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Articles on Writing Matters:

Copywriting Training - The Fundamentals You Need To Understand When Writing Copy

When you are trying to learn how to write an effective sales letter in any copywriting training course, you need to first recognize and understand the basics. The basics are crucial in order for the sales letter to flow nicely. I will briefly elaborate on them.

1. The Qualifier
A qualifier is a term to let the reader know to whom this sales letter is intended to. A pre-header if you will. If you did not apply a qualifier into the sales letter there could be a misinterpretation of information. For example, a man looking for ways on how to fish better would not want to read a sales letter on copywriting training. For example: Attention: All fishing enthusiasts who have always dreamed of finding the perfect lure! You may have seen this kind of qualifier before and this is what you call a qualifying statement. There is no doubt who this sales letter or web page is for.

2. The Headline
First, adding open and closed inverted commas or a quotation mark somehow appeals more to the eye when a headline is being read. It is almost like the eye-catching sensation when you read a fiction book, where you prefer to know what the character is going to say rather than what the narrator is trying to tell you.

"Think about the quotation mark is a sign of me trying to tell you something and you have no choice but to read it." When you're inventing a headline, create one that packs a hell of a punch. Make the reader stop to read your headline and be in awe of it. The choices of words you use are VERY important. Choose the words that arouse interest in the prospect. In turn, the reader moves on to the next line and eventually the whole sales letter, to see what you're up to, and that is, promoting the product.

3. The Opener or Lead-In
The opening of a sales letter is like the opening of a conversation with someone. You may start by telling a story to invoke curiosity to make them want to read on and know more. The story could be a fantasy or a problem someone had. Make sure it subtly leads to the product you're promoting or you might as well write a fairy tale right then and there.

4. The Body Copy
A BIG mistake among first-time copywriters and advertisers is their ability to sell a product's features but not its benefits. If you sell a product's features, the prospect will be thinking, "So what if the software is most updated in its technology? I want to know what it can do for me." Thus, subtly try to make your prospect understand what it is about this product and why they must have it in their life. Basically you want to answer the burning questions that your prospect has which are.

Who are you? Why should I listen to you? Whats in it for ME?

5. Sub-Headlines
Sub-headlines are a teaser for what's coming right up in the sales letter. It could be a quote or it could be much like a headline, but with a little less impact.

Adding a subhead can increase the readership in your sales letter and increase the likelihood of closing the sale. When a prospect is reading your copy, and gets to a section that is either boring to them or looks like it is too difficult to keep reading, a good subhead will grab them by the eyeballs and force them to keep reading.

So in essence a good subhead can be somewhat of a headline styled point that pulls your reader down into your copy.

6. Bullets
Bullets basically summarizes up the product's benefits. It tells the prospect what they will get and how their lives would change if they purchase the product to arouse deeper curiosity. Also, with bullets, it is much easier to read and understand rather than having to read the benefits of the product in a paragraph.

The key point with a bullet is to peak curiosity.

7. Testimonials
People respond easily to that product when they see that it has benefited others. It is human nature on our part, because our conscious mind does not allow us to put our trust in a certain product unless there's proof big enough for us to trust it.

The beauty of testimonials is that it plays on a powerful force in human consciousness that compels us to believe in or against a decision. That force is the power of social proof.

Further study into human influence and persuasion is required to understand that point further. A good book on this is "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Dr. Robert Cialdini.

8. Closing
This section of a sales letter is your last chance to prove to the prospect that the product is something worth having. You may state how different this product is, how rare it is on the market and how beneficial the product is to the prospect.

Another tactic to use in the close is the take-away or making the product or service scarce or limited availability. This tactic forces your prospect to think twice about leaving without ordering and a large percentage of them WILL end up buying.

Writing powerful copy is quite simple if only you understand your market and know what their needs, wants and wishes are. All too often people are quick to write a sales letter to close a sale yet never give concerted thought to WHO they are writing to and what they want and need. Research into your market is key but once you know who your market is and what they want, your sales will skyrocket as a result.

Jo Han Mok
18 Apr 2007
Singapore

Copyright (c) 2007 Jo Han Mok Jo Han Mok is a #1 bestselling author and one of the world's most powerful copywriters. Discover his copywriting training secrets that have generated millions of dollars! Visit his website at http://www.internetmillionairecode.com/

Hot Tips To Get Your Articles Read

Many people dread having to write papers or articles. Most just feel like it seems to be too much work and it all just goes to waste when no one reads them. To some people, reading articles seems like work too, especially if the article is boring and very bland. Well, articles are supposed to be read, that’s their main purpose to impart your message and information. If it is not read then it is a waste of time and effort.

But firstly, articles have to be written to be read. It’s just a matter of making them good. Making a good article doesn’t have to be strenuous and straining. There are just some points that needs to be remembered, and some guides to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles could be fun, as well as profitable for you and your site.

Of course, writing articles must be about something you know about, that’s why if you own a site, you are probably knowledgeable about that certain topic and theme. When you write about it, you won’t have a hard time because you already know what it is and what it’s about. It’s just a matter of making your articles creative and interesting.

To make sure that your articles get read and enjoyed, here are six red hot tips to get your articles read. These tips will make your articles readable and interesting.

1) Use short paragraphs. When the paragraph are very long, it can get quite confusing and too much of a hard work to read. The reader will just quickly disregard the paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are good to look at as well as read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word!

2) Make use of numbers or bullets. As each point is stressed out, numbers and bullets can quickly make the point easy to remember and digest. As each point, tip, guide or method is started with a bullet or point, readers will know that this is where the tips start and getting stressed. Format your bullets and numbers with indentations so that your4 article won’t look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to your article's shape.

3) Use Sub-headings to sub-divide your paragraphs in the page. Doing this will break each point into sections but still would be incorporated into one whole article. It would also be easy for the reader to move on from one point to another; the transition would be smooth and easy. You will never lose your readers' attention as well as the point and direction to where the article is pointing.

4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or header. If your title can entice a person’s curiosity you’re already halfway in getting a person to read your article. Use statements and questions that utilize keywords that people are looking for. Provide titles or headers that describe our articles content but they should also be short and concise.

Use titles like, “Tips on making her want you more”, or “How to make her swoon and blush” .You could also use titles that can command people, for example, “Make her yours in six easy Ways”. These types of titles reach out to a persons’ emotions and makes them interested.

5) Keep them interested from the start to the finish. From your opening paragraph, use real life situations that can be adopted by the reader. Use good descriptions and metaphors to drive in your point, just don’t over do it. Driving your examples with graphic metaphors and similes would make it easy for them to imagine what you are talking about. Making the experience pleasurable and enjoyable for them.

6) Utilize figures when necessary and not just ordinary and insipid statements. Using specific facts and figures can heighten your article because it makes it authoritative. But do not make it too formal, it should be light and easy. Like a friendly teacher having a little chat with an eager student.

Jo Han Mok
Singapore
26 Apr 2007

Jo Han Mok is a frequent guest and featured speaker at Internet Marketing bootcamps and conferences on subjects such as copywriting and Joint Venture Marketing. Visit his website to find out how he can help you turn mere words into cash! http://www.MasterWordsmith.com