#1. Keep it simple.
Your prospects don't want to think about your message. They want to understand, quickly, exactly what your product or service can do for them. Don't use long words when short ones will do. And don't use long sentences when short ones will do. Explain benefits clearly. Strip off the verbal fat and write crisp copy that gets results!
#2. Keep it short.
Some years ago I used to write long sales letters for clients. "The more you tell, the more you sell" was my watchword. And the long stuff pulled just great. Now things have changed. Readers are less patient. Their attention spans are shorter. Which means that the emails, web sites, and other things I write are getting shorter too. Does this move to shorter formats bother me? Absolutely not! The only thing any direct response copywriter should care about is what works.
#3. Keep it lively.
Hey, it isn't a crime in this country to have a little enthusiasm or a sense of humor. If your marketing materials are flat or boring, bring a little personality to the party. Your communications need to truly engage the reader and connect at some emotional level. So don't be afraid to write with a little punch. The spark you or your copywriter brings to a project can make all the difference!
#4. Keep it real.
"Creative" advertising agencies -- the ones with the hip bubble-gum machines and barber chairs -- are often into puns, jokes, double meanings, metaphors, cleverness, and hilarity of all kinds. The ads and commercials they create are meant to be fun. Chances are, though, you will do much better being direct and down to earth. When you're selling your product or service, resist the urge to get "creative." Keep your feet on the ground, be direct, sell with conviction, and all will be well!
#5. Keep it persuasive.
You must never forget that to be successful you have to become (or hire) a terrific sales person. What's the best way to sell someone something? The answer is face to face, one on one. When you're right there with a prospect, you can "read" them, answer their questions, overcome resistance, and perhaps most important, close the sale! But we can't be everywhere, selling in person. This means our web sites, emails, sales letters, and the like, are proxies for us. They are, as someone once said, "salesmanship in print." Make sure that all your sales materials are selling hard and the coming years will be profitable indeed.
