Issue #2 October, 2002
Editor: Kenneth Doyle, MA Comm.


The Critical Role Of Web Copywriting

The web is something we R..E..A..D..
- Develop your skills -

"Web" Copywriting can mean many things.  It can mean the copy on your web site, ezine, ebooks, or autoresponder messages.

The fact is that most of your communication on the web will be done via the written word. 

Yes... images are important!

Yes... multimedia is important!  

However, the majority of your communication will be via the written word, so you need to get good at it (writing that is).

Writing Your "Voice"

Different genres of writing use different structures and techniques.  The writing of poetry uses completely different structures and techniques than say, writing a Radio advertisement, or a screenplay.

Web copywriting is in fact a completely new writing genre because even though it's stylistically/ structurally similar to general advertising writing it's different in that you need to use your own "voice" to project your message.

You have to inject "you" into your copy, and the easiest way to master this web-specific technique is to write as you speak

Writing "Benefits"

Another crucial aspect of web copywriting is to always focus on the benefits of what it is that you're wanting to sell rather than its features.

Here's a simple example of how this works.

Let's pretend that you're selling quality Italian shoes.

What are the "Features" of these shoes?

1. Made of the highest quality Italian leather

2. Made by Italian Craftsmen, by hand

3. Lifetime guarantee

What are the "Benefits" of these shoes?

1. You'll be wearing the most comfortable shoes in the world

2. You'll be recognized as a person with exquisite style and taste... a mover and shaker.

3. You'll never have to buy another pair of shoes again

See how the "features" focus on what happens with the product, and "benefits" focuses on your experience of that product.

We ALL buy "Benefits", so always sell the Benefits.

A Writing Exercise

One of the most effective ways to quickly learn how to differentiate between "features" and "benefits" is by reading that "junk" mail that arrives in your mailbox every day.

This is what you do.

  • Collect all your junk mail for a week.  Put it in a stack.

  • Sit down and quickly read through all of this mail.  You'll need to do this in one  session.

  • Do this fast. Go through the entire stack of mail, and (in a separate pile) put aside any mail/ flyers or brochures that have attracted your interest.  Do not read this mail until you've sorted through the entire pile.

  • Do this slowly. Go through the stack of mail that interested you, and (as you do this) ask yourself this question... "What is it that's sparked my interest here?"  Make a note of these 'points of interest.' 

  • Do this slowly. Go through the stack of mail that DID NOT interest you, and (as you do this) ask yourself this question... "Why am I not interested in this?"  Make a note of these 'points of lack of interest.' 

If you do this exercise for four weeks in a row you'll find that the major reasons you did not respond to these advertisement were...

1. You have no need or desire for this "thing." OR...

2. You could not quickly identify its benefit to you

Now.. if you studiously do this exercise for one month - without writing one single word - you'll train your mind to search for the "benefits" in anything.  This will immediately be reflected in the way you write your web copy in the future, and this means "money in your pocket".

There's a wealth of information about the skill of copy writing available on the web.

However If you want to study the BEST at their craft, then work with the best... "The 3 Joe's... Vitale, Robson and Sugarman.

ALL of these copywriters have sold MILLIONS of $'s for their clients with their words.

Joe Vitale-Advanced Hypnotic Writing

Joe Robson-Make Your WORDS Sell

Joe Sugarman-Psychological Triggers

KJ Doyle - e*Analyst
Feed Your Hungry Mind

 

* REFER A FRIEND *