Better Writing, Better Sales

Joe Weinlick
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Strong copy is a must for making sales, but many sales professionals struggle to write attention-getting headlines and sales letters. If your sales strategy includes written materials, developing better writing skills can help you hit your sales goals and increase the amount of money you earn. Developing strong writing skills will also serve you well in other areas of the sales business, so use these tips to write better copy.

One of the best ways to learn how to write effective copy is to look at headlines and sales letters written by other copywriters. Instead of throwing your junk mail away, keep a few pieces and analyze them to determine if there are any techniques you can use in your own copy. Read each piece of mail several times to get a feel for the tone and wording used by the copywriter. This technique is especially helpful if you can find a sales letter for a product in your own niche. If you are writing sales copy for your employer, ask for a creative brief before you begin the project. The information in the brief will help you understand what your employer wants so you do not waste time writing copy that will never be used.

If you want your sales strategy to succeed, you must capture attention quickly. Focus on your headline and first paragraph before you do too much work on the rest of your copy or you run the risk of making a poor first impression and losing your reader. Start your headline with a benefit instead of a feature. This sales strategy grabs attention and makes readers wonder how your product or service can help them solve problems or achieve their goals. You should also test different headlines to see which one works best.

Websites and email newsletters are a big part of a successful sales strategy these days. Although the principles of good copywriting are largely the same for print and online campaigns, there are some key differences. Web audiences tend to prefer shorter chunks of text broken up with bold headings, bullet points, and other formatting. Even a great piece of copy will not perform as well as it could if you publish it as one long wall of text. Some sales professionals make the mistake of trying to be too formal in their writing. Proper grammar and spelling are important, but do not clutter your copy with long words and phrases. Using short sentences will help you attract and keep the attention of your reader.

Copywriting skills are a must for anyone who plans to use print pieces, website copy, or email newsletters in their sales strategy. If you need some inspiration, look at the copy used to promote successful products and services. Ask your employer to provide a creative brief before you begin the project so you know what type of copy is expected. Pay attention to your headline and first paragraph so you can capture attention quickly. Doing these things will give you better writing skills and make it easier to develop a successful sales strategy.

 

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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