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With online readers scanning copy rather than reading it word for word, bullet points have gone from a way just to break up long copy to a way to draw attention to the most important benefits and information in your sales copy. The truth is bullet points have become the most read portion of web copy, and as a result, you need to pay more attention to how you use them.
Here are some tips for how to get more out of your bullet points.
• Use bullet points to outline most important points of copy—Whenever someone reads your web copy, their scanning tendencies will guide their eyes immediately to your bulleted list. This means you need to place the most important information in these bullets. Personally, I prefer highlighting the most important benefits of the product or services being sold. Remember, customers are most concerned with what’s in it for them, so it just makes sense to emphasize the key benefits.

• Place items in order of importance—Readers may not make it through your entire bulleted list. That’s why it’s a good practice to prioritize your points in order of their importance. For example, if your main selling point is that you offer the best price in town, your first bullet point should highlight this fact. Don’t bury it down at the bottom of the list, as it might not get read, and if it does, it will seem less important than the points above it.

• Make bullet points consistent in structure—Find a structure for your bullet points, and stick with it. Take a look at this list. Each point begins with an action verb, and they are all one sentence in length. Consistency helps your list flow better, and it makes it easier for readers to scan over the main points without getting confused. (more…)

Whether you’re responsible for writing the copy for your company’s marketing collateral or you’re reviewing the work of a freelancer you hired, your copy should always be in line with these 23 rules and tips.

1.    Mention a powerful benefit in your headline

2.    Focus on benefits, not features

3.    Talk with your customer, not at them

4.    Ditch the big words for words that everyone understands

5.    Avoid superlatives and buzz words

6.    Answer your reader’s question of “What’s in it for me?”

7.    Use short paragraphs

8.    Use bullet points and numbered lists

9.    If you can say it in fewer words, do so

10.    Address common objections in your copy

11.    Never write before doing research

12.    Use statistics and relevant facts to build credibility

13.    Use the word “you” more than “we”

14.    Include trust-building testimonials (real ones)

15.    Write clear, powerful calls to action that tell readers exactly what to do

16.    Have a guarantee that reduces or eliminates risk

17.    Always be testing

18.    Write the way you and your target audience talk for conversational copy

19.    Use P.S. in sales letters

20.    Write for your customers first, search engines second

21.    Create a sense of urgency in your offer

22.    Replace generalities with specifics

23.    Appeal to reader’s emotions

Which copywriting rules would you add to this list? Leave a comment to let us know!

In the past, I’ve talked quite a bit about how important testimonials are for building your credibility and establishing you as an expert in your industry. But today I want to talk about the other benefit of testimonials (and complaints for that matter) and why you should closely study them before you write a single word of sales copy.

Let’s suppose you run a commercial cleaning business (let’s call it Super Shiny Cleaning Company)and a satisfied customer leaves you a testimonial that says: Super Shiny Cleaning Company is the only cleaning company we’ve ever dealt with that didn’t miss spots and that charged a fair rate. They always do the job right the first time, and they work faster than any cleaning company I’ve ever seen!

Now, if you were the owner of Super Shiny Cleaning Company, your first reaction would be one of joy and pride. You’ll probably slap the testimonial up on your website and forget all about it. And you’d be missing out on a big chance to tighten up your marketing message and to better connect with your target audience.
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What’s the difference between a website that generates 1 or 2 leads per week and one that gets 15 or 20? Often times, it boils down to the website’s copy. Make no mistake. The wrong words or a poor tone can drive prospects away to your competition. So, what can you do to make sure that doesn’t happen? You can start by following these copywriting tips.

1.    Use a positive tone—Using positive words instead of negative ones can make all the difference in the world. Here’s an example:

Negative copy: Air cargo shipping is expensive and time-consuming. ABC Shipping, Inc. will help eliminate the headaches of shipping. You’ll minimize your costs and reduce your hassles.

Positive copy: Maximize your savings! Free up more time to grow your business. ABC Shipping, Inc.’s air cargo shipping services are 100% guaranteed to get your packages to their destination in tact and on time.

Granted, this is a highly oversimplified example, but the point is using negative words can frighten your readers and inadvertently cause them to create a negative association with your business. There’s a reason Staples says “That was easy” rather than “It’s usually difficult. We minimize the hassles.”

2.    Have a personality—With the explosion of social networking, the web has become a very personal space. You need to use these same principles of showcasing your personality on your website. Remember, many of your visitors will have no idea who your company is or what you’re about. To them, you’re a faceless business who might be located across the country. Use copy that captures a conversational tone and creates a distinct personality for your company.

3.    Keep your copy tight—If you can effectively deliver a point in 1 sentence rather than 4, do it. Less is usually more in writing.
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The man many consider to be the greatest ad man of all time, David Ogilvy, used to always preach the importance of conducting thorough research before writing a single word of copy. Research is the best foundation for coming up with profitable ideas and the right angle for your copy. Without it, you’re like a blindfolded drunk trying to throw a bull’s-eye while playing darts at the local bar.

Because this is an SEO/Internet marketing blog, I’m only going to discuss the importance of research as it relates to writing your website copy.

•    Understanding your product—You’d be surprised how many companies have a skewed view of their product. Either they think it’s way more impressive than it really is (because they’re biased) or they don’t truly understand which features/benefits their target audience cares about. In Ogilvy’s book Ogilvy on Advertising, he discusses an advertising campaign he created to increase tourism to Britain. One prominent British government official told Ogilvy he should feature trout fishing in his ads to the U.S. market. Ogilvy responded by pointing out that research indicated there were 49 other benefits of traveling to Britain that interested Americans more than trout fishing. Know the true appeal of your product!

•    Analyzing the competition—A careful study of your competition is a crucial step to take before writing your web copy for several reasons. First, you need to identify exactly who your competitors are. Next, you need to know what their online presence consists of. In other words, are they active in social media? Have they optimized their website? Lastly, you need to examine their actual website copy. What benefit are they playing up?  Who do they seem to be speaking to? What’s their USP? Knowing all of this will help you create the right angle for your copy.
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