Copywriting 911

Category: Sales Letter Writing

Shoot Video: Kill Competition

December 5th, 2008

Copywriters Shooting Video

Today, with so many competitive offers on the market of copywriting services, quality text alone may be not enough to make random customers order from you or convert them into your regular clients. This is especially true for younger/smaller and less known copywriter agencies: they might need some added benefits in their selling proposition to make it unique, of course with good strong copy coming by default.

In other words, to be successful as a web copywriter it’s probably not enough to be just a “writer” any more; instead, one should also be a marketer, as the value of copy is measured not in terms of its literary aesthetics, but in the ROI it is able to produce.

One such ‘bonus’ you can provide to your clients and that will most likely be appreciated by them is video. In fact, it can even become the key differentiator of their companies in the respective niche letting them communicate their message more effectively and persuasively within the shortest possible time.

If you can create a video yourself – great, if not, you can always turn to a professional for shooting, and simply confine yourself to writing a scenario. In the end, your job is to deal with words! There are so many video publishing, editing and post-production services online, that finding a pro to cooperate with should not be a problem.

Read on to learn about the benefits your clients will be reaping from online video marketing.

Video CopywritingVideo can relate to printed text in different ways. It can:

– add to your message presented in text form (supporting it, or outlining some new viewpoints);
– duplicate the copy (simply being the script);
– or serve a separate, ‘meta’ purpose (offer a tour around your site etc.)

Video can also appear on your website in many forms:

– as (a part of) a sales letter
– as a testimonial
– as a blog entry (some successful bloggers even publish weekly video posts (including Darren Rowse and Rand Fishkin)
– as an ‘About’ message (similarly, it can be the format to present your resume)
– as a how-to manual (or other educational video)
– as an ad of the main product/service sold
– for entertainment purposes solely, as a link-bait

How adding a video helps the website:

– The reader is influenced on multiple levels (video, audio, text);
– Certain information is better comprehended (e.g. new, unfamiliar information about procedures or processes); on the whole, general recall improves;
– Embedded (watermarked) company logos/domain urls contribute to branding;
– Video helps grasp and maintain the visitor’s interest and concentration and thus make him stay on-site for longer;
– Video can be a powerful link-bait in itself, especially if it goes viral; it also can be distributed through social networks and video sharing sites;
– Videos can increase your presence in SERPs; and there already exist video search engines, such as Viewdle.

When creating a video script for your client:

– Make it short. Up to 5 minutes is usually more than enough. If you need to tell the whole story, try splitting it into smaller clips.
– Make it interesting from the very beginning. Just like with copy, if you fail to interest the viewer within first seconds, he’ll probably leave your page for good. You can even try to make it shocking!
– Consider including static pictures into your video, especially if you need to tell some factual data. This could be a PowerPoint presentation, or some screenshots. Statistics show that numbers, names etc, are better perceived and remembered when they’re presented in text form.
– Hire professional actors (or at least voices) to perform in the video. You’ll be amazed to see how a beautiful woman can make your story sound different. ;) . Note that when you’re talking about financial issues, it’s better to have a male presenter in your video.

All in all, there’s hardly any other media close to the persuasion power of a well-designed video message. Use it to your benefit!

Everyone is seeking balance and harmony. Webmasters aspire to attract more friendly visitors who will in future become faithful subscribers or enthusiastic buyers, their potential clients want to find fresh, captivating and informative content each time they click on a link recommended by SERPs, and content creators themselves dream of optimizing the process of writing as much as it’s possible. Now take into account that the latter have a truly difficult task, as they should create content which will please both search engines, with their increasingly sophisticated criteria, and human beings, who usually feel frustrated if one and the same keyword is repeated ten times in one paragraph. Actually, writing has always been a challenge, but Shakespeare and Hemingway at least didn’t have to change their works for better SEO.

However, this article isn’t about SEO, it’s about peace and harmony in the soul of an average copywriter. If you have been writing for several months/years/centuries, you may have found your own style and effective strategies. The problem is that most copywriters secretly believe their style of writing can’t be improved because it is already perfect. And then they look really upset when some client asks them to edit an article properly as the previous version left much to be desired… Has it ever happened to you? Or do you just want to develop your writing skills and are currently looking for some powerful methods?

The best solution is the unique Copywriting Yoga Practice which will make the process of writing pleasant and amazing. Just try these useful ancient techniques and recover your copywriting balance.

First relax and take a deep breath. Watch your troubles vanishing from your head. Take a pose which has a jaw-breaker Sanskrit name and can be translated as “a happy copywriter meditating on a blank sheet of paper in expectation of inspiration at the beginning of Spring”. Now you are ready to apply the main balancing methods of a successful copywriter.

1.Style is everything. In the soul of each copywriter there live both a creative author and a severe editor, and once you decide to improve your writing, you should teach them to coexist peacefully. Supposing you hate editing you work and you can’t bring yourself to cut even a word, let alone a sentence or a paragraph. You can write tons of articles, but most of them are milk and water and make no profit. That’s why, for a successful copywriter the art of editing and cutting is as important as the art of creating. Try to keep balance between your inner writer and editor, and you’ll see how your style changes for the better.

2.Become the master of your emotions. Of course, if you’re writing a sales letter or a press release your style should be persuasive, however there is a marked difference between a converting copy and scribbles of an exalted madman. In case you are to make an unbiased product review there’s no need to advertise it, and once you’re writing an advertising copy, don’t put three exclamation marks at the end of every other sentence – it looks unnatural, to put it mildly. Describing a product in glowing terms try to be, or at least to seem, frank with readers. Remember that some styles, like business correspondence, don’t imply emotions at all. So, to become a real copywriting pro, focus on keeping balance between persuasive writing and excited rambling junk.

3.Write as simple as you can. Without any doubt, if you use modern language and plain word structures, your writing is easier to read and, hence, more effective. Nevertheless, like every virtue, simple writing shouldn’t be overused. In other words, being an old fellow for readers isn’t the same as using tired words. If you can’t find other words except great, beautiful and interesting while describing an object, your language might be poor and could be developed. Along with cliches there is another common mistake, that is the neglect of grammar. Some copywriters are afraid to pass for bores by putting all the commas in the right place, and others seem to be completely unaware that some rules do exist. All in all, while those “boring writers” diligently spell to-day with a hyphen, their light-headed colleagues write its instead of it’s and affect in place of effect. To find the golden mean you should regain balance between writing simple sentences in plain English and writing truisms in a bad language, between being grammatically correct and being a moss-grown bore.

Now our lesson of copywriting yoga is over. Stretch yourself holding your breath, then breathe out slowly. Do you feel better and more balanced? If everything is done correctly, your writing should become harmonious and successful. Practice these easy techniques regularly and conquer the Olympus of copywriting!

Want to have an ideal body? / Tired of nasty humming mosquitoes in your bedroom? / Fancy building a site you can be truly proud of without much fuss?

Use our unique remedy and solve all of your problems once and for all!

Just ask yourself: how often do you think something like “If only I had [the body which was good enough not to be ashamed to undress on the beach /a big and effective mosquito trap to get rid of all those unfriendly biting creatures / good experience and knowledge to get more traffic and links to my site…]“? People spend years waiting for a miracle to come, but now it’s time to cast aside all your hesitation and fears and to get what you really deserve. The unique first-rate [weight loss pills / mosquito super-catcher / e-book on the Internet marketing] will help you to achieve the desired effect quickly and efficiently! Using our fantastic [“Anti-Glutton” pills / mosquito mega-killer “No Stinger, No Cry” / detailed manual “1,000 + 1 pieces of advice for successful website promotion”] you will forget endless hard days you had to know and will be able to enjoy your life in full!

Order right now and get 25% discount!

Need more details? Just look and see how it works!

Thanks to the use of innovative technologies and the latest know-hows in the field, our product contains the full range of qualities, focusing on the most pressing needs of our customers. You can keep on [eating chocolate cakes and jellyfish for supper / opening windows without turning off the light in the evening / running your online business], while our genuine [calories burning formula / device with improved design and special anti-mosquito covering / collection of helpful tips from the leading experts in online marketing] works for you, bringing an effective and prompt solution!

Want some proof? Listen to what Rosa X from N says:

“I used to be so [stout / tired of those disgusting insects / unaware of modern SEO technologies], that there was almost no hope to change it for the better. I’d already got accustomed to the idea that [I had to forget about fashionable miniskirts / I had to spend a fortune on anti-sting sprays / my site would remain outside the Big Business] for the rest of my life, when one fine day my close friend advised me to try [the name of the product] and I was truly amazed how it helped me! Now [my body looks so slender and harmonious / my sleep is sound / my website has become an authoritative leader in the niche] and I know it’s for good! Thanks!”

Isn’t it exciting experience? Buy our unique product NOW and save your precious time and money, as today we offer fantastic discounts:

Place an order within 5 days and get 5% discount!
Place an order within 3 days and get 10% discount!
Enroll right now and get 25% cut off the price! That means you get 1/4th absolutely FREE!

Good news is that it’s REALLY easy to join us! All you have to do is to take the following two steps – and you’ll get this fabulous opportunity! So, go ahead, just do it and enjoy every minute of your life!

Because you really deserve it, don’t you?

P.S. Now you know how to [lose pounds without dieting / get rid of buzzing mosquitoes in your bedroom / attract targeted traffic to your site and conquer the top positions at SERPs] and save 25% of the current price to treat yourself to [dough-nuts filled with custard / night-light with scented candles / renewed website design]. However, you need to hurry: the attractive price offer ends on [July, 31st]!

14 days left!

P.P.S. You can use this matchless thrilling sales letter sample absolutely for FREE by putting the name of your product and some specific details into the brackets.

P.P.P.S. Need more SEO samples? Use professional copywriting services from our SEO experts!