7 Deadly Copywriting Sins
Knowing what not to do helps to give a clearer picture of what to do. Here are seven mistakes you should never make when writing sales copy.
1. Being slow to get to the point
- impressions are made in moments
- mention the main benefit and incentive right out of the gate
- your opening should be impossible to ignore
- tell the reader “what’s in it for me” (WIFM)
2. Not giving the reader some WIFM at every point
- use headings, illustrations, videos and captions to communicate prominent benefits wherever the reader’s eye might land
- repetition is okay just vary the point each time
3. Failing to do a complete selling job
- give every sensible reason why the reader should respond
- overcome those objectives
- omit nothing relevant
4. Failing to prove your statements are true
- use testimonials
- when possible use photos of those giving testimonials and their letters in original form — don’t edit them
5. Failing to connect as people
- show your own picture or pictures of customers
- people look at and relate to people
6. Failing to cut the fluff
- every element of your message must contribute to the result
- don’t distract the reader
- don’t belabour the details
- balance between effective repetition and overkill
7. Failing to guide the readers response
- a strong opening with a weak close leaves the reader feeling more frustrated than motivated
- make it easy for the reader to respond
- close persuasively — repeat all the reasons your reader should respond
- guide the reader to a yes/no choice
- have more than one call to action
Anything I missed here? Please let me know in the comments.
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When Will Revenue Override Prudence?
As the volcano in Iceland continues to spew forth ash and the cloud continues to spread itself across Europe and now apparently to the eastern shores of North America I’ve wondered how long the airlines would be tolerant of the prudence being shown by the air traffic controllers.
I’m going to say at the outset, I have never flown on an aircraft and at this point in my life have never had a need to. I have on occasion turned my vehicle into a flying vehicle due to lead footitis but I’ve never left the ground.
I’m sure millions of travellers stuck in countries they are trying to leave would certainly like to see planes flying to get them home. Over the weekend some European airlines sent up test flights through the volcanic ash cloud. At this point, they seem to be claiming their planes returned without any problems or damage.
Affected airlines are losing millions of dollars a day as this situation continues to drag on. Weather forecasters are now saying this will likely continue for days at a minimum and possible weeks depending on how long it takes this volcano to settle down. Meanwhile a NATO F-16 who flew through the cloud area reportedly has sustained damage to its engines.
From the material I’ve read, most volcanoes initial eruption sends ash cloud into the air and then it settles as the volcano sends out molten lava. The Iceland volcano is erupting within a ice-field which means that the lava is being cooled by the ice which it hasn’t been able to instantly melt, this sends more and more ash cloud into the sky.
Weather patterns, not just winds, move the cloud around. Right now a high pressure system extending from Newfoundland to Iceland is pulling cloud from Iceland towards Canadian shores as it turns in a clockwise pattern. Two low pressure systems are sitting just below that high pressure and are moving counterclockwise. At least one of those lows will pull some of the cloud out of the high and down the eastern US seaboard.
And we thought there was chaos happening in Europe.
It appears that winds and weather patterns are capable of moving this grit filled cloud farther and faster than expected just as airlines are getting really anxious about the millions they are losing.
Were their test flights successful or are they wilfully overlooking effects which could potentially have devastating effects on planes making their way through the skies? Will world governments give into pressure from airlines and stranded passengers to get them to their destinations?
Even more frightening will be the prospect of planes full of hundreds of passengers at a time playing Russian roulette in the name of world commerce. Mother nature has a devastating way of showing us just who is in control doesn’t she?
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