Marketing Information

Writing Marketing Copy That Sells


When your prospects see your marketing materials, your brochure, your web site or your ads you want them to read them. You want prospects to read not just the first sentence but the majority of your copy. Once they've read it, you want them to decide that they need your product or service and either make a purchase or contact you for more information.

When prospective clients and customers see your web site, ads or brochures, you want them to be captivated and impressed. You hope they'll read not just the headlines, but all the way through the copy. And you want this scintillating copy to motivate them to take the next step, and make a purchase or contact you for more information.

Is it working?

Do prospects read your marketing materials? Does the copy convince them that they need your products and services? Do they understand the value you provide?

Do they contact you?

What's the key to writing marketing copy that grabs your prospects' attention, overcomes common objections and leads to a sale or an inquiry?

When you finally call a plumber to fix that leak under the sink, does he spend ten or fifteen minutes talking about how long he has been in business, the wrenches he uses or the process he uses to solder a joint together? Of course not.

You have a problem and, in most cases, you need it solved immediately. You don't necessarily care how he does it - you just want your leaky plumbing fixed. Of course you want to spend as little as possible, but you see the plumber's fees relative to the damage you're incurring from the leak.

Likewise, prospects' own problems and concerns precede their interest in your products and services. To capture their attention and get them to read your marketing copy; focus on what they want; don't begin your marketing copy with descriptions of the solution you provide or your credentials or processes.

Prospects' problems come first, then your solution. Problem; solution. Prospects want to see themselves and their concerns clearly identified in order to feel confident that you understand their needs. By addressing this, you create the context so that when you do describe your products and services, they are the obvious solution to your prospects' needs.

Take a look at your marketing materials, including everything from your business card to your web site. Who and what are your marketing materials about; you or your prospects' concerns?

Make a list of five to fifteen things that your prospects want. Turn these into questions or statements about your prospects' problems. Asking questions is particularly effective in getting prospects to think about solving their problems.

If you're a financial advisor you might ask, "Do you want to learn how to make more in both up and down markets?" If you help people with marketing their businesses you might ask, "Do you want to learn how to attract more clients and increase sales?" If you sell golf clubs you might ask, "Do you want to hit further and more accurately with less effort?"

To attract new clients you need to get their attention, demonstrate that you understand their concerns and clarify the value your products and services provide. Focus your marketing copy on your prospects' problems, ask them questions and couch your solutions in terms of their objectives. You'll start more conversations, sell more products and sign up more clients.

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and small business owners attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up for the Free Marketing Plan eBook, '7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business' at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Marketing Week

Coca-Cola to Boost Marketing Efforts
Wall Street Journal
The Atlanta-based beverage maker said the new productivity targets, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015, include taking costs out of the supply chain and more effective marketing. On Tuesday, Coke also reported a 71% drop in fourth-quarter ...
Coca-Cola Reinvests in MarketingAdAge.com
Coca-Cola to reinvest productivity savings into brand building marketingMarketing Week
Coke Earnings: Profits Up, But Sales DownThe Beverage Network
Food Product Design
all 373 news articles »


Content Marketing Institute, ON24 Announce Virtual Communication Excellence ...
MarketWatch (press release)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Feb 07, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Recognizing the increasing importance of the virtual distribution of content in organizations today, the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and ON24 are recognizing excellence in virtual ...

and more »


Adweek

Players Who Boosted Their Marketing Value in Sunday's Super Bowl
Adweek
By David Schwab, Octagon First Call The New York Giants won Sunday's Super Bowl, but which individual players scored in the marketing playbook? Let's look at five who did themselves proud. • Eli Manning. Eli is now on a short list of two-time Super ...
Eli Manning's Marketability Expected To SoarSportsBusiness Daily (subscription)
Eli Manning's second Super Bowl ring means soaring marketability, experts sayThe Star-Ledger - NJ.com

all 23,097 news articles »


Experian Marketing Services Appoints Marshall Stanton as Vice President of ...
MarketWatch (press release)
7, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Experian Marketing Services, a leading provider of data, analytics and marketing technologies that help organizations target and engage their customers more effectively across both traditional and digital media, ...

and more »


SCORR Marketing Marks Growth with New Branding
MarketWatch (press release)
KEARNEY, Neb., Feb 07, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- SCORR Marketing, a strategic marketing and public relations agency focused on market development through marketing communications, corporate identity/branding, media communications, advertising and ...

and more »


B2B Marketing Leader, Televerde, Executive to Judge National Business Awards ...
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
As a testament to Televerde's growing position as a B2B marketing leader, the company's Senior VP of Global Sales Donna Kent has been tapped to serve as a judge for the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, one of the most prestigious business ...

and more »


Marketing Pilgrim

5 Marketing Tips from the Social Commerce Summit
Marketing Pilgrim
Here's my pick for the top 5 pieces of marketing advice culled from lists put together by Business Insider. Search is extremely important to us. Google will have its way and we will have to focus on Google+. We launched our presence on Google+ ...

and more »


AboveNet Names Michael Tighe Vice President of Marketing
Reuters
WHITE PLAINS, NY, February 7, 2011 - AboveNet, Inc. (NYSE:ABVT), a leading provider of high bandwidth connectivity solutions, today announced the appointment of Michael Tighe Vice President of Marketing. In his new position, Mr. Tighe will report to ...

and more »


MagnetVideo Joins Proforma Network to Power Online Marketing Videos
MarketWatch (press release)
One of the nation's largest business services providers will partner with MagnetVideo to enhance their online video marketing solutions offering. CHAPEL HILL, NC, Feb 07, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- MagnetVideo, a leading provider of online video marketing ...

and more »


Poker Pro: Marketing Suicide?
MarketWatch (press release)
However, the marketing of 'professional' players as brand ambassadors has been a dominating strategy for some time. Such players were billed as having an extra talent that others didn't possess and then the marketing people turned them into celebrities ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006