Category Archives: Copywriting

Benefits Make the Sale, Not Features

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Posted by admin on October 21, 2008 – 3:12 pm
Filed under Business Communication, Copywriting, attract clients, increase site traffic, online marketing, small business marketing, target market, web copy

Getting product feature happy on your website could be fatal to sales levels. Simply focusing on what a product looks like and how it operates isn’t enough to actually sell it. Customers aren’t likely to buy a product based just on features. They want to know the product will satisfy a need and be worth their hard-earned money.

Telling customers the benefits of your service or product shows them you care about their needs and satisfying those needs.

Here are some ways to turn features into benefits and increase sales: 

·       Find out what your target market needs to satisfy some aspect of their life. Think about how your product will benefit the customer, and design the features around those benefits.

·       On your website, present the features of your products / services, directly followed by how it will benefit the customer. You’ll lose customers if you don’t present them with why a product is worth purchasing. It must be of some value.

·       Here’s an example of how to attach a benefit to a feature:

o      Feature: This face lotion eliminates the harsh appearance of wrinkles

o      Benefit: so that you look ten years younger and healthier.

Presenting the entire package of a product is what adds value to it and persuades the customer to purchase.

Generate success for your small business and sign up for Your Business Marketing Solution, a biweekly ezine packed with marketing articles, tips, and stats.

How to Write Successful Headlines

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Posted by admin on October 19, 2008 – 9:41 pm
Filed under Business Communication, Copywriting, Marketing Tip, attract clients, client attraction, headlines, increase site traffic, online marketing, small business marketing

Writing successful headlines for your business marketing materials is extremely important. The right headline will get the attention of potential clients and help increase site traffic.

There’s a certain formula for writing headlines. Magazine and newspaper headlines are usually witty, creative, fun, and clever. Headlines for ebooks, sales letters, press releases, online articles, and blogs need to be more direct. They need to be rich in keywords to increase SEO and site traffic and usually lack some of that witty repartee found in magazine headlines.

Choosing the best keywords for your title is crucial in grabbing the attention of viewers and ranking high in search engines. Once you understand the components of a well-crafted and result-driven headline, you’ll keep viewers interested in reading further.

Here are some templates for creating headlines:

·       How to…

·       Discover…

·       Have You…

·       5 Ways…

·       Three Tips…

·       Does Your Website…

·       How to Do…

·       Is Your…

·       Free…

·       Save…

·       The Truth About / Behind…

·       Make More…

There are many other combinations you can use to create effective headlines, but these are some of the most popular and effective.

Use a phrase about the topic of your blog. Place a colon after it, and then explain the importance of the topic. For example, “Website Effectiveness: Discover Your Return on Investment,” or “Web Design: Do You Need an Update Now?”

To learn about our many result-driven writing services and get more tips on writing effective web copy, visit Michelle Salater Writing & Editorial, LLC.

Ghostwriters: The Little Secret to Success

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Posted by admin on October 17, 2008 – 2:16 am
Filed under Copywriting, ghostwriting

You’re craving to share your industry expertise with the world but can’t quite put your knowledge into words. Crafting a brilliant written piece consumes a great deal of time. Time you may not have. Fear not, there are professionals who can put your brilliant thoughts into a symphony of words.

These miracle workers are called ghostwriters. They don’t go bump in the night as their name implies. They are writers who work for you and remain unknown to others. They can place your knowledge into various successful vehicles, such as ebooks, online articles, press releases, blogs, you name it. If you don’t have the time or the particular talent for effective writing, a ghostwriter will put your ideas in any writing vehicle, in a way that will effectively reach your target market.

What a ghostwriter can do for you:

·       Create keyword-rich writing that will increase site traffic, reach thousands of potential customers, increase your company’s credibility, and boost sales.

·       Grab the attention of any client with creative, concise, and clear wording, which gets to the point, fast and effectively. 

·       Save you time that could be dedicated to other aspects of creating a successful company.

·       Research your industry and target market to create a result-driven ebook, article, press release, or any other writing need.

Want to learn more about our ghostwriting services? Visit Michelle Salater Writing & Editorial, LLC. 

Where Does Your Website Fit into Your Sales Process?

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Posted by admin on September 2, 2008 – 4:55 pm
Filed under Copywriting, Small Business, attract clients, client attraction, increase site traffic, online marketing, small business marketing, web copy, web traffic

Your website is an around-the-clock sales tool. As your business evolves and the market changes, often you adjust sales techniques and marketing strategies accordingly. However, many companies undervalue the importance of updating the content on their website to reflect these changes.

Revamping your web copy from time to time can bring in a new source of revenue and demonstrate to clients you’re on top of your industry. You wouldn’t allow your sales rep to go stale, don’t allow your web copy to.

Web copy must execute the entire process of selling:

·       Engage and peak the interest of the client

·       Communicate clearly and effectively

·       Provide the client with the features of the products / services, and describe the benefits

·       Get the client to take action right now

The main goal of web copy is to get the client to act. The action could be bookmarking your website, making a donation, purchasing a product / service, or contacting your company. If your website can influence potential clients to take action, prepare to see your profits skyrocket.  

If you think your web copy isn’t up-to-date or was poorly written, you need to start rewriting now. If you don’t have the skills to write the content or don’t have the time, hire a professional copywriter to get you the positive results that will change the way you do business forever.

Don’t wait any longer. Dust off that old web copy, and make it pop. Visit us at www.mlsalater.com to check out our many result-driven copywriting services.

How a Website Can Double, Triple, or Even Quadruple Your Sales

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Posted by admin on August 18, 2008 – 8:40 pm
Filed under Copywriting, attract clients, client attraction, online marketing, small business marketing, web copy, web traffic, website, website navigation

Online shopping is increasing in popularity. Just how popular is it? An estimated $204 billion dollars worth—an estimated 17% increase for 2008—according to a recent study by Forrester Research, Inc.

Many companies don’t need an area for purchasing on their website, but for those who do—especially retail companies—the above statistic should be enough to motivate you to get a website up and running if you don’t have one already. For those of you who have a shopping cart on your site, it’s crucial that you update your inventory on a regular basis.

A website is a powerful sales tool, yet establishing a strong online presence is a challenge to some businesses that are unfamiliar with how to compete and stand out among the millions of websites. For apparel companies looking to establish an online presence, this can be even more difficult as many of them, especially the small to midsized businesses, have little or no experience selling products and promoting their businesses online.

Let’s say you own a chic boutique downtown, and recently, your clientele has leveled off. You know you need a fresh marketing campaign, or something that will lift you out of that arid plain you’ve been sitting on and get you steady sales volume.

 You don’t want steady sales. You want skyrocketing sales.

According to the Forrester Research study, most online shoppers are visiting apparel stores online and spending $26.6 billion. How much of that $26.6 billion could you tap into?

Creating a website for online shopping for your boutique will greatly benefit your business. An online shopping cart will allow you to make money 24 / 7. The simplicity of virtual shopping is extremely attractive to people who are too busy to shop downtown or for those who want to save on gas. It also provides customers the option to shop whenever they want—not simply during regular business hours.  

There are two worlds out there: the real world and the online world. Get involved in both, and your sales are guaranteed to increase.

 

Want to know more about bringing your company online? Visit www.mlsalater.com to view the list of copywriting services.

The Key to Grabbing Your Target Market

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Posted by admin on August 12, 2008 – 4:31 pm
Filed under Copywriting, attract clients, client attraction, increase site traffic, online marketing, small business marketing, target market, web copy, web traffic

You’ve decided it’s time to revamp your company’s website and rewrite existing marketing materials. Instead of wasting time and energy trying to do it yourself, hire a copywriter.  

Freelance copywriters, depending on their area of expertise, are skilled in web copy writing, SEO writing, general business copywriting, freelance editing, and much more. A good freelance copywriter knows what it takes to attract potential customers to your site using a simple equation. First, they listen to your needs and your company’s goals and objectives, and interview you to better understand your target market. Then, they further research your target market and competition. Only after this work do they write the copy.

If you’re interested in hiring someone to write or rewrite your web copy, a copywriter should know how to write optimized copy that reads organically. Good copy is important not only for search engine purposes but also because it sets the tone for the website.

Let’s say you own a luxury real estate company. You know the exact target market you’re trying to appeal to but don’t know how to appeal to them. Presenting the facts and photos of your real estate isn’t going to cut it. This is where website copywriting becomes a vital element of your company’s success.

Web copy for a high-end real estate company needs to have a very specific tone, one that expresses a chic, sexy, luxurious lifestyle that creates desire for the potential client. Unique and well-executed web copy will speak to the company’s target market while incorporating keywords and phrases to increase search engine rankings.  

Eliminate competition and increase your clientele by hiring a copywriter to bring in sales. View Michelle Salater’s copywriting services.

Why Care about Web Copy?

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Posted by admin on August 11, 2008 – 2:42 pm
Filed under Copy, Copywriting, Uncategorized, attract clients, client attraction, increase site traffic, online marketing, target market, web copy, web traffic, website

Can you relate to the following scenario?

 

You have a brilliant business idea. You are clear on what you offer your clients. And you have a website you paid a lot of money for. You think you’ve communicated effectively what you offer. And, even better, you’re getting site traffic. But . . .

 

And this is a big but . . . it can make or break your business.

 

No one is calling you. Customers aren’t buying your products. They aren’t emailing for a consultation.

 

You decide you need tweak the web copy on your site. So, you try a little of this and a little of that. Still, nothing changes. Frustrated, you scratch your head and wonder, What am I doing wrong? The answer lies in the quality of your copy.

 

Think of web copy as bait. If you want clients, you must give them what they are hungry for. 

 

The information you find necessary isn’t always what the potential customer needs or wants. Your copy must speak to your target audience. And you must communicate your message a clear, concise, informative way. If you don’t, the alternative is that they will go somewhere else—no matter how stellar your services or product may be. Remember, for your potential client to feel the same enthusiasm you have for your product and services, you must project this image.

 

Need copy? Contact Michelle today.  

Are You Sure Customers and Businesses Can Contact You?

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Posted by admin on July 25, 2008 – 11:34 pm
Filed under Business Communication, Copy, Copywriting, Marketing, Marketing Tip, Small Business, online marketing, small business marketing, web copy, web traffic, website, website navigation

One of my biggest pet peeves is going to a website, which contains minimal contact information.

The internet is too vital a place to neglect this important information, as virtually all people use some aspect of the internet to communicate with others. It’s crucial to give customers options for contacting your company.

Customers love options because it allows them to choose the most convenient way for them to contact your company. Many people use email everyday, and it might be easier for them to send your company an email with an inquiry, comment, or suggestion rather than picking up the phone and waiting through a recorded message and being on hold for five or ten minutes.

Items that should be on your “contact us” page:

·       STAFF: I can’t tell you how many websites don’t have a list of their most important staff members listed. This is important because it adds a personal flare to your company and allows the customer to feel as though they are contacting an actual person and not just a company. People may be discouraged from contacting your company via email if they do not have a specific name or title to use.  

·       PHONE NUMBER: Provide a phone number for those who want questions answered immediately and who want to speak directly with a person.

·       EMAIL ADDRESS: Provide an email address for general questions and staff email addresses for more specific inquiries and comments.

·       MESSAGE FORM: Provide a form so that the customer can fill in questions and comments right there and not go through the trouble of creating an email. A message form should have boxes for customers to fill in their name, company name, cell or business number, email address, and their questions or comments.

·        EMAIL AND MESSAGE FORM COMBO: Sounds like a meal at a fast-food place, doesn’t it? An email address and message form would add even more options for your customers to contact you. 

Want more small business marketing advice? Subscribe to Your Business Marketing Solution, a bimonthly ezine filled with marketing tips and informative articles.

 

Stress Less and Outsource

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Posted by admin on July 18, 2008 – 9:13 pm
Filed under Business Goals, Copywriting, Small Business, small business marketing

Overworked? Not enough time to finish your daily, weekly, monthly to-do list? The solution is to outsource some of your work. It’ll save you time, money, and stress.   

 

Three ways to outsource your work:  

1. Ghostwriters are specialist who take ideas and put them on paper. Hire a ghostwriter to write letters, articles, ebooks, ezines, and the list goes on. Want to know more about ghostwriters? Check out a previous blog from Copy Doodle. 

2. Copywriters have the talent and the knowledge to phrase web copy, articles, ezines, etc. in order to reach your target market. Writing SEO and organic web copy is an important talent copywriters perform because the right web copy can bring your website a major increase in traffic.

3. Editors are a vital element for all small businesses. Nothing looks worse than grammar and spelling errors on marketing materials . . . write? That’s a joke, but see what I mean? Why risk turning off potential customers and having a word spelled wrong?

 

Subscribe to Your Business Marketing Solution, a bimonthly ezine filled with marketing tips, market trends, and informative articles.

How-to Drive Targeted Traffic to Your Website

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Posted by admin on July 14, 2008 – 8:26 pm
Filed under Copy, Copywriting, Marketing, ezines, increase site traffic, online articles, online marketing, press releases, small business marketing, web traffic, website
Every company wants more website traffic. Here are a few tips to get your numbers up and get more customers. Three tips to drive more traffic to your website:
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1) Place or swap ads with other ezines in your niche
Seek out other ezines in your niche whose publishers might be interested in swapping ads. In addition to, or instead of swapping ads, you could also purchase ad space in an ezine in your niche that has a large circulation. If you pay to place an ad, for the best results, run it for a minimum of three consecutive issues.
2) Write articles and post them online
An excellent way to drive traffic to your site. It’s simple: write an article that offers people useful information. Often times, people will use these articles in their ezines or post them as content on their websites. People read online articles and click the link to your website provided in the author bio box.
3) Write a press release
Press releases are another way of getting targeted traffic to your site. It’s important that the release be newsworthy and not an advertisement / plug for your service or product. There are numerous press release directories online where you can post for free. Also, don’t forget the power of your local media. Research the proper person at local papers and magazines, then send them a release.