Need some easy tips to get your marketing copy on point? Follow along…

Add a Call to Action

Strive for active verbs and avoid passive clichés.   Drop overused phrases like “synergistic,” “paradigm,” and “value-added.”  Readers will skip over them without being compelled to act.  Avoid passive language and tell your readers what to do.

Consider these examples:

• “Build the buzz”
• “Master salesmanship secrets”
• “Transform your business”
• “Crush your competition”

What’s In it For Me?

Your potential clients do not care if you make your sales quota for the quarter or even if you make your mortgage payment this month.  The only reasons he will buy is if he sees something “in it for him.”  In other words, he won’t care about what you are offering this month only.  But he will care about getting the “Top 54  proven sales tactics to increase cash flow in a week.” He wants clients lining up around the block, cash in hand, eager to buy what he’s got to sell. Promote the benefits your client will receive.

Shine Through

Do you skydive?  Go deep sea fishing?  A sci-fi addict?  Let your personality shine through so clients can feel as though they know you.  Customers want to buy from other people, not anonymous companies.  Tell your story in a compelling way.  Consider your hook, or what makes you different from the 34,000 other people selling the same thing you’ve got.

Contact Me

For years, one of the public relations pitfalls Amazon.com had was that there was no way to contact them via phone.  You were forced to communicate only through e-mail.  Customers didn’t like it and Amazon eventually changed.  Amazon was big enough to survive the discontent, but you might not be.  If a potential client does not easily find two or three different ways to contact you, don’t expect a sale.-

Offer a Guarantee

It can be a big leap of faith to trust someone you don’t know with a portion of your business.  One way to generate more sales is to offer some sort of guarantee or risk-free offer.

For an excellent example, consider this writer’s offer:  “My guarantee to you is this: If, within 30 days, you are not satisfied I will completely rewrite the copy for you. In other words, we will get it to work. You will make more money.”  It doesn’t get m ore clear than that!

Exploit Your Competition’s Weaknesses

You’d better know your competitors as well as you know your own company.  How is their product similar to yours?  How is it better or worse?  Why do they get some of your potential clients?  Don’t pretend you are the only horse in this race.  Do your homework, shred your opponent, but make sure you can back up your claims.

Related posts:

1. Identify Practical Needs of Your Target