How to Write Engaging Web Copy - Keep it Honest
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Everyone has highly sensitive BS detectors these days. Readers can tell when you're trying to "sell" them. They don't mind so much if your passion is sincere and you believe in your product or service. But you can expect them to spot it - and click elsewhere - when they detect even a whiff of dishonesty. And trust me, they'll pick up on it.
So start out by not lying in the first place. Okay, that's a negative; I'm telling you what you shouldn't do. Let me balance that with a positive: know as much as possible about your product or service before writing about it. Know it inside and out. Learn how it can be used - no, better: learn how it is intended to be used, then come up with a few unconventional uses for it. If you've taken the time to know what you have in that much detail, you'll be able to talk honestly about everything it can do for your customer.
In fact, that takes us to another point Eugene Schwartz used to make: think about what your product "does," not "is." He also advocated discussing the benefits of what you're offering, even ahead of the features. For instance, an 8-mega-pixel camera may have a 10X optical zoom. That's a feature. What's the benefit? It lets you take pictures that get you closer to the action. Even the gadget freaks who geek out over features aren't responding to the numbers so much as the emotional appeal of being on the cutting edge.
There are nearly two million pages on the web that will tell you how to write winning copy. It's an even bet that many of them will cover the same ground I covered here. To sum it up: know what concerns your prospects, because that will be foremost in their minds. Write your copy to show them what they will get out of your product or service; appeal to their emotions. Tell a story, paint a picture, but don't get fancy and don't lie. Keep these basic ideas in mind and you'll be well on your way to convincing your visitors to convert.
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