9 Ways To Start Your Copywriting Engine

Filed Under Copywriting, Direct Marketing

For some people writing can be about as enjoyable as chewing nails. They sit down to create a sales letter…and nothing.

Their normally active, multi-tasking brain suddenly becomes as barren as the Mojave desert.

Not one babbling brook.

Not one fluffy bunny.

Not a cloud in the sky.

So how do you get started? Well the first thing you need to do is…

Get your juices flowing

You can’t just wait around for the inspiration boat to come in. It ain’t gonna happen…at least not when you want it to.

Some people think if they just sit and wait long enough something will come to them. Some magical idea will miraculously appear and they will begin to write prolifcally like Edgar Allen Poe, Hemingway, or Issac Asimov.

Did you know it took nineteen years for Asimov to publish his first 100 books, ten years to publish the next 100, and only five years to bring the total up to 300. Mr. Asimov, when asked by Bob Bly how he became so prolific replied that he believed he was so prolific because he had a simple straightforward style.

So there’s a good place to start.

Write the way you speak, write fast and edit later

Now I must preface this with a disclaimer…not everybody is going to agree with me.

However, I find that if you write the way you speak, write fast, and prevent yourself from editing what you write as you go, you will do a better job of developing content.

Why? When you stop and start to edit what you have written as you go you interrupt your left brain or the creative part of your brain. Once interrupted, it is harder to get the creative juices flowing again. So next time leave the editing for later and focus on writing what it is you want to say.

Waiting for inspiration

This usually results in the development of brain glaciers. Have you been there?

These glaciers make nothing you write seem good enough. You start, but keep erasing everything you write re-wording things over-and-over again never exactly saying what you really mean to say. Eventually these glaciers develop into a full-blown mountain forming a mental blockade. And the result? You end up writing nothing, nada.

To prevent this you must begin to write. It is as simple as that. Just do a brain dump. Get your fingers moving writing down all of the random thoughts flying into your head. Don’t worry about form or style at this point just begin. You will have time to go back and refine your thoughts later.

Do the easy stuff first

The trick to writing is to just get started. Once you get started and the more you write, the easier thoughts flow and more fluid your writing becomes. Once I get going, the flood of ideas is only hindered by my typing speed.

So pick something easy and just get started. Once you gain momentum the rest will come more easily.

Write about what interests you most

Similar to writing what you would consider easy first in the spirit of just getting moving you should also write about what interests you most. An area of the product that really interests you. A benefit you can enthusiastically describe.

When you write with enthusiasm the reader gets carried along with you in the excitement and selling your product will become easier.

Study expert’s copy

Constant exposure to the copy of experts will transform your writing over time. Copy ads of famous copywriters over word for word.

If you do this enough times the expert’s writing begins to imprint on your brain and you become a better writer as a result. When you sit down to write you next sales letter the components seem obvious, the wording flows, and the message has higher impact. Not every time but your chances of writing better copy will increase exponentially.

Begin with a bunch of headlines

One of the first things you can do is think about a list of benefits the product provides. Think about the product’s target audience and how the product’s benefits will be useful to them. Then take a few hours and headlines and subheads that feature the benefits you uncover.

This activity is useful not only in creating the headlines and subheads but will be useful content when constructing a bulleted list.

Write to your mama

Have you ever read one of those sterile corporate brochures riddled with big words that did not add a lot of value to the message and at times left you wondering what it all was supposed to mean? Well, let me tell you something…those type of brochures don’t really generate results.

When you are writing any sort of promotional piece whether you are trying to sell a product or service it is important to write as if you were speaking to one person. Your reader will feel your enthusiasm when they pick-up your promotional material and you will be able to more effectively sell the benefits of the product.

So next time you sit down to write, write like you are talking to your mother or a friend. Your copy will be easier to understand and be more effective.

Dump the details

When writing a promotional piece care should be taken not to weight down your message with too much detail.

Why? It distracts and bores the reader and you will lose their attention. If they really are that interested in the detail have it available for them just not in your promotion.

How to describe your product

When you try to describe your product to prospects think about the differentiation characteristics.

Make a list of these features and then ask yourself, “what benefits do these features provide the end user?” Make a list and use this content to describe your product. You will find your description is clearer and your writing more persuasive.

Technorati Tags: Copywriting

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Comments