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Image by Yodel Anecdotal via Flickr
Would you like to improve your copywriting ? You can. And, you don’t necessarily have to write a single word.
There’s an old technique we use in direct mail (the kind with paper) that also works on the web. You can do it with copy, a button color, the wording on your call-to-action; anything you like.
It’s called an A/B split. Essentially what you do is you divide your list into two pieces: A then B, then A, then B (etc.)
Then you test something. Just ONE thing at a time. It could be a different headline. Or, a different call to action. Online, or in an email newsletter, it might be text link copy. Whatever you choose to test, the idea is to see which one gets a better result.
This could be more clicks, more orders, phone calls, whatever your goal is. The version with the most clicks (or orders) wins!
There are paid tools to do this (such as Unbounce), or you can use Google’s Website Optimizer (which is free).
Say you want to test a “buy now” button (A) against a “free demo” one (B) You make two web pages, one with each button. Then you tell Google (or whatever tool you use) to alternate which version people see when they visit your site. The first visitor gets a page with version A (the buy button). The second gets version B (the free demo one), the third gets A, etc.
When you have enough data, you check to see which version did better. Then, if you like, you can run the winner against a third version, to see if the results hold up.
One thing to remember is to make sure you have enough data before you stop the test, or declare a winner. You’ll need two more tools for this.
The first is a sample size calculator. This will show you how many responses you need before you have a valid result.
The second is a tool to calculate the statistical significance of your results and declare a winner. You plug in the number of visitors for each page, add the number of conversions (whatever you decide a conversion is) and look to see which had a better result.
We often think we “know” which one is better. Oh, the button that says “buy now”! Or, definitely the button that says “Free Demo” will beat “30-Day Trial.” Guessing can be wrong. Experience can be wrong. Often, the version you think is best isn’t. What works for one company, or even for one product, may not work for another. The only way to know for sure is to test it.
Image via Wikipedia
In last week’s post about how to design an ad, I promised that I’d tackle how to write better ads.
The first thing you need to consider when writing ads is the headline. Some prefer to write it first, others last. I tend to put in a placeholder headline and then go back to it later. Sometimes, I just get a great idea straight off; other times I need some headline writing inspiration. Whichever you do, spend more time on the headline than anything else.
Write the copy before you tackle (or hand off) the design. It’s much easier to adjust copy to fit design (say too long for the space) than the other way around. Get it as final as possible before the design stage. If it’s going online keep it in plain text. Microsoft Word makes an awful mess when you upload it to the Web. And, never, ever use the text to HTML feature – that makes an even bigger mess.
This is called a copywriter’s rough – it’s just a rough indication of where different elements should go (headline, illustration, etc). Be sure to indicate where the headlines and subheads are so that the designer can emphasize them.
Readers don’t give a fat rat’s fanny about you. When you write your ad, focus on how you can help them with their problem (not how they can help you by buying).
Not literally, but with words. Show them how your service or product solves that problem. Use emotional triggers, then support the emotions with facts.
Write your ad with testimonials, demonstrations, or other social proof, like millions sold or thousands of subscribers. People don’t want to be “sold,” but they do want to buy. Make it easy for them to decide that your product will help them.
red riding hood, via wikipedia
Once upon a time….No wait, not that kind of story. I mean how to tell a business story (a story about your company, and how you started it and how it grew).
Not the kind of business story where you brag about the five new people you just hired, or the free snacks in your employee lunchroom.
You want a story story that’s meaningful to people reading your web site or your blog post or your ad. A story that draws readers in and increases their interest in your business (and your services).
An ad (or a web site) are really stories. A story that you tell about yourself, your company, and your customers. A story about why you’re different.
Here’s an example of a (fictional) poor business story:
The Acme Landscape Company has been in business for 47 years. We pride ourselves on great service to our customers. We can work on business properties or homes. Sign up for our gardening newsletter and get monthly tips.
They may be great landscapers, but their story is lousy. There’s no reason to care that they’ve been in business a long time. They don’t seem to specialize in anything, and they’ve asked me to sign up for their gardening newsletter without telling me much about what I’ll get when I do.
A good business story, on the other hand, packs an emotional punch. It’s interesting, it incites curiosity, and it’s relevant.
Before writing your own story, ask yourself, is it something my customers (or potential customers) care about? Does it attract attention? Or is it a big snooze?
What if that landscape company had said,
“We believe in green thumbs and we’ll show you how to get one.”
Or, how about something like this:
“It started with a single seed. One single tomato seed that became an empire.”
Or this,
“Insurance agents you’ll actually enjoy talking to.”
These are essentially, mini-mission statements. The story idea also applies when you’re telling stories about how your company got started, or how you’ve helped your customers.
Most about pages are boring. Instead of going on about your years in business or your credentials, explain how you started in a garage (and grew into a multi-billion dollar company). Or highlight how a chance encounter in a parking lot led to a big idea.
Use the elements we associate with fairy tales, movies, and novels: metaphors, the hero’s journey, reversals of fortune, and conflict. This is one version that Pixar uses:
Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally _
Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Red Riding Hood. One day, she set off to visit her grandma. Because of that, she met a wolf in the woods. The wolf ran ahead to grandma’s house, swallowed her, and then lay in wait for Red Riding Hood. When she arrived, he ate her too.
Because the wolf fell asleep and snored after he ate, a passing huntsman went in to check on grandma. He saw the wolf, and was about to shoot it when he realized the wolf might have eaten grandma. Finally, he slit open the wolf’s stomach and freed them both.
When you write your own story, share the obstacles you overcame, and how you succeeded. Describe how you help your customers vanquish their own wolves, and how they feel about that. It’s even better if you can show others how to do the same thing (and have proof).
Much more interesting, isn’t it?
What is it?
Image by Horia Varlan via Flickr
Do you know how to write a great headline? Believe it or not there are sure-fire headline formulas that will grab your readers’ attention every time.
Why does this matter?
Because without a great headline, nobody will read the rest of your ad or your article. The headline is the first thing people see. Write a great one and you’ll pull them in to read more. Write something dull and you’ll scare them away before they’ve read a single word.
And, of course, the fewer people who read your article or ad or post the fewer subscribers you’ll have and the lower your sales will be. Not good.
It can be hard to be brilliant every day though. For those times, when your brain is stuck in neutral, try one of these never-fail headlines.
Eat More and Still Lose Weight
Heat Your Home (Without a Furnace)
Something that doesn’t seem to make sense will attract more attention. We think that if we eat more, we’ll gain weight, not lose it. Since most people want to eat more, they’ll read on.
Dinner with Michael Jordan (Diamond Card Exclusive)
Something that people can’t get elsewhere. Of course, a “diamond card” (which I just made up), also promises exclusivity. Not everyone can have one. Especially if there are real diamonds in it.
Pick an offer that that your audience actually wants though. Don’t promise a free colonoscopy.
Create Websites 5 Times Faster – or Your Money Back
This promises a big benefit (get more done in less time) and also reduces the perceived risk in buying the product. If you don’t like it or get the results you want, you get a refund.
The Lazy Employer’s Guide to Hiring
Take something that’s difficult and promise to show readers how to do it without a lot of hard work.
$300 in Free Gifts with Your Order
Not only do you get what you are actually paying for, you get an extra $300 worth of gifts. This is the thinking behind those informercials that make a double offer (not one, but two sets of ginzu knives). Pile on the value, so people would be crazy not to take you up on it.
You Can Have a Dazzling Smile
Get the Best Price for Your Used Car
Show readers how they can be more attractive or earn more money, or save time.
Little Known Ways to Lower Your Taxes
This offers both secret tips and a clear benefit. Nobody wants to pay more.
20 Tricks You Didn’t Know Your Dog Could Do
You can’t find out what the tricks are unless you keep reading.
Do You Make These Common Marketing Mistakes?
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
Make sure it’s a question that they can’t answer right away. Or, a question that poses a challenge. People may think they know what the common mistakes are, or they may have no idea. The only way to find out what the mistakes are, or the error in the picture, is to keep reading (sense a pattern here?).
7 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Copywriter
If someone is hiring a copywriter, and isn’t sure how the process works, this headline promises to help sort that all out, and avoid making the wrong choice.
How to Make Your Software Registration Process Foolproof
This one promises more signups, and fewer people abandoning your demo or purchasing process. It’s appealing because it offers the promise of more sales and higher revenue.