1. Write in a voice you feel comfortable with; don’t create a persona that’s not you.
3. Always, always, always ask someone else to proofread what you’re about to publish for the whole world to see.
4. If words don’t come easily to you, invest in someone to write for you.
5. Tell the customer what they can do with the time or money they’ll save by doing business with you, e.g. “…which means you’ll have more time to relax.”
6. Too many exclamation marks make your business look cheap and make you look crazy!!!!!!!
7. Go for a killer headline every time to catch your readers’ attention.
8. Brief case studies, outlining the problem and how your product or service came up with a solution, are a great way to promote your business.
9. De-clutter your copywriting and make your message crystal clear by getting rid of unnecessary words such as “really”, “that”, and “very”.
10. The only thing that matters to your customer is what they think, what they want and what they need. Get rid of anything you’ve written that doesn’t taps into these needs.
11. How to…or…Did you know…headlines have been successfully getting attention for more than 50 years.
12. Write out your copy first and then grab the best phrases for your headline, linking copy and headline together.
13. Always include a call to action. “Call now to order your copy.” “Click here for an immediate quote.” “Create an account now and receive our free newsletter.”
14. Keep copy simple; a clear and concise message is what you want to aim for.
15. Short sentences appeal. Long sentences don’t.
16. Use the word “because” to give people a compelling reason why they should believe what you say, e.g. “This widget is the best because it will clean your engine four times faster than standard widgets.”
17. Assess how well your copy focuses on why anyone should buy what you’re selling. Do so by employing the “So what?” test after every statement.
18. Repetition works well because it sounds good and helps to make stronger statements, e.g. “Not just a bigger screen. A better screen.”
19. Be ruthless with your red pen. Review the first draft of your copy and aim to get rid of 30% of what you’ve written to make your copy tight and free of unnecessary details.
20. No one is interested in you. The customer wants to know one thing only: “What’s in it for me?”
21. Write tight copy the same way a TV newsreader presents the news: tell them what you’re going to tell them (strong intro), tell them (details), then tell them what you told them (summary).
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