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Ways to Write Better Copy,
By Alan Rosenspan
Recently, I was contacted by one of the most
respected experts in direct marketing. He was
putting together a book of “copywriting as art” and
wanted examples from my work.
I was flattered, but also a little confused. “Art?
Great writing? What the heck does that have to do
with copywriting?” I had nothing to contribute.
To me, good copy has always been copy that works.
And the better it works, the better the copy. Here
are 10 suggestions on how to write copy that works
better.
1. Start with your most important benefit.
Many copywriters hem and haw, and metaphorically
clear their throat before they tell you what’s
important. Or worse, they save it for the end – like
the punchline of a joke. Would any newspaper survive
doing that – or do they give you the most dramatic
story right in the headline?
2. Write like you talk.
That’s how people like to read. Even if you are
writing to the most educated target market – keep it
simple. The best test of writing is how it sounds
when you read it out loud. I came across an ad for
cologne that read, “The incarnation of the masculine
duality interpreted with humor.” Try reading that
out loud with a straight face.
3. Include ideas and information.
Some writing feels like biting into a marshmallow –
there’s nothing to grab hold of and chew. Don’t try
to impress me with your writing, your knowledge or
how clever you are. Give me an idea, a fact, a
nugget of information in each paragraph. Otherwise,
I won't continue reading.
4. Short words and sentences work.
Not sure why. Makes it easy to read. Worth a try?
5. But so do long letters.
If you really want to know what works in direct
marketing – study those who live and die by it. If
IBM’s direct mail doesn’t work – IBM will still grow
and prosper. But if Save the Children’s direct mail
doesn’t work…
That’s why so many non-profits and mail-order
companies use 2, 4, 8 and even
24-page letters. They work.
(More ways will appear in the next issue of The Data
Advisor…)
--- Alan Rosenspan is president of Alan Rosenspan &
Associates, a Newton, Mass.-based direct marketing
creative services and consulting firm.
www.alanrosenspan.com
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