What are copywriting fundamentals? Simple question, right? You might be thinking that it’s something that you know, or that you’ve seen in other content, but the truth is, it’s a completely different matter.
Simply put, copywriting fundamentals are the underlying criteria that any copy must satisfy in order to be effective.
What exactly are copywriting fundamentals? Let’s take a look.
Pro-Tip: Learn From The Pros
The best way to learn about any subject or skill is through firsthand experience, and this also holds true for copywriting. You’ll never truly understand what is required of you in a well-written sales letter until you’ve actually written one and seen how it all comes together.
However, this doesn’t mean that you have to settle for writing sub-standard content just to figure out what is required. Far from it. You can always ask other writers for help if you’re not sure what to put in your next sales letter.
The Anatomy Of A Well-Written Sales Letter
A high-quality sales letter must satisfy three basic criteria – it must be
- relevant to the audience
- accurate
- introspective
– in addition to being well-written and of high enough quality to persuade the reader to take some kind of action.
If you can meet all of these criteria, you’ll be able to craft a high-quality sales letter that will compel your readers to take the desired action. Sounds complicated, but it’s not. Let’s break it down.
Relevance
In the quest to write the perfect sales letter, you might be tempted to throw in whatever comes to mind or tries to grab the attention of your reader. But this is a big mistake. Your aim is to write a well-researched, well-thought-out sales letter that is both relevant and interesting to your target audience.
This is not an easy task, as you’ll need to consider a number of factors. For instance, you might want to write about the health benefits of a specific product, but if your target audience is fitness enthusiasts, you’ll need to rework your opening to reflect their interests. The same principle goes for any other demographic that you think might be interested in your product.
To determine relevance, you’ll need to think about
- the nature of your product
- your ideal customer
- the position of your product in relation to your reader’s needs
- the demands of your audience
- the purpose of your letter
- what makes your product special
Keep in mind that your product may not be suitable for every customer. Therefore, you should consider tailoring your content to suit different demographics. For example, if you’re selling computer equipment, you might want to start by explaining what computer equipment is and why someone would need it. You can also include testimonials from previous customers to demonstrate the quality of your product.
Accuracy
When crafting the perfect sales letter, you want to make sure that your writing is as factual as possible. This means that you must ensure that the information you provide is both correct and complete. In most cases, this means that you’ll need to do some research into the topics you’re covering before you begin writing. If you think that an error might slip past you in your research, it’s a good idea to cross-check the information before you publish it.
To test the accuracy of the information you provide, you can ask yourself questions like these:
- Does my copy reflect what I intended it to say?
- Am I including all the key details?
- Is the information both correct and complete?
- Does everything make sense?
- Does my letter flow naturally and are the sentences easy to understand?
- Does my letter have a unique angle that makes it different from other publications?
If you’re satisfied with the accuracy of your content, you can move on to the next step.
Introspection
For an introspective sales letter, you want to consider
- what am I writing for?
- why am I writing this letter?
- is this the right kind of letter to write?
- are my objectives realistic?
- is the tone of my letter appropriate?
- does my letter have a clear objective?
- is the desired action clear?
- is my letter effective?
When you answer these questions, you’ll be able to determine whether or not you’ve written a successful introspective sales letter. If you can’t answer “yes” to at least some of these questions, it might be a good idea to try rewriting your letter with a more appropriate tone or objective. Remember: you’re only as good as your last draft, so don’t hesitate to go back and rework it until you achieve perfection.
To help eliminate any potential errors, it’s a good idea to create a sample letter that you can use as a template for the others. Once you’ve gotten the hang of things, drafting a letter will be as easy as pie – provided you keep in mind the three fundamental criteria that make up the perfect sales letter.