The internet is a mass communication media, reaching millions of potential customers globally. The majority have no clue about the true potential of this vast marketing network and base their understanding on what someone else tells them. That someone else is usually just trying to earn a few bucks from you, instead of giving you the full picture. Internet marketing and sales is not entirely about how many visitors your site receives everyday. It’s about how many of those visitors buy what you sell.
The bottom line is, it’s not what you sell, it’s how you sell it.
As a web content writer myself, the following are some pointers I can give to the niche newbies.
1. Research
How can you explain a product or service if you have no clue about what it does and how it helps you achieve something?
Take your time with the research. Do some snooping around and if it’s possible to get a trial offer from the seller, get it and try it yourself. Ask the seller for any existing advertising and promotional material. Ask them to explain the business model to you and make notes or carry a mini-recorder around. Find out details about their target audience. If they have an existing client base, contact some of them and ask for their opinions.
2. Outline
By the time you finish the research, you’ll have a good idea about what the company offers. Sit down, take a pen and paper and jot down the important points you should focus on. Highlight the features and benefits (two different aspects of a product/service), pros and cons and a few angles you can use to write the copy.
3. Avoid Cliches & Business Buzz
There was a time when offering simply the best, ideal solution, best in the industry etc were big hits. Note that I said “was”. The times have changed and when every business says they give you the “best”, does it even make sense anymore? Also, words and phrases such as “our excellent customer service” and “a complete turnkey solution” are long past their prime. BPO companies are popping up all over the world and most companies, from the big corporation to the home-based business, have excellent customer service. Please, don’t use these obsolete and plain annoying terms.
4. Vocabulary
As a copywriter, your most prized possessions are a dictionary and thesaurus. Words are your tools, helping you craft exquisite masterpieces. Keep a hefty unabridged dictionary on your work desk, because this is what’ll give you an insight in to any word you choose to look up. The word’s origin, common uses and existing nuances are all explained in such a dictionary.
Also, the thesaurus comes in handy when you need synonyms and different ways to write the same thing repeatedly. Remember, don’t make your writing complicated with big words, just because you have a thesaurus with you – most readers wouldn’t. One way to drive your readers away is to make them lose their concentration because they come across a word they have never heard of.
5. Be Concise
No one likes to talk to a person who talks on and on. Similarly, no one will stick around long enough to read huge paragraphs filled with too many words describing the same old thing. Filter your content, choose words carefully and write clearly.
(Copywriting For The Internet – Part 2 Coming Soon)
Immobilienmakler Heidelberg Makler HeidelbergSource by Asanka Shanki De Silva