Copywriting for Cross Media

Presented by Kate Dunn,Digital Innovations Group (DIG)

Success is based on…

• #1 – there must be something to sell– An idea, product or service that is

remarkable in some way

• And then…– 40% list

– 40% offer

– 20% creative

Before You Start…

• Who is your audience?

• What do you want them to think?

• What do you want them to do?

• How will they do it?

Develop personas for your different segments to put yourself in their shoes!

Components

• Call to Action• Wiifm

– Identify the pain & fix – Know the difference between features, advantages

and benefits– How does your solution make life easier for your

contact?• Reason to trust

– Testimonial, award, guarantee - make it stand out• Offer• Response method(s)• Call to action

Be Relevant!

Streamline your copy

• Get to the call to action quick & repeat it

• 45% white space– Split up paragraphs with more than 3 lines

– Large blocks of copy are intimidating

– Use sub heads, bullets, bolding, underlines and color blocks to organize copy

Average time to get reader’s attention is only 1.3 seconds!

Indentify Pain and Fix

UpTimeGuaranteed.com

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The first and ONLY solution that guarantees your press is running 24/7!

Headlines

• Make it powerful, make it pop

• Center around a goal or benefit– Find Qualified Prospects Fast!

– Track Results and Increase ROI!

– Eliminate Waste and Increase Response!

– Take Your Viewbook Digital!

– Use absolute terms if you can• Good: "7 Ways to Decrease Your Debt,”

• Better: "7 Ways to Eliminate Your Debt."

Encourage Response

• Action oriented– Call now, act now, start now etc

• Use clear instructions for response

• Fonts matter, respect your audience

WIIFM

• Think: Their benefits, not your product’s features

• Don’t talk about what you have, talk about what they will get.– Use second person:– Wrong: ”Our web to print solution can improve your bottom

line..." (this is about your tools)

– Right: "You can generate more sales and cut costs..." (this is about the reader)

Describe in Active Terms

• Wrong: ”Learn how our tools can really improve your bottom line…”

• Right: “Start raking in more revenues and slashing costs today…”

Action, Action, Action

• Wrong: "Our product is used by more than 20 distributors in the northeast.”

• Right: “Other manufacturers are already using the Acme W2P Solution to increase dealer participation and growing revenue.”

Use Testimonials for Credibility

• Use relevant companys that reader can identify with• Use tangible statements

– Wrong: “We love working with ABC Litho.” Jim Smith, Acme Manufacturing

– Right: “We’re seeing double digit response rates from ABC Litho’s lead generation system” Jim Smith, Acme Manufacturing

• Be specific– Not award winning but…– Inc. Magazine Named the KateKar, the 2009 Product of

the Year• Repeat the guarantee on the response device

Offers

• Relevant

• Free offers get response, but not necessarily qualified response

• Make them simple to understand

• Always include an expiration date – Give them a reason to do it now!

Business to Business Offers

Offer Responsiveness (1-5) Qualified(1-5) Optimum Offers

ROI calculators 3 5 15

Whitepapers/ Guides 3 4 12

Case studies 4 3 12

“Relevant” giveaways 4 3 12

Video clips or demo 4 3 12

Webinars 2 5 10

Live events 1 5 5

Free giveaways 5 1 5

Tradeshows 2 2 4

Response Mechanisms

• Power position on page

• Make it easy to respond– Pre-populate BRC

– Memorable URLs

– Readable fonts on phones• Don’t use phones if they aren’t available 24/7

With PURLS or GURLS

• Place in power position

• Readable font

• Repeat URL throughout the piece

• Use color blocks to highlight

• Make it memorable

• Keep it short– Longer URL, use upper and lower case

Effective use of Personalized URL

Effective Use of Personalize URL

Emails

• Subject lines– Short and punchy, can truncate after 30 characters– Wrong: DIG Announces New Services for Printers– Right: Slash Payroll and Improve Customer Service

• Include the response url early and above the fold– Use image and text links

• Headlines can work here too– Not the same as a subject line, build on the subject line

• Get to the point quickly• Interesting but not fluffy• Use subheads and bullets in longer emails

Landing Pages

• Keep the style of the referring page• Use a clear call to action• Second person• Deliver a clear, concise message• Stay on point

– Keep a single objective• Key points at the beginning of paragraphs

– People read the beginning and end before the middle• Remember the fold – nothing important below the fold!• Ask only what you need (and will use)

– Long forms are intimidating

Source: Seal the Deal: 10 Tips for Writing the Ultimate Landing Page, Roberta Rosenberg

The Thank You

• Not just a Thank You

• Critical campaign pieces

• Use to nurture or redirect

• Include links to tell you more

Messaging Continuity

• Ensure a “common thread”– Social Media

– Website

– Newsletters

– Magazines

– Other campaigns

– Etc.

• Copy should match the channel

General Writing Tips

• No Hedging– Wrong: Since the recession began almost all of our families have faced at

least some financial challenges.” The hedges are “almost all” and “at least.”

– Right: “Since the recession began our families have faced financial challenges.”

• Repeat Key Phrases– But not too much

• Avoid passive voice• Provoke, don’t solve• Use short sentences

– Especially in email and landing pages• Get rid of unnecessary adjectives• Be direct• Tell a story• Write like you talk

Source: 10 Secrets to More Magnetic Copy, Jason Cohen

Kate’s Keys

• Minimize your objectives

• Use succinct, action oriented copy

• Digital real estate is cheaper than print

• Test headlines, subject lines and offers

• Use thank you pages and emails to nurture

Less is more!