With the explosion of digital media, content marketing has become the method of choice for businesses of all sizes.
While SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is still important, and will always play a role in organic search traffic, content marketing has several advantages.
It allows you to create marketing collateral, like email campaigns, sales sheets, and press releases, to be delivered at your convenience.
In addition, with content marketing, Google Analytics will highlight the key performance indicators you should be monitoring, like click-through rates and conversion rates.
Why Is Direct Response Copywriting Important?
First off, let’s establish the difference between direct response copywriting and traditional advertising copywriting.
Awareness advertising, or traditional advertising, only focuses on drawing in potential customers to a business. They aim to create persuasive and interesting content that will keep the reader engaged and, hopefully, convert them into a paying customer.
However, direct response copywriting, which is often used in tandem with other types of marketing, is all about selling a product or service directly to a consumer. When a reader clicks on an ad or a headline, they are entering into an engagement with the business, not the other way around.
This makes direct response copywriting extremely relevant and valuable, especially in today’s ever-changing digital world. Just consider the success of online retailers, like Amazon and eBay, whose businesses are built on the back of effective copywriting.
How to Begin
If you’re looking to get started with direct response copywriting, the first step is to take a good look at your existing marketing material, like sales letters, email campaigns, and landing pages.
It’s important to note that while the strategy and approach of your existing marketing material can, and probably should, be retained, the words you use need to be improved.
An ounce of optimization is worth a pound of good luck, so take the time to recast your text in a way that it captures the attention of the reader and draws them further into the fold. A good rule of thumb is to, ‘over-write’ your existing content with the goal of making it more personable and, hopefully, more persuasive.
The Most Effective Tools For the Job
With the right tools, the job of copywriting can be streamlined and made more efficient. While it’s not difficult to write a compelling email pitch, or a sales flyer, utilizing the right software can make the process smoother and more fun.
Some of the more popular tools that can be of assistance when it comes to direct response copywriting include:
- Prepro – if you’re looking for a content creation tool to build your entire marketing collateral, such as email campaigns, sales letters, product descriptions, and more, from scratch, then Prepro is the answer
- HubSpot – if you’re looking to create compelling and interesting content to engage with your audience, then HubSpot is the tool for you
- Writer – If you’re looking to take your writing skills to the next level or become a freelance copywriter, then Writer is the tool for you
- Hemingway – if you’re looking for a tool to easily build and format executive-level sales letters, then Hemingway is the answer
The Perfect Platform For Direct Response Copywriting
Once you have the tools in place, it’s time to graduate to the next step, which is to find a platform to do your writing.
There are several perfect platforms for direct response copywriting, and, in fact, many of the previously mentioned tools are built on top of popular content management systems, like WordPress, Shopify, and Quora.
These content management systems make it simple to publish content, like blogs and articles, as well as, create and manage online stores, like Amazon and eBay.
Pro-Tip: Don’t Forget Email
Last but not least, let’s not forget about the power of the email campaign. As we’ve established above, direct response copywriting is, in fact, about converting cold leads into paying customers, so it goes without saying that one of the most effective forms of marketing still exists and is still relevant.
Depending on your skill level, you may decide to create and design your own email marketing templates in addition to using the tools that can assist you. Regardless, don’t underestimate the power of a well-executed email marketing campaign.
This is especially relevant for larger businesses, or those that do a lot of business online, who can benefit from establishing an email list.
A business’s email list is arguably the most important marketing tool they have. It is, therefore, important to get these emails right. A poorly done email can quickly be filled with spam folders, or worse case, shut down by the hosting company.
Summary
In conclusion, the key takeaways from this article are:
1. Direct response copywriting is about drawing in potential customers to a business rather than just drawing in customers.
2. When a customer clicks on an ad or a headline, they are entering into an engagement with the business, not the other way around.
3. The first step when beginning a direct response copywriting campaign is to take a look at your existing marketing material.
4. With the right tools, the job of copywriting can be streamlined and made more efficient.
5. Pro-Tip: Don’t forget about email.