| |
| |
|
Copywriting Information |
|
|
|
Your USP is Useless
One of the keys to writing good marketing copy is to differentiate your product or service from the competition with an effective selling point. And it is on precisely this element that many otherwise competent writers flounder and flop - and so does their copy. Because the key word here is "effective" not "different" or "unique". "But wait!", you say, "Isn't my Unique Selling Proposition what makes the sales message effective?" Ah, Grasshopper...maybe, maybe not. You see, the problem with most USPs is that they start with you (pun intended). And you can be unique and different all you want, but if it means nothing to me - what do I care? The same applies to your customer. For your USP to be effective with your prospect, it must first be relevant to them. The two are inextricably linked: effective = relevant, and relevant = effective. Without this link, the "U" in your USP stands for "Useless". Taking this concept a step further, let's think about the "Selling" part of USP. "Selling" implies that you are thrusting something at the prospect that they don't need and may not want. By changing "Selling" to "Service", you are now offering your prospect something that will enhance their life and make it better in some way - you are offering to "serve" them, not "sell" them. Thus, a Unique Selling Proposition becomes a "Relevant Service Proposition" or "RSP" - a totally different concept, and one that echoes throughout your communications. Ask yourself these questions:
The answer to the last question is your RSP. To craft your RSP takes a bit of good, old-fashioned hard work. The only way you are going to discover what is relevant and of service to your prospects and customers is to do your homework. Luck will not take you there. You must get to know your prospect or market - intimately. Only then will you truly know what their hopes, dreams, and problems are, and only then will you know how what you offer is relevant to those hopes, dreams and problems. Psychological research tells us that the most attractive and easily recognized word to a person is the sound of their own name. Use that principle in your search for your RSP. Then, instead of being about how great you are, it becomes about what your prospect secretly hopes you'll do for them. Now you know how to get their attention... About The Author Professional freelance copywriter Collette Gillian helps her clients create effective marketing communications for the Web and beyond. To get a free quote on your next project email her at collette@bestwriter4u.com, or phone (801) 532-2147. ©Copyright 2004. Collette Gillian dba bestWriter4U.com. All rights reserved.
MORE RESOURCES:
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Step One for Copywriters: Understand WHAT to Say Find a passage of poorly written copy, and chances are you will have found a copywriter who never figured out what it was that he or she was trying to say. Whenever I have trouble with some copy, I stop, sit back and then write at the very top of the page. How To Personalize Your Headlines For Increased Profits! Personalizing your headlines to your target audience can significantly improve your sales response. You can do this by mentioning a person by name, their city, their career field, their job title, or group right in the headline. Welcome Informed Criticism of Your Work When you come to 'know' something, there is a temptation to stop thinking about it. You put it in a box as 'known' and are happy to argue with anyone who disagrees. 5 Rules for Effective Written Sales Communications Most salespeople have great ideas, but when it comes to putting those ideas on paper for their prospects, they ramble on for pages and quickly lose their readers' interest. Why do brilliant salespeople often have such a difficult time writing effective sales materials? Quite simply, these professionals haven't mastered the 5 rules of effective written business communications. 12 Copywriting Tips to Make Your Advertising More Profitable Year after year people make the same mistakes in direct-response copy and advertising. You can avoid the most common and costly blunders by following these profit-enhancing tips. Quotations as Expressions in Life Quotations are expressions, usually in the spoken form or in literature, which are referenced to by others. Usually, quotations are written within quotation marks, as a verbum dicendi, to indicate that it was an expression given by a particular person. Fundraising Letters: Where To Find Creative Ideas For Your Appeals How do you make your fundraising letters creative and fresh year after year when your needs don't change all that much? I am not talking about new initiatives. I'm talking about the programs that you run year after year. 5 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Copy 1. Isolation technique It doesn't matter how good your copy is if they don't read it. Stop Chasing Away Customers! Bad Copy is Your Worst Enemy Every day, more and more of us begin new online business ventures, hoping to make a better living or just a little extra on the side. And every day, more and more of us fail. How Writing Radio Can Help You Become a Better Writer Knowing how to write, and write well, is a skill that will come in handy in all sorts of situations. And if you combine good writing skills with the persuasive selling tactics found in, say, copywriting, you'll be that much more ahead of your competition. Hook Your Direct Mail Sales Letter Readers With Good Transition Sentences Anglers in Maine catch trout using dry flies with barbless hooks. Unless they keep tension on the line all the way to the net, they lose the trout. Are Long Copy Salesletters Scams? A passionate debate is currently raging in the Copywriters Forum about long versus short copy. (If you haven't joined, do so. How To Write Headlines That Get Attention No doubt, the headline is the most important part of any advertisement or sales letter. The reason is very simple. Promote Your Business and Get Paid for Doing It! How can you gain credibility and exposure for you and your business, reach a motivated audience, develop a far-flung network, hone your presentation skills -- and get paid to do it?Many writers, artists, speakers and entrepreneurs have found an answer: they teach classes in adult education programs.Adult education is big business. Freelancers Can Jump-Start Your Publicity Initiative If you find that your progress is blocked by a lack of time or experience, consider hiring a freelancer to jumpstart your project.Writer's block got you down? Don't let it. How Cliffhanger Paragraphs Capture Readers About 50 years ago, movie serials kept theater crowds coming back week after week. Each episode ended with a "cliffhanger," a suspenseful unresolved problem. 11 Ways to Get an Editors Attention I worked as a business magazine editor for about 20 years. During that time, thousands of news stories and press releases crossed my desk. Making Your Purpose Your Business Step #4 - Organizing & Developing Online Content If you have done your homework then you are ready to organize and develop what will be your online content. Your content is very important as it will be used for promoting you, your work, and your website. The Power of Saying You Can If you have children, you will doubtless remember saying to them, "You can do it."It's what we say when our toddlers first struggle to their feet. Long Copy versus Short Copy When I show some people my advertisements, I sometimes get the feedback: "I'd never read that. There's too much writing.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 Indexadvertisements.com |
