23 Copywriting Rules To Live By
Thursday, October 8th, 2009Whether 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!
