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Long Copy or Short Copy?

David Denis — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:37:50 +0000

That's a lot of reading!

In a recent direct response email newsletter from Bob Bly, he writes on “The Truth about Long Copy.” It got me thinking.

Many people seem to feel that all copy must be short. These people like to choose arbitrary numbers like 250 or 500 words and apply them as length limits to every writing project. They like to say things like, “No one likes to read anymore.” Or “People are too busy to read long drawn out sales presentations.” My favorite one is when they support their position by stating, “I never read anything that takes me more than a minute.”

The Short Copy Crowd is making 2 huge mistakes here:

They infer that because some people don’t like to read long copy therefore there is no one in any circumstance that might be willing to read long copy.
They forget that their own entirely subjective feelings on the matter don’t carry the same weight as hard facts – such as the actual sales numbers generated by the type of copy in question.

There are projects that require just enough copy to pique the reader’s interest and drive them on to where they can find more detailed information. There are also copywriting assignments that need to include every piece of information about the product in detail. The difference is in the kind of product and the business model. Here is how Bob Bly puts it.

…But long copy often out-pulls short copy when:

You are marketing information products or other products that are sold by telling stories or conveying ideas.
You are generating a direct sale … via mail order … rather than just generating a lead or inquiry.
The reader is unfamiliar with your product and its benefits. You are demanding payment with order. The prospect has to pay up front with a check or credit card. He cannot order the product on credit and get an invoice he can choose to pay – or not pay – later.
The product is complex and therefore requires a lot of explanation.
The product is something people want rather than something they need – it is a discretionary purchase.
The product is expensive, representing an expenditure the prospect is likely to consider carefully before ordering.

The beauty of Bob’s more sophisticated approach is that he is not relying on untested emotional assumptions and one size fits all solutions.

He is basing his view on actual numbers. He knows that regardless of his personal feelings (or yours) about long copy, in these situations the numbers show that it sells.
He is tailoring the length of the copy to the need of the project. How much information do you need to SELL this product? Whatever that number is, that’s what you write.

When it comes to copywriting, always remember that the entire and sole purpose of the exercise is to sell stuff – not satisfy critics.

A competent copywriter understands this, and will write the type of copy (and the length of copy) that will get the job done.

This isn’t your daddy’s SEO

David Denis — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:37:06 +0000

Life is change. Yeah, yeah. Blah blah blah.

No. Really. It is. And Google is proving it again. They have changed their search algorithm to yield better, more relevant, more useful results for searchers. The bottom line here is that it is more important than ever to focus on the quality of your content. In her article New SEO Rules: See what you are missing Sharon Tisdale Rice writes:

The days of producing lots of content for content’s sake are over. Now content quality matters. Content must be thoughtful, well-researched and unique. Ranking is also affected by whether the writer is judged as an authority on a topic or not. Consequently, you do best by creating truly original content that is not scraped or paraphrased from other sites.

Many subject matter experts don’t like to write, don’t have time to write or just don’t feel that they are very good at putting their thoughts on paper. So when you absolutely positively must create the best content possible, partner up with a skilled writer that can listen and then craft the content that will inform and engage the reader. If it grabs your readers, it will grab Google.

Standing out in the marketplace

David Denis — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:14:58 +0000

It is axiomatic — everyone knows that every business must have a website. The trends are clear that more and more people are going to the web to engage in the market place. If you want customers to find you, if you want to effectively call out to them and be heard, you must begin with a website. If you don’t understand this, see my post on Google’s e-book Zero Moment of Truth.

I say “begin with a website” because that is only the start. There are search engine optimization tactics and traffic driving strategies. There are inbound marketing tools and email list building. All of these methods are simply ways to attract potential customers and then engage them.

It’s like a farmer’s market. Exciting displays of the freshest produce, colorfully spilling over the crates stops you from wandering by. It looks so good! You are overcome by the desire to squeeze and sniff the fruit, to fondle and thump the cantaloup. Then you ask the farmer “how much…?”

That display is your website. The keywords help them see you. Your content is the bushels of beautiful fruit that entice potential buyers to stop their mad clickfest and actually learn about the value that your company offers. The single common key to making this whole thing work is CONTENT. People come to your website for the useful and clear information – just like shoppers stop by your stall for the freshest fruit and vegetables.

Your content could be video, audio or photos. But the type of content that will do the bulk of the heavy lifting is your writing. The copy. The text. The words.

Your visitors will quickly size up your website and make a decision about whether it offers them the information they seek or not. If your content is clear, compelling and accessible, there is a good chance they may spend a few minutes listening to what you have to say.They will watch your video, look at your photos. They will spend the bulk of their attention on your text. If they like what they read, then you have an opportunity to continue to engage their attention. This is where you offer twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. This is where you provide free articles in exchange for their email. This is where they may even pick up the phone and call you. Perhaps they will even act to place an order there and then.

It all starts with the usefulness and clarity of your content.

It ends there too, because it’s the rest of the content that continues to move them down the buying path.

Invest in quality content. Spend good money for the best writing possible — writing that informs, excites and most of all, writing that sells.

Self Adjusting Copy Length

David Denis — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:46:10 +0000

Picked this up today courtesy of Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter.

A trend that has been going on for more than 5 years now is that consumer copy is getting longer, while business-to-business copy is getting shorter. Why?

1-Business prospects are busier than ever and have less time to read.

2-Consumers are more skeptical than ever so need more proof before they buy.

I often run into this question when dealing with clients.

Some are adamant that copy MUST be as absolutely bare bones short as possible.
Others want to include everything from soup to nuts — why use 1 word when 5 will do?
Still others have some arbitrary number — 500 words for example — that their copy must fit, regardless of other factors.

None of these address the real question that must be answered – What is the right length to accomplish the job?

As Bob indicates here, a direct response sales letter directed at a consumer prospect will typically need more text because you have to include more reasons to buy. You can, however, make a 2000 word sales letter seem short by placing BUY NOW buttons throughout the letter. That way your prospect can click over immediately upon going over that buying line.

In this way, sales letter copy becomes self-adjusting. The reader only reads what she needs to read to make the decision. Once she has gone far enough, she stops reading and clicks. Some will need to read all the way to the end, others will read a few paragraphs and take action.This is similar to the salesperson who reads the prospect’s buying signals, skips ahead in the sales presentation and goes right to close.

In a B2B scenario, I can’t imagine that the total amount of copy is really getting shorter, but I can see how business people feel more pressed for time. So keep that landing page or introductory letter brief. Summarize with the most potent benefits and support material and then give the prospect a chance to move to more detail if they wish. Again, you may still have to write longer copy that provides the detail. After all, just because your prospect runs a business doesn’t mean they don’t need all the information to make that expensive purchasing decision.

I would suggest that you design the copy to accommodate the reading style of the business prospect. For instance, but if you place the additional information on a different page (accessible by a link) you give the prospect a feeling of control over their time. Or offer the phone number multiple times throughout the copy so they can stop reading and call you. You helping manage their time rather than being intrusive. You give the prospect the choice of how to read the information and that makes the copy self-adjusting. Of course, just as with the headline on a sales letter, you have better make that first page compelling if you are going to make your case that the additional information is worth the time.

The same principle holds true for marketing collateral, website pages of all kinds, white papers, case studies, direct mail postcards — everything. Every piece of sales, marketing and advertising copy is at some level about direct response. So make sure you answer the question — What is the RIGHT length to get the job done.

The Copy Judge: Does your Copy Sell?

David Denis — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:40:39 +0000

Good copy gives readers plenty of chances to buy

Perhaps you don’t write copy, but…you probably could use some useful tips on how to evaluate copy. If you are going to pay someone to write copy for your website, advertising or marketing materials, how can you tell if it’s any good? So begins a series of posts on how business owners, marketing directors and anyone dealing with freelance commercial writers can recognize and evaluate the quality of your copy.

If you find it valuable, please pass these on to others who might benefit. All I ask is that you include the blurb at the end so people know where to find me.

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I just can’t help it. My default position when writing marketing copy is Selling Mode. To paraphrase Peter Drucker, the only reason for a business to exist is to create customers. Marketing copy exists for the same reason – to move the reader closer to becoming a customer. Anything less is a waste of time, space and money.

I have an advantage in that arena over some other copywriters. After all, I got my start in business by selling educational books door-to-door during the summer to earn money for college. I spent many years selling and training salespeople in the basics of retail selling. For about 7 years I dealt directly with business owners and managers selling professional development workshops. By now, it’s hard not to think and speak in terms of features and benefits. I’ve learned to word things in ways that decrease resistance, win people over and communicate value.

That selling experience transfers into writing.

So take a look at the copy on your website and in your other marketing materials. What do you look for to insure that it has a selling orientation? There are four basic qualities to look for.

Attention

Does each page or section have a headline? Does it make them want to read more? Is it unambiguous and direct? Does it state some benefit, offer some news or provide some compelling reason to read further.

Clarity

Is your copy organized so that it is easy to follow? Do section headings allow for quick scanning of the content? Does each section and paragraph include a compelling lead that sums up and drives the reader deeper into the content?

Beware of being clever or funny at the expense of clarity. A direct statement that is clear is far more preferable than a genius play on words that will be obscure to any part of your audience.

If anything about the copy is confusing, that creates a barrier. As the saying goes, “eschew obfuscation.”

Benefits

Your readers really want to know just one thing – “what is in it for me?” So give real benefits attached to the features of your product or service.

For instance, you may offer a free consultation. Be sure to explain that this allows your customer to evaluate your services without fear of losing money if it isn’t right. Don’t leave it up to your reader to figure out the benefit. Put it on paper for them.

Ask

Just as in selling, you can give a fantastic presentation, but if you never ask for the sale you leave money on the table.

In copywriting, that means telling people in clear and direct terms exactly what you want them to do. It may mean a huge button that says “Click here to place this in your shopping cart.” It may mean writing “Call this number now to set up your free consultation.” Leave nothing in your instructions to chance — the more painfully ridiculously clear, the better.

Place action opportunities everywhere and feature them prominently. Don’t make readers hunt for your phone number or for the response form. Make action easy. Remove obstacles and see better results.

That’s the basics elements of selling-oriented copy. Make sure to create every marketing piece with this in mind and you will be creating much greater return on your marketing dollar investment.

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This article is written by David Denis owner of Rock Solid Writing. Visit the website at http://www.rocksolidwriting.com
David is a freelance writer for hire offering powerful web content, marketing copy, sales letters, white papers, case studies, newsletters, sales scripts, and more.
To learn more, or request a free consultation click here or visit http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/schedule-your-free-copy-consultation/

I Believe in Writing…

David Denis — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:00:47 +0000

I believe in writing, the word, the page, the well crafted sentence, the well formed phrase. I believe that strong design makes anything look good but it’s the writing that gets the job done.

I believe bad writing sucks your soul out through your eyeballs, but good writing is the million volts of liquid lightning that you need to inject pulsating life into the corpse of your marketing project.

I believe that too many websites read as if they were written by zombies, and too few give you a reason to live. I believe in language that roars, hammers, explodes and pierces. I also believe in words that whisper, shimmer, dance, and tingle. I believe in bold clarity, subtle nuance, transitive verbs, the active voice, the power of Anglo-Saxon words, and the fact that the best writing is wicked hard but looks easy. Writing is not for sissies.

I believe in writing to sell and not merely to describe. I believe that features have benefits, and that your customers need what you have, and that it’s my job to tell them so.

I believe in delivering more than my clients want, and making it better than they thought it could be, in less time than they thought it would take.

I believe in writing.

Copy Writing Advice from the Old School

David Denis — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:00:47 +0000

Principles are principles, regardless of the era. The media may change from ink on paper to flashing photons on a screen but the fundamentals remain. That which is badly done in one medium is badly done in another.

Here are some tips on effective copy from a journal The Graphic Arts, published in 1915. I lifted a few quotes from an article titled “Conspicuous Features in Advertising.” by Henry Lewis Johnson. He writes about advertising when this meant print advertising, and print advertisement of that time seem dense and clumsy to our eyes. Nevertheless, the fundamentals remain.

Consider how these ideas apply even today to copy written for the web.

Write the way your readers talk:

The theory of straight talk is the theory of colloquial English. It is the rule of thumb that bids you talk in advertising, the same language the wise salesman speaks to his customer—forceful, direct, definite. In other words you use the words we speak rather than the words we write, and employ the vocabulary used in conversation

Once they find you, for goodness sake, give them something worth reading:

The element of surprise is almost wholly lacking in advertisement literature. Much display line text is clever about attracting attention, but it frequently happens that little remains to hold the attention when once it is gained, besides a bold statement of fact regarding the article advertised. Most advertisements read like stories where plots were given away in the introduction. After the first sentence, no novelty awaits the reader, no memory-haunting phrase, no deft comparison, no unexpected turn in the thought to induce the reader to keep on.

Be direct. Clarity trumps cleverness every time.

There should be no magic or mystery in this business of copywriting. If the advertisement writer would cultivate the faculty of direct appeal and the characteristics of brevity and simplicity, he would achieve half the secret of the craft. It is when he strives for effect, becomes forced instead of forcible, that he begins to flounder and unwittingly falls into a line of talk which is not understood…

Bottom line: weak copy reduces the chance that your reader will buy your stuff. They knew about that 100 years ago. That’s one fact that never changes.

The good news is that good copy, strong copy, compelling copy will trigger buyers to do their buying thing. It doesn’t get in the way — it makes buying easy.

If you have something to sell (and who doesn’t?), that’s worth the investment.

I didn’t write this, but I could have

David Denis — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:08:34 +0000

I just discovered this guy Justin Rubner and his blog Copycation.

I ran across his post called Can I Get Some A1 With That In-house Copy? I started to read it, and had this doppleganger sort of experience. I thought for a moment that maybe he had stolen one of my posts — except that I had never written anything about A1 sauce. So I suppose I have found a kindred spirit.

I love the distinction he makes between sophisticated design and sophisticated messaging. Putting mediocre copy in a beautiful design is A1 Sauce on a cheap cut of meat.

Clearly, since he seems to think like me, the man is a genius.

Does Your “About Us” Page get Snores or Roars?

David Denis — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:35:46 +0000

Every word on your website matters.

You owe it to your prospects, your customers and your employees to make sure that every single word and phrase on your website is working — doing the job it is supposed to do.

That includes that ubiquitous website cliche called “About Us.”

This is where people go to learn the basics about who you are and what you do. Who. What. Where. When.

It all seems so basic that it’s easy to just mail it in. Before you do that, stop and think about how you can use your about page to get people excited about your business. It’s not just about what you say — it’s about how you say it.

Inc. Magazine offers a really sharp little item on how to jazz up your “About Us” page so that the valuable web real estate you give to it will be generating the results you want, including social media buzz, lead generation and better connections with your customers and prospects.

A couple of my favorite quotes:

Bragging and Testimonials

I see a lot of well-established companies that have decades of business history, but for whatever reason they’re not sharing it,” says Harpointner, who has appeared CNBC and CNN Radio as an interactive marketing and e-commerce expert. “They tend to be shy about tooting their own horn. They think it’s not graceful to brag about themselves, but your About Us page is the one place where you should be tooting your own horn. For small or new companies, this is especially important, because consumers are just becoming familiar with their business. And if the About page comes up short, then the company looks like it doesn’t have much to say about itself. It’s really a missed opportunity.

Making Connections

The About Us page needs to reflect the organization,” says Thomas, CEO of Santa Barbara, California-based Web Marketing Therapy. “It’s the story of how a company started, but it should also be the story of who’s behind it. Is the CEO an avid skier? Or a yoga guru? We’re no longer in the world of B to B, or business to business; we’re in a world of what I call P to P, people to people. Relationships are the name of the game. Your clients want to know you, like you, and trust you.

Hiring a Writer

If you find yourself in need of professional help, think about hiring an expert. A good writer can make your About Us page pop with witty copy, catchy headlines, and SEO keywords. It will be money well spent, says Harpointner. “If a company spends money on direct-mail ads, billboard ads, and radio ads, then investing in an About Us page will probably the least amount of money it shells out. It’s up 24 hours a day, so in the big picture, it’s really worth it.

Read. Feel. Act

David Denis — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:17:14 +0000

What causes people to shell out good money to buy something, even something expensive?

It’s not necessarily because it makes sense — although that is important.

The point of decision (buying) is motivated more by emotion than logic. If not skillfully targeted at the right kind of emotion, most appeals will fail to convert into action.

So if you rely solely on overwhelming logic to close sales, you may find that your revenue is not keeping up with your vision. If you keep waiting for people to see the light of your unassailable logic, you will still be waiting long after the cold dead corpse of your business has been picked clean by the buzzards of the auction. What you need to do is light the fire.

Dan Heath of FastCompany explains that emotion, not logic, facts or statistics, is the key to moving people to change. He uses examples of helping people change direction and adopt new habits such as healthy eating or saving money. Imagine, on the other hand, what this means applied to selling YOUR product or service.

Simply put, you cannot merely list features or facts and expect people to make the connections. You must connect those facts to the strong emotions that motivate people to take action. The formula is simple: First people see what they want. Then they feel the need. Then they change.

Applied to writing copy, that formula can be translated as Read-Feel-Act.

That’s the signature quality of truly effective copy.

If your copy needs to create action, rather than simply inform, you must write to touch the heart as well as provide necessary information. One of my mentors put it this way, “People buy (act) based on emotion, and then they justify their action with logic and facts.” Humans act because they want something (love) or wish to avoid something (fear). If your writing taps into either of those primal emotions, you have a much better chance of getting the result you want.

So when it comes to creating your marketing materials or your website, find a copy writer that understands how to really sell you, your company and your products. The best writers get inside the head of the prospect and write copy that throws gasoline on their personal emotional woodpile and tosses on the match. It’s touching that emotional flashpoint that gets things jumping when it comes to your prospects deciding to buy.

That’s why buzzards hate bonfires.