The first insight into the mind of a copywriter is that they look for direct response copy to provide immediate results. Direct response copy works immediately or it will never work. Direct response copy elicits an immediate reaction that should result in a purchase from the customer. If the customer clicks away from the web page without responding to the call to action, the copy and the copywriter failed to perform their job.
Direct response copy is a simple do or die reaction that is quantifiable. The communication between the customer and your web copy begs a response. If the copywriter has done their research correctly and identified the needs of the target market, then written powerful, compelling copy with a strong “call to action”, the result will be a sale.
Direct response marketing is a lot different from indirect response marketing, although copywriters can combine the two media; direct response works best with web sites. Obtaining orders is what the website is set up to do, the second, indirect response marketing, or the “two-step” process involves getting the customers name for follow up offers.
The primary job of the copywriter is direct in your face marketing to your customer that elicits an immediate response. Powerful direct response marketing that changes minds and attitudes instantly and leads the customer to pull out the old credit card and buy the product on the spot.
That is what a good copywriter does for you, he pinpoints the people who need and want the product. Who have the money to purchase the product and he delivers the message to them at their level and ignites a fire under the customer to act. The call to action is written specifically for the market. Copywriting working at its optimum level produces a 100% response rate.
Of course a 100% response rate is almost impossible. Despite the billions of dollars spent on advertising each year by American business, no one has come up with the magic formula that produces results 100 percent of the time. Analyzing the failure of advertising campaigns requires analyzing the behavior of the customer. If all the technical rules of copywriting are followed, then the only unknown is the reaction or lack of reaction to the campaign by the customers.
The customer is the wild card. Basic customer behavior does not change, but customer buying habits are always evolving. Now massive campaigns are launched to discover how the customers respond in marketing surveys, taste tests, and usability studies. The more sophisticated marketing and advertising dollar is now spent on usability surveys and experts, and is spent on taking the surveys, testing and measuring response directly from the customer’s point of view.
Copywriters know that some copy will immediately work for a product while others may flop. But the good copywriters will elicit the huge responses more times than not. There may not be a magic formula to hit the mark each time with direct response marketing but there are specific techniques and principals that copywriters use to improve the response to their copy.
Copywriting is as much an art as a science. The tools of the trade combine elements of both artistic written presentation with human behavioral psychology combined. This artful mix of writing talent and psychology will generate the immediate results that are required to facilitate the sales results desired. Copywriters who master this seamless integration have no trouble whatsoever keeping their bank accounts full of cash.
J.G. Hostlerberg is a top freelance copywriter working together with two other top hired-gun direct response copy pros to educate fledgling copy cubs in the art and science of copywriting. For killer conversion copy training, and hundreds of secret tips and tricks of the copywriting profession, go to http://www.copywritingshop.com/ and get signed up with our soon to be launched training, http://www.GoCopyThis.Com for the chance of a lifetime!
Tags: advertising, copy, copywriter, copywriting, direct-response, freelance, marketing
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