writing life.Pencil is ¼ inch in diameter. Slender shape makes it easy to hold and comfortable to write with.
Pencil is No. 2. Graphite core is blended for just the right hardness – writes smoothly yet crisply.
Yellow exterior. Bright, attractive exterior – stands out in a pencil holder or drawer.
Sold by the dozen.Sold in convenient 12-pack so one stop to the store gives you enough pencils to last for months.
Also available in a box containing a gross.
Sold by the gross to accommodate the needs of business offices/schools at a substantial savings over retail.
Made in the U.S.A. A quality product. (Also, buying American-made strengthens U.S. economy.)
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets19
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FOUR-LEGGED STOOL
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets20
FUTURE BENEFIT
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets21
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CREDIBILITY
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets22
BIG IDEA
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets23
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TRACK RECORD
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets24
• Attention
• Problem
• Solution
• Proof
• Action
MOTIVATING SEQUENCE
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets25
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How to Save Time and Money WhenTroubleshooting and Designing Piping Systems.
Dear Engineer:
When the Harris Group, an engineering firm, had to model a piping system with300 nodes and a dozen pumps, they turned to PIPE-FLO software to help them do the jobbetter and faster.
“PIPE-FLO gave us a tool to simulate and troubleshoot the entire system,” saysTerry Gatlin, a mechanical engineer with Harris.
“We were able to find bottlenecks in the system we would never have found usingspreadsheets. I estimate we saved 150 hours on this project alone, enabling us to pay backthe cost of PIPE-FLO many times over in just the first application.”
Since 1982, more than 15,000 engineers have designed piping systems better andfaster using our proven software. And our new PIPE-FLO Version 7, with features likeautomatic import of data from manufacturers’ electronic pump catalogs, and expandedfluid tables, makes piping system design quicker and easier than ever.
You’ll like the familiar interface that looks like the PID diagrams you’re used toworking with. And you’ll love how PIPE-FLOW helps you optimize system design,eliminate bottlenecks, extend system life, improve reliability, and reduce pump size andenergy costs (see the enclosed brochure for details).
To download the PIPE-FLO demo version, go to www.eng-software.com/demonow. And if you decide to buy the software within the next 30 days, you’ll get 30 daysFREE Technical Support -- including free user training and problem-solving consultationon your current piping design project.
Once you experience the speed, power, and ease of use of PIPE-FLOW software,you’ll never go back to spreadsheets for piping system design and troubleshooting again.So click on www.eng-software.com/demo before your next piping job lands on yourdesk. You’ll be glad you did.
Sincerely,
Ray Hardy, Vice President of Engineering
P.S. Don’t want to download PIPE-FLO over the Internet? Ask for a free PIPE-FLO demo CD-ROM. Simply call toll-free 800-786-8545. Or complete and mail theenclosed reply card. Be sure to ask for our FREE PIPE-FLO video, white paper, and casestudy portfolio while you’re at it.
How to Save Time and Money WhenTroubleshooting and Designing Piping Systems.
Dear Engineer:
When the Harris Group, an engineering firm, had to model a piping system with300 nodes and a dozen pumps, they turned to PIPE-FLO software to help them do the jobbetter and faster.
“PIPE-FLO gave us a tool to simulate and troubleshoot the entire system,” saysTerry Gatlin, a mechanical engineer with Harris.
“We were able to find bottlenecks in the system we would never have found usingspreadsheets. I estimate we saved 150 hours on this project alone, enabling us to pay backthe cost of PIPE-FLO many times over in just the first application.”
Since 1982, more than 15,000 engineers have designed piping systems better andfaster using our proven software. And our new PIPE-FLO Version 7, with features likeautomatic import of data from manufacturers’ electronic pump catalogs, and expandedfluid tables, makes piping system design quicker and easier than ever.
You’ll like the familiar interface that looks like the PID diagrams you’re used toworking with. And you’ll love how PIPE-FLOW helps you optimize system design,eliminate bottlenecks, extend system life, improve reliability, and reduce pump size andenergy costs (see the enclosed brochure for details).
To download the PIPE-FLO demo version, go to www.eng-software.com/demonow. And if you decide to buy the software within the next 30 days, you’ll get 30 daysFREE Technical Support -- including free user training and problem-solving consultationon your current piping design project.
Once you experience the speed, power, and ease of use of PIPE-FLOW software,you’ll never go back to spreadsheets for piping system design and troubleshooting again.So click on www.eng-software.com/demo before your next piping job lands on yourdesk. You’ll be glad you did.
Sincerely,
Ray Hardy, Vice President of Engineering
P.S. Don’t want to download PIPE-FLO over the Internet? Ask for a free PIPE-FLO demo CD-ROM. Simply call toll-free 800-786-8545. Or complete and mail theenclosed reply card. Be sure to ask for our FREE PIPE-FLO video, white paper, and casestudy portfolio while you’re at it.
MOTIVATING SEQUENCEIN ACTION
Solution
Attention
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets26
Problem
Proof
Call to action
Response = ƒ(Offer)
• High Perceived Value
• Unique
• Relevant
• Desired
• Easy
• Risk-Free
OFFERS
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POSITION PART OF YOUR PRODUCT AS A PREMIUM.
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets28
HAVE A“PREMIUM PAGE”
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets29
Quick-Response Bonus
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DETERMINING COPY LENGTH
Long Copy Medium Copy
Medium Copy Short Copy
High
Low
Involvement
Audience: ___________________
Product: _____________________
High LowEmotion
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets30
ABUNDANT PROOF
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets31
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• Testimonials
• Case Studies
• Years in Business
• Number of Customers
• Customer List
• Customer Names
• FAQs
• Demos/Free Trials
• Screen Shots
• Bio’s
PROOF
• Number of Units Sold
• Benchmark Test Performance
• Method of Operation
• Features
• Publicity
• Reviews
• Video
• Facsimiles
• Awards
• Advisory Boards
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets32
• AIDA
• 4 C’’s (clear compelling, consice, credible)
• 4 U’s
• 4 P’s (promise, picture, proof, push)
• FAB
• Quest (qualify, understand, educate, stimulate, transition)
• MAD-FU
• SELWAB
• USP
• Star-Chain-Hook
TESTED COPY FORMULAS
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets33
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USE A “POSITIONING METAPHOR”
Metaphor: “It’s the Rolls-Royce of __________.”
Simile: “It’s like the Rolls-Royce of ___________.”
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets34
TRANSUBSTANTIATION
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets35
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TRANSUBSTANTIATION
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets36
SPIN REALITY WITH . . .
Or a Statistic
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets37
An Image…
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• Pre-owned vehicles
• Who wants a fruit cake?
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets38
THE “I’M A DUMMY” TECHNIQUE
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets39
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BE SPECIFIC
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets40
USE A GIMMICK
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets41
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OFFER A MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets42
GIVE SCIENTIFIC PROOF(“False Logic”)
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets43
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• The secret of the Big Promise.
• The USP: your product’s "reason for being.“
• The Secondary Promise.
• The secret of the 4 U’s.
• Understanding the buyer’s Core Complex with "BDF."
• The FAB pyramid of features and benefits.
• The 4 legs of the stool.
• The Motivating sequence.
• The secret of Abundant Proof.
• Tested copywriting formulas.
• 6 keys to irresistible offers.
WHAT WE COVERED TODAY:
World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets44
THANK YOUSubscribe To “Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter” at www.bly.com/reports
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Notes