One of the most important things in advertising and marketing is knowing how to write copy! That is, how to put words together that sell your prospects, customers, and clients to buy from you.
In Maxwell Sackheim’s book, Billion Dollar Marketing, Sackheim gives some basics for understanding advertising. (Sackheim is the main man behind the ‘Book of the Month Club’)
Pay close attention and see if you’re currently using any of these.
Understanding The Basics of Advertising:
- Concentrate on the consumer. What is the he thinking? Get inside his head.
- Know your product (features – its material, its manufacture, its use, etc.).
- What can your product/service cure? This is the BENEFIT.
- Build up enthusiasm before you start to write! It must be exciting. (If it’s boring nobody is going to read it).
- Basically, advertising is news. It’s news about your product/service and what it can ‘cure’ for your prospect, customer, and client.
As a companion to the list above, here’s are the four “why’s” to remember when writing your copy:
- Why should anyone read or listen to it?
- Why should anyone believe it?
- Why should anyone do anything about it?
- Why should it be acted upon immediately?
If you’ve just read threw the list then you may have noticed a theme going on.
What’s the theme?? It’s… concentrating on your prospect’s, customer’s, and client’s wants!
It goes back to the old advertising axiom with the thinking, “What’s In It For Me?” (WIIFM).
Remember, don’t write for you. Write for them!
Use this list the next time you’re writing your copy or creating your next marketing piece.
See anything you’d add to the list above? Feel free to comment below and let us know what you use and what it’s done for you!
Now go take action!