Writing Effective Sales Copy

Whether you run a home-based business or Microsoft, one thing is always true: products do not sell themselves. So what makes customers buy? Words.

Marketing gurus learned long ago that it's the words salespeople speak and ads present which are critical to the decision to buy or not to buy. So how can you be sure that they copy on your site, in your sales material, and in your promotions is effective?

You have two choices:

1) Hire a professional copywriter

2) Do It Yourself

In order to keep expenses low, most home-based businesses prefer the second option. If you do as well, you should follow these simple guidelines:

1) AIDA

AIDA is an acronym which stands for Attention, Internet, Desire, and Action. This is essentially an outline for how to effectively write your sales copy. First, you must grab your audience's attention by using exciting headlines, shocking statistics, or surprising facts, such as in the examples below:

"Learn the Secrets of Becoming a Millionaire"

"In less than 5 seconds, your audience has developed its first impression of you."

"Seventy-five percent of people would quit their jobs and work from home if the right opportunity arose."

Next, you need to make them interested in your product. Personal stories of success and lists of benefits can all help you do this. Near the end, you should begin working on building their desire for your product by stressing what specifically your product can do for them.

Finally, you should end all of your copy with a call to action. What this means is that you tell the reader what they need to to do next in order to get your product: click here to order, visit our web site today, call now, etc.

When you apply AIDA, you are carefully luring your audience in and guiding them towards the action you want.

2) Audience Appeals

All sales and marketing writing is meant to be persuasive and to change the minds of potential buyers. Most advertisers today understand this; therefore, they employ Aristotle's three audience appeals.

Aristotle, one of ancient Greece's greatest minds, identified these appeals which were being used by speakers of his time. These three appeals are ethos, logos, and pathos.

Ethos appeals are based on ethics and reputation. For example, using celebrity endorsements, building your credibility, or citing expert testimony.

Logos appeals are based on logic. These types of appeals use facts, statistics, and evidence to persuade audiences.

Pathos appeals are based on emotion. These type of appeals include the faces of starving children, the promise of success, or the lure of acceptance. Any part of your copy designed to make readers feel anger, pity, love, hope, etc. is an example of pathos.

Using one or all of these appeals in your content can boost its persuasive abilities considerably.

3) KISS

This acronym stands for Keep it Short and Simple. Basically, it means that your writing should be concise and to the point not a rambling bunch of metaphors and big words. You want your copy to appeal to as many people as possible so following this guideline is always a good idea.

Whether you decide to write your own copy or hire a professional, these tips will help you develop successful and effective copy every time you need it.

Vishal P. Rao is the owner of: http://www.work-at-home-forum.com/ An online community of people who work at home.

---

Google News Updated : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:49:35 GMT Where Angels go...heartbreak follows - Baltimore Sun Los Angeles Times Where Angels go...heartbreak follows Baltimore Sun - 3 hours ago If you didn't stay up to watch, the Angels came back from a 2-0 deficit last night and had the go-ahead run on third base with one out in the top of the ninth, only to have the situation blow up in their faces when manager Mike Scioscia (right) called ... Oh, what a ninth! Sox-Halos a classic MLB.com Angels seething after being squeezed out ESPN Boston Globe - FOXSports.com - USA Today - Los Angeles Times all 569 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:42:08 GMT US, Britain, and UN weigh options amid rising violence in ... - Christian Science Monitor AFP US, Britain, and UN weigh options amid rising violence in ... Christian Science Monitor - 40 minutes ago By David Montero Against the backdrop of a string of suicide bombings in Pakistan, British, American, and United Nations officials are grappling with the idea of a negotiated settlement with the Taliban. UPDATE 1-Afghan govt denies Saudi meeting was peace talks Reuters India Afghan official: no talks held with Taliban Xinhua AFP - Minneapolis Star Tribune - The Associated Press - Hindu all 453 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:09:17 GMT Pentagon denies US jet forced to land in Iran - guardian.co.uk Daily Mail Pentagon denies US jet forced to land in Iran guardian.co.uk - 36 minutes ago The Pentagon today denied a report that a US plane had been forced to land in Iranian territory. Iran's Fars news agency claimed that five US officials were questioned and released by the Iranian authorities after the plane they were flying in ... Iran says it forced down Western plane The Associated Press Iran says US plane violated Iran's airspace Reuters Bloomberg - BBC News - AFP - United Press International all 270 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:12:58 GMT Fed creates commercial paper-buying facility - Reuters Reuters Fed creates commercial paper-buying facility Reuters - 32 minutes ago By Mark Felsenthal and Glenn Somerville WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve on Tuesday announced it would create a special-purpose facility, with the Treasury Department's blessing, to begin buying commercial paper in yet another emergency move ... Euro, Dollar Gain on Fed Move Wall Street Journal Fed to Purchase US Commercial Paper to Ease Crunch (Update1) Bloomberg Washington Post - MarketWatch - New York Times - International Herald Tribune all 1,209 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:17:04 GMT Nobel Prize awarded for AIDS, cervical cancer research - Los Angeles Times CTV.ca Nobel Prize awarded for AIDS, cervical cancer research Los Angeles Times - 7 hours ago Luc Montagnier dedicated his award to AIDS sufferers and predicted results on a "therapeutic vaccine" for the pandemic within four years. 2 AIDS researchers receive Nobel Prize Chicago Tribune Three Europeans win the 2008 Nobel for medicine International Herald Tribune Detroit Free Press - People's Daily Online - The Associated Press - WTOP all 1,190 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:27 GMT McCain aims to slow Obama momentum in debate - Reuters BBC News McCain aims to slow Obama momentum in debate Reuters - 51 minutes ago By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent NASHVILLE (Reuters) - Republican John McCain hopes to halt Democrat Barack Obama's momentum and gain new life in the White House race on Tuesday when the presidential rivals meet in their second debate. A little word makes big waves on campaign trail CNN Political Ticker Tonight's debate is in McCain's favorite style The Associated Press CQPolitics.com - Washington Post - New York Times - AFP all 1,928 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:57:52 GMT The Ike Whitaker Saga - Washington Post Washington Post The Ike Whitaker Saga Washington Post - 40 minutes ago In case anyone missed Zach Berman's story in today's paper, Ike Whitaker appears to be done at Virginia Tech. I raise the story in this forum because Whitaker chose Virginia Tech over Maryland amid the usual fanfare that accompanies a top-level recruit ... Va. Tech WR Whitaker faces misdemeanor charges SportingNews.com More alcohol woes for Tech wide receiver Whitaker Richmond Times Dispatch Virginia Tech Collegiate Times Online Edition - The Virginian-Pilot - Daily Press - Washington Post all 32 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:08:42 GMT RSS For Web Pages Increase Online Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Working on the Internet: Role of Proofreading and Copy editing OnLine

When one is in a creative state, rarely can one... Read More

Quotations as Expressions in Life

Quotations are expressions, usually in the spoken form or in... Read More

Copywriting: Drafting Rules for Professionals

As a professional contractor who wears many hats, you owe... Read More

Writing Benefit-Driven Web Copy ? 4 Steps to More Sales

You've identified the benefits you offer your customers, but how... Read More

Your Article Headlines will Make or Break Your Business

Most people with an online presence will have to regularly... Read More

Writing Tips for Your Website

Now that your website is up and running, it's time... Read More

Memorable Sales Copy -- How to Write it

Want to know the secret of creating MEMORABLE promotional copy?... Read More

?Super Adjectives? Boost the Power of Your Copy

Pretty or elegant? Good or scrumptious? Nice or delightful? There... Read More

How to Develop a Killer News Hook

When you are going to write a press release probably... Read More

Killer Business Headline Templates - So How Do You Write Killer Headlines in Minutes? You Cheat!

According to Branding and Advertising legend, David Ogilvy: 5 times... Read More

7 Formulas for Articles That GET READ!

Many of us have been asked to write an article... Read More

The Five Rules Of Influential Web Writing

Building a professional reputation requires a campaign founded on your... Read More

How To Become A Freelance Copywriter In New York

As a freelance copywriter in New York, your work is... Read More

Segmenting Your Target Audience Through Your Copywriting

Ask any copywriter what the first commandment of copywriting is... Read More

Long Copy vs. Short Copy? If You?re Still Debating This, You?re Missing The Point!

I've seen this ongoing debate debate jump up again recently... Read More

How To Get Started With A Career In Copywriting

Careers in copywriting are booming. Could it be that the... Read More

Freelance Business Writers - How To Get The Best From Your Writer

At times, it can be frustrating to find freelance business... Read More

Making Your Purpose Your Business Step #4 - Organizing & Developing Online Content

If you have done your homework then you are ready... Read More

10 Tips for Aspiring Freelance Copywriters

Every week I receive a couple of emails from people... Read More

11 Reasons Not to Hire a Freelance Copywriter (and Why Theyre All Poor Excuses)

Think you can take the Copywriting Challenge on your own?... Read More

On Copying and Stealing Designs

The notion on the great artist, Pablo Picasso's quote, "Bad... Read More

Finding Your Clients Business Problem Leads to Better Copy

WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?How do you begin a dialogue with a... Read More

16 Golden Rules of Master Copywriting

You could spend thousands of dollars on advertisement and have... Read More

Sales Headline Copywriting ? Two Quick Steps to Success

Get a Good Start for Sales SuccessThe headline to a... Read More

Power Words And Phrases

I like to use power phrases when writing sales material.... Read More