Copywriting Tips Anyone Can Use – Crazy Conversions

As a career copywriter it is your goal to create copy that both captivates the reader and drives the bottom line. The most important part of that winning combination is crafting a headline that instills the reader with an irresistible urge to read the rest of the page.

If you really want to be a career copywriter mastering the art of the headline is one of the most important things that you will ever do. 80% of all sales are either won or lost simply through the power of the headline.

Here are 5 time-tested and proven headline writing tips for the career copywriter.

1.) Use headline formulas that work.

These headline formulas would not be in use if they did not work and as a career copywriter you should be taking advantage of them. Here are a few examples

• Little Known Ways to *blank*
• Here is a Method that is Helping *blank* to *blank*
• Who Else Wants *blank*?
• The Secret of *blank*
• Get Rid of *problem* Once and For All
• Here is a Quick Way to *solve a problem*

2.) Use “Quotations” around your Headlines

Quotation marks used around the headline give it the appearance of a testimonial, and as any career copywriter might know the power of peer persuasion can be truly awesome.

3.) Size

Size matters! Many copywriters resort to thinking that bigger is always better but nothing could be farther from the truth. A career copywriter must realize that a headline should stand out but still be readable and kept in comparable scale with the rest of the copy font used in the sales page.

4.) Never End Your Headline with a Period

In school as children we were taught what punctuation marks mean. We were taught that a period means that we have come to the end of a sentence. As adult consumers that same principle is still in our mind. We come to a period and we think that it is the end. As a career copywriter you never want your reader to think that they have come to the end and should move on. Instead of using a single period try using “…” this will give the impression that there is more to learn and direct the reader to the flow.

5.) Funnel the Flow

As a career copywriter you should think of the sales page as a funnel. The object of a funnel is to gather large amounts of something and send it to a designated location. The same is true with sales copy. Think of the headline as the mouth of the funnel. The object is to interest as many readers as you can and begin to direct them to the call to action as the final objective.

If you want to become a successful career copywriter you must master the art of writing a headline and managing the flow of the sales funnel. If you use tried and true headline formulas, make your headline appear as a testimonial by using quotations, keep the size in proportion with the rest of the copy, avoid using a period at the end of the headline and funnel the flow you will succeed an prosper as a career copywriter.

Technorati Tags: conversion, conversion rate, copy writing, copywriter, copywriting, copywriting tips, headlines, writing tips

Who cares about what people say about your product? What is one of the most powerful forms of not only advertising but persuasion as well? Word of mouth is one of the ultimate sales tools and showing you how to incorporate it into your sales copy is a very important copywriting tip.

Nothing sells a product quicker than one person speaking to another and saying how great your product is, or how much it helped them. In this article our copywriting tip will be all about the power of this type of advertising and how it should be adapted to increase website conversion.

Do you know what separates successful internet marketers from people that are struggling to earn a living on the internet? It is really very simple. Those internet professionals who are successful understand the power of peer persuasion.

The successful marketer knows that what other say about you, your product, service, or your business itself is 1000% more convincing than anything that you can say yourself. When a customer reads you copy and you are tooting your own horn they automatically think that you are just blowing a lot of steam to make your product or service seem like the best thing since sliced bread. On the other hand when your customer reads testimonials from other satisfied customers they tend to believe them. It is for this reason that learning to understand power of peer persuasion or testimonials is a very important copywriting tip.

Do not take my word for it regarding the power of testimonials. If you have been an internet marketer for any length of time you understand that testing is part of running a successful business. Set up a test with and without testimonials. You can then wait and compare the results and discover that this copywriting tip was right all along.

Getting positive and persuasive testimonials to use in your copy is not difficult. The first thing that you have to do is provide a top notch product and impeccable service. Give a few copies of your product to people that you know and ask them to look over and then ask them what they think. You can then use their comments as a testimonial.

Once your product has hit the market and you have made some sales email your customers and ask how they liked it. Make sure that you advise them somewhere in your email that their response may be used in advertising just to cover your own behind though.

Another part of this copywriting tip is about how to present a testimonial. A picture speaks a thousand words. If possible get a headshot of the person behind the testimonial. If your niche is information marketing and you gave out copies to other marketers for review getting a photo is usually pretty easy, these guys love to get their picture on a product website. It might be harder with everyday people.

How you present the author of the testimonial is important as well, especially if there is no headshot. Here are two examples.

Dave, UT

Dave J., Ogden UT

Which to do you think would be more persuasive? Present your author by first name and last initial, city and state. This gives the impression that the testimonial is more genuine.

If you never take any other copywriting tip seriously, take this one and take it to heart. Using the power of peer persuasion is one of the keys to boosting conversion rate and increasing sales.

Technorati Tags: conversion, conversion rate, copy writing, copywriting, testimonials

Do you want to test your copy but just cannot find the time to test as much as you would like? Is it making you pull your hair out? Let me save you a few hair follicles by give you a heads up regarding what to look for in split testing software.

If you have been in the internet marketing business for any length of time you know that testing is extremely important but if done by hand could dominate your time. You could hire someone to do it for you or you could simply purchase split testing software.

It its most basic form split testing is the process of creating two sets of sales copy that are exactly the same, copy A and copy B. You then change one element of copy B and then promote both equally. You can then judge which is best by looking at the conversion results. You would continue this process endlessly to produce copy with the highest conversion rate.

Technology has come to your rescue with split testing software. You can now set up dynamic copy that changes with each new visitor and gives you the results in hard numbered facts. Split testing software saves time by testing many elements of your copy simultaneously and thus saves money as well.

When you are shopping for split testing software do not just grab the first product that catches you eye. There are a few things that you need to consider when deciding which product is right for you. Here are a few things that you should consider before making a purchase.

1.) Ease of Use

You are making a purchase of split testing software to save time. If you have to spend a lengthy period of time just learning how to use the software are you actually saving time? We are all used to a windows or Mac based interface so would it not be prudent to purchase split testing software that uses a GUI that you are familiar with?

2.) Installation

Not everyone is adept at installing scripts or managing databases. If you are like me and have trouble with it then you need to look for a package that offers free or at least low cost installation. That will be one more worry off of your mind.

3.) Speed

Is it does its job split testing software can cause the load on your website to increase and thus slow the loading of your pages. Look for a package that is very fast and has minimal impact on load speed. PHP and mySQL based packages tend to be quite fast and it would be my suggestion that you go with one of them.

4.) Flash n Dash vs. Functionality

The cost of split testing software varies widely but do not be discouraged. While some of the more expensive versions have flashy graphs and offer more reports than you could possibly use you are going to pay for these bells and whistles. The most expensive is not always the best when it comes to split testing software. You have to balance functionality and features.

If you are looking for a great split testing software package do a Google search for something called Conversion Chicken. It should be hitting the market any day now and definitely gives you the most testing bang for your testing buck.

5.) It must be Seamless

One of the most important things that you need to look for in split testing software is how invisible it is to your customers. It must be cookie enabled to ensure that should a customer look at your sales page, decide not to buy, but visit again later they are presented with the same page that they viewed originally.

We all know that to succeed in business we must continually test copy and what could be better than a product that automates the process for you. Think of the hours that you will save with no need to create multiple pages. The time that you save can be used to promote your products or even develop new ones. Split testing software saves money, saves time, and makes your life easier, how can you go wrong?

Technorati Tags: automated testing software, conversion rate, conversion results, internet marketing, split testing

One of the biggest copywriting tips that I can give you is that writing copy is both an art and a science. There are those who say that great copywriters are born with a talent, and others that say it is nothing but science. Personally I believe it is a bit of both

After you have written copy for a while the words just seem to flow, that is an art. The scientific side of copywriting can be expressed in 10 simple copywriting tips.

1.) Create a Killer Headline.

This is the most important part of your copy. Great headlines are responsible for 80% of your sales.

2.) Write from the proper point of view

When you are creating your sales copy one of the best copywriting tips is to write from a customer’s point of view. Try to put yourself in their shoes. What would excite you about the product or service?

3.) Write about benefits, not features.

The average customer could care less about all of the bells and whistles that your product might feature. What they are really concerned with is quite simple. All that they are concerned with is how your product or service can benefit them. Period.

4.) Read your copy out loud.

Ok this might sound silly but trust me and give it a try. This is honestly one of the best copywriting tips you will learn. You want your copy to sound right and flow smoothly. Reading your copy aloud will help you identify parts that may not flow as smoothly or sound as good as you thought they might.

5.) Proofread

When your copy is complete read it over yourself and fix any problems that might arise, but do not stop there. One of the best copywriting tips is to have a friend or family member proofread it as well. They will most likely pick up on anything that you have missed.

6.) Keep it personal

You want everyone who reads your copy to feel like you are talking only to them. Keep your copy personal. Instead of statements such as “We give you” you might try something more like “Let me give you”, or “I want to give you.”

7.) Be specific.

This is one of the most powerful copywriting tips. Be specific, especially in headlines. A headline that reads “Stop smoking quickly and easily” might be somewhat interesting, but compare it to “Stop smoking in less than 14 days.” Which do you think would pique the interest of a prospective customer more?

8.) The KISS Theory

Keep It Simple…Stupid. I really do not know where this theory began but it has been around for years and it makes it into my 10 copywriting tips because it is true. Keep technical jargon and industry speak out of your copy. Potential customers want to read something that is easily understandable.

9.) Make an offer above the fold

What does that mean? The term “above the fold” means that the offer is visible without using the scroll bar. In fact you might want to space out a number of “call to action” buttons or links throughout your copy. Make it as easy as possible for the customer to order.

10.) Include testimonials.

Never under estimate the power a reference. The testimonial is a very powerful selling tool. Remember that what others say about your product, service, or company is exponentially more powerful than anything that you can say about it yourself.

There you have it, 10 super easy copywriting tips that can lead to a profitable future. Use these copywriting tips to improve your skills, increase conversions, and grow your business.

Technorati Tags: copywriting tips, internet marketing, profit, Sales

Is your sales page just not getting the job done? If you want to increase website conversion then the 6 easy steps that we discuss in this article might just be the ticket that you need. Use them to revitalize your sales page and increase website conversion.

Before we get into the steps lets talk a bit about testing. To truly increase website conversion you must test, test, and test some more. Honestly, testing is something that you need to do constantly. What works and is hot right now might not be so great a few weeks or even a few days down the road.

In you want to increase website conversion here are 6 vital areas that you should be testing. The steps are listed in rank of importance.

1.) The Headline

I know that you have probably heard the old adage “You only get one chance to make a good first impression”, we all have. Not only is that adage true in the world that we live in, it is true in the virtual world of the internet as well.

The headline is the single most important part of your sales page. If you want to increase website conversion this is the first place that you want to start testing. It is your first impression and you want to get off on the right foot.

A good headline will tell your prospective customers how your product or service will benefit them the most. Make sure that the headline does not mislead and that a prospect knows exactly what they are going to get for their hard earned dollar and you will increase website conversion.

2.) Call to Action

In this section of your website you will ask for the sale. Test this section constantly to increase website conversion. You might have the most powerful sales page ever written but if you call to action is not equally powerful you are losing sales.

3.) Lead in

Your headline grabbed the attention of your reader now it is the job of the lead in paragraph to nurture that interest. In some ways the lead in paragraph is almost as important as the headline. If you headline can increase website conversion by tapping your reader on the shoulder and getting their attention then your lead paragraph should grab them by the shirt collar and scream “Take a look at this!”

4.) Benefit and Bullets

People like bullet points. In fact bullet points will increase website conversion much better than using numbers or letters. Bullet points make information easy to find and readers like that. When creating your bullet list remember to break the list up every 4 or 5 points with some non-bulleted text. Last but not least when listing your benefits start out with the most important and end with the least important.

5.) Graphics and Load Speed

Graphics are something that is both a blessing and a curse. Graphics may make a sales page look good but may not increase website conversion because too many will slow the loading of your page.

In today’s society people are used to instant gratification and if they click to load your page and it takes more than a few seconds they may just hit the back button. Balance graphics and load speed carefully.

6.) Professional Look

Recently a Stamford University conducted a study regarding the professional look of a sales page. The study discovered that 46% of all internet sales are lost because the sales page lacked a professional look.

To increase website conversion and avoid falling into that percentile you might want to have a professional website designer create your site or include logos from VeriSign or BBBOnline. These logos alone will give your website a more professional look and increase website conversion.

The real key to increase website conversion is testing, testing, and you guessed it more testing. If your goal is to grow your business and achieve success you must increase website conversion. The elements discussed in this article are the most important parts of a sales page and if you continually test them you will increase website conversion.

Technorati Tags: conversion, conversion rate, conversion rates, internet marketing, split testing

Do you have an intelligent landing page? Does it grab a visitor and compel them to become a paying customer? If your landing page is not converting as well as you think it should then read one and we will learn the keys to an intelligent landing page that produces results.

The first thing that you need to understand as an internet marketer is that testing is going to be an on going process and is something that you must do in order to produce an intelligent landing page. An intelligent landing page will convert more sales than one that is simply a static generic page.

Your landing page is going to be the he first thing that is viewed and must captivate your audience. The importance of a landing page is really twofold. Search engines such as Google rank your page based on how relevant it is to the search conducted by users. A high quality, intelligent landing page that is relevant to the keywords will receive a higher rank. An intelligent landing page that is highly optimized through testing will enjoy a much higher conversion rate.

To convert your dumb as a rock page into a profit producing intelligent landing page we need to look at a six areas in particular.

1. Navigation
The sole purpose of an intelligent landing page is to convert visitors into paying customers. That is it, nada, nothing else. If you are using your landing page for anything besides conversion then you are missing the point.

A truly intelligent landing page gives a visitor two choices. They may either purchase the product or leave. That is it. Do not give visitors a third choice because they will take it rather than click your purchase button.

In essence keep your intelligent landing page completely clear of any links other than your purchase button.

2. Logo
Branding is a very important part of your business. You want people to become accustomed to your brand. A logo is a big part of your branding endeavors and should be part of your intelligent landing page. Actually your logo should appear on every page on your website.

3. Graphics
Graphics can make or break a site, especially an intelligent landing page. Too many graphics will slow down the load time of your landing page and thus impact your bottom line. If your landing page loads too slowly visitors will hit the back button in a hurry. So keep graphics to a minimum on an Intelligent landing page.

4. Content
An intelligent landing page uses content to convince a visitor to become a customer. Keep it simple yet give your visitor valid reasons that they should purchase your products.

5. Bullet Points
Studies have shown that most readers like bullet points. An intelligent landing page uses bullet points to make finding information very easy for the visitor.

If you have a large amount of information for your visitor you should avoid one huge bullet point list. Break that huge list into a number of smaller lists. Try to keep the number of points at 5 or 6.

6. Benefits vs. Features
An intelligent landing page will list the benefits of the product or service first. The vast majority of customers want to know what a product can do for them first and foremost. Features come in a distant second.

If your landing page is not generating the conversions that it should then perhaps you should give it an IQ boost and transform it into an intelligent landing page that produces both better results and more profit.

Technorati Tags: conversion capability, Intelligent Landing Page, internet business, internet marketing, landing page optimization

Is your sales page tired, old, and out of date? Are you not seeing the conversion rate that you used to? Would you like to increase your sales conversions and breathe new life into your copy? If you answered yes to any of those questions then you should be A B and Multivariate testing.

Often A B and Multivariate testing are simply referred to as split testing but there is a significant difference in them.

A B testing has probably been around as long as there has been written advertising. This is the process of creating your sales page then creating another just like the first in all respects except for one paragraph or section of the page. You would then market both copies of your page to discover which had the best response or conversion rate.

The disadvantage of this type of testing is that it takes significant amounts of time to test all aspects of the copy such as the headline, leading paragraph, call to action, etc.

The big difference between A B and Multivariate Testing is in how the testing process works. As we stated above A B testing can only process one part of your sales page or letter at a time. Multivariate testing on the other hand can test as many sections as you like all at the same time.

Unlike A B testing, multivariate testing is not limited to one paragraph or headline when testing. It can test all aspects of your sales page at once. To conduct this type of testing you will need a software package that will be installed on your server. Multivariate software can be inexpensive or cost a substantial amount. It depends on how many graphs and reports that you want.

A B and Multivariate testing software is a must have if you want to succeed in the modern internet market. There are also quite a few packages to choose from. A B and Multivariate testing software packages run the entire spectrum when thinking of cost. There are cost effective packages as well as very expensive ones.

The key to choosing the correct software package is determining what you want and what you need. Do you need a package that produces pretty graphs and every report that you can think of? If so then expect to lay out some cash.

On the other hand if your goal is to boost sales quickly and cost effectively then consider a lower priced package that has all of the capabilities that the expensive ones do except the graphs and reports. My advice is to purchase the package that gives you the most bang for the buck. It will pay for itself dozens of times over in the end.

Once the software is installed on your server and you have set the variables it will prove to be an invaluable asset. When one visitor arrives at your page they will be presented with a version of your sales page. The visitor is also tracked in order to ensure that they receive the same page should they choose not to purchase at the time and return later.

A B and Multivariate Testing have their differences as well as their pros and cons. Testing is one of the most important things that an internet business owner or any business owner for that matter can do. Testing is an on going process. It is something that must be done to ensure that your sales pages are optimized to grab visitors and turn them into paying customers.

Now that you understand how important A B and Multivariate testing is to the success or failure of your internet business what are you waiting for? Start testing now and increase your sales 100%, 200%, or even more.

Technorati Tags: A B and Multivariate Testing, conversions, multivariate testing, split test, split testing, testing software

How is your conversion rate? Could it be better? Would you like to increase your conversion rate? Of course you do and I am going to teach you how to do it. When marketing a product or service on the internet you must realize that your sales page must be optimized and tested relentlessly. You cannot toss a sales page together and expect it to convert like crazy. You have to work at it.

 The first thing that you should realize is that sales pages are important for two very good reasons.

• Google and other search engines care about how relevant you page is to the search. I high quality relevant sales page receives better PPC ranking for less money. Not to mention more clicks. 

• Highly optimized sales pages enjoy much higher conversion rates. This means that you are getting more leads for your advertising dollars. 

Here are a number of ways to turn a hum drum sales page into a profit pulling monster.

1. NavigationWhat is the entire purpose of your sales page? The purpose of course is to convert visitors into customers. If you want to dramatically increase your conversion rate you should only offer your visitor two choices, convert or leave. The only link on your sales page should be the “buy now” button.
2. LogoYou should have a logo designed and include it on every page of your website including sales pages. Always think branding!
3. GraphicsGraphic usage on your sales page is a two edged sword. It is a well known fact that people love to click on graphics so use an attractive graphic for your buy now button. It is also a well known fact that if your page takes too long to load many potential customers will just move on. Graphics can slow down the load time of your sales page so use them sparingly if you want increase conversion rate.
4. ContentKeep it simple and straight to the point, but give your prospect a valid reason to purchase your product. The easiest way to do this is to set up a problem, talk about the solution, and make the call to action.
5. Bullet PointsReaders like bullet points because they make finding information easy. Use them to list the benefits that your product offers. Resist the urge to create huge bullet point lists however. Split the list up with some text if you have more than five or six.
6. Benefits vs. FeaturesList the benefits that your product or service provides to the customer, not the features. Customers could care less about the bells and whistles they are concerned with what the product can do for them.

As an internet professional you must optimize and test your sales page continually to increase conversion rate. These six points can help you accomplish that goal. Remember test, test, and more tests.

Technorati Tags: conversion rate, conversion rates, Increase Conversion, increase conversion rate, other search engines, relevant sales, straight to the point

There are many hats that you must wear when you are operating a successful internet business. Among those hats is that of a webmaster. Creating landing pages that consistently produce a high conversion rate is a daunting task to say the least. You would think that in our modern world there would be a way to automate the webmaster’s task to make it easier and less time consuming. The way is called landing page software.

 Years ago a webmaster spent hours upon hours of time developing a website in a text editor. They would then have to view it in a web browser to determine if the page was correct. Today there a number of software packages on the market that are referred to as “what you see is what you get” or WYSIWYG. In this type of product you simply create the visual and text elements just as you would in a word processor and the software creates the code based on your choices.

 There are also a number of products on the market that provide you with blanks in which you add your information and then the software creates your landing page with the click of a button. I for one do not use this type of landing page software. For the most part this kind of software package does not give me enough control over the look and feel of my page.

 Regardless of which type of landing page software that you use or even if you use none at all there are a few basics that you should learn about a landing page and how to optimize it.

1.) Links and Navigation

 Your landing or sales page is not your home page. The entire purpose of you landing page is to convert visitors into customers and not give them an avenue to escape. When a visitor comes to your landing page you should present them with only 2 choices; convert or leave. That’s it. In the real world distractions kill conversations. In the virtual world of your landing page distractions do exactly the same thing.

2.) Logo

 You should be thinking about branding your products and nothing does that better than putting your logo on every page.

3.) Graphics

 It is a known fact that people like to click on graphics, so use a graphic for your order button, other than that keep graphics to a minimum. Graphics tend to slow down the load speed of your site and if you site is too slow many customers will just move on.

 Landing page software is something that can save time. There are a number of software products available but in my opinion WYSIWYG landing page software is better than the packages that just give you a bunch of blanks to insert your information. This type of software does not give the creative control that I like. Use landing page software to make your life easier but don’t give up your individuality by using a product that leaves very little options.

Technorati Tags: conversion rate, developing a website, internet business, landing page optimization, landing page software, save time and money, software packages

As a busy internet professional would you like to save valuable time when testing your sales pages? Every internet business person knows that sales pages must be tested in order to remain profitable. Manual split testing is drudge work. First create a sales page, and then create another that is exactly like the first except one element is changed. Test the pages and then keep the one that converts the best and then start over. The time that is involved could be much better spent working on developing new products or working on other phases of your business.

 If this sounds like you then fear not the answer to testing efficiently and almost effortlessly is split testing software. If you are not already using split testing software here are X reasons that you should be.

1.) Saves Time and Money

 It seems that there are never enough hours in the day for a hard working internet professional. Split testing software will automate the testing process that demands so much time and as we all know time is money.

2.) Improved Conversion Rate

 Stay on top of the trends and ebb and flow of the internet. With a fully optimized sales page you will see conversion rate improve dramatically. 

How many visitors does your sales page get per day? What is your current conversion rate? Imagine is you could add just 1% to your current rate. That really does not sound like much does it? It is much more than you think. Take a look at this example.

 Suppose you get 500 visitors per day and have a conversion rate of 1%. The average sale comes to $25. At your current conversion rate you are earning about $45,000 per year. Now if you could grow your conversion rate by just 1% your income would zoom up to over $90,000. One percent does not sound like much but you can see for yourself. Would and extra $45,000 help your out?

3.) Easy to Install

 Most of the split testing software on the market is easy to install and many companies offer free or low cost installation services to those who wish it. Your split testing campaign can be online and running in a matter of minutes.

4.) Ease of Use

 The vast majority of this automated software is quite easy to use and many present the user with a familiar windows type of environment. If you can upload a simple webpage then you already have enough expertise to use split testing software

5.) Test Multiple Variables 

Gone are the days of laboriously changing one element at a time. With split testing software you can test as many elements of your sales page as you like all at the same time.

 Split testing software is one of the best time and money savers to come along for the internet professional in quite some time. Not only is it easy to install and use, it will improve your conversion rate dramatically and let you test many variables all at once. If you truly want to stay on top of the market and rake in the money then why are you not using split testing software?

Technorati Tags: conversion rate, developing new products, internet business person, split test, split testing, split testing software, time and money