Hi there,
I would like to offer some rebuttal and some praise in response to your webpage article - “Copywriting to Sell.”
http://www.v7n.com/copywriting.php
Let’s begin and go straight to your topic of “Instilling Trust.”
When you go to a business meeting, do you wear baggy jeans and three days of growth on your face? No. Because you understand the need to instill trust. A professional copywriter understands that it doesn’t matter how absolutely fantastic the product it - if the prospect doesn’t trust you he’ll go elsewhere. (errors not mine)
We can stop here for a bit. Notice how bold and confident the message is? Such a strong position will not gain much trust if there are typos and grammar errors. And yet, within the bold type we find that you have not edited very well. It doesn’t matter how absolutely fantastic the product
is. If the prospect doesn’t trust you, he’ll go elsewhere. If you are going to be bold and brawny in your attitude, and try to teach people, and try to sell your thoughts/ideas/position, then you need to pay a helluva lot more attention to the details instead of just throwing the paint on the canvas haphazardly. Your next statement says it plainly…
Typos and bad grammar are perfect for dispelling trust.
Well now. With that proclamation we can assume that the owner(s) of this website will ensure that he/she/they are not guilty of the very thing that is being denounced. Yet, as luck would have it, that is exactly what occurs over and over again. Not only are there numerous grammatical errors within this single topic copy, but if one were to read the page aloud and not merely glance at the headings, as most consumers do (according to our expert), then one would find a disturbing amount of bold statements being declared on legs of toothpicks. Granted, if there were enough toothpicks to hold up the Empire State Building, then the structural device would be sufficient in its application. But let’s keep to the point, shall we?
You are positioning yourself as an expert, yet there are no less than 20 errors on your page discussing copywriting, and you expect me to buy from you; to trust you with my business; to give you my hard-earned cash?
If I may continue…
Outrageous statements - “you, too can be a millionaire in 10 days” - purposely misleading statements, and ranting about the evil nature of your ex-wife should be avoided.
Later in your ‘teaching’ (topic number 6: Features over Creativity) you mention that “
Creativity gets you nowhere”. I argue that nothing could be further from the truth. Let us examine this, shall we?
Considering the ‘features’ you display for the hypothetical computer system, I find that the features alone are rather boring. Almost a ‘dormant data,’ if-you-will. What compels the ‘prospect’ to buy is the COMBINATION of the features and the ‘creative’ copy that has been placed to engage the reader’s response. “
While supplies last” is the key phrase that unlocks the sale. It doesn’t matter how great the benefits or features are – if the copy does not compel the reader to act, then it’s just wasted features, wasted data, and wasted copy. Therefore, be sure to edit your copy before you make ‘outrageous’ statements and publish them on a GLOBAL medium where your best efforts could come back to bite you. Creativity sells. Period.
Now let’s get positive. (Because nobody likes a negative ninny.)
Co-brand to instill trust. If your product is sold at Home Depot, say so and use the Home Depot logo. If your product uses Intel microchips, say so. Use that Intel logo. Does your hosting company use Dell Dual Xeon servers? Use that Dell logo.
Great advice. A business owner would reap tremendous benefits if the company can align its product or service with that of a recognized brand.
Going to the first topic,
Love it! Believe it!, I commend you on your ability to take your passion and enthusiasm concerning the client’s product or service, and transferring that into sellable copy that has produced more than 2 million dollars for the client. Way to go! That is an inspiration to me, a fledgling in this business.
Topic #2 –
Define it! The copy must not ‘define’ the USP per se, but it must definitely put it on display for the prospects to absorb, chew, and digest.
The prospect needs to know immediately that no other merchant can offer the same product at the same price. Okay, I disagree with this statement as well, but let’s look at the message in context. What I believe you are trying to say is that the prospect needs to know immediately that no other merchant will satisfy his or her needs/wants/desires at an affordable cost (read: opportunity cost – what will it cost me to buy this now? What will it cost me to not buy this product/service from THIS merchant right now? Etc.)
Topic #3:
Instill Trust – Yeah, baby. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it? ‘
it doesn’t matter how absolutely fantastic the product is: if the prospect doesn’t trust you he’ll go elsewhere.’ (corrections mine)
If the ad doesn’t entrance the prospect into a place of ‘trusting’ the company/product/service, then no amount of features or creativity will get him to buy.
Topic #4
Headings – Consumers (many, if not most) rarely take the time to read ALL of the copy. So hit ‘em quick and hold on to ‘em with powerful messages.
Topic #5
The Long & Short of It – Communicate the features…but break it into small bite-sized pieces. Heck yeah. This is the perfect follow-up to the Headings topic. K.I.S.S ‘nuff said.
Topic #6
Features over Creativity - Consumers shop around. They compare features.
Creativity gets you nowhere. Features sell. I agree that consumers shop around and compare features. I do not agree, and
never will agree, that creativity gets you nowhere. Nor will I agree that features alone sell.
Topic #7
Action Oriented Vocabulary – Al-righty then! Now we’re talking! I like your insight here. The right words
coupled with great features and a great price will do more to move the prospect to action than copy that shows no creative use of the language. Don’t they both lean in the same direction?
Increased sales, and,
Explosive Sales Growth? They mean the same thing, essentially. But it’s the enthusiasm infused by the second phrase that will move me to action every time!
Topic #8
Understand the Market – Plain and simple.
Topic #10
Immediate Action Required – That’s the difference between increased sales and explosive sales growth. And it's the creative copy that lifts that wallet out of the pocket or purse.
Topic #11
Guarantee -
Destroy doubt before it has a chance to grow. By offering guarantees the ad will work on that issue of trust mentioned in topic #3.
Topic #12
Actionability – Is that even a word? Does it matter? No. It performs its purpose. So too, must an advertisement perform its purpose –
sell.
Too many advertisements do a superb job of stating the features - but entirely neglect to address actionability issues. True. Absolutely true. But to simply state the contact info in all of its manifestations is short on the actionability required to get the tougher sale. One of the best ways (and argued by many to be the only way) to get the sale is simply to: ASK FOR IT. Fine - show the features; state the price; give them directions to the store. But never, ever, ever, forget to ask for the sale. It’s ironic, isn’t it? How merely stating the features is not enough. That’s why freelance copywriters will always have plenty of business. Even mediocre ones. ‘nuff said.
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