Charge up your Copywriting!

By Elaine Barry

While I am sitting at my computer:

• my husband shouts out to ask if I have seen his briefcase;
• two of the kids get into a fight;
• the phone rings;
• the cat yowls to be let out;
• the doorbell goes - a special delivery;
• the "You have mail" sign appears 5 times on the computer;
• the doorbell goes again - a charity collector;
• the phone rings again;
• the cat yowls to be let in;
• the sun is shining, reminding me the roses need spraying...

How much attention will I pay to an online sales letter?

It's astounding how many copywriters write as if their readers were glued to the screen.  As if their readers had nothing better to do than read their sales letters.

When you are working at your computer and the phone rings, what do you do? You answer it.  It grabs your attention. 

Your online copywriting has to grab people's attention AS MUCH AS the ringing phone!  Because if it doesn't, they won't read it.  It's as simple as that.  Your copywriting has to compel people to stop what they're doing and read it,  just like the phone compels you to break off and answer it.

How do you write copy like this?

First write your draft.  Get a picture of your target reader.  For example, suppose you're selling a weight-loss product.   Get a picture of who you're selling it to - for instance a thirty-something female, slightly overweight, etc, etc.

Then imagine she is sitting there with you.  Address your copywriting to her as if you were talking to her.  Write what you would actually say to convince her she should buy your product rather than all the other weight-loss products.

Imagine she is engrossed in watching a TV program.  Or reading a magazine.  Or possibly she is dozing off...

What would you say to get her attention?  Write that down!

You've got her attention.  But then her eyes begin to drift back to the magazine ...What do you say to KEEP her attention?  Write that down! 

When you have written down your points this way, that's your first draft.  Keep working on it.  Hone it to perfection.  Good copywriting means EVERY LINE has to work to get and keep your reader's attention.

Will your online reader be so hooked that she will ignore the baby crying?  That's what you have to aim for in your copywriting!

Elaine Berry is the owner of Bizwrite, the only one-stop-shop for writing services. Bizwrite provides copywriting, ghostwriting, article writing and proofreading services, and also provides help and tuition in all aspects of writing. Visit http://www.bizwrite.co.uk for a FREE e-course on copywriting.