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charlieharry1 · 4 years ago

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Marketing plan sample: a guide to scaling your commercial enterprise

A doll, also referred to as a nesting doll, is a hard and fast of wooden dolls of lowering length positioned one inner any other. The authentic artistry in these dolls is considering with size scaling, there may be no element lost. It is a beautiful scaled model of the unique doll. Like those dolls, a comprehensive marketing plan can be scaled from larger to smaller, more particular contexts without losing nice. The hassle Digital Marketing Agency Sheffield is, scaling comes with predominant challenges: coordinating exclusive groups, dealing with priorities, assets and metrics in an effective way this is suitable for the enterprise length. So, if it’s your activity to put together a marketing plan and you experience a bit overwhelmed, не бесп��койся! (do not worry!). You could take maximum marketing plan samples and scale them in your unique enterprise desires, audiences and strategies. In this text, i'm able to provide you with a detailed break down of a marketing plan pattern i created which can encourage you to take a advertising and marketing plan template (ahem maybe even ours) and scale it to your business advertising and marketing efforts. Now, permit’s stack, scale and get down to commercial enterprise! Advertising and marketing plan pattern

The size of your marketing plan will greatly depend on the motive or kind of commercial enterprise it's far for. A advertising plan will glaringly be different for a nearby coffee keep than a thriving business enterprise like coca-cola. No matter the size or target market, a marketing plan should by no means lose detail and best…much like the nesting doll. Remember the fact that the whole thing should be custom designed on your business scale and advertising and marketing needs. Do no longer feel like there may be a one length fits all approach! So, that will help you see a way to scale a advertising plan pattern, let’s come up with an concept of the sort of content you could include for organizations of all sizes! Small commercial enterprise: “loose people coffee & bar: an area to be human”

In this text, i've selected to fill out our disruptive advertising and marketing plan template for a made-up business i created called “free human beings espresso & bar.” i will walk you thru the things i needed to reflect onconsideration on whilst seeking to build my new “social spot” up within the location! Government summary

Even though that is a extra formal part of your advertising plan template, this could be the “organizer” of the plan that summarizes your advertising and marketing plan. Ensure every phase has a clear heading that is simple to recognize as well as a decent and precise description of what that phase consists of. At a look, a reader ought to apprehend exactly what the section is set! In my instance, you can see that i went via and create tight descriptions on what the sections might be about so human beings can turn via the advertising and marketing plan quick. You can create a list as i did above, or another alternative is to create a well concept out paragraph that envelops your advertising plan as a whole like underneath. Products and services

In this section, you will want to list the numerous values that you deliver on your ability customers—whether it’s merchandise, services or revel in. In my instance, i wanted to reflect onconsideration on how my merchandise and atmosphere helped my capacity customers have a exceptional form of social and relationship scene. I could be presenting best beverages and small meals objects in addition to social topic sports that allow human beings to fulfill in a different form of manner. This structure made famous from the sport, , will permit our capacity customers to have a meaningful communication with new people. In assessment to different bars, ours will allow singles to have a distinct form of enjoy to satisfy and speak to different singles in a softer-track, nicely-lit, socially-focused area. Vision and venture statements

this is an essential region in an effort to summarize and simply hyper-consciousness what your enterprise will exchange, do, or provide ability customers. What's your business fee? If you may’t explain in a few sentences why customers want your product, you do now not have a cost proposition. Without a need, there may be no incentive for clients to pay. So, ask yourself, what do you observed of your present day price proposition? Can your existing commercial enterprise model deliver? Do you have the proper infrastructure in vicinity and an appropriate assets for turning in the value proposition? In my example, we specifically country our preference/imaginative and prescient to make our community more social. Our imaginative and prescient is to create a place where human beings can come to have a verbal exchange and an area to facilitate that verbal exchange. The venture goes further into that declaration on how we will do this. We are able to create a network bar and coffee keep that ability customers can come and revel in a exceptional type of bar scene. No greater loud bars, darkish rooms and shallow courting building. Loose people lets in people to be human, connect and consciousness on revel in supplemented with drinks and meals. Like this, you need to consider a imaginative and prescient of what and then move to the task assertion of the way. Studies and analysis

in this segment, you’ll want to document on a variety of marketplace-associated things that have an effect to your overall advertising plan. Competition

research competitors, then examine the subsequent:

Product attributes

Pricing

Advertising and merchandising strategies

Distribution channel and technique

Products or services supplied

by means of doing this, you could “spy” for your opposition, take notes on what they're doing with their marketing efforts and then engineer your efforts to be higher! By using getting an perception into your competitors, you can carve out an area for yourself in an enterprise due to the fact you took the time to be unique and observe things in a different way than what's being finished. In my instance of unfastened people, i used to be capable to investigate some of the hottest bars in the region as well as single adult groups that facilitate meetups. On your research, like mine, now not only see who your opposition is but search for ways they hold people coming returned for greater. For charlie chaps, it’s a super get up bar that has quite a few hot and funny expertise coming in every week. For bourbon and branch, it's far remarkable liquids at an inexpensive charge with a exquisite view of the city. You too can find patterns, strategies and techniques your competition is doing and form them in your own enterprise. Ask your self the following questions:

Who're the kinds of human beings i want to goal? What keeps them coming lower back for more? What elements do they've that create pursuits? What is their rate factors? What are their connections? How do my competition advertise to and hook up with the network i want to target? When you may pinpoint who your competition is and what makes them competition, you may perfect their practices on your very own or do something noticeably specific to pressure exclusive types of traffic! Aggressive gain

So, taking the above opposition evaluation my coffee and bar residence can offer an area for people to fulfill in a secure, man or woman-meeting surroundings. The simple market need is a place where singles can meet new similar people. Unfastened people makes use of a verbal exchange device to decorate and facilitate singles meeting each different instead of getting muffled through simple bar scene methods of darkish rooms, loud song and shape now not conducive to speak me and meeting. We are able to also provide social community conversations where folks who are politically, religiously or personally energetic can come and feature community group discussions with neigh bour hood leaders. We additionally provide humans merchandise they are able to take domestic to promote our social shape out of doors of our facility. We create query packs that allow buying clients to take this social structure we promote to their homes. As a community coffee and bar house, it's miles our activity to make our community a higher area and to sense extra connected. Collectively we offer:

Meals first-class: the preference for better-satisfactory elements is being strengthened as clients are being subjected to an increasing number of options. We maintain it simple and usually converting to maintain interest. We've additionally found a rate point that is aggressive with our competition. High-quality conversation: clients understand that intellectual conversations may be had in bar settings and would choose this over normal bar talk. They might also recognize approaches to take this experience domestic with merchandise they can buy. Access to assembly humans: people are bored with being unmarried and are searching out approaches to meet like-minded people. By way of supplying not handiest an area and product however a social trade inside how we meet others we will enhance the happiness of our capacity customers and community. We stand out as a specific type of region where people can be human and connect. S. W. O. T

By way of looking into each of these sections in your enterprise, you may create a plan on how you can differentiate your products or services and declare your particular position within the marketplace. Strengths

whilst looking at your business strengths you want to listing practical blessings, strengths and positives you convey to the table. While you consider your cost proposition this have to come easy. In my marketing plan sample, loose human beings speaks to the private and emotional needs younger single adults need in their lives: connection and interplay. We as a bar and espresso house have sturdy third-birthday celebration providers that supply us excellent merchandise to make our beverages and appetizers. With first rate culinary experiences, we've got super local artists that help us create a classy that promotes creativity, positivity and exchange. We also have outstanding personnel that promotes healthful relationship building and outstanding customer service. From a commercial enterprise viewpoint, we deliver new thoughts to the bar and social scene that promotes one-of-a-kind types of connections that different bars do now not. We sell private conversations, invite significant community verbal exchange activities with the assist of neigh borhood leaders. Weak point

Whilst looking at business weaknesses take a look at your opposition and spot wherein you lack. Do no longer be too hard on yourself, however be sincere with your self. You can not grow if you can't see the way you need to improve. Whilst you test weaknesses, this additionally helps you propose out methods to cope with and improve your commercial enterprise message. So, in my instance, as a new coffee and bar house, we're manifestly no longer as mounted as some of the known “hot spots” of the town. With that during thoughts, it also means we do no longer have as a lot of an earnings yet compared to others for advertising and getting our call accessible. This could require us to reach out and try to get iuencer endorsement and different unfastened promotions through nearby news, etc. This will help us draft our content material to try and set us up as some thing new, exciting and something to revel in. Possibilities

I usually love this part of a swot analysis due to the fact it's miles the maximum wonderful way to view your enterprise . On this section, search for approaches you could and will succeed as a commercial enterprise. Have a look at your marketplace and the way it is supposed to grow and how in an effort to gain your business. Look for ways you may undercut and enhance what your competition is doing! In my example, loose people has a good market to financial institution on as there are constantly single human beings. In truth, became named the first-class metropolis for singles in 2017. With that knowledge, we will monopolize on the sale and other possibilities to reach an ever-growing marketplace of individuals. Threats

like anything in lifestyles, there is usually opposition, so it'd be smart to now not handiest study the opportunities but to also see practical limitations on your enterprise. Look for matters with the intention to have an effect on your backside line, restrict your audience or locational factors that can negatively affect your commercial enterprise. In my pattern advertising plan, free human beings has to compete with the already present bars human beings realize and love. It's miles our job to write content, market it and speak with the network about how our bar and espresso shop is a specific kind of enjoy. When also looking at threats out of doors of opposition, we also need to examine our audience. On account that we're a bar in one of the most costly places in the united states, that could placed a predicament on the younger give up of our demographics to revel in our products and services. Purchaser records: target market, personality and lifecycle

the subsequent issue you want to don't forget as you create your advertising plan is your customers. Who're you focused on? What are their passions, troubles and pain factors? What are the unique sorts of customers which are well worth it slow? In our instance, loose humans, targets younger unmarried adults a while 25-37, especially ladies and socially energetic adults. Unmarried

Younger expert

Bay place, condo/apartment dwelling

earnings $40,000+

purchaser persona profile data

values: human connection, selling nice social trade, training, lengthy-term relationship

troubles: has a difficult time assembly like-minded and aged humans, busy paintings schedules, desires long-term relationships, sick of the identical antique bar scenes, desires to create advantageous social change in groups

pastimes: news and present day activities, socializing, arts and studies, communique, gymnasium, healthy life-style, and facebook, journeying, schooling, dating sites and offerings, reading, faith and social problems

Once you realize your client’s you could now look to how fine reach them through significant advertising goals. Advertising and marketing targets

first, you want to set the degree for what you need to perform so you can determine on the advertising plan to complement the ones desires. Do no longer rush or consciousness on execution earlier than you define what achievement looks as if on your commercial enterprise. Marketing goals are a emblem’s described dreams. They outline the intentions of the advertising group, unique numbers and offer clean actions to execute. For instance, here are a few possible dreams you may have:

Introduce # of latest merchandise

Target a new purchaser persona

enlarge/regain market

construct brand awareness

develop emblem loyalty

grow market shares

build industry authority

raise income

enter into # lengthy-time period contracts

Improve transport and customer support

Emblem exposure and engagement on x. However, those goals are fairly extensive. As a marketer, it's far your process to discern out how to use advertising procedures to reap them! So, for free human beings, i made 4 advertising targets focused on revenue and exposure. From there, it is my activity because the “marketer in charge” to discern out what methods will help make those objectives occur! I created specific cash quantities, systems and numbers worried to reach the dreams we set out as a beginning enterprise. The top priority totally free human beings’s publicity might be to communicate price to our target market. This can be accomplished via a ramification of methods. The first method may be strategically located commercials. One place a good way to be used for classified ads is social and nearby newspapers and magazines. This can be the main supply of advertisements because the demographics suit up among their target audience and ours. We are able to additionally do commercials with so that it will also associate iuencers to promote us on that platform. Among paid ads and iuencers we should be able to connect our business with younger unmarried adult locals. At a later time, we also need to maximise electronic mail advertising for our restaurant/bar. We must have an agile planning strategy, even though, so we can’t get too detailed right now. It’s simply some thing to maintain in thoughts. Another source of advertising and marketing will be via strategic partnerships with like businesses like gyms which might be usually full of unmarried adults. The last exposure advertising tactic we will sell is a grass-roots attempt with “deliver-a-buddy” promotions that invite extra humans at a reduced value to revel in our enterprise. This tactic will finally sell emblem loyalty is we create an experience people can not forget about and find success with. Create a progressive advertising budget

Attention on what traditionally

Use approaches that permit complete control/customizability. Don’t scale till you show roi

Pass-channel to double dip

with the aid of following confirmed ful fillment and being clever with your advertising finances you may make cash stretch further. Do not splurge due to the fact you need to get matters up and running. Plan and you'll be thankful you probably did! So, for our example with free people espresso and bar, i calculated that the commercial enterprise will want to make at least $40,500 a month in sales to reach the smash-even factor. The first two months can be used to set up the physical vicinity, hire personnel, set up vendor relationships and attain an alcohol license. The 1/3 month might be the grand establishing. Commercial enterprise for the duration of the second month might be understandably slow as a steady patron base takes time to build. That is the stage in which most of the people of our marketing price range will pass. While you create a tentative economic forecast you may then want to carefully assign human beings to the distinctive advertising campaigns and obligations. With their detail tasks be sure to consist of cut-off dates, budgets and expectancies. To break things down further you may want to map out exact plans for sales funnel content. So, if i used to be to brainstorm content material around my market studies and target customers for free people:

Read Also:- What is Promotional Marketing and how to use it?

Cognizance degree

Guides: a guide to trendy communication, meeting like our figure’s did

Blogs: 11 approaches to ful fill singles in , courting records inside the bay location, say good-bye to courting apps and say hey to old college

Purchasing/ gaining knowledge of degree

Video: join: a loose people revel in, relationship done proper: meet unfastened humans

Publications: how a hit are my tactics: information on dating scene approaches & pride

selection level

Business product comparisons: commercial for promotional occasion night time (exchange the way you meet)

Blog content: why we want to free humans

Invite to social events: convey a chum night, network communicate, etc…

retention plan: memberships, discounts, birthday codes

content material no longer handiest attracts customers but it additionally affords seo fee. By using growing constant and high-quality content material your commercial enterprise blog and internet site will advantage greater site visitors. Google rewards exceptional stuff so why now not appeal to some advertising help and new clients via google?! From there you'll also need to don't forget your social media use, on-line advertising in addition to your collaboration plans with different agencies/iuencers. So, in unfastened people’s instance, i wanted to map out unique cash amounts we would placed closer to backed advertisements on and facebook. I additionally mapped out extraordinary varieties of content and that paintings for our enterprise like videos, especially erang. We might additionally want to make unique hashtags and specifics humans can use so we can begin building a community on those systems. Whilst it got here to collaborations with the gyms, it may be pass-promotional discounts! While searching out iuencers we desired to work with we'd hyper-focus on ones with at least 20k followings, and topics which are of hobby to us. Specially allie. Eats might be a outstanding example of an iuencer we might need to pay or invite to experience our new bar as she specializes in bar/food scenes in the san fransisco place. In go back for her selling our bar, we are able to supply her loose products, charge, and so on which promotes a wholesome and balanced relationship which could paintings inside the destiny. By way of detailing out those plans, you may be able to song your and tweak the contracts and campaigns for consequences inside the destiny. Scaled and measured: you can adapt

Organizations are continually looking for a new edge to seize mindshare and differentiate their answer inside the marketplace and through growing a sturdy marketing plan you may do that! Even though the above sections are things you should include in your marketing plans, each advertising plan could be fluid and different. You will need to customize and scale every plan for your needs however also make it so it’s a residing document to adapt to market change. It can virtually be a exertions of affection, but once your marketing plan is complete it is going to be all well worth it! You are well in your way to creating your enterprise a due to the fact you did the hard paintings. You currently have some mindset matters to don't forget Digital Marketing Company Sheffield when filling out any marketing template or sample however if you are nevertheless feeling crushed, attain out! What do you keep in mind when scaling a advertising plan sample? What are the bigger worries of templates and using them for different sorts and sizes of organizations?

#Digital Marketing Company

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radinapetrova · 6 years ago

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LO1>>Typography Research

#BriefThree

How Typography Affects Readers?

Typography: What is it exactly?

In simple terms, typography refers to the craft of arranging type. It has been practiced since the invention of Gutenbergs’s movable type printing machine. Despite not always produced by professional typographers, typography is present in varying lengths in almost all text pieces.

Typographer, Adrian Frutiger, puts it perfectly when he says:

“If you remember the shape of your spoon at lunch, it has to be the wrong shape. The spoon and the letter are tools; one to take food from the bowl, the other to take information off the page…when it is a good design, the reader has to feel comfortable because the letter is both banal and beautiful.”

Typography is a tool that can add emotion, drama and personality to the printed matter, making it more visually appealing. It can subconsciously embed the message in the mind of the reader, making it easier for them to understand, grasp and comprehend the presented information.

Let’s look at the key elements of Typography:

Typeface: This is a term that is commonly confused with “font”. Typeface refers to a collection of symbols, characters, numbers and letters that share the same design. It is a family of fonts that share similar features. Examples of a typeface include Baskerville, Helvetica and Garamond.

Font, on the other hand, refers to a typeface that is set in a specific size, style and weight. For example, Baskerville Old Face Bold at 11 points is a font. So the next time when someone asks you for your favorite font, know that they actually might mean typeface.

Line Length: Often calculated as number of words or characters in a line, line length refers to distance occupied by a block of text located between the right and the left margin.

Leading: Also known as line spacing, leading refers to the distance between baseline to baseline. A baseline is an imaginary line where the text (of a line) rests.

Kerning: Kerning refers to spacing between individual characters or letters.

Tracking: Also known as letter-spacing, tracking is almost the same as kerning but applied to a block of text, instead of individual letters.

Why does typography matter?

To put it simply, typography matters because it helps keep the reader’s attention on your content. Good typography allows them to focus on the message instead of focusing on the mechanics of reading.

Typography is more than selecting fonts. It is the study of how humans read, how they perceive information, how they recognise words and how the brain processes the information. Yes, it is an art but it is has its roots in human cognition.

For example, as you know, creating a visual hierarchy is important to guide the readers’ attention. Typography allows you to create that visual arrangement in the order of importance, by providing them with visual cues through the use of color, font, size, alignment and style.

To understand how to best utilise typography when creating a visual hierarchy, it is important to understand how people perceive information, which can be observed through the Gestalt’s principles of Perception which state that human brain likes to organize elements on the basis of similarity, continuation, closure and proximity.

There are many other aspects of typography whose knowledge and therefore application can improve reader engagement. The common one is selecting the right typeface. Other than that, organisation of text is equally important to provide a pleasant reading experience. When organising text, you must aim to achieve optimal reading experience, conspicuity while keeping the passage aesthetically pleasing.

Well arranged content will allow the reader to understand all the different “parts” of the content, while making mental processing easier.

As far as conspicuity goes, there is one specific thing you want to achieve through typography. You want to make sure that the paragraphs or texts that are important are clearly emphasised to be more important than other elements present on the page. You can do this by bolding, underlining or even increasing the font size of those sections. You can even do it by creating an environmental contrast, which means to make the surrounding area of the important passage different in appearance.

Does (Font) Size Matter?

In a study by Bernard, they compared 8 popular typefaces to find which performed the best and at what size. The fonts that were compared were Century Schoolbook, Courier New, Georgia, Times New Roman, Arial, Comic Sans, Tahoma and Verdana. These fonts were compared at 10, 12 and 14 point sizes.

Results were as follows: At 10 point size, Verdana was the most preferred font. At 12 point size, Arial was the most preferred font. At 14 point size, Comic Sans was the most preferred font.

When the reading time for the fonts were analysed, it was found that Times New Roman and Arial were read the fastest. The analysis of reading efficiency showed larger texts more readable even though data did not yield any significant results.

As far as perceived legibility goes, at font size 10 Tahoma was the most legible. At font size 12, Courier was the most legible, and at font size 14 Arial was the most legible. Out of all fonts, Arial and Courier were shown to be most legible. But overall, this study showed that a bigger font size does not always equal to a high legibility.

Picking the right typeface:

Looks aren’t always the best choice. Often people go for the typeface that looks different, is unique and strikes a chord with them with its distinctive personality. Is that always the best choice? Not always. There should always be a balance between expressiveness and usefulness when it comes to the font.

What if you want to pair typefaces? The best way to do it is through a design principle called correspondence and contrast.

Do not Overdose. With the amount of variety available, it is easy to fall with the shiniest font you first lay your eyes upon. The curls and swirls that enticed you to the typeface are powerful so use them in small doses. Otherwise, you stand to risk legibility and readability. Try to keep the body simple.

Remember that there are no ironclad rules. What’s mentioned above are guidelines, but feel free to experiment and tweak your layout based on results. The font that hits the spot for someone’s audience might not work well with yours.

The first way to mix typefaces is by pairing two that match, or are different enough. For example Helvetica and Franklin. If the typefaces you choose to go with are too similar, then your reader subconsciously will compare the two fonts to see if they are similar, thus distracting them from comprehending the actual message of the content piece.

The second way to do it is by pairing typefaces that contrast but still complement each other. You can do it by grouping types that share a common trait, like x height or kerning, but is still different in all other factors.

Serif vs. Sans-Serif problem: Which is Easier to Read?

Over the years, research has failed to produce any conclusive results when it comes to deciding which one performs better. But what is the common consensus when it comes to the legibility war between Serifs and the Non Serifs?

Sans Serif is the way to go when it comes to the web. Some research has shown that Sans Serif fonts are easier to read on computer monitors because they are less visually complex, it requires less time to be processed by the brain which means that the person is able to focus more on the message than trying to decipher the characters.

Another reason why Sans Serif performs better on web is because they are more legible in small sizes. They are legible because of their simplistic forms. Use of Serif typefaces on low resolutions screens can even cause visual dissonance, retracting the readers from reading the whole passage.

Keep the Serifs for the title and San Serifs for the body.

Also, study your audience. What are their demographics? Are they scientists, lawyers, doctors or preschoolers? Comic Sans might sit well with kids but not lawyers. Also, know that typography is very important to create a mood and feeling around the content.

Effect on Mood and Cognitive Performance of readers

An experiment conducted by Kevin Larson and Rosalind Picard looked at how typography affects mood and performance of the readers. It happened across two studies, where they took three kind of measurements: Relative Subject Duration (RSD), Likert Scale and through a cognitive task which was different for both studies.

There were twenty participants, half of them got the text with poor typography and half got good typography.

In the first study, the participants were given twenty minutes to read the passage, amid which (after 15 minutes) they were interrupted and asked to estimate how long they had been reading for. After the RSD data was recorded, they were asked to fill out the Likert preference questionnaire with 6 statements, where one of the statements was whether they found the text easy to read.

Next, they were given a cognitive task, which for the first study was a Candle problem.

The second study was very similar to the first one, except for the RSD data, they were interrupted 17 minutes into reading, and the cognitive performance task was changed to remote associates test.

Results:

Participants with good typography underestimated their time by 3 minutes 18 seconds in the first study and by 5 minutes and 21 seconds in the second study. This shows that when a passage is well structured, the readers are more engrossed in the text.

With the Likert scale questionnaire in the first study, the results were not reliable. But in the second study, some scores were in favor of good typography.

For the Candle problem, out of the 10 participants who were shown good typography, 4 successfully completed the task, while 0 participants completed the task in the other group.

In the Remote associates task, the results were not statistically significant or reliable with the good typography group succeeding on 52% of the task at an average speed of 6395ms, and the poor typography group succeeding at 48% of the task at an average speed of 6715ms.

Guidelines to make your text more legible and readable

Pick a typeface with an average x height.

Keep the counters large. Counter refers to the negative white space present within the letter, like in “O” or “P”. A large counter will make the characters more distinctive.

Simple letter types are easier to read. Sans Serif fonts are often used for online reading. Although, Serif is easier to read on printed text.

Avoid caps and keep the coastline. Coastline refers to the shape that the boundary of a word makes. All in Caps does not have a coastline, which makes its recognition harder. Over 90% of the text that people read is in lowercase, so that’s what they are used to. Also, the coastline provides the readers with a word’s shape, a visual cue, which they recognise.

Depending on your readers’ demographic, adjust your point size. If your readers are older, you should increase the point size. Otherwise depending on the font, point size between 10-14 should be reasonable.

Remember line length? It affects both reading speed and comfort. Lines that are too short can make the readers uneasy due to the constant need of shifting their eyes onto the next line. It can affect comprehension. Lines that are too long, on the other hand, can make it difficult for the readers to find the next line.

When text lines are very long, the line spacing should be higher so that the reader lands on the next line correctly without getting lost.

Letter spacing is very important to have the right density, which allows smooth word recognition. Type with high density will allow for more words per line, whereas those with low density will only allow a few words. But if the spacing between letters is too far apart, the reader will read the letters individually and then form a word, taking two steps instead of one. As a general rule of thumb, line spacing should be 120% of the font size.

Organize the headlines, sub headlines and the body with font size. This way all three of them remain easily distinguishable.

Regardless of the font type, having an even rhythm of space throughout the characters is very important for a smooth readability.

Source: https://www.adpushup.com/blog/how-typography-affects-readers/

#BriefThree

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scriptstructure · 8 years ago

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How can the size of paragraphs be used to indicate mood and flow of a scene? Does the range of the paragraph sizes have an impact on readability, and are there typically different ranges and lengths common to certain genres (like comedy, horror, romance)? I'm attempting to write my first long story, and I want to figure out how to use the format of paragraphs themselves - especially in unison with others - in order to indicate some themes and tones, but I'm not sure how to go about it.

Paragraphs break the information in a scene/ chapter up into coherent sections. A paragraph in fiction often works very similarly to the way you’ve probably been told to write paragraphs for academic papers and such: you set up a concept (topic sentence), you explore the concept (body), and you reach a conclusion.

Note: I say ‘often’ and ‘similarly’ because obviously the nature of prose fiction means that these structures often look nothing like their academic cousins. The function is the same, the form it takes is often completely different.

Also note: While many prose fiction paragraphs do the above, prose fiction also utilises paragraphs to set pace, to produce imagery, to create mood and tension, etc. Prose fiction uses both ‘proper’ paragraphs, and paragraph ‘fragments’ in order to achieve the proper aesthetic and informative effects.

We’ll use some excerpts of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando as an example, this paragraph is early in the first chapter, describing Orlando’s character. We have an introduction where he is sneaking through the grounds of his father’s estate:

and then the body of the paragraph follows along with what Orlando does and sees while he’s sneaking:

And the paragraph concludes with an observation on what this means to his character:

This isn’t academic writing, the exact way that these elements are utilised will change to suit the writer’s preference, but this is how a paragraph is structured. Similarly to a scene or a chapter, a paragraph should enclose an idea as a single discrete narrative arc.

(If you’ve been following this blog a while you might be noticing that writing takes on a fractal quality, when you look at it long enough, a large piece work has a similar broad structure to any small part of it -- not something you need to think about while writing, it would probably drive you up the wall, but very interesting and cool to think about)

Paragraphs break to signal a topic shift. This might be as subtle as going from talking about the weather in general (It was a dark and stormy night, and the forest around the black castle tossed and howled like the sea in a gale ...) to focusing in on how the protagonist is affected by said weather (In the top of the highest tower of the black castle, the imprisoned Prince Prism stayed tucked in the corner under the meagre blankets he’d been given, and hoped that the tower wouldn’t topple over in the wind ...) Being aware of when you shift focus or topic and beginning a new paragraph accordingly keeps your prose clear and easy to keep track of.

Paragraph breaks also indicate changes in action (paragraph 1: character a does something, there is some description, paragraph 2: character b reacts, and there is some description of that reaction).

This is also why when you’re writing dialogue it is important to make a new paragraph each time the speaker changes.

(from The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Earnest Hemingway, because Orlando doesn’t have a lot in the way of conversational exchanges)

You might have found this yourself at some point, but not been able to place quite what was wrong, often I’ll read something (usually fanfic or self published: fiction editors are usually very good at sorting out this kind of issue) and find that there’s a paragraph that just goes on and on and on and I lose my place and have to go up a couple of lines and try to figure out what happened but then I can’t remember what happened at the beginning of the giant paragraph so I have to go back and start over but at that point I just close the story because I’m reading for pleasure and this is too much like work, you know?

When a paragraph goes on for too long, covers too many topics without breaking, it becomes difficult to read. Functionally, the paragraph break signals to the reader that the concept has been concluded. They can distill that paragraph down to an easily retained bit of information (Orlando likes to sneak around so he won’t be disturbed reading), and then move on to the next bit. When the paragraph doesn’t break, it’s indicating to the reader that the concept isn’t finished, and that they have to hold onto all the disparate ideas they’re being handed until the very end of the paragraph before they can distill it.

This doesn’t only happen in prose fiction, by the way, this is one of the structural areas where a lot of academic writing falls down too, because there’s so much contextual information needed that the writer keeps on going rather than breaking it up and dealing with their different points one chunk at a time. (You know those textbooks where you start reading and then halfway through a page you have no idea what you’re supposed to be getting out of it? That.)

Of course, this is not at all to say that long paragraphs are all bad. Done well, a long paragraph can assist in creating mood and pace of the story. But it must be coherent in itself, and it must have a clarity of progression through the concept that it is setting out.

Long paragraphs can create a sense of lingering over details, it can indicate a lull in action, or a calm moment. It’s also often used in setting scenes or elaborating on the internal moments of characters.

Medium sized paragraphs can also set scenes or detail internal moments, but they are more often the vehicle for propelling the action forward. Things happen, those things tell us something about the characters, setting, or situation, and we learn from them.

Paragraph fragments break up the page, used well they can make a point stand out to the reader, it’s an emphatic way to place a line on the page. Paragraph fragments can also be used to indicate that events are happening at great speed, or to create the sensation of a cascade of experiences. Action scenes often benefit from paragraph fragments, but so do moments of realisation, or emphasis.

In the following excerpt from Orlando, there is a couple of long paragraphs detailing why Orlando has become disenchanted with the people he meets and wishes to isolate himself, but also that he is conflicted in that he loves the works that people create (he loves poetry and reading) and then the final conclusions are repeated in isolation:

(the pension referred to is to retain a poet in his home to produce new works for him, even though Orlando has just realised that the poet is a scammer and has upset him pretty badly)

The first line must break because it is a new line of dialogue, but it also serves as a paragraph fragment to show Orlando’s new approach to isolating himself, he orders the servants to leave him alone and just takes a few dogs up to his rooms. But the second paragraph fragment shows the contrariness of his nature, after several paragraphs detailing how upset he is and how much he wants to be alone, he’s still paying this guy to stay.

These two fragments reveal a lot of character in just two punchy little lines. They’re cushioned in among a lot of much longer paragraphs, which makes them stand out even more. If you’ve not read Orlando, I’d really recommend it, and any of Woolf’s other work, she’s got a great approach to tone and pacing.

And changing the length of paragraphs is going to be something you learn to balance. It reminds me of this quote about writing sentences that are interesting to the eye and mind (remember what I said about fractal structural elements?)

“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.”

--Gary Provost

Just like sentences, you want your paragraphs to be varied. Not always wildly different, but if you tend to write longer paragraphs, you might want to mindfully utilise shorter paragraphs to break things up and lighten the load on the reader. Similarly, if you find yourself constantly writing page after page of paragraph fragments, you might want to see if you can piece some of those together or expand on the concepts you’re attempting to capture, and have some longer paragraphs in there.

Variety, balance, like so many things paragraph size and structure is something you need to work out as you go and it will change with each story. Most of the time it will probably come naturally to you because our brains are used to making stories and sharing information in the way that it is easiest to understand, but sometimes it goes wrong and you can’t put your finger on why, and it can help to have an understanding of what paragraphs are for and how you make them do what you want them to.

#writing #paragraphs #dialogue #tone #pacing #Anonymous

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charly-ra · 6 years ago

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10 Must-Try Tactics for B2B Blog Optimization

You’ve spent all of this time researching and writing blog content that offers your audiences extremely valuable information. But, for some reason, the content just isn’t being found organically.

It’s time to reevaluate your content marketing assets and look for opportunities to further optimize. What exactly does this entail? Blog optimization includes everything from proper page tagging to keyword research and usage, heading updates, cross-linking and much more.

Ultimately, optimizing existing blog posts will increase organic traffic, help reach new and highly relevant audiences and boost conversions.

In this post, I’ll be covering 10 essential tactics for blog optimization that will surely take your organic visibility to the next level.

1. Analyze Keyword Visibility

While keyword research is typically the starting point when creating SEO blog content, you can easily uncover new keyword opportunities by analyzing existing visibility after a post has been published for some time.

Run the URL in SEMrush and Search Console to determine top keywords that the post is driving visibility around. Focus on keywords where the post is ranking in positions 5 – 15, as these typically present the most immediate opportunity to move up in search results.

Consider the longer tail terms that are most relevant to the post. Ranking for the shorter tail, super competitive terms may be a long shot right now, but if you can build visibility around the longer tail targets first – you’re on the right track.

For example, instead of targeting a particularly competitive term like “marketing automation,” start by targeting a more specific term like “b2b marketing automation examples.”

Once you’ve set your primary keyword target(s), look for additional opportunities to use the phrase in a natural manner throughout the post. While incorporating the keyword in your content is absolutely essential, it’s also important that you’re not forcing it.

There are a couple of steps we recommend to ensure your content sounds natural:

Always read the copy out loud before publishing

Ask yourself: does this sentence, phrase or paragraph offer value to the reader?

Would this sentence, phrase or paragraph make sense without the keyword? Or, would it make more sense with another term?

2. Evaluate Top SERPs

Understand what’s currently showing up in search results for the keyword targets at hand. With this type of evaluation, you will have a better understanding of what’s required to rank based on what Google has already determined as most relevant to the query.

This includes looking at both traditional search engine results features and more advanced features like the Featured Snippet, People Also Asked, Related Searches and more. Consider the type of assets ranking, the style of posts, the format, etc.

This post provides examples of what each SERP feature actually looks like on Google, and outlines considerations that SEO professionals should be aware of.

3. Optimize Your Title

Title tags might be the most important, individual factor on a web page or post. HTML titles appear as the titles in search engine results, as well as default titles for bookmarks and social media shared assets (Twitter, Facebook, etc.).

Ideally, the keyword or a variation of the term should be included towards the beginning of the title tag, but don’t force it.

Of course, other SEO best practices should be kept in mind as well. The length should not exceed 55-60 characters (if it’s too long, consider condensing it), and the title tag should be unique.

Part of your analysis of what’s ranking in top search results should include looking for commonalities of post titles. For example, are most of the posts ranking structured as a list like “[X] Ways”, do they address the definition “What is…” or do they reflect “How-to” style articles?

Because adjustments to HTML titles can have a significant impact on SEO efforts, it’s important that potential implications are considered and proper planning is put in place before any changes are made.

Make sure that changing the title won’t cause any significant ranking drops or loss of existing organic visibility to the post.

4. Craft a Meta Description

Your meta description should provide both search engines and users with a brief and unique description of what is covered in the post. Ideally, the meta description will be one to two sentences and will not exceed 200 characters in length.

While meta descriptions don’t play a significant role in driving rankings, they can impact the click-through rate. For this reason, look for opportunities to make the meta description more engaging and entice users to click into the post.

Again, ideally the keyword or a variation of the term should be included towards the beginning of the description, but don’t force it.

5. Incorporate Headings

The overall structure of your content can make all the difference when it comes to optimization. Post headings and the depth of use should be leveraged for establishing organization patterns in association with the subject.

For SEO, ensure that H2 tags (main headings) and H3 tags (subheading) are implemented on blog posts to help search engines better understand the hierarchy of the content. Heading tags with lower headline variables (4 and lower) are generally not recommended.

Adding headings and subheadings can be a quick and easy way to improve the overall readability of a blog post. Keep paragraphs between 3 to 4 sentences to ensure readers can easily navigate and digest the content.

Look for opportunities to use keywords in headings when possible, while aligning the overall content structure with your analysis of assets ranking in top search results.

6. Add Cross-Links

Optimizing blog posts will also give you a chance to update any broken cross-links in the post and add new ones.

If possible and natural, I encourage at least 1 cross-link to a relevant product page with the appropriate anchor text. However, it’s also worth considering adding cross-links to any newly published related blog posts.

7. Optimize Images

When it comes to blog optimization, the most commons issues are around broken images. As a result, ensuring existing file names are not changed without proper consideration is key.

Look for opportunities to add more engaging images, and ensure images are optimized. Image file names and ALT text can impact how they perform in search engine results, and help with overall post performance.

When it comes to image naming conventions, best practices include using a dash vs. a space or underscore, incorporating descriptive keywords, and using lowercase letters. Also, try to keep the image size under 200k.

8. Avoid URL Changes

It’s important to recognize that the implications of changing a URL can be pretty serious, especially if a blog post is driving significant organic traffic already.

Avoid making updates to existing blog post URLs that won’t offer any noteworthy SEO value. For example, removing descriptive words, rephrasing, shortening, etc.

If a URL is updated to offer additional SEO value, having the proper redirect in place (from the old URL to the updated one) is essential. However, in most cases, I suggest avoiding URL changes to prevent an unnecessary 301 redirect.

9. Provide a Call-to-Action

Users have read through your entire post and absorbed all of the amazing content you’ve spent time crafting. Now what?

Make sure that the bottom of your posts provides a clear next step or call-to-action for users to take, whether that is through text, a banner, or a button.

The call-to-action might be to learn more about a product or solution related to the challenge, request a free demo, download an eBook with more information, or contact a representative.

Whatever the next step is, make sure it’s clearly defined.

10. Clean Up Content

While evaluating and refreshing top blog posts can lead to impressive organic traffic results, there’s also a chance to clean up old content.

Remove underperforming content that is adding clutter to your website, and/or consolidate posts that cover similar topics and could be cannibalizing keyword performance.

With all of the algorithm updates Google has made over the past couple of years, we know that there are increased expectations around content quality. Having fewer high-quality pages is better than many low-quality pages.

Evaluate the blog content that isn’t performing well, and look for opportunities to remove it or redirect it appropriately. Key questions to consider:

How long has the post been live? (Has it had a solid chance?)

Has the post generated any backlinks? If any, from what sites?

How much organic and total traffic has the post driven over the past year?

By answering these questions, you’ll get a better idea of how much value the post is providing your site.

Final Thoughts

There are a variety of tactics for updating blog content to gain organic search visibility, and these are some of the ones that I’ve found to be most successful.

As mentioned, optimization is key from the start of blog post creation; however, there are almost always opportunities to further optimize a post after it’s been published and has time to gain traction.

What tips do you have for blog optimization? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, or reach out to me directly via Twitter!

from http://bit.ly/2W4SHwa

#Digital Marketing

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befoundonlinemarketing · 6 years ago

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The Key to SEO & Content Marketing Success: Understanding Search Intent

From changes in how people search thanks to technological innovations such as voice assistants, to changes in how search engine algorithms identify searcher needs, smart SEO is now rooted in understanding and matching the intent behind search queries. When we marketers understand search intent, we can create new content and/or optimize existing content to be more tailored to their audience’s specific needs, problems, and questions—helping gain SERP visibility in the increasingly crowded content landscape, and attract more qualified traffic and build trust with those visitors (who will hopefully feel like you “get” them and their needs). At TopRank Marketing, we call this SEO and content strategy striving to be the best answer for your audiences—wherever and whenever they’re searching. But where do you start? It starts by understanding there are different types of intent. From there, there are steps you can take to create a more data- and intent-informed SEO and content marketing strategy. Below, we dive into the different categories of search intent, as well as provide some starting steps for strategically mapping your content to what your audience is really asking for. [bctt tweet="When marketers understand #searchintent, we can create #content more tailored to our audience’s specific needs, problems, and questions—helping gain visibility, attract more qualified traffic, & build trust. @annieleuman" username="toprank"]

The Four Types of Search Intent

Whether you want to book a flight to Las Vegas or you’re looking to get a crash-course in underwater basket weaving, we all search for content that helps us achieve something. And generally speaking, there are four core types of search intent: informational (know), navigational (go), transactional (do), and commercial (do + know)—all of which manifest at different stages throughout the customer or buyer journey.

#1 - Informational

This type of search intent is all about learning; searchers are seeking knowledge. Searchers here want to learn more about a topic, are asking questions, and seek answers. Generally speaking, this is the most popular type of search intent—but queries can range from simple questions or phrases (broader queries with lots of search volume) to more complex queries (long-tail queries with more complicated answers and lower search volume.) Typically, informational queries occur early in the funnel. Searchers have a problem and they’re looking for a solution. They’re going to take some nurturing before they will be ready to convert and are more interested in getting their questions answered quickly than sticking around and making a purchase. Stage: Top

#2 - Navigational

Navigational intent is all about location. The searcher knows what they need and want, they just don’t know how to find it. Here, searchers often use branded keywords along with specific products and services to find the exact webpage they need. For example, a navigational search might be “L.L. Bean Winter Boots” or “Intel Cloud Computing.” As a result, the SERP typically contains products and service pages as well as brand-related news coverage. Stage: Middle

#3 - Commercial

Searchers with commercial intent are ready to make a purchase, but they want additional information first—hence the “do + know” designation. They have additional questions that they want answered to help them inform their buying decisions. For instance, they might be trying to decide between two different products and services. They know they need one or the other, but just need an additional resource or guide to help them decide. Stage: Middle + Bottom

#4 - Transactional

As the name implies, transactional intent is all about the purchase. Searchers are ready to convert and just need to find the correct page or place to convert. Keywords here are very specific as they’re in the bottom of the funnel and often include transactional terms like “buy,” “sale,” or “price.” Stage: Bottom [bctt tweet="We all search for #content that helps us achieve something. @annieleuman #ContentMarketing #SEO" username="toprank"]

3 Steps for Building Search Intent into Your SEO & Content Strategy

Now that you’re able to look at your SEO and content strategy under the lens of search intent, the three steps below are a great starting point to leverage that knowledge to make strategic decisions.

Step 1: Take Stock of Your Performance

Unsurprisingly, you need to understand where your content stands before you can make informed decisions on where and what to optimize. Take a look at your current keyword map, and what queries you’re ranking for and where in the SERPs you’re ranking. Use Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools, or the same offering from another search engine for this task. Take a peek at your ranking content to determine what characteristics are contributing to your search position. (e.g. How is your content structured? Are you providing a specific answer to the query? Does your target keyword match the queries your ranking for?) Using the data, you should be able to draw some solid insights about the type of intent your existing content is serving, as well as where you may have some opportunities to fill gaps. To gain some addition perspective, consider doing some internal recon to get more qualitative insight on your customers or buying audiences. Ask your sales team what they’re hearing from customers or review contact forms you’re receiving to see what real customers/buyers are looking for—or better yet, ask current customers directly how they found you and what problem you helped solve. Finally, work with your analysts to learn what queries are coming through on internal site searchers. All of this can add some additional perspective when analyzing the hard data. The end goal here is to understand your current state, as well as surface additional opportunities where you can create best-answer content to match with audience search intent. Document your findings and move onto taking a deeper dive into the search results in the next step.

Step 2: Evaluate the Competition

Chances are, your content isn’t dominating Page 1 search results across the board; you have competition. So, you need to take the time to analyze the content topping search result pages for your top priority keywords and topics. This will help you can gain a deeper understanding of how search engines have determined intent and why they’ve identified your competition (indirect or direct) as the best match. Some things to consider as you review results are:

Do my initial assumptions about search intent ring true? (e.g. Does my content fit the mold here?)

What types of results are on the SERP? (e.g. Are you up against other similar brands? Or are you competing with third-party sites such as Wikipedia? Or is there a variety of seemingly different types of content displayed?)

How detailed are the top-ranking pages? (e.g. what’s the length of the content)

How is the content structured on those top pages? (e.g. Are there short snackable paragraphs? Is there a strong use of header tags throughout? What CTAs or cross-links are present?)

Do I have an opportunity to do better? (How can I optimize my own content to leapfrog other results? Or what other gaps can I fill?)

These are important questions to ask as they can help you see how you measure up. As an example, if one of your target keywords has informational intent and your find top search results are made up of several in-depth, rich blog posts, you’ll know that you need to create an even stronger, media-rich resource to challenge the competition for a better position. (The competition on the SERP is already strong and matches well with the search intent, meaning you’ll have a tougher climb.)

Step 3: Optimize. Create. Iterate.

You’ve taken stock of your own positioning, you understand what you’re up against for increasing your visibility, and you’ve collected more definitive information on search intent. Now, it’s time to put insights into action. Start with the low-hanging fruit. Through your analysis, you’ve hopefully found opportunities to improve existing content by making updates to align with the intent behind a specific target keyword query or topical cluster, as well as adding relevant crosslinks. In addition, document, organize, and prioritize additional opportunities as a part of your content strategy so you can execute and track performance. In fact, you may consider adding the type of search intent, the state of the SERP, and how well you match to intent as categories to your keyword maps, glossaries, and other important SEO documents. These documents should be updated as you make improvements to your content, making it easier for you to track changes, measure performance, and do further optimization based on the results you’re seeing.

Searching High and Low

When you take steps to understand the intent behind your audience's queries, you have the opportunity to not only optimize for your audience's needs, but also show them you get them and what they're looking for. Good old fashioned keyword research and competitive scores paint the outlines of a picture. Search intent adds the color to make your content a work of art. So, start by identifying the type of search intent for your target keywords as you review SERPs. Once you know where you stand and where the competition may be winning, prioritize and execute on opportunities within your strategy to help move the needle. [bctt tweet="Good old fashioned keyword research and competitive scores paint the outlines of a picture. #SearchIntent adds the color to make your #content a work of art. @annieleuman" username="toprank"] Matching search intent will be even more critical in 2019. But what other SEO trends do you need to keep an eye on? Check out our list top SEO trends and predictions to watch in 2019.

The post The Key to SEO & Content Marketing Success: Understanding Search Intent appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

The Key to SEO & Content Marketing Success: Understanding Search Intent posted first on http://www.toprankblog.com/

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samuelpboswell · 6 years ago

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The Key to SEO & Content Marketing Success: Understanding Search Intent

The Four Types of Search Intent

#1 - Informational

#2 - Navigational

#3 - Commercial

#4 - Transactional

3 Steps for Building Search Intent into Your SEO & Content Strategy

Step 1: Take Stock of Your Performance

Step 2: Evaluate the Competition

Do my initial assumptions about search intent ring true? (e.g. Does my content fit the mold here?)

How detailed are the top-ranking pages? (e.g. what’s the length of the content)

How is the content structured on those top pages? (e.g. Are there short snackable paragraphs? Is there a strong use of header tags throughout? What CTAs or cross-links are present?)

Do I have an opportunity to do better? (How can I optimize my own content to leapfrog other results? Or what other gaps can I fill?)

Step 3: Optimize. Create. Iterate.

Searching High and Low

The post The Key to SEO & Content Marketing Success: Understanding Search Intent appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

from The SEO Advantages https://www.toprankblog.com/2018/12/content-marketing-seo-search-intent/

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christopheruearle · 6 years ago

Text

The Key to SEO & Content Marketing Success: Understanding Search Intent

The Four Types of Search Intent

#1 - Informational

#2 - Navigational

#3 - Commercial

#4 - Transactional

3 Steps for Building Search Intent into Your SEO & Content Strategy

Step 1: Take Stock of Your Performance

Step 2: Evaluate the Competition

Do my initial assumptions about search intent ring true? (e.g. Does my content fit the mold here?)

How detailed are the top-ranking pages? (e.g. what’s the length of the content)

How is the content structured on those top pages? (e.g. Are there short snackable paragraphs? Is there a strong use of header tags throughout? What CTAs or cross-links are present?)

Do I have an opportunity to do better? (How can I optimize my own content to leapfrog other results? Or what other gaps can I fill?)

Step 3: Optimize. Create. Iterate.

Searching High and Low

The post The Key to SEO & Content Marketing Success: Understanding Search Intent appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

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wildernesskayakfishing · 7 years ago

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How To Fish With Different Kinds Of Bait

With so many hobbies to choose from, fishing is one of the easiest to get excited about and get enjoyment from. No matter what age you are, people love to fish. To fish the correct way, you must have the right information, and most importantly, good equipment. The next few paragraphs will get you on the right track.

Choose an inverse color for your bait from the color of the water. If the water is murky, try to use light colored bait so that it is visible to the fish. On the other hand, if the water is clear, make sure to use darker colored bait.

Before fishing, you must know your boat's maximum weight. You do not want to tip the boat, which can cause a catastrophe if you are out in deep water. Make sure you are safe by keeping the weight capacity on the boat to a comfortable level.

Watch your manners. Although it isn't directly related to fishing, it is a rule for all sportspersons of any type - avoid littering. Just as you enjoy being in the great outdoors, there are many other people who get away from stress by relaxing in a clean, natural outdoor environment. Remember this before throwing your can in the water.

Grubs are great to help you catch bass. The small grub baits can help catch very big fish as well. Large numbers of people successfully use them to catch smallmouth bass; however, they can also be used to catch largemouth bass. They work best in highland reservoir areas where coverage is limited.

Spinnerbaits are great entry level lures that anyone can use. This is even more helpful when fishing in shallow or shady water. Even though a spinnerbait usually attracts bass, they also are effective in catching crappie.

Be mindful of the smells your hands give off. It is possible for odors to transfer from your skin and give your bait an unnatural scent. The fish in the water might just smell this and they then tend not to bite.

When deciding on which type of fishing rod to purchase, several things should be taken into consideration. Will the fisherman need a lightweight, flexible fishing rod? A graphite fishing rod is lightweight and flexible. Graphite rods vary in length and flexibility to suit the type of fishing that the rod will be used for.

Observe all proper safety precautions when you fish out of a boat. Wear a life jacket at all times, and make sure you understand how to wear and use it properly. Exercise as much caution as possible. You or someone with you should be thoroughly familiar with the safe operation of your boat.

Before you go out on your trip, one thing that you must confirm is that your phone is charged to full capacity. Sometimes, you may run out of gas or can experience a malfunction with your boat. In this event, it is important to have the ability to call for help.

If you are looking for a good catfish bait with a more subtle smell than the classic stink bait, then consider casting out with hot dogs. Work just a chunk over your hook, cast it lightly then let it sink to the bottom and sit until you get a bite.

Learn to tie some basic knots. From online tutorials to books at the library, there are a variety of resources that you can use to teach yourself this essential skill. Use fishing line when you practice to ensure that you can duplicate the results on the water or shoreline.

When fishing in a new area it is always a good idea to talk to locals. Fishing habits change over time and fisherman are usually more than happy to share with fellow anglers what lure is "hot" at any particular time.

Frequently clean your line, keeping it free from debris such as algae. Clean it after each trip, and check it before embarking on a new one. This is important because it will help you to cast more effectively. Keeping your line in good condition will help prevent breakage when you have hooked your fish.

As a general rule, the best times to fish, particularly in a freshwater setting, is to fish either early in the morning, or at dusk. Fish tend to become less active in the middle of the day as the heat and bright sun can make them more lethargic and less likely to bite.

A great tip for anyone fishing is to match the size of your hook with the species of fish you are going after. Hook sizes increase in number as they get smaller, so a #10 hook size is ideal for smaller fish while a #1 hook size is better suited for larger game.

Keep your fishing reel clean and well-lubricated. Not many things in fishing are more important than casting and reeling the fish in. Always keep your reels well-oiled and lubricated to enhance your cast and ensure smooth movement when reeling-in. Maintaining your rod properly can make a big difference.

Bury fish organs, head and tail after you clean the fish to reduce bad smells. This may attract animals to dig on your property so, another solution is to double wrap them and put them in the outdoor garbage.

Use a container for dental floss that is empty, and wrap the spool with monofilament. This is a very easy way to store and transport monofilament. As an added bonus, the cutter inside the floss dispenser makes snipping leader very easy.

Do your research on the types of fish you are trying to catch. Contrary to popular belief, fish are often very cautious, even strategic, on how they approach food. And each type of fish has its own characteristics. Learning the nuances of these fish prior to fishing can make your day much more successful.

You now know how easy it is to get started with fishing. You can make the most of these and other tips to really take your fishing to the next level. So put aside a block of time to grab your child, a sibling, parent or friend, and go fishing. Chances are good that you will create a memory to cherish for years.

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boldlycrookedwonderland-blog1 · 7 years ago

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Advice On فنادق البحرين Accommodations That All Travelers Should Have In Their Arsenal

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To get the ideal hotel rooms, use a website on the internet that will assist with this. These web sites can help you quickly locate the greatest price. They also can display you the typical resort charges, permitting you see whether or not the deal is good or negative. You can also find out about nearby amenities and items presented by the accommodations. By حجز فنادق البحرين -book a lodge room prior to searching for out online deals. Many افضل فنادق البحرين times, the person you guide your area with will not inform you that you can get a price cut online. This is why you should search for discounts by yourself. Look at Jetsetter, RueLaLaTravel or comparable web sites for discounts. If you are fascinated in "likely inexperienced" when traveling, consider going to a "green" lodge. Start by searching for these accommodations online. There are a number of organizations that allow you search for these lodges very easily like Eco-friendly Hotels Affiliation and Inexperienced Globe. They will have a extensive list of eco-friendly hotels in distinct places. Pay a visit to a number of on the internet journey sites and compare hotel room charges. These on the internet journey sites do not often offer you the exact same cost for hotel rooms at a certain area. By selecting two or 3 different on the internet vacation sites, you can guarantee you are obtaining the best offer feasible. Also, scheduling shut to your vacation day will typically net you a far better price. If you take pleasure in a early morning run, consider booking a lodge place that's around the beach front or an open park. This tends to make it effortless for you to wake in the early morning and get in a run. No issue if you're on town streets or down some roads, you can very easily learn new factors about a town performing this. When scheduling your space, افضل فنادق البحرين get specifically what you want. If you want a good check out, make confident you get a single. If you want to be absent from the pool location, make positive you get that as properly. Look at a format of the lodge ahead of contacting or reserving so you have a excellent thought of what to expect. It is not a very good concept to spot the "maid support needed" sign on your doorway at a lodge. This is a lifeless giveaway that you are not in the room. حجز فنادق البحرين can attract people who want to steal your valuables. It is greater to notify the desk when you want maid provider than to depart out the sign. Ahead of you determine to book, usually discover out if there are any hotel transfer fees so you will not likely be amazed on your bill. A transfer can sometimes arrive with a considerable hidden cost. Inquiring in advance will suggest much more financial savings for you. Beware of the bottle of water beside your mattress. Several hotels cost as much as 10 dollars for that bottle of drinking water. Other items that you may possibly not realize you will be charged for contain: pool towels, newspapers and Net obtain. To ensure you are not getting billed for objects you do not want study the fine print. Be mindful that you can't usually examine-in early at your lodge. Make positive you prepare close to your verify-in time, or you will be pressured to sit in a foyer to hold out for your space. The rooms cannot be readied and cleaned until finally the prior visitors are gone, so this indicates that check-in time is typically around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. Getting explained that, never wait to inquire the front desk about checking in if you do get there early nonetheless, you shouldn't assume to be in a position to do this. The very best issue you can do is get there on time. As you know, a bad lodge can flip any excursion into a nightmare, a really high-priced nightmare. This is why the guidelines from over are so beneficial. So remember these guidelines and refer to them when reserving your following lodge keep. Utilizing these tips can help find a space that is excellent for you at a value that is best for your funds. To make certain that you get the ideal provider from the custodial workers at a hotel, leave a handful of dollars each and every morning for each bed that you use. This nominal cost will assist you get rooms that acquire the minor extras, this kind of as a towel or two far more, or even an added pillow. If you are touring for operate and remaining at a resort, question for a space at least some affordable length from the pool area. You will probably want to be in a room where you can focus. The sound amounts around a pool can be distracting. Choose a peaceful space where you can be successful. Appear into club-level prices. Although these rooms are much more pricey up entrance, they normally offer you a excellent benefit. For example, incorporated in the cost could be breakfast or dessert, Wi-Fi service or other perks, like drinks and snacks. See what is provided and choose if the further expense is worth it to you. Do you continue to be at a distinct hotel chain fairly often? Take into account signing up for their loyalty club. As prolonged as it is cost-free to do so, you truly have practically nothing to lose. Providing the lodge your get in touch with data could indicate receiving special benefits that you can use the subsequent time you remain there. Prior to creating a resort reservation, check for deals on-line. The lodge agent is not likely to inform you there are better deals on-line. This is why it is up to you to look for for these reductions. Verify out web sites like SniqueAway, Jetsetter, or RueLaLaTravel. Pay a visit to numerous on-line vacation web sites and examine hotel room rates. These on the web travel sites do not always provide the same cost for hotel rooms at a specific area. By choosing two or 3 distinct on the internet travel websites, you can assure you are acquiring the greatest deal possible. Also, booking shut to your vacation day will normally internet you a better price. If you plan on bringing your loved ones to a resort, you need to look for loved ones-welcoming guidelines and unique discounts on-line. Consider using household trip evaluation sites. You can uncover many family accommodations and resort evaluations. Looking through these web sites must assist you also track down bargains to make your vacation much more fulfilling and affordable. Do you travel on a periodic basis? فنادق البحرينIf so, consider joining your hotel's loyalty system. A loyalty system offers several benefits. There are numerous fantastic rewards even leading up to free stays as you gather up much more loyalty factors. It is frequently helpful to select a lodge that includes a cost-free breakfast. Even though many of the breakfasts are not elaborate, they offer you a way to begin your day off proper without possessing to search for a spot to try to eat. Several accommodations offer a continental breakfast that includes, coffee, tea and pastries whilst other folks provide cereal, eggs, pancakes, waffles and other breakfast food items. Phone the hotel you are organizing to remain in and see if they offer any discount rates. Numerous lodges provide reductions for senior citizens, organization vacationers, navy staff and government officials. In addition, if you are a member of an car association, you may qualify for a diminished fee on your resort remain. If you are likely to continue to be in a hotel, فنادق البحرين be positive to give them a phone the day before you are because of to get there. Lodges are not liable for calling attendees to confirm their reservation that is up to the visitor. Always call the hotel to be positive your place is nevertheless reserved. To take pleasure in a tropical spot a bit far more quietly, continue to be away from the huge, all-inclusive resorts that provide in amount but also attribute nonstop partying. Instead, select a smaller resort that also delivers shuttles to the key regional points of interest. You'll have a remain that is far more on your conditions, specifically when it is time to sit out on your patio in the peaceful of the evening. There are websites obtainable that offer you an quick price cut if the resort you have booked decreases in value ahead of your remain. You might finish up with a great volume of money back in your pocket. The greatest issue about this sort of internet site is that the opposite does not implement. If the charges improve, you will only have to spend the quantity you had been at first quoted. Figure out what will come with your hotel. Find out if the hotel offers greater sounds control and sights on a single facet. Ask them about close by community transportation, dining places, and if they are around any entertainment or organization regions. You need to also discover out the sort of community they are in and what their environmental procedures are. If you are touring with children, make sure you inform the entrance desk about your requirements when you get in touch with to make a reservation. For instance, do you need to have a pack and play? Make that recognized ahead of you display up at the resort. Also, inquire if there is Bahrain in the room to established up a crib. You may need to have to inquire for a greater room so that your whole loved ones can be cozy. If you are inspecting a space for bed bugs, then the lavatory is the ideal area to start off. This is exactly where bedbugs are least very likely to be. That signifies your baggage will be safe there whilst you check out the other locations of the area. It is also the safest location for youngsters and animals, way too. If you prepare to use the telephone provided in your lodge room, know what to anticipate as considerably as expenses. Some resorts provide cost-free local calls, but other folks charge for each and every call. In addition to any lengthy length expenses, the hotel usually provides an further charge. Use your mobile mobile phone to make phone calls from your hotel room when achievable. The hotel you get is likely to satisfy your فنادق البحرين expectations now that you know a lot more about them. They truly usually are not all that mysterious if you just do your analysis first. Preserve a duplicate of this write-up useful, simply because you by no means know when a situation will appear up that tends to make you get a hotel.

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whoser41 · 7 years ago

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15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Copywriting is THE most important skill when running an online business.

Period.

Just think about what it means to do business online, where you never see your customers face-to-face. In the old days, a business owner could actually meet with their customers and talk to them. But that doesn’t happen with an online business. And here’s what that means…

If a business owner cannot write copy effectively, they WILL fail.

Why? Because copywriting is the art of selling through effective communication. It’s all part of what’s now called interactive marketing.

Interactive marketing is just as it sounds. It’s about engaging the consumer. It’s about getting them to interact with the sales copy. It’s about building relationships with potential customers so they begin to trust the seller and the brand. Once trust is established, they will buy.

And the best part is anyone can do it.

There is no need to be a great writer to be a great copywriter. They key is to write as if it’s a conversation with a friend and implement a few simple strategies…

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Being a great copywriter doesn’t require a degree in English or Journalism. It doesn’t require a person to be the next Nobel Prize winner.

What it does require is honesty, casual conversation and the following 15 simple tips…

1. Study Great Copywriters

We learn from the work and efforts of the people who have come before us.

Even the greatest of the great have learned from others. No one who has achieved mastery in anything has done it 100% alone.

I can’t begin to describe how much others have helped me on my journey to online business success. And even today, I still reach out to experts and learn as much as I can from them.

In order to become a great copywriter, it’s so important to study the work of great copywriters and learn from them.

Study everything that is available.

Go to ClickBank and find the most successful products in various niches—these are the products with the highest Gravity Score. These are the products that sell. Study their written sales letters, their video sales letters. See how it’s done.

And when it comes to video sales letters, there is a super easy way to study them without having to watch them dozens of times. Just use the transcription service Rev.com. They are quick and affordable. And once you have the video script transcribed, it’s right there in written form. Study these transcripts!

It’s also important to keep things organized. And for that I recommend creating a swipe file.

I do this and it’s so effective. Create a file that categorizes all the different copy to be studied. Have a file for each of the following:

Written sales letters

Video sales letters

Webinars

Emails

Facebook ads

Opt-in pages

Thank you pages

When studying any kind of copy, there are certain things to look for. Here are some examples of questions to ask with each piece of copy:

What is the common structure?

What trigger words do they use?

What pain points do they address?

What kind of language do they use?

What tone of voice is used?

But remember NEVER to copy! Don’t copy other people’s copy!

Copying someone else’s work is simply unethical—not to mention illegal. Use the work of others only as a template to learn from. Take what they have done and make it unique. Make it better. Give it a voice of its own.

And then use that voice to…

2. Tell Stories

Storytelling is THE most important part of copywriting!

No matter what type of copy it is, it absolutely must tell a story. Why? Because people are captivated by stories. Human beings have been telling stories for millennia. It’s in our nature to tell stories and to be able to relate to stories.

And for this reason, people remember stories.

But it’s more than remembering stories. When a copywriter tells a story, they become a real person, not just another brand. The story makes it possible for the audience to relate to the copywriter. It helps build a connection that bridges the gap. It helps build trust.

Storytellers outsell non-storytellers every single time.

Stories are the X factor of copywriting.

And storytelling is simple! To effectively tell a story, there is a formula to follow that will nail it every time.

But telling stories is just the beginning…

3. Visual Flow

The next thing to consider when becoming a better copywriter is the visual flow of the copy. I’m always surprised by how many of the very best copywriters overlook this aspect of copywriting.

How the copy looks on the page matters A LOT!

A nice visual appearance and flow of the copy will attract the eye and draw people in. To create good visual flow, just do a few simple things:

Break up the copy into paragraphs of different lengths—short, medium, and long (no more than four lines).

NEVER use long paragraphs that make the page look like a wall of text.

Use short sentences. A single paragraph should never be made up of only one sentence (unless it’s a super short paragraph).

Use variety when formatting by making good use of bold, italics, underline, CAPS, and color.

Ultimately, the visual flow of the copy should be pleasing to the eye, not overwhelming. And it should guide people’s eyes to the call-to-action. That is the true goal of any copy.

4. Build Relationships

People buy based on relationships.

Every single purchase a person makes is based on relationship, even if they don’t realize it. Think about it. What if a perfect stranger walked up to someone and said, “Buy this fantastic book on losing weight for $30.” That person would probably think the stranger was totally crazy.

But what if the person’s friend said, “Buy this fantastic book on losing weight for $30.”

That is a recommendation from someone the person has a relationship with. Someone that person trusts. And that person probably is going to buy it.

Building a relationship with the consumer is a crucial part of selling.

And in order to build that relationship, it is important to have multiple touch points with people on multiple platforms. Through these touchpoints, tell stories and be relatable. When people can relate to the seller or the brand, they will buy.

Marketers need to make it personal.

And that means getting in there and personally responding to people. Having one-on-one contact with people, responding to people’s comments, answering their questions.

Essentially, marketers need to show they care. That it isn’t all about making money.

Building these relationships is no easy task, but it’s totally worth it. And the best way to do it is through email marketing. Email marketing (which we’ll talk about in more detail below) requires great copywriting skills and is the best online business model there is.

Relationships are so important that I dedicated a whole post to it: Relationships: The Secret Weapon of Email Marketing

5. Hook

The goal of copywriting is to get people to take some form of action. But before that can happen…

The marketer needs to catch their attention!

This is the job of the headline. The headline should really stand out. It should make the audience stop in their tracks and read or listen to the copy. To accomplish this, the headline should do at least one of the following:

Shock the audience

Bring about a sense of awe

Be controversial

Offer a “how-to” that catches the attention

Ask an attention-grabbing question

The attention-grabbing headline in a written piece becomes an attention-grabbing introduction in a video. In a video sales letter, the first few seconds is the time to catch people’s attention and spark their curiosity.

Either way, the hook is what makes the audience stop in their tracks and keep reading or watching.

It’s what makes them want to know more!

6. Sniper Approach

This is all about targeting.

In the old days of marketing, large advertising campaigns would be sent out to a very large target audience. It was the best they could do with the available data. In this case, they used what is called the shotgun approach.

Shotgun approach = sending a general message to a lot of people and seeing what sticks.

However, with online marketing, we are able to target much more effectively. Facebook advertising is the king of targeting. They have so much consumer data, any marketer can access a highly targeted audience. And that means we can make the message much more specific—we can use the sniper approach.

Sniper approach = sending a specific message to a smaller group of ideal customers.

The sniper approach is targeting the exact people you want to reach.

However, in order to take the sniper approach, it’s important to do some market research. A marketer needs to know every aspect of their market in as much detail as possible. They need to know the niche in detail. They need to understand the biggest pain points in that niche. And they need to understand the jargon typically used in that niche.

The pain points of a niche are particularly important.

Make a list of these pain points. Get to know them well. Then create copy by reverse-engineering those pain points. This will ensure these pain points are specifically addressed in the copy.

And when talking about the pain points, it is important to discuss…

7. The “What,” Not the “How”

If the audience learns the “how,” they will not buy!

It is so important that copy never reveals the “how.” That is what the product is for. The product IS the how.

The job of the marketer is to write the copy so that ii reveals the problem and the solution to the problem. But NOT how the solution works. The whole point of the copy is to lead the consumer to the product. This product is the system that provides the solution.

It’s all about selling the sizzle, not the steak.

For example:

Say the marketer is selling a weight loss system.

The copy will explain about the foods that make people fat and why so many people have trouble losing weight. The copy will lead the audience to the product—the weight loss system—which is the solution to the pain point of losing weight.

Really, it’s that simple.

8. Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

Knowing the difference between copy and content is critical. Why? Because it’s necessary to know when to write copy and when to write content. Remember the previous point about giving them the “what,” not the “how”? Essentially:

Copy = the “what”

Content = the “how”

Now, when copywriting, it isn’t necessary to completely avoid writing content. But it is necessary to keep that content to a minimum and not give away the big “how.”

Think of copy vs. content as open loops vs. closed loops.

Copy = a series of open loops that keep people wanting more. This is the part that does the selling.

On the other hand, content = one or more loops that get closed by the end. This is the part that offers the solution. It’s purely educational.

So, when writing copy, be sure to stick to actually writing copy. Once a marketer gets too deep into content, they risk giving away too much of the “how” and then the sale is lost.

Even if they only get a mediocre version of the “how,” people will try to do it on their own instead of buying the product.

9. See the Bigger Picture

When writing copy, it is important to take the entire sales funnel into account.

Sure, at this point, the goal of the copy might be simply to convince someone to opt into an email list or purchase a low-cost product. But where are these consumers ultimately being lead?

Each piece of copy needs to have the consumer make a micro-commitment, and over time, these commitments will get bigger and bigger.

When the marketer knows the whole, they are less likely to make mistakes. For example, the marketer won’t offer a bonus at one stage that really should be a product later on. Instead, they will know how each piece of copy fits into the bigger picture and guides the audience through the funnel.

Not only that, but by understanding the bigger picture, it is easier to upsell the audience. And upselling can truly maximize profit.

Understanding the bigger picture also makes retargeting easier. If the customer doesn’t accept one offer, then it is simple to direct them to another lower-cost, lower-commitment offer instead.

And this means the marketer is less likely to lose the customer entirely. It’s easier to keep them in the funnel. Ultimately, when the marketer keeps the end goal in mind when creating copy, it is always clear exactly where to steer the customer.

And it’s easy to keep them interested every step of the way.

10. Learn How to Make Videos

Copywriting includes creating videos.

And right now, video is incredibly effective.

People love video! As I mentioned above, study video as well as written copy. Take it apart. See what works. And use this as a general template from which to create new and unique video copy.

Video doesn’t have to be complicated! And it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

The marketer doesn’t even have to be on the screen!

All that is needed is a PowerPoint video. And there is great software out there that can make any video flow and come alive, including Camtasia, Screenflow, and Screen-Cast-O-Matic.

All that is needed is the software, a decent camera, and a good microphone, which can be bought for less than $100.

That’s all there is to it!

All of the same principles of copywriting apply. And creating a PowerPoint video is an easy way to make sure all aspects of effective copy are included in the video.

11. Learn How to Create Webinars

Webinars are one step above video sales letters. And it is a highly effective form of sales copy.

A webinar is the absolute BEST way to sell high-ticket items.

And the webinar is now what video was just a few years ago. But not many people know how to create and present a webinar. Which makes creating copy for webinars a very in-demand skill to master.

What makes the webinar so popular? Simply put, it’s the new “face-to-face” form of selling.

The marketer and audience might not be able to actually see each other, but the webinar is live. They can communicate back and forth in real-time. Webinars are also longer and more in-depth than video sales letters. And this builds relationships in a way no other form of copy can.

The webinar really offers the best of everything.

It allows the marketer to interact with the consumer on many different levels. The marketer can reach a large audience all at the same time, yet be able to communicate with each person on a one-on-one basis.

The webinar really is all about delivering high value. It’s a little more involved to create a webinar, but it’s completely worth the time and effort.

For more info on creating and promoting a webinar, check out this blog post: 3 Proven Ways To Sell Any Type Of Offer Online

12. Learn Email Marketing

Email marketing is the basis of any successful online business.

I have based my entire business on email marketing. It has allowed me to make more than $100 million over the last 14 years! And despite the fact that many people think email is dead, it is very much alive and well. Just take a look at these statistics:

There are 6 billion email addresses worldwide (Source: The Radical Group).

A whopping 8 billion emails are sent every day.

Email marketing has generated $2.47 billion in sales (Source: Forrester Research).

For every $1 spent on email marketing the average return on investment is $44.25 (Source: Email Report).

What makes email so effective? Simple. Through email, a marketer can create and nurture relationships with their subscribers and customers.

Think about it. When marketers use advertisements to sell their products, they are reaching out to a cold audience. This audience doesn’t know them or their brand at all. It’s very difficult to sell to a cold audience.

But when a marketer is selling to the subscribers on their email list, they are selling to a warm audience. The people on the email list know something about the marketer. They like the marketer enough to have chosen to join that list.

And it so much easier to sell to warm traffic.

There truly is no better way to sell online than via email. And email marketing is easy!

Read this blog post to find out more about how to start an online business using email: The Email Lifeline: How to Start An Online Business Using Nothing but Email

13. Use Linear Thinking

People think in a linear way.

They are very logical in their progression from one point to the next. And they don’t like to be left hanging, wondering what comes next.

This is why it’s important to structure copy in a linear fashion. Using an ordered sequence to present information will keep people reading. If there are five steps, they will want to—or need to—follow the copy until they reach the end. That’s just how our minds work.

With this in mind, always present copy in a linear way, such as with a:

Step-by-step system (“5 steps to….”)

List (“11 ways…”)

Diagram—People love visuals, as well as linear thinking, so diagrams attract and hold the audience’s attention

Not only do people want to keep reading when the information is presented in a linear fashion, it also keeps them on track. Without linear structure, people would get lost or overwhelmed. The linear presentation of copy creates a natural flow that makes it incredibly easy to pitch to people.

And it makes it easy to….

14. Sell to the Subconscious

Let’s face it—our subconscious mind plays a HUGE role in the decisions we make each day.

And that includes the decision to buy something.

All marketing is really geared toward the subconscious. How do we reach the subconscious? It’s about making an emotional connection. This is done through storytelling. The key is to create an emotional experience by touching people’s pain points, as well as their dreams and desires.

Show them where they are and take them to where they want to be.

The emotions will convince the subconscious to buy. Then the subconscious will convince the conscious mind to buy.

15. Practice

Copywriting, as with any other form of writing, can only be mastered by actually doing it.

Just start writing. It doesn’t matter if it’s horrible at first. Any marketer will learn faster by doing it than just reading and learning about it.

Yes, it is important to study and learn from great copywriters.

But it is even more important to put that learning into action. Create copy. Then create more copy. And then create more copy. NEVER stop creating copy.

Practice makes progress. Will the copy be the best the first time it is put out into the online world? Probably not. But as time goes on, it can be refined to determine what works better.

Keep creating copy. See what works and what doesn’t. And adjust accordingly.

It’s better to put out average copy and refine it than to never do it at all.

So, get writing!

Bonus: Get over the fear of selling

We have discussed 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter.

And NONE of it will matter if there is a fear of selling!

I cannot begin to describe how many people are held back by the fear of selling. And getting over this fear all starts in the mind.

When someone is marketing a product, something they truly believe in, they are helping others. And if a lot of value is delivered and the product is great, why not get compensated for it? After all, we all have to make a living. Being compensated for selling a product online is no different than a downtown store owner being compensated for selling products in their store.

Online or not, a business sells things that makes people’s lives better! And people can choose whether or not to buy.

The key is to have the confidence to sell it. This is the confidence of knowing that what is being sold is worth it. Will everyone think so? No. But that doesn’t matter. The people who do will buy.

Just get out there and do it!

In today’s technologically advanced world, there is no online business success without copywriting. It’s simply not possible to reach online customers any other way!

Fortunately, learning how to become a skilled copywriter isn’t just possible—it’s simple!

In this blog post, we have covered 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter. Let’s recap:

Study Great Copywriters

Tell Stories

Visual Flow

Build Relationships

Hook

Sniper Approach

The “What,” Not the “How”

Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

See the Bigger Picture

Learn How to Make Videos

Learn How to Create Webinars

Learn Email Marketing

Use Linear Thinking

Sell to the Subconscious

Practice

And the bonus tip is the most important—get over the fear of selling!

Write some copy and go through each and every one of these tips during the writing process. Practice and practice until it feels more natural.

Anyone CAN become a good copywriter. And anyone who wants to succeed in online business MUST become a good copywriter.

And we want to help.

Sign up today for our FREE Copywriting Bootcamp and learn from master copywriters. Really, anyone who is serious about their online business cannot miss this bootcamp.

Copywriting IS the #1 skill for online business success!

See you soon!

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#15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

0 notes

nevawhouk · 7 years ago

Text

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Copywriting is THE most important skill when running an online business.

Period.

If a business owner cannot write copy effectively, they WILL fail.

Why? Because copywriting is the art of selling through effective communication. It’s all part of what’s now called interactive marketing.

And the best part is anyone can do it.

There is no need to be a great writer to be a great copywriter. They key is to write as if it’s a conversation with a friend and implement a few simple strategies…

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Being a great copywriter doesn’t require a degree in English or Journalism. It doesn’t require a person to be the next Nobel Prize winner.

What it does require is honesty, casual conversation and the following 15 simple tips…

1. Study Great Copywriters

We learn from the work and efforts of the people who have come before us.

Even the greatest of the great have learned from others. No one who has achieved mastery in anything has done it 100% alone.

I can’t begin to describe how much others have helped me on my journey to online business success. And even today, I still reach out to experts and learn as much as I can from them.

In order to become a great copywriter, it’s so important to study the work of great copywriters and learn from them.

Study everything that is available.

It’s also important to keep things organized. And for that I recommend creating a swipe file.

I do this and it’s so effective. Create a file that categorizes all the different copy to be studied. Have a file for each of the following:

Written sales letters

Video sales letters

Webinars

Emails

Facebook ads

Opt-in pages

Thank you pages

When studying any kind of copy, there are certain things to look for. Here are some examples of questions to ask with each piece of copy:

What is the common structure?

What trigger words do they use?

What pain points do they address?

What kind of language do they use?

What tone of voice is used?

But remember NEVER to copy! Don’t copy other people’s copy!

And then use that voice to…

2. Tell Stories

Storytelling is THE most important part of copywriting!

And for this reason, people remember stories.

Storytellers outsell non-storytellers every single time.

Stories are the X factor of copywriting.

And storytelling is simple! To effectively tell a story, there is a formula to follow that will nail it every time.

But telling stories is just the beginning…

3. Visual Flow

The next thing to consider when becoming a better copywriter is the visual flow of the copy. I’m always surprised by how many of the very best copywriters overlook this aspect of copywriting.

How the copy looks on the page matters A LOT!

A nice visual appearance and flow of the copy will attract the eye and draw people in. To create good visual flow, just do a few simple things:

Break up the copy into paragraphs of different lengths—short, medium, and long (no more than four lines).

NEVER use long paragraphs that make the page look like a wall of text.

Use short sentences. A single paragraph should never be made up of only one sentence (unless it’s a super short paragraph).

Use variety when formatting by making good use of bold, italics, underline, CAPS, and color.

Ultimately, the visual flow of the copy should be pleasing to the eye, not overwhelming. And it should guide people’s eyes to the call-to-action. That is the true goal of any copy.

4. Build Relationships

People buy based on relationships.

But what if the person’s friend said, “Buy this fantastic book on losing weight for $30.”

That is a recommendation from someone the person has a relationship with. Someone that person trusts. And that person probably is going to buy it.

Building a relationship with the consumer is a crucial part of selling.

Marketers need to make it personal.

And that means getting in there and personally responding to people. Having one-on-one contact with people, responding to people’s comments, answering their questions.

Essentially, marketers need to show they care. That it isn’t all about making money.

Relationships are so important that I dedicated a whole post to it: Relationships: The Secret Weapon of Email Marketing

5. Hook

The goal of copywriting is to get people to take some form of action. But before that can happen…

The marketer needs to catch their attention!

Shock the audience

Bring about a sense of awe

Be controversial

Offer a “how-to” that catches the attention

Ask an attention-grabbing question

Either way, the hook is what makes the audience stop in their tracks and keep reading or watching.

It’s what makes them want to know more!

6. Sniper Approach

This is all about targeting.

Shotgun approach = sending a general message to a lot of people and seeing what sticks.

Sniper approach = sending a specific message to a smaller group of ideal customers.

The sniper approach is targeting the exact people you want to reach.

The pain points of a niche are particularly important.

Make a list of these pain points. Get to know them well. Then create copy by reverse-engineering those pain points. This will ensure these pain points are specifically addressed in the copy.

And when talking about the pain points, it is important to discuss…

7. The “What,” Not the “How”

If the audience learns the “how,” they will not buy!

It is so important that copy never reveals the “how.” That is what the product is for. The product IS the how.

It’s all about selling the sizzle, not the steak.

For example:

Say the marketer is selling a weight loss system.

Really, it’s that simple.

8. Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

Copy = the “what”

Content = the “how”

Now, when copywriting, it isn’t necessary to completely avoid writing content. But it is necessary to keep that content to a minimum and not give away the big “how.”

Think of copy vs. content as open loops vs. closed loops.

Copy = a series of open loops that keep people wanting more. This is the part that does the selling.

On the other hand, content = one or more loops that get closed by the end. This is the part that offers the solution. It’s purely educational.

So, when writing copy, be sure to stick to actually writing copy. Once a marketer gets too deep into content, they risk giving away too much of the “how” and then the sale is lost.

Even if they only get a mediocre version of the “how,” people will try to do it on their own instead of buying the product.

9. See the Bigger Picture

When writing copy, it is important to take the entire sales funnel into account.

Sure, at this point, the goal of the copy might be simply to convince someone to opt into an email list or purchase a low-cost product. But where are these consumers ultimately being lead?

Each piece of copy needs to have the consumer make a micro-commitment, and over time, these commitments will get bigger and bigger.

Not only that, but by understanding the bigger picture, it is easier to upsell the audience. And upselling can truly maximize profit.

Understanding the bigger picture also makes retargeting easier. If the customer doesn’t accept one offer, then it is simple to direct them to another lower-cost, lower-commitment offer instead.

And it’s easy to keep them interested every step of the way.

10. Learn How to Make Videos

Copywriting includes creating videos.

And right now, video is incredibly effective.

People love video! As I mentioned above, study video as well as written copy. Take it apart. See what works. And use this as a general template from which to create new and unique video copy.

Video doesn’t have to be complicated! And it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

The marketer doesn’t even have to be on the screen!

All that is needed is a PowerPoint video. And there is great software out there that can make any video flow and come alive, including Camtasia, Screenflow, and Screen-Cast-O-Matic.

All that is needed is the software, a decent camera, and a good microphone, which can be bought for less than $100.

That’s all there is to it!

All of the same principles of copywriting apply. And creating a PowerPoint video is an easy way to make sure all aspects of effective copy are included in the video.

11. Learn How to Create Webinars

Webinars are one step above video sales letters. And it is a highly effective form of sales copy.

A webinar is the absolute BEST way to sell high-ticket items.

And the webinar is now what video was just a few years ago. But not many people know how to create and present a webinar. Which makes creating copy for webinars a very in-demand skill to master.

What makes the webinar so popular? Simply put, it’s the new “face-to-face” form of selling.

The webinar really offers the best of everything.

The webinar really is all about delivering high value. It’s a little more involved to create a webinar, but it’s completely worth the time and effort.

For more info on creating and promoting a webinar, check out this blog post: 3 Proven Ways To Sell Any Type Of Offer Online

12. Learn Email Marketing

Email marketing is the basis of any successful online business.

There are 6 billion email addresses worldwide (Source: The Radical Group).

A whopping 8 billion emails are sent every day.

Email marketing has generated $2.47 billion in sales (Source: Forrester Research).

For every $1 spent on email marketing the average return on investment is $44.25 (Source: Email Report).

What makes email so effective? Simple. Through email, a marketer can create and nurture relationships with their subscribers and customers.

And it so much easier to sell to warm traffic.

There truly is no better way to sell online than via email. And email marketing is easy!

Read this blog post to find out more about how to start an online business using email: The Email Lifeline: How to Start An Online Business Using Nothing but Email

13. Use Linear Thinking

People think in a linear way.

They are very logical in their progression from one point to the next. And they don’t like to be left hanging, wondering what comes next.

With this in mind, always present copy in a linear way, such as with a:

Step-by-step system (“5 steps to….”)

List (“11 ways…”)

Diagram—People love visuals, as well as linear thinking, so diagrams attract and hold the audience’s attention

And it makes it easy to….

14. Sell to the Subconscious

Let’s face it—our subconscious mind plays a HUGE role in the decisions we make each day.

And that includes the decision to buy something.

Show them where they are and take them to where they want to be.

The emotions will convince the subconscious to buy. Then the subconscious will convince the conscious mind to buy.

15. Practice

Copywriting, as with any other form of writing, can only be mastered by actually doing it.

Just start writing. It doesn’t matter if it’s horrible at first. Any marketer will learn faster by doing it than just reading and learning about it.

Yes, it is important to study and learn from great copywriters.

But it is even more important to put that learning into action. Create copy. Then create more copy. And then create more copy. NEVER stop creating copy.

Practice makes progress. Will the copy be the best the first time it is put out into the online world? Probably not. But as time goes on, it can be refined to determine what works better.

Keep creating copy. See what works and what doesn’t. And adjust accordingly.

It’s better to put out average copy and refine it than to never do it at all.

So, get writing!

Bonus: Get over the fear of selling

We have discussed 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter.

And NONE of it will matter if there is a fear of selling!

I cannot begin to describe how many people are held back by the fear of selling. And getting over this fear all starts in the mind.

Online or not, a business sells things that makes people’s lives better! And people can choose whether or not to buy.

The key is to have the confidence to sell it. This is the confidence of knowing that what is being sold is worth it. Will everyone think so? No. But that doesn’t matter. The people who do will buy.

Just get out there and do it!

In today’s technologically advanced world, there is no online business success without copywriting. It’s simply not possible to reach online customers any other way!

Fortunately, learning how to become a skilled copywriter isn’t just possible—it’s simple!

In this blog post, we have covered 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter. Let’s recap:

Study Great Copywriters

Tell Stories

Visual Flow

Build Relationships

Hook

Sniper Approach

The “What,” Not the “How”

Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

See the Bigger Picture

Learn How to Make Videos

Learn How to Create Webinars

Learn Email Marketing

Use Linear Thinking

Sell to the Subconscious

Practice

And the bonus tip is the most important—get over the fear of selling!

Write some copy and go through each and every one of these tips during the writing process. Practice and practice until it feels more natural.

Anyone CAN become a good copywriter. And anyone who wants to succeed in online business MUST become a good copywriter.

And we want to help.

Sign up today for our FREE Copywriting Bootcamp and learn from master copywriters. Really, anyone who is serious about their online business cannot miss this bootcamp.

Copywriting IS the #1 skill for online business success!

See you soon!

[Read More ...] http://ift.tt/2yv0Iv0

#15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

0 notes

evanscarlosymj689 · 7 years ago

Text

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Copywriting is THE most important skill when running an online business.

Period.

If a business owner cannot write copy effectively, they WILL fail.

Why? Because copywriting is the art of selling through effective communication. It’s all part of what’s now called interactive marketing.

And the best part is anyone can do it.

There is no need to be a great writer to be a great copywriter. They key is to write as if it’s a conversation with a friend and implement a few simple strategies…

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Being a great copywriter doesn’t require a degree in English or Journalism. It doesn’t require a person to be the next Nobel Prize winner.

What it does require is honesty, casual conversation and the following 15 simple tips…

1. Study Great Copywriters

We learn from the work and efforts of the people who have come before us.

Even the greatest of the great have learned from others. No one who has achieved mastery in anything has done it 100% alone.

I can’t begin to describe how much others have helped me on my journey to online business success. And even today, I still reach out to experts and learn as much as I can from them.

In order to become a great copywriter, it’s so important to study the work of great copywriters and learn from them.

Study everything that is available.

It’s also important to keep things organized. And for that I recommend creating a swipe file.

I do this and it’s so effective. Create a file that categorizes all the different copy to be studied. Have a file for each of the following:

Written sales letters

Video sales letters

Webinars

Emails

Facebook ads

Opt-in pages

Thank you pages

When studying any kind of copy, there are certain things to look for. Here are some examples of questions to ask with each piece of copy:

What is the common structure?

What trigger words do they use?

What pain points do they address?

What kind of language do they use?

What tone of voice is used?

But remember NEVER to copy! Don’t copy other people’s copy!

And then use that voice to…

2. Tell Stories

Storytelling is THE most important part of copywriting!

And for this reason, people remember stories.

Storytellers outsell non-storytellers every single time.

Stories are the X factor of copywriting.

And storytelling is simple! To effectively tell a story, there is a formula to follow that will nail it every time.

But telling stories is just the beginning…

3. Visual Flow

The next thing to consider when becoming a better copywriter is the visual flow of the copy. I’m always surprised by how many of the very best copywriters overlook this aspect of copywriting.

How the copy looks on the page matters A LOT!

A nice visual appearance and flow of the copy will attract the eye and draw people in. To create good visual flow, just do a few simple things:

Break up the copy into paragraphs of different lengths—short, medium, and long (no more than four lines).

NEVER use long paragraphs that make the page look like a wall of text.

Use short sentences. A single paragraph should never be made up of only one sentence (unless it’s a super short paragraph).

Use variety when formatting by making good use of bold, italics, underline, CAPS, and color.

Ultimately, the visual flow of the copy should be pleasing to the eye, not overwhelming. And it should guide people’s eyes to the call-to-action. That is the true goal of any copy.

4. Build Relationships

People buy based on relationships.

But what if the person’s friend said, “Buy this fantastic book on losing weight for $30.”

That is a recommendation from someone the person has a relationship with. Someone that person trusts. And that person probably is going to buy it.

Building a relationship with the consumer is a crucial part of selling.

Marketers need to make it personal.

And that means getting in there and personally responding to people. Having one-on-one contact with people, responding to people’s comments, answering their questions.

Essentially, marketers need to show they care. That it isn’t all about making money.

Relationships are so important that I dedicated a whole post to it: Relationships: The Secret Weapon of Email Marketing

5. Hook

The goal of copywriting is to get people to take some form of action. But before that can happen…

The marketer needs to catch their attention!

Shock the audience

Bring about a sense of awe

Be controversial

Offer a “how-to” that catches the attention

Ask an attention-grabbing question

Either way, the hook is what makes the audience stop in their tracks and keep reading or watching.

It’s what makes them want to know more!

6. Sniper Approach

This is all about targeting.

Shotgun approach = sending a general message to a lot of people and seeing what sticks.

Sniper approach = sending a specific message to a smaller group of ideal customers.

The sniper approach is targeting the exact people you want to reach.

The pain points of a niche are particularly important.

Make a list of these pain points. Get to know them well. Then create copy by reverse-engineering those pain points. This will ensure these pain points are specifically addressed in the copy.

And when talking about the pain points, it is important to discuss…

7. The “What,” Not the “How”

If the audience learns the “how,” they will not buy!

It is so important that copy never reveals the “how.” That is what the product is for. The product IS the how.

It’s all about selling the sizzle, not the steak.

For example:

Say the marketer is selling a weight loss system.

Really, it’s that simple.

8. Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

Copy = the “what”

Content = the “how”

Now, when copywriting, it isn’t necessary to completely avoid writing content. But it is necessary to keep that content to a minimum and not give away the big “how.”

Think of copy vs. content as open loops vs. closed loops.

Copy = a series of open loops that keep people wanting more. This is the part that does the selling.

On the other hand, content = one or more loops that get closed by the end. This is the part that offers the solution. It’s purely educational.

So, when writing copy, be sure to stick to actually writing copy. Once a marketer gets too deep into content, they risk giving away too much of the “how” and then the sale is lost.

Even if they only get a mediocre version of the “how,” people will try to do it on their own instead of buying the product.

9. See the Bigger Picture

When writing copy, it is important to take the entire sales funnel into account.

Sure, at this point, the goal of the copy might be simply to convince someone to opt into an email list or purchase a low-cost product. But where are these consumers ultimately being lead?

Each piece of copy needs to have the consumer make a micro-commitment, and over time, these commitments will get bigger and bigger.

Not only that, but by understanding the bigger picture, it is easier to upsell the audience. And upselling can truly maximize profit.

Understanding the bigger picture also makes retargeting easier. If the customer doesn’t accept one offer, then it is simple to direct them to another lower-cost, lower-commitment offer instead.

And it’s easy to keep them interested every step of the way.

10. Learn How to Make Videos

Copywriting includes creating videos.

And right now, video is incredibly effective.

People love video! As I mentioned above, study video as well as written copy. Take it apart. See what works. And use this as a general template from which to create new and unique video copy.

Video doesn’t have to be complicated! And it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

The marketer doesn’t even have to be on the screen!

All that is needed is a PowerPoint video. And there is great software out there that can make any video flow and come alive, including Camtasia, Screenflow, and Screen-Cast-O-Matic.

All that is needed is the software, a decent camera, and a good microphone, which can be bought for less than $100.

That’s all there is to it!

All of the same principles of copywriting apply. And creating a PowerPoint video is an easy way to make sure all aspects of effective copy are included in the video.

11. Learn How to Create Webinars

Webinars are one step above video sales letters. And it is a highly effective form of sales copy.

A webinar is the absolute BEST way to sell high-ticket items.

And the webinar is now what video was just a few years ago. But not many people know how to create and present a webinar. Which makes creating copy for webinars a very in-demand skill to master.

What makes the webinar so popular? Simply put, it’s the new “face-to-face” form of selling.

The webinar really offers the best of everything.

The webinar really is all about delivering high value. It’s a little more involved to create a webinar, but it’s completely worth the time and effort.

For more info on creating and promoting a webinar, check out this blog post: 3 Proven Ways To Sell Any Type Of Offer Online

12. Learn Email Marketing

Email marketing is the basis of any successful online business.

There are 6 billion email addresses worldwide (Source: The Radical Group).

A whopping 8 billion emails are sent every day.

Email marketing has generated $2.47 billion in sales (Source: Forrester Research).

For every $1 spent on email marketing the average return on investment is $44.25 (Source: Email Report).

What makes email so effective? Simple. Through email, a marketer can create and nurture relationships with their subscribers and customers.

And it so much easier to sell to warm traffic.

There truly is no better way to sell online than via email. And email marketing is easy!

Read this blog post to find out more about how to start an online business using email: The Email Lifeline: How to Start An Online Business Using Nothing but Email

13. Use Linear Thinking

People think in a linear way.

They are very logical in their progression from one point to the next. And they don’t like to be left hanging, wondering what comes next.

With this in mind, always present copy in a linear way, such as with a:

Step-by-step system (“5 steps to….”)

List (“11 ways…”)

Diagram—People love visuals, as well as linear thinking, so diagrams attract and hold the audience’s attention

And it makes it easy to….

14. Sell to the Subconscious

Let’s face it—our subconscious mind plays a HUGE role in the decisions we make each day.

And that includes the decision to buy something.

Show them where they are and take them to where they want to be.

The emotions will convince the subconscious to buy. Then the subconscious will convince the conscious mind to buy.

15. Practice

Copywriting, as with any other form of writing, can only be mastered by actually doing it.

Just start writing. It doesn’t matter if it’s horrible at first. Any marketer will learn faster by doing it than just reading and learning about it.

Yes, it is important to study and learn from great copywriters.

But it is even more important to put that learning into action. Create copy. Then create more copy. And then create more copy. NEVER stop creating copy.

Practice makes progress. Will the copy be the best the first time it is put out into the online world? Probably not. But as time goes on, it can be refined to determine what works better.

Keep creating copy. See what works and what doesn’t. And adjust accordingly.

It’s better to put out average copy and refine it than to never do it at all.

So, get writing!

Bonus: Get over the fear of selling

We have discussed 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter.

And NONE of it will matter if there is a fear of selling!

I cannot begin to describe how many people are held back by the fear of selling. And getting over this fear all starts in the mind.

Online or not, a business sells things that makes people’s lives better! And people can choose whether or not to buy.

The key is to have the confidence to sell it. This is the confidence of knowing that what is being sold is worth it. Will everyone think so? No. But that doesn’t matter. The people who do will buy.

Just get out there and do it!

In today’s technologically advanced world, there is no online business success without copywriting. It’s simply not possible to reach online customers any other way!

Fortunately, learning how to become a skilled copywriter isn’t just possible—it’s simple!

In this blog post, we have covered 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter. Let’s recap:

Study Great Copywriters

Tell Stories

Visual Flow

Build Relationships

Hook

Sniper Approach

The “What,” Not the “How”

Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

See the Bigger Picture

Learn How to Make Videos

Learn How to Create Webinars

Learn Email Marketing

Use Linear Thinking

Sell to the Subconscious

Practice

And the bonus tip is the most important—get over the fear of selling!

Write some copy and go through each and every one of these tips during the writing process. Practice and practice until it feels more natural.

Anyone CAN become a good copywriter. And anyone who wants to succeed in online business MUST become a good copywriter.

And we want to help.

Sign up today for our FREE Copywriting Bootcamp and learn from master copywriters. Really, anyone who is serious about their online business cannot miss this bootcamp.

Copywriting IS the #1 skill for online business success!

See you soon!

[Read More ...] http://ift.tt/2yv0Iv0

#15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

0 notes

dvsnancy · 7 years ago

Text

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Copywriting is THE most important skill when running an online business.

Period.

If a business owner cannot write copy effectively, they WILL fail.

Why? Because copywriting is the art of selling through effective communication. It’s all part of what’s now called interactive marketing.

And the best part is anyone can do it.

There is no need to be a great writer to be a great copywriter. They key is to write as if it’s a conversation with a friend and implement a few simple strategies…

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Being a great copywriter doesn’t require a degree in English or Journalism. It doesn’t require a person to be the next Nobel Prize winner.

What it does require is honesty, casual conversation and the following 15 simple tips…

1. Study Great Copywriters

We learn from the work and efforts of the people who have come before us.

Even the greatest of the great have learned from others. No one who has achieved mastery in anything has done it 100% alone.

I can’t begin to describe how much others have helped me on my journey to online business success. And even today, I still reach out to experts and learn as much as I can from them.

In order to become a great copywriter, it’s so important to study the work of great copywriters and learn from them.

Study everything that is available.

It’s also important to keep things organized. And for that I recommend creating a swipe file.

I do this and it’s so effective. Create a file that categorizes all the different copy to be studied. Have a file for each of the following:

Written sales letters

Video sales letters

Webinars

Emails

Facebook ads

Opt-in pages

Thank you pages

When studying any kind of copy, there are certain things to look for. Here are some examples of questions to ask with each piece of copy:

What is the common structure?

What trigger words do they use?

What pain points do they address?

What kind of language do they use?

What tone of voice is used?

But remember NEVER to copy! Don’t copy other people’s copy!

And then use that voice to…

2. Tell Stories

Storytelling is THE most important part of copywriting!

And for this reason, people remember stories.

Storytellers outsell non-storytellers every single time.

Stories are the X factor of copywriting.

And storytelling is simple! To effectively tell a story, there is a formula to follow that will nail it every time.

But telling stories is just the beginning…

3. Visual Flow

The next thing to consider when becoming a better copywriter is the visual flow of the copy. I’m always surprised by how many of the very best copywriters overlook this aspect of copywriting.

How the copy looks on the page matters A LOT!

A nice visual appearance and flow of the copy will attract the eye and draw people in. To create good visual flow, just do a few simple things:

Break up the copy into paragraphs of different lengths—short, medium, and long (no more than four lines).

NEVER use long paragraphs that make the page look like a wall of text.

Use short sentences. A single paragraph should never be made up of only one sentence (unless it’s a super short paragraph).

Use variety when formatting by making good use of bold, italics, underline, CAPS, and color.

Ultimately, the visual flow of the copy should be pleasing to the eye, not overwhelming. And it should guide people’s eyes to the call-to-action. That is the true goal of any copy.

4. Build Relationships

People buy based on relationships.

But what if the person’s friend said, “Buy this fantastic book on losing weight for $30.”

That is a recommendation from someone the person has a relationship with. Someone that person trusts. And that person probably is going to buy it.

Building a relationship with the consumer is a crucial part of selling.

Marketers need to make it personal.

And that means getting in there and personally responding to people. Having one-on-one contact with people, responding to people’s comments, answering their questions.

Essentially, marketers need to show they care. That it isn’t all about making money.

Relationships are so important that I dedicated a whole post to it: Relationships: The Secret Weapon of Email Marketing

5. Hook

The goal of copywriting is to get people to take some form of action. But before that can happen…

The marketer needs to catch their attention!

Shock the audience

Bring about a sense of awe

Be controversial

Offer a “how-to” that catches the attention

Ask an attention-grabbing question

Either way, the hook is what makes the audience stop in their tracks and keep reading or watching.

It’s what makes them want to know more!

6. Sniper Approach

This is all about targeting.

Shotgun approach = sending a general message to a lot of people and seeing what sticks.

Sniper approach = sending a specific message to a smaller group of ideal customers.

The sniper approach is targeting the exact people you want to reach.

The pain points of a niche are particularly important.

Make a list of these pain points. Get to know them well. Then create copy by reverse-engineering those pain points. This will ensure these pain points are specifically addressed in the copy.

And when talking about the pain points, it is important to discuss…

7. The “What,” Not the “How”

If the audience learns the “how,” they will not buy!

It is so important that copy never reveals the “how.” That is what the product is for. The product IS the how.

It’s all about selling the sizzle, not the steak.

For example:

Say the marketer is selling a weight loss system.

Really, it’s that simple.

8. Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

Copy = the “what”

Content = the “how”

Now, when copywriting, it isn’t necessary to completely avoid writing content. But it is necessary to keep that content to a minimum and not give away the big “how.”

Think of copy vs. content as open loops vs. closed loops.

Copy = a series of open loops that keep people wanting more. This is the part that does the selling.

On the other hand, content = one or more loops that get closed by the end. This is the part that offers the solution. It’s purely educational.

So, when writing copy, be sure to stick to actually writing copy. Once a marketer gets too deep into content, they risk giving away too much of the “how” and then the sale is lost.

Even if they only get a mediocre version of the “how,” people will try to do it on their own instead of buying the product.

9. See the Bigger Picture

When writing copy, it is important to take the entire sales funnel into account.

Sure, at this point, the goal of the copy might be simply to convince someone to opt into an email list or purchase a low-cost product. But where are these consumers ultimately being lead?

Each piece of copy needs to have the consumer make a micro-commitment, and over time, these commitments will get bigger and bigger.

Not only that, but by understanding the bigger picture, it is easier to upsell the audience. And upselling can truly maximize profit.

Understanding the bigger picture also makes retargeting easier. If the customer doesn’t accept one offer, then it is simple to direct them to another lower-cost, lower-commitment offer instead.

And it’s easy to keep them interested every step of the way.

10. Learn How to Make Videos

Copywriting includes creating videos.

And right now, video is incredibly effective.

People love video! As I mentioned above, study video as well as written copy. Take it apart. See what works. And use this as a general template from which to create new and unique video copy.

Video doesn’t have to be complicated! And it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

The marketer doesn’t even have to be on the screen!

All that is needed is a PowerPoint video. And there is great software out there that can make any video flow and come alive, including Camtasia, Screenflow, and Screen-Cast-O-Matic.

All that is needed is the software, a decent camera, and a good microphone, which can be bought for less than $100.

That’s all there is to it!

All of the same principles of copywriting apply. And creating a PowerPoint video is an easy way to make sure all aspects of effective copy are included in the video.

11. Learn How to Create Webinars

Webinars are one step above video sales letters. And it is a highly effective form of sales copy.

A webinar is the absolute BEST way to sell high-ticket items.

And the webinar is now what video was just a few years ago. But not many people know how to create and present a webinar. Which makes creating copy for webinars a very in-demand skill to master.

What makes the webinar so popular? Simply put, it’s the new “face-to-face” form of selling.

The webinar really offers the best of everything.

The webinar really is all about delivering high value. It’s a little more involved to create a webinar, but it’s completely worth the time and effort.

For more info on creating and promoting a webinar, check out this blog post: 3 Proven Ways To Sell Any Type Of Offer Online

12. Learn Email Marketing

Email marketing is the basis of any successful online business.

There are 6 billion email addresses worldwide (Source: The Radical Group).

A whopping 8 billion emails are sent every day.

Email marketing has generated $2.47 billion in sales (Source: Forrester Research).

For every $1 spent on email marketing the average return on investment is $44.25 (Source: Email Report).

What makes email so effective? Simple. Through email, a marketer can create and nurture relationships with their subscribers and customers.

And it so much easier to sell to warm traffic.

There truly is no better way to sell online than via email. And email marketing is easy!

Read this blog post to find out more about how to start an online business using email: The Email Lifeline: How to Start An Online Business Using Nothing but Email

13. Use Linear Thinking

People think in a linear way.

They are very logical in their progression from one point to the next. And they don’t like to be left hanging, wondering what comes next.

With this in mind, always present copy in a linear way, such as with a:

Step-by-step system (“5 steps to….”)

List (“11 ways…”)

Diagram—People love visuals, as well as linear thinking, so diagrams attract and hold the audience’s attention

And it makes it easy to….

14. Sell to the Subconscious

Let’s face it—our subconscious mind plays a HUGE role in the decisions we make each day.

And that includes the decision to buy something.

Show them where they are and take them to where they want to be.

The emotions will convince the subconscious to buy. Then the subconscious will convince the conscious mind to buy.

15. Practice

Copywriting, as with any other form of writing, can only be mastered by actually doing it.

Just start writing. It doesn’t matter if it’s horrible at first. Any marketer will learn faster by doing it than just reading and learning about it.

Yes, it is important to study and learn from great copywriters.

But it is even more important to put that learning into action. Create copy. Then create more copy. And then create more copy. NEVER stop creating copy.

Practice makes progress. Will the copy be the best the first time it is put out into the online world? Probably not. But as time goes on, it can be refined to determine what works better.

Keep creating copy. See what works and what doesn’t. And adjust accordingly.

It’s better to put out average copy and refine it than to never do it at all.

So, get writing!

Bonus: Get over the fear of selling

We have discussed 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter.

And NONE of it will matter if there is a fear of selling!

I cannot begin to describe how many people are held back by the fear of selling. And getting over this fear all starts in the mind.

Online or not, a business sells things that makes people’s lives better! And people can choose whether or not to buy.

The key is to have the confidence to sell it. This is the confidence of knowing that what is being sold is worth it. Will everyone think so? No. But that doesn’t matter. The people who do will buy.

Just get out there and do it!

In today’s technologically advanced world, there is no online business success without copywriting. It’s simply not possible to reach online customers any other way!

Fortunately, learning how to become a skilled copywriter isn’t just possible—it’s simple!

In this blog post, we have covered 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter. Let’s recap:

Study Great Copywriters

Tell Stories

Visual Flow

Build Relationships

Hook

Sniper Approach

The “What,” Not the “How”

Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

See the Bigger Picture

Learn How to Make Videos

Learn How to Create Webinars

Learn Email Marketing

Use Linear Thinking

Sell to the Subconscious

Practice

And the bonus tip is the most important—get over the fear of selling!

Write some copy and go through each and every one of these tips during the writing process. Practice and practice until it feels more natural.

Anyone CAN become a good copywriter. And anyone who wants to succeed in online business MUST become a good copywriter.

And we want to help.

Sign up today for our FREE Copywriting Bootcamp and learn from master copywriters. Really, anyone who is serious about their online business cannot miss this bootcamp.

Copywriting IS the #1 skill for online business success!

See you soon!

[Read More ...] http://ift.tt/2yv0Iv0

#15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

0 notes

lawrencejohns56 · 7 years ago

Text

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Copywriting is THE most important skill when running an online business.

Period.

If a business owner cannot write copy effectively, they WILL fail.

Why? Because copywriting is the art of selling through effective communication. It’s all part of what’s now called interactive marketing.

And the best part is anyone can do it.

There is no need to be a great writer to be a great copywriter. They key is to write as if it’s a conversation with a friend and implement a few simple strategies…

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Being a great copywriter doesn’t require a degree in English or Journalism. It doesn’t require a person to be the next Nobel Prize winner.

What it does require is honesty, casual conversation and the following 15 simple tips…

1. Study Great Copywriters

We learn from the work and efforts of the people who have come before us.

Even the greatest of the great have learned from others. No one who has achieved mastery in anything has done it 100% alone.

I can’t begin to describe how much others have helped me on my journey to online business success. And even today, I still reach out to experts and learn as much as I can from them.

In order to become a great copywriter, it’s so important to study the work of great copywriters and learn from them.

Study everything that is available.

It’s also important to keep things organized. And for that I recommend creating a swipe file.

I do this and it’s so effective. Create a file that categorizes all the different copy to be studied. Have a file for each of the following:

Written sales letters

Video sales letters

Webinars

Emails

Facebook ads

Opt-in pages

Thank you pages

When studying any kind of copy, there are certain things to look for. Here are some examples of questions to ask with each piece of copy:

What is the common structure?

What trigger words do they use?

What pain points do they address?

What kind of language do they use?

What tone of voice is used?

But remember NEVER to copy! Don’t copy other people’s copy!

And then use that voice to…

2. Tell Stories

Storytelling is THE most important part of copywriting!

And for this reason, people remember stories.

Storytellers outsell non-storytellers every single time.

Stories are the X factor of copywriting.

And storytelling is simple! To effectively tell a story, there is a formula to follow that will nail it every time.

But telling stories is just the beginning…

3. Visual Flow

The next thing to consider when becoming a better copywriter is the visual flow of the copy. I’m always surprised by how many of the very best copywriters overlook this aspect of copywriting.

How the copy looks on the page matters A LOT!

A nice visual appearance and flow of the copy will attract the eye and draw people in. To create good visual flow, just do a few simple things:

Break up the copy into paragraphs of different lengths—short, medium, and long (no more than four lines).

NEVER use long paragraphs that make the page look like a wall of text.

Use short sentences. A single paragraph should never be made up of only one sentence (unless it’s a super short paragraph).

Use variety when formatting by making good use of bold, italics, underline, CAPS, and color.

Ultimately, the visual flow of the copy should be pleasing to the eye, not overwhelming. And it should guide people’s eyes to the call-to-action. That is the true goal of any copy.

4. Build Relationships

People buy based on relationships.

But what if the person’s friend said, “Buy this fantastic book on losing weight for $30.”

That is a recommendation from someone the person has a relationship with. Someone that person trusts. And that person probably is going to buy it.

Building a relationship with the consumer is a crucial part of selling.

Marketers need to make it personal.

And that means getting in there and personally responding to people. Having one-on-one contact with people, responding to people’s comments, answering their questions.

Essentially, marketers need to show they care. That it isn’t all about making money.

Relationships are so important that I dedicated a whole post to it: Relationships: The Secret Weapon of Email Marketing

5. Hook

The goal of copywriting is to get people to take some form of action. But before that can happen…

The marketer needs to catch their attention!

Shock the audience

Bring about a sense of awe

Be controversial

Offer a “how-to” that catches the attention

Ask an attention-grabbing question

Either way, the hook is what makes the audience stop in their tracks and keep reading or watching.

It’s what makes them want to know more!

6. Sniper Approach

This is all about targeting.

Shotgun approach = sending a general message to a lot of people and seeing what sticks.

Sniper approach = sending a specific message to a smaller group of ideal customers.

The sniper approach is targeting the exact people you want to reach.

The pain points of a niche are particularly important.

Make a list of these pain points. Get to know them well. Then create copy by reverse-engineering those pain points. This will ensure these pain points are specifically addressed in the copy.

And when talking about the pain points, it is important to discuss…

7. The “What,” Not the “How”

If the audience learns the “how,” they will not buy!

It is so important that copy never reveals the “how.” That is what the product is for. The product IS the how.

It’s all about selling the sizzle, not the steak.

For example:

Say the marketer is selling a weight loss system.

Really, it’s that simple.

8. Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

Copy = the “what”

Content = the “how”

Now, when copywriting, it isn’t necessary to completely avoid writing content. But it is necessary to keep that content to a minimum and not give away the big “how.”

Think of copy vs. content as open loops vs. closed loops.

Copy = a series of open loops that keep people wanting more. This is the part that does the selling.

On the other hand, content = one or more loops that get closed by the end. This is the part that offers the solution. It’s purely educational.

So, when writing copy, be sure to stick to actually writing copy. Once a marketer gets too deep into content, they risk giving away too much of the “how” and then the sale is lost.

Even if they only get a mediocre version of the “how,” people will try to do it on their own instead of buying the product.

9. See the Bigger Picture

When writing copy, it is important to take the entire sales funnel into account.

Sure, at this point, the goal of the copy might be simply to convince someone to opt into an email list or purchase a low-cost product. But where are these consumers ultimately being lead?

Each piece of copy needs to have the consumer make a micro-commitment, and over time, these commitments will get bigger and bigger.

Not only that, but by understanding the bigger picture, it is easier to upsell the audience. And upselling can truly maximize profit.

Understanding the bigger picture also makes retargeting easier. If the customer doesn’t accept one offer, then it is simple to direct them to another lower-cost, lower-commitment offer instead.

And it’s easy to keep them interested every step of the way.

10. Learn How to Make Videos

Copywriting includes creating videos.

And right now, video is incredibly effective.

People love video! As I mentioned above, study video as well as written copy. Take it apart. See what works. And use this as a general template from which to create new and unique video copy.

Video doesn’t have to be complicated! And it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

The marketer doesn’t even have to be on the screen!

All that is needed is a PowerPoint video. And there is great software out there that can make any video flow and come alive, including Camtasia, Screenflow, and Screen-Cast-O-Matic.

All that is needed is the software, a decent camera, and a good microphone, which can be bought for less than $100.

That’s all there is to it!

All of the same principles of copywriting apply. And creating a PowerPoint video is an easy way to make sure all aspects of effective copy are included in the video.

11. Learn How to Create Webinars

Webinars are one step above video sales letters. And it is a highly effective form of sales copy.

A webinar is the absolute BEST way to sell high-ticket items.

And the webinar is now what video was just a few years ago. But not many people know how to create and present a webinar. Which makes creating copy for webinars a very in-demand skill to master.

What makes the webinar so popular? Simply put, it’s the new “face-to-face” form of selling.

The webinar really offers the best of everything.

The webinar really is all about delivering high value. It’s a little more involved to create a webinar, but it’s completely worth the time and effort.

For more info on creating and promoting a webinar, check out this blog post: 3 Proven Ways To Sell Any Type Of Offer Online

12. Learn Email Marketing

Email marketing is the basis of any successful online business.

There are 6 billion email addresses worldwide (Source: The Radical Group).

A whopping 8 billion emails are sent every day.

Email marketing has generated $2.47 billion in sales (Source: Forrester Research).

For every $1 spent on email marketing the average return on investment is $44.25 (Source: Email Report).

What makes email so effective? Simple. Through email, a marketer can create and nurture relationships with their subscribers and customers.

And it so much easier to sell to warm traffic.

There truly is no better way to sell online than via email. And email marketing is easy!

Read this blog post to find out more about how to start an online business using email: The Email Lifeline: How to Start An Online Business Using Nothing but Email

13. Use Linear Thinking

People think in a linear way.

They are very logical in their progression from one point to the next. And they don’t like to be left hanging, wondering what comes next.

With this in mind, always present copy in a linear way, such as with a:

Step-by-step system (“5 steps to….”)

List (“11 ways…”)

Diagram—People love visuals, as well as linear thinking, so diagrams attract and hold the audience’s attention

And it makes it easy to….

14. Sell to the Subconscious

Let’s face it—our subconscious mind plays a HUGE role in the decisions we make each day.

And that includes the decision to buy something.

Show them where they are and take them to where they want to be.

The emotions will convince the subconscious to buy. Then the subconscious will convince the conscious mind to buy.

15. Practice

Copywriting, as with any other form of writing, can only be mastered by actually doing it.

Just start writing. It doesn’t matter if it’s horrible at first. Any marketer will learn faster by doing it than just reading and learning about it.

Yes, it is important to study and learn from great copywriters.

But it is even more important to put that learning into action. Create copy. Then create more copy. And then create more copy. NEVER stop creating copy.

Practice makes progress. Will the copy be the best the first time it is put out into the online world? Probably not. But as time goes on, it can be refined to determine what works better.

Keep creating copy. See what works and what doesn’t. And adjust accordingly.

It’s better to put out average copy and refine it than to never do it at all.

So, get writing!

Bonus: Get over the fear of selling

We have discussed 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter.

And NONE of it will matter if there is a fear of selling!

I cannot begin to describe how many people are held back by the fear of selling. And getting over this fear all starts in the mind.

Online or not, a business sells things that makes people’s lives better! And people can choose whether or not to buy.

The key is to have the confidence to sell it. This is the confidence of knowing that what is being sold is worth it. Will everyone think so? No. But that doesn’t matter. The people who do will buy.

Just get out there and do it!

In today’s technologically advanced world, there is no online business success without copywriting. It’s simply not possible to reach online customers any other way!

Fortunately, learning how to become a skilled copywriter isn’t just possible—it’s simple!

In this blog post, we have covered 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter. Let’s recap:

Study Great Copywriters

Tell Stories

Visual Flow

Build Relationships

Hook

Sniper Approach

The “What,” Not the “How”

Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

See the Bigger Picture

Learn How to Make Videos

Learn How to Create Webinars

Learn Email Marketing

Use Linear Thinking

Sell to the Subconscious

Practice

And the bonus tip is the most important—get over the fear of selling!

Write some copy and go through each and every one of these tips during the writing process. Practice and practice until it feels more natural.

Anyone CAN become a good copywriter. And anyone who wants to succeed in online business MUST become a good copywriter.

And we want to help.

Sign up today for our FREE Copywriting Bootcamp and learn from master copywriters. Really, anyone who is serious about their online business cannot miss this bootcamp.

Copywriting IS the #1 skill for online business success!

See you soon!

[Read More ...] http://ift.tt/2yv0Iv0

#15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

0 notes

jonesnelliej46 · 7 years ago

Text

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Copywriting is THE most important skill when running an online business.

Period.

If a business owner cannot write copy effectively, they WILL fail.

Why? Because copywriting is the art of selling through effective communication. It’s all part of what’s now called interactive marketing.

And the best part is anyone can do it.

There is no need to be a great writer to be a great copywriter. They key is to write as if it’s a conversation with a friend and implement a few simple strategies…

15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

Being a great copywriter doesn’t require a degree in English or Journalism. It doesn’t require a person to be the next Nobel Prize winner.

What it does require is honesty, casual conversation and the following 15 simple tips…

1. Study Great Copywriters

We learn from the work and efforts of the people who have come before us.

Even the greatest of the great have learned from others. No one who has achieved mastery in anything has done it 100% alone.

I can’t begin to describe how much others have helped me on my journey to online business success. And even today, I still reach out to experts and learn as much as I can from them.

In order to become a great copywriter, it’s so important to study the work of great copywriters and learn from them.

Study everything that is available.

It’s also important to keep things organized. And for that I recommend creating a swipe file.

I do this and it’s so effective. Create a file that categorizes all the different copy to be studied. Have a file for each of the following:

Written sales letters

Video sales letters

Webinars

Emails

Facebook ads

Opt-in pages

Thank you pages

When studying any kind of copy, there are certain things to look for. Here are some examples of questions to ask with each piece of copy:

What is the common structure?

What trigger words do they use?

What pain points do they address?

What kind of language do they use?

What tone of voice is used?

But remember NEVER to copy! Don’t copy other people’s copy!

And then use that voice to…

2. Tell Stories

Storytelling is THE most important part of copywriting!

And for this reason, people remember stories.

Storytellers outsell non-storytellers every single time.

Stories are the X factor of copywriting.

And storytelling is simple! To effectively tell a story, there is a formula to follow that will nail it every time.

But telling stories is just the beginning…

3. Visual Flow

The next thing to consider when becoming a better copywriter is the visual flow of the copy. I’m always surprised by how many of the very best copywriters overlook this aspect of copywriting.

How the copy looks on the page matters A LOT!

A nice visual appearance and flow of the copy will attract the eye and draw people in. To create good visual flow, just do a few simple things:

Break up the copy into paragraphs of different lengths—short, medium, and long (no more than four lines).

NEVER use long paragraphs that make the page look like a wall of text.

Use short sentences. A single paragraph should never be made up of only one sentence (unless it’s a super short paragraph).

Use variety when formatting by making good use of bold, italics, underline, CAPS, and color.

Ultimately, the visual flow of the copy should be pleasing to the eye, not overwhelming. And it should guide people’s eyes to the call-to-action. That is the true goal of any copy.

4. Build Relationships

People buy based on relationships.

But what if the person’s friend said, “Buy this fantastic book on losing weight for $30.”

That is a recommendation from someone the person has a relationship with. Someone that person trusts. And that person probably is going to buy it.

Building a relationship with the consumer is a crucial part of selling.

Marketers need to make it personal.

And that means getting in there and personally responding to people. Having one-on-one contact with people, responding to people’s comments, answering their questions.

Essentially, marketers need to show they care. That it isn’t all about making money.

Relationships are so important that I dedicated a whole post to it: Relationships: The Secret Weapon of Email Marketing

5. Hook

The goal of copywriting is to get people to take some form of action. But before that can happen…

The marketer needs to catch their attention!

Shock the audience

Bring about a sense of awe

Be controversial

Offer a “how-to” that catches the attention

Ask an attention-grabbing question

Either way, the hook is what makes the audience stop in their tracks and keep reading or watching.

It’s what makes them want to know more!

6. Sniper Approach

This is all about targeting.

Shotgun approach = sending a general message to a lot of people and seeing what sticks.

Sniper approach = sending a specific message to a smaller group of ideal customers.

The sniper approach is targeting the exact people you want to reach.

The pain points of a niche are particularly important.

Make a list of these pain points. Get to know them well. Then create copy by reverse-engineering those pain points. This will ensure these pain points are specifically addressed in the copy.

And when talking about the pain points, it is important to discuss…

7. The “What,” Not the “How”

If the audience learns the “how,” they will not buy!

It is so important that copy never reveals the “how.” That is what the product is for. The product IS the how.

It’s all about selling the sizzle, not the steak.

For example:

Say the marketer is selling a weight loss system.

Really, it’s that simple.

8. Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

Copy = the “what”

Content = the “how”

Now, when copywriting, it isn’t necessary to completely avoid writing content. But it is necessary to keep that content to a minimum and not give away the big “how.”

Think of copy vs. content as open loops vs. closed loops.

Copy = a series of open loops that keep people wanting more. This is the part that does the selling.

On the other hand, content = one or more loops that get closed by the end. This is the part that offers the solution. It’s purely educational.

So, when writing copy, be sure to stick to actually writing copy. Once a marketer gets too deep into content, they risk giving away too much of the “how” and then the sale is lost.

Even if they only get a mediocre version of the “how,” people will try to do it on their own instead of buying the product.

9. See the Bigger Picture

When writing copy, it is important to take the entire sales funnel into account.

Sure, at this point, the goal of the copy might be simply to convince someone to opt into an email list or purchase a low-cost product. But where are these consumers ultimately being lead?

Each piece of copy needs to have the consumer make a micro-commitment, and over time, these commitments will get bigger and bigger.

Not only that, but by understanding the bigger picture, it is easier to upsell the audience. And upselling can truly maximize profit.

Understanding the bigger picture also makes retargeting easier. If the customer doesn’t accept one offer, then it is simple to direct them to another lower-cost, lower-commitment offer instead.

And it’s easy to keep them interested every step of the way.

10. Learn How to Make Videos

Copywriting includes creating videos.

And right now, video is incredibly effective.

People love video! As I mentioned above, study video as well as written copy. Take it apart. See what works. And use this as a general template from which to create new and unique video copy.

Video doesn’t have to be complicated! And it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

The marketer doesn’t even have to be on the screen!

All that is needed is a PowerPoint video. And there is great software out there that can make any video flow and come alive, including Camtasia, Screenflow, and Screen-Cast-O-Matic.

All that is needed is the software, a decent camera, and a good microphone, which can be bought for less than $100.

That’s all there is to it!

All of the same principles of copywriting apply. And creating a PowerPoint video is an easy way to make sure all aspects of effective copy are included in the video.

11. Learn How to Create Webinars

Webinars are one step above video sales letters. And it is a highly effective form of sales copy.

A webinar is the absolute BEST way to sell high-ticket items.

And the webinar is now what video was just a few years ago. But not many people know how to create and present a webinar. Which makes creating copy for webinars a very in-demand skill to master.

What makes the webinar so popular? Simply put, it’s the new “face-to-face” form of selling.

The webinar really offers the best of everything.

The webinar really is all about delivering high value. It’s a little more involved to create a webinar, but it’s completely worth the time and effort.

For more info on creating and promoting a webinar, check out this blog post: 3 Proven Ways To Sell Any Type Of Offer Online

12. Learn Email Marketing

Email marketing is the basis of any successful online business.

There are 6 billion email addresses worldwide (Source: The Radical Group).

A whopping 8 billion emails are sent every day.

Email marketing has generated $2.47 billion in sales (Source: Forrester Research).

For every $1 spent on email marketing the average return on investment is $44.25 (Source: Email Report).

What makes email so effective? Simple. Through email, a marketer can create and nurture relationships with their subscribers and customers.

And it so much easier to sell to warm traffic.

There truly is no better way to sell online than via email. And email marketing is easy!

Read this blog post to find out more about how to start an online business using email: The Email Lifeline: How to Start An Online Business Using Nothing but Email

13. Use Linear Thinking

People think in a linear way.

They are very logical in their progression from one point to the next. And they don’t like to be left hanging, wondering what comes next.

With this in mind, always present copy in a linear way, such as with a:

Step-by-step system (“5 steps to….”)

List (“11 ways…”)

Diagram—People love visuals, as well as linear thinking, so diagrams attract and hold the audience’s attention

And it makes it easy to….

14. Sell to the Subconscious

Let’s face it—our subconscious mind plays a HUGE role in the decisions we make each day.

And that includes the decision to buy something.

Show them where they are and take them to where they want to be.

The emotions will convince the subconscious to buy. Then the subconscious will convince the conscious mind to buy.

15. Practice

Copywriting, as with any other form of writing, can only be mastered by actually doing it.

Just start writing. It doesn’t matter if it’s horrible at first. Any marketer will learn faster by doing it than just reading and learning about it.

Yes, it is important to study and learn from great copywriters.

But it is even more important to put that learning into action. Create copy. Then create more copy. And then create more copy. NEVER stop creating copy.

Practice makes progress. Will the copy be the best the first time it is put out into the online world? Probably not. But as time goes on, it can be refined to determine what works better.

Keep creating copy. See what works and what doesn’t. And adjust accordingly.

It’s better to put out average copy and refine it than to never do it at all.

So, get writing!

Bonus: Get over the fear of selling

We have discussed 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter.

And NONE of it will matter if there is a fear of selling!

I cannot begin to describe how many people are held back by the fear of selling. And getting over this fear all starts in the mind.

Online or not, a business sells things that makes people’s lives better! And people can choose whether or not to buy.

The key is to have the confidence to sell it. This is the confidence of knowing that what is being sold is worth it. Will everyone think so? No. But that doesn’t matter. The people who do will buy.

Just get out there and do it!

In today’s technologically advanced world, there is no online business success without copywriting. It’s simply not possible to reach online customers any other way!

Fortunately, learning how to become a skilled copywriter isn’t just possible—it’s simple!

In this blog post, we have covered 15 simple ways to become a better copywriter. Let’s recap:

Study Great Copywriters

Tell Stories

Visual Flow

Build Relationships

Hook

Sniper Approach

The “What,” Not the “How”

Know the Difference Between Copy and Content

See the Bigger Picture

Learn How to Make Videos

Learn How to Create Webinars

Learn Email Marketing

Use Linear Thinking

Sell to the Subconscious

Practice

And the bonus tip is the most important—get over the fear of selling!

Write some copy and go through each and every one of these tips during the writing process. Practice and practice until it feels more natural.

Anyone CAN become a good copywriter. And anyone who wants to succeed in online business MUST become a good copywriter.

And we want to help.

Sign up today for our FREE Copywriting Bootcamp and learn from master copywriters. Really, anyone who is serious about their online business cannot miss this bootcamp.

Copywriting IS the #1 skill for online business success!

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#15 Simple Secrets Master Copywriters Understand

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