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Further
Reading ...
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Top Ten Tips Part 1 - Elaine Currie BA Hons
Golden Rules For New Writers - Things you need to know before you begin. Rules govern everything we do in life; even if those rules are of the unwritten kind we abide by them and expect other people to do the same. Why should writing be any...
Soft Skills In the IT Environment – Part 1 of 2 - Carole Nicolaides
by Carole Nicolaides, Copyright © 2002, All Rights Reserved www.progressiveleadership.com In today's competitive environment, it is not enough to be the best in your field intellectually. Competency is only half of what you need to climb the ladder...
Personal Debt Reduction Practices - Gary Gresham
Personal debt reduction practices, the steps people take to relieve the debt in their lives and to become more financially free, are a hot topic among financial circles. American spending habits are producing more people who are deeper in debt...
What's your Business Online Attitude? - Paul J Easton
This article was prompted by some customer support work I was involved in for a private members site. One of the paid subscription members wanted someone to look over his website and give an opinion of what we thought of its design. It was clear...
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Influence Your Audience with This Copywriting Technique
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Written By:
Lisa Sparks
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Painting the picture. It's what copywriters do all the time to draw readers into whatever they're selling. It's one of the most powerful tools in writing because it draws on the most powerful part of the human brain: Our imaginations.
The best part is that you only have to drop a few details into the copy to set off the reader's imagination. The key is knowing which words will trigger the response you want from the audience. Let's take a look at what you can do to paint just the right picture to start getting higher sales.
1. What kind of emotion does the reader need to feel before he buys?
Will the majority of your prospects need to feel like you're just like someone they grew up with or went to school with before they break out their credit cards? These are the kinds of questions you'll have to ask yourself, because even in business-to-business sales it's all about the emotional side of selling. When painting the picture, be whatever your readers want you to be so that you gain their trust. That way, they'll read every word you've written, right down to when you ask for the sale.
2. Choose a situation or experience that's familiar to your readers.
For instance, a writing coach would instantly draw me in if she mentioned the experience of seeing my name in print. Every writer gets a rush when that happens. It never gets old. What common experience does your target audience share? Quickly describe it and you've got them hooked, at least until the next paragraph.
3. Offer a clever twist on your "picture" to draw readers into the rest of your offer. Here's an example:
Remember how it felt to go to Gino's Steaks on a Friday night to get a cheese steak with extra Cheez Whiz and onions? There was no better way to spend a Friday night if you grew up on the - continued below ...
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streets of Philadelphia.
Now you don't have to run to Gino's anymore to have that same great Philadelphia cheese steak that's famous the world over.
Of course the reader isn't necessarily from Philly, but after reading that first paragraph he wishes he was from there - and he wishes he had one of those cheese steaks.
4. Use negative pictures, too.
Try describing something your audience desperately wants to avoid, their worst nightmare. You'll have their complete attention because they can feel it in their bones that you're going to tell them about an easier way to eliminate at least one headache in their lives.
You're on deadline. You have 1,000 more words to write and all of the sudden it's gone. You've hit writer's block and you've hit it hard. The outlines haven't worked. Re-reading your notes only leads you to a dead end. Following a story tree also leads your head spinning.
Although we, as professional writers, hate to admit it we've all faced it. Now there's a tool that can take the pain out of hitting the writer's block we all know is coming - sooner or later.
Whichever picture you choose to paint, make sure it draws out an emotion from your audience. Once you have that emotion, turn it so that your readers feel with every ounce of their beings that they need your product or service right then and there.
(c) 2003 Lisa Sparks
About the Author
Lisa Sparks is the author of
POWER WORDS, where she reveals how to write ezines that boost
sales, build your list and position you as THE undisputed expert
in your industry. For just a few hours of reading and writing
enjoy a steady stream of income. Go to:
http://www.integritywriting.com/power_words
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The Ho-Hum Summer Days - Esther Smith
THE HO-HUM SUMMER DAYS From mid June to about mid September, life on the Internet does a slow meltdown. The lucky ones escape the screen and get away on holiday; that is, those who have made reasonable profits for their Online endeavors. For the...
Risk Inclination - How Do You Compare To Others? - Jim McCormick
Based on Proprietary Research Ever wonder how risk inclined you are? And how you compare to others. As a part of my forthcoming book, Seize Opportunity - A Practical Guide to Taking Advantage of Opportunities, I conducted some research on...
Keeping Your Writing Simple - Robert Brents
he good folks who buy your how-to manual do not want to read anything complicated or hard to comprehend. They bought your manual to help them solve a specific problem, quickly, easily, and efficiently. You’ve heard the acronym “KISS” – “Keep It...
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