07 Nov 09 Get Maximum Value out of your Marketing Writing

The marketing writing is different from any other form of writing in the sense that the former kind of writing requires people to take some kind of action, while general writing just aim at informing and persuading people. Thus, you need to make your writing clear, concise, and emphatic. You need to entice your customers into reading your stuff to the end, and to achieve this goal, you need to follow the following guidelines.

Use emphatic headlines

The goal of a headline is not to sell the product, but to push the audience to read further by generating interest in them. When writing a marketing copy or copy for print ads then write headline in such a way that audience get curious after reading this and decide to read further.

Use descriptive sub-heading

The purpose of the subheading is to explain the promise made by the headline and push the reader to read the body copy.

Write focused body copy

This is where you need to sell your stuff. Your body copy should fulfill the promises made by the headline and the sub-heading. Use a conversational tone, do not preach your target audience. They hate it like anything. Each word of the body copy should lead you to the next word, and the next word to the next word, and so on. You can achieve this only by using measured words.

Tips for writing body copy

Use short sentences.
Write the body copy using active voice.
Keep the writing jargon-free. No one likes to read technical details.
Express the benefits not the features.
One size doesn’t fit all, therefore, right body copy with the target audience in mind. The copy you will write for a doctor who is 26 years of age and an artist of the same age will be different. Keep this subtle difference in mind.
Talk, do not preach.
Tell the reader, how you can help him solve his problem.
Use direct sentences.

Add Call to action

The marketing copy will fetch no result, if there is no call to action included at critical juncture in the marketing copy. A call to action tells the user what is expected of him. What action you want from him. This is very, very important.

Conclusion

Marketing copy writing is as much a science as it is an art. You cannot achieve anything meaningful by just making the writing flowery. Always remember, you are not writing a birthday card, its marketing stuff that you are writing.

Tags: Active Voice, Aim, Audience In Mind, Conversational Tone, Critical Juncture, Doctor Who, Headlines, Jargon, Marketing, Maximum Value, Persuading People, Print Ads, Promises, Sell Stuff, Sentences, Size Doesn, Subheading, Subtle Difference, Target Audience, Technical Details

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03 Oct 09 5 More Ways to Improve Your Writing Part-XII

We have come a long way, and now the writing tips journey is approaching the finish line. This is the second last article of the 5 Ways to Improve Your Writing series, and in this part we will talk about how to write to improve your writing.

Work on Headlines

A headline of any write-up is as important as the write-up itself. Always remember, 70-80 percent of your readers will go away without even reading a single line, if your headline is not attractive. This is even more important for the copy or content that you write for web. I will suggest you to keep a notebook of headlines. Maintain a repertoire of effective headlines.

Comment on your favorite blog

Commenting on your favorite blog will keep you in touch with the blogger whom you like, and it will also make you write on new topics. Make a habit of commenting on 2-3 blogs daily.

Write even when you do not feel like

At times, writing seems like a drag, you just cannot squeeze a word our two out of your damn head. You just want to go away. Do not do that, rather keep on writing. The best way to keep such feelings in check is to write only. Keep squeezing words even when you do not feel like writing.

Make a note to revisit later

A brilliant idea just flashed in your mind but you cannot use it now in your writing, what should you do? Well, do not move on without writing it down. Make a note of the idea before you move on.

Write for publications

Writing for publications is different than writing for web, but I suggest you to try your luck in publication. Pick a magazine and send your writing idea along with a sample of your style of writing to the editor, and see if the editor approves it. Repeat this process until you get an assignment. At this point, do not concern yourself too much about the size of the publication, and circulation of the magazine.

Tags: blog, Blogger, Brilliant Idea, Circulation, Damn Head, Feelings, Finish Line, Habit, Headlines, Journey, Magazine Writing, Notebook, Single Line, Writing Tips

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29 Aug 09 Write A More Appealing Headline

If you write anything on the internet, for which you hope to garner attention, you absolutely need a good headline. Studies have shown that 8-10 web surfers will notice your page based upon the headline of an article alone. But that number drops to 2-10 after that headline is read, which means you need to always make sure that your headline is as interesting, as well as informative, as possible. In order to beat that popular curve, and drive more traffic to your site, you need a headline that is going to pull in the readers.

That means using the right keywords. If we’re talking about the videogame world, for example, you want to throw out the name of the platform you’re talking about immediately. That means emphasizing “Xbox 360” or “Wii” as that’s where most of your searches are going to come from. But after that, it’s how you use the keyword to your advantage.

You want a good short headline, that’s going to catch someone’s attention, while informing them of why they want to read your article. For example, sticking to the videogame world, something like “How To Beat Your Friends On Xbox 360” isn’t really going to pull anybody in. Sounds too generic, uninformed, and also doesn’t excite the audience for what your writing can do for them, not to mention it’s much too long. “Dominate The Xbox 360” is a much more concise crowd grabber, more general, so as to lure in a broader interest. Plus the shorter headline just makes you feel more pumped to read the article, and get what you can from the information.

Go for big keywords, short headlines, and use gripping vocabulary. Words that really jump out and grab people, so that they have no choice but to read what you’ve written. Remember, your headline is your first introduction to your piece, so try and make sure it’s something that people will want to read.

Tags: Advantage, Audience, Crowd, Curve, Drive Traffic, Headlines, Videogame World, Vocabulary Words, Web Surfers, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360

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07 Nov 09 Get Maximum Value out of your Marketing Writing

Use emphatic headlines

Use descriptive sub-heading

Write focused body copy

Add Call to action

Conclusion

03 Oct 09 5 More Ways to Improve Your Writing Part-XII

Work on Headlines

Comment on your favorite blog

Write even when you do not feel like

Make a note to revisit later

Write for publications

29 Aug 09 Write A More Appealing Headline

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