Copy Writing: Persuasion with Words

May 20, 2013 / Duane Christensen

What’s the ultimate skill you possess when it comes to copy writing? What kind of wicked wordsmithing do you conjure up? Or are you short on copy writing skill?

Here’s when you absolutely need some extra copy writing training and advice…

IF IT TAKES YOU LONGER TO UNDERLINE, BOLD, AND INSERT TRIPLE EXCLAMATION POINTS TO YOUR COPY THAN IT DID TO ACTUALLY WRITE THE SCRIPT OR COPY…THEN YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM SOME EXTRA COPY WRITING INSTRUCTION.

You need to “shock” a little.
Image courtesy of “foto76” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Your copy needs to do something. It needs to JOLT in some way. Of course there are a lot of ways to do that:

1) Words and phrases that are completely out of left field and make people go “What the…?” causing them to HAVE to hear what’s next. You need to surprise people with your word choices. Just don’t disappoint them after the “What the…” moment.

2) Storytelling in a manner that sucks a person into the story. (Let’s say it’s a radio ad) A story told in such a way that if someone were to reach over in an attempt to change the radio station in the middle of the story…you’d slap that person’s hand.

3) Sharing information that is unknown to a reader/listener. Information that is intriguing and feeds the curiosity and thirst for knowledge within us.

4) Raw, personal, and “human” content. When you share a vulnerability of some sort about a person or company, people perk up. They like to know that they’re not the only messed up souls on the planet. They like to know that some of the thoughts in your head…match up with a few of theirs. It helps to connect with them. It deepens relationships. It helps them remember you…when they need what you sell.

Those are only a few ways to inject some degree of jolt-factor into your copy.

And do I really need to say this?…

Kill the cliché stuff.
Take a noose to the “ad speak”.

Speaking of “ad speak”. Was it Roy Williams of the Wizard Academy who coined that term? Either way… he has been instrumental in my copy writing, marketing, and advertising education. Have you read his “Wizard of Ads” trilogy? It’s a must if you’re in business.

Other recommendations…

Well, besides Roy (who I still refer to and learn from) I also liked Jeffrey Fox’s “How to Become a Marketing Superstar” when I was starting out. It’s great for someone just learning. I’d say get some of the basics of copy writing down first.

THEN…THEN…Then, when your brain is REALLY hungry to get good. When your appetite to learn more is fierce, dig into the teachings of these people…

Eugene Schwartz

Dan Kennedy

David Ogilvy

Claude Hopkins

Jack Trout

Joe Sugarman

Gary Halbert

John Carlton

Roy H. Williams

…and of course there are a ton more. These are just some really strong suggestions. I still get hungry, too. If you have 1 or 2 other suggestions that I may not have read…please feel free to comment and SHARE with me. : )

Just remember that the people you’re trying to persuade with your copy writing need to be jolted a little (or a lot). They need to be awed and seduced. Don’t try to trick them into paying attention…make them want to.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

My work website: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/ (And if you’d like a business website like this, or nothing like this, give me a shout. I’ll point you in the right direction)

And if you have questions about the cost of radio advertising, which radio stations would be a good fit, or how to get started attracting more customers, don’t be afraid to ask. I like to help good businesses take a bigger slice of the market.

Or if you’d like to set up a free blog like the one you’re reading, I can help you get started with that too.

You’ve Bought Radio Advertising Before? Oh No.

March 21, 2013 / Duane Christensen

You’ve advertised on the radio before. So, you know what you want. Ok. But is “what you want”…the best thing for you?

Image courtesy of “Salvatore Vuono” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sioux Falls has a ton of advertising options. You may have already “tried” a bunch of those options. You may have “tried” a bunch of different radio advertising schedules. You may even feel you’ve met nearly every advertising sales rep in the city! Wow, I hope not. That would make ME want to sell everything and move to the mountains!

Do you feel that advertising is a necessary evil? You say, “Well…let’s try another stint on the radio. Can’t hurt, right?” Then, you call up a radio station (maybe me) and ask about the rates.

Now, here’s me. I don’t know much about your business yet. And the number of radio advertising options are pretty high. It’s not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing (if you actually plan on making your radio advertising work). Rates don’t really mean much if you’re not buying into the right plan. Or the right IDEA.

My first thought is… “Do we know what to SAY in the radio ads yet?” No. We don’t. Do I know your competitive landscape? Do I know why your customers buy from you and not the other guy down the street? No.

Image courtesy of “Master isolated images” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Questions. I need to ask questions to offer the best solution. Not just give you a “package” that won’t work. I need to know more before I can recommend a plan for you. Would you like to draw a one-time crowd? Or would you like to become a household name in Sioux Falls? What would you like your advertising to accomplish? Why do you think you’re a big deal? Do your customers feel you’re a big deal? Would you like more of those happy customers? If I asked your customers about you…what would they tell me?

I love to work with Sioux Falls small business owners who want to make a mark. Those who want to serve their customers better than anyone else could, and those who have a goal and want to know how to reach that goal. I don’t really ever feel comfortable being an order taker. I almost always find a major flaw in someone else’s advertising plan. Those flaws could be any number of things that can sabotage a local marketing and advertising campaign. Such as the length of the ads, the competitive strategy, the message in the ads, the number of ads scheduled to air, etc.

If you’ve bought radio advertising before…I want you to forget what you’ve done before. Because if you were doing it right, you wouldn’t have stopped. You wouldn’t have called someone else. So, try your best to erase from your memory what some other advertising person has told you in the past. If you truly want to get it right this time and stop being unsure, skeptical, confused, or frustrated with your local advertising, then, we’re going to start from scratch. We’re going to have a bunch of conversations before I let you spend any money on advertising. We’ll get it right, first. We’ll have a plan. A plan that will carry the potential for good things to happen. Growth. Good word of mouth. Buzz. Increased profits.

When you’re ready, just call.

Thanks. Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

I’m kind of a big advertising nerd. And I’m confident in the power of radio when it’s done right. The spoken word is impressive when you choose words wisely. You can arrange them in a way that can be subtly persuasive, aggressively entertaining, or peacefully comforting. Let’s find the right words to use for your small business. I am a salesperson, ad writer, and marketing guy for Results Radio Townsquare Media in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I started there in 1998 (while still a punk) answering phones and scheduling radio commercials on an old DOS program (green and black screen). Yikes. I’ve learned a heck of a lot since then.

I even published a small business advertising book in July of 2012. You can check it out here if you want >>> Take A Bigger Slice (on Amazon)

Ph: 605-940-7984

Email: duane.christensen@results-radio.com

Web: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/

Do You Love To Talk About Your Business?

September 11, 2012September 11, 2012 / Duane Christensen

One of the best things that can make your future radio ad campaign bust loose into high gear is if…

YOU LOVE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS!

There’s nothing that busts through all the advertising clutter more than a business owner or local manager who loves to talk about their business.

So… if you love to talk about your business… then what would you need me for, right? Well, I’ll help you say things that your customers care about. I’m the person who helps you step outside your business for a few moments and helps you say things that will get your future customers’ attention. I’ll help you sound even more sincere than you already are.

That’s it. If you love to talk your business, you have a head start in giving your radio advertising in Sioux Falls some teeth. When it’s YOU on the radio, it’s personal. It’s sincere. It’s laying it out there allowing people to see you as a human being, not a business owner just trying to make a profit. They want to know you understand them and you care.

I have a nice handful of clients who voice their own ads. It’s fun getting to know them. It’s fun learning how they speak… and then writing to the way they speak. It feels so right when an ad is done and it sounds so good. I’m not satisfied until I hear the ad… and I know people will be moved by it. Moved closer to doing business with YOU.

Do you love to talk about your business?

Have a great day! Call me. : )

Duane Christensen

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

I work for Results Radio in Sioux Falls. I’ve been camping out and hammering away here since 1998. I love what I do.