16 WAYS TO WRITE COPY THAT READS ITSELF

16 WAYS TO WRITE COPY THAT READS ITSELF Copywriting Tip #1: Be organized: If your sales copy meanders if it makes the prospect have to think to figure out where youre going or feels like hes taking two steps forward, then one step back youve lost him. Lay out your sales argument step-by-step. Begin with a fact that your prospect already knows is true or that you can substantiate beyond the shadow of a doubt (using a credible third-party source if necessary). Then, build your sales argument logically brick by brick each new contention building on the power of the previous one. Copywriting Tip #2: Work hard on your transitions: Never jar the prospect by changing the subject without warning. Create transitions to make it clear why youre moving from one thought or point or theme to the next. Copywriting Tip #3: Try the 3-T formula: When youre making an important point in the sales copy, try constructing a series of paragraphs in which you 1) Tell the prospect what youre going to tell him, 2) Tell him, and 3) Tell him what you told him: Tell em what youre going to tell em:Did you know, taking calcium supplements every day can add ten good years to your life? Tell em:A 2004 Harvard study determined that vitamin-takers live an average of ten years longer than those who dont and are 80 percent less likely to suffer a hip fracture or be admitted to a nursing home. Tell em what you told em:Not only does calcium add years to your life, it adds life to your years! Copywriting Tip #4: Begin paragraphs with connecting words: Words and phrases like and, plus, furthermore, moreover, whats more, etc., point to the copy that follows, pushing the reader into the meat of your sentence and paragraph before he knows what hit him. Copywriting Tip #5: Begin paragraphs with a hook: A power word like you or free, a benefit, a date, a famous name, engender curiosity and teases the reader onward. Copywriting Tip #6: Short words, sentences and paragraphs: Old rule; never been more important than in todays information extravaganza. I try to keep average word length around five to seven letters and paragraphs to about five lines each. Copywriting Tip #7: Replace phrases with single words: Asking your prospect to read more words than necessary is asking him to work. Instead of Just open a packet of Energize! and put it into a glass of water Try Just pour Energize into water Copywriting Tip #8: Replace long words with short, familiar ones: Instead of facilitate, say help. Instead of utilize, say use. Copywriting Tip #9: Replace passive words with active ones: Instead of profit, say explode your wealth. Instead of limit your risk, say cut your risk. Instead of try it for 30 days, say USE it to make all the money you want for 30 days. Copywriting Tip #10: Replace poorly selected words with the precise word for the job: Imprecise word selection diffuses your sales argument, or worse -- forces your prospect to work to figure out what youre trying to say. Hint: Excessive use of adjectives and adverbs is a red flag that there may be a more precise noun or verb that will let you say more with less. If youre not sure of the right word, take the time to crack open a thesaurus. Itll pay you back in spades. Copywriting Tip #11: Speak colloquially: Metaphors, similes, clichs and other figures of speech are word pictures. And you know what they say about pictures: Theyre worth a thousand words. Plus, using words and phrases your prospect uses to communicate every day helps you communicate more quickly and infuses energy and emotion into copy. Copywriting Tip #12: Delete unnecessary words: Ruthlessly read through your sales copy looking for words you could delete without negative impact on the clarity and/or power of your sentences. Example: That is quite possibly, the most overused word in the English language. Dont believe me? Search for it through something you wrote and every time you find it, ask yourself, How would this read if I simply deleted it? Copywriting Tip #13: Avoid upside-down sentences. Commas are often red flags that the phrases in a sentence are in the wrong order. Check to see if moving the phrases around might eliminate the comma and make the sentence read faster. Copywriting Tip #14: Begin sentences with benefits when possible: Instead of Moving your money now will help you avoid major losses. Try You can avoid major losses IF you move your money now! Copywriting Tip #15: Make it effortless: Your prospect doesnt want to learn anything or do anything. He wants you (your product) to do it all for him. Phrases like Learn how to or Discover how to or Ill teach you to imply the prospect has to do it himself. Instead, say, Ill save you money. Ill make you richer. Ill ease your arthritis pain. Copywriting Tip #16: Get a second opinion: Once youve done all this, hand your sales copy to anyone wholl agree to read it and ask them to mark spots in the copy where they feel confused, or felt like quitting. Then, return to those sections (and this checklist) to find ways to make the copy read itself.