By Guillermo Rubio, AWAI Staff Writer
Walt Disney had a secret.
One that he used not only to transform the animation and entertainment industries, but to turn Walt Disney Corporation into a huge success that's lasted 86 years and counting. In fact, last year alone, the company grossed $37 billion!
Walt's secret was simple. And it's something you can use in your own copywriting career.
It's a secret that'll guarantee you write stronger copy and, in the process, create loyal clients who give you one project after another.
Best of all, if you apply this secret religiously, it'll give you an edge on your competition, eventually putting you in the top 10% of copywriters – and income earners.
What is this secret? It's called "Plus it!"
One of Walt Disney's greatest talents was his ability to get people to do better work than they imagined they were capable of. He coined the phrase "Plus it!" as a way of taking an idea to the next level – and making it even better.
For example, he would tell his "Imagineers" and animators to "Plus it!" even when they thought they had nailed an idea.
And Disney himself was always tuned in to this mindset. As he once said, "Whenever I go on a ride, I'm always thinking of what's wrong with the thing and how it can be improved."
This philosophy of constant improvement – whether it's improving the animation technique used in a movie, inventing a new technology to make a park attraction more engaging, or adding little extra touches to already great rides and shows – is what gives Walt Disney Corporation its edge still to this day.
And when you apply this philosophy of constant improvement to your copy, you'll be head and shoulders above your competition.
So, anytime you've finished a piece of copy, say to yourself, "Plus it!" Then follow these four steps to see where and how you can improve your copy:
Step 1: Re-check your headline and lead. You've heard it before … the headline and lead make up 80% of your promo's success. That's why it's the first section of your copy you're going to try and improve. Is your headline unique? Ultra-specific? Urgent? Useful? Does it resonate with your target audience? Does your lead hook your prospect effectively? Does it satisfy one of the six lead types?
Step 2: Go over your offer. Your offer is one of the most important parts of your copy. It's what your sales letter builds up to. Make sure you've built up the value of whatever it is you're selling. And, make it seem like a no-brainer to make the purchase. Areas to improve can include any bonuses or premiums you're offering. Have you made them seem just as irresistible as the product itself? Also, is there a payment plan option available? Are there different ordering options (e.g., "Good Deal, Better Deal, Best Deal")? What could you include to entice even just one more person out of a hundred to buy now?
Step 3: Strengthen your guarantee. A strong guarantee puts your prospect's fear of buying at ease. It assures him that everything will be okay and that your product or service does what you claim it does, since you stand behind it. When looking to improve your guarantee, make sure you've made it as bold as possible. Maybe right now you have a 30-day guarantee. Changing it to 60 days or even a year could give you an extra boost in response. Get creative here and think of ways to ease your prospect's fear of making the purchase now.
Step 4: Look at your P.S. The P.S. is a great place to hook scanners into your copy. That's why improving this area can also give you a good chance at increasing your response rate. Are you including some type of benefit that will get a scanner curious and into the rest of your copy? Is there an extra freebie you're throwing in to "sweeten the pot"? Maybe you could improve it by adding an element of urgency (e.g., "There are only 25 of these widgets left in stock, and I don't know when I'll get my next shipment"). Again, think outside the box for ways to improve this under-utilized area of sales letter real estate.
Once you've done all this, there's still one more way you can "Plus it!" …
By making sure you're not following outdated copywriting techniques.
You see, people react to copy and marketing techniques differently from one generation to the next … even from one year to the next. So, in order to drive response through the roof, you need to understand everything it takes to write effective copy today.
That's why, if you'd like to make sure your copy is as strong as it can possibly be – on all fronts – you need to check out Herschell Gordon Lewis's guide, Creative Rules for the 21st Century. It's jam-packed with the most-up-to-date copywriting formulas, techniques, and rules for writing powerful, persuasive copy.
So, after you've finished your first draft, you can simply pull out Herschell's guide. Then, choose any of the dozens upon dozens of ways to make your copy even better. It's that easy.
Find out more about Herschell's Creative Rules for the 21st Century – and how you can save 50% if you order within the next 48 hours.
And remember, when you use Walt Disney's "Plus it!" strategy, you're doing what top-notch copywriters do … you're finding ways to take your copy to the next level – and setting yourself up for massive success.
This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc.’s (AWAI) The Golden Thread, a free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers available. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.
No comments:
Post a Comment