Copywriting - The Fast Way To Develop Copywriting Skills For Your Business

Copywriting is selling. It's a very practical, useful skill for any business person to have, and you can acquire copywriting skills, faster than you imagine. Reading this article will help.

There's a lot of nonsense talked about copywriting, chiefly by copywriters who want to boost their fees. Here's a secret: copywriting isn't about the words - it's about the actions of your perfect buyer.

You can teach yourself copywriting if you stop thinking about words, and start thinking about actions.

Here's how, in five simple steps.

1. Who's your target audience?

Let's imagine you want to write the advertising copy for your latest product - Widget X.

Your first step is to think about your buyers. Write a brief description of the people who buy your product. (Yes - write it down, please.) For example: "the buyers are teenagers, who want to look good in front of their friends."

Notice that in the description we haven't focused on the specifications of Widget X, we've focused on a WANT. Write down as many buyers' wants as you can think of.

2. What does your perfect, ideal buyer want?

Now you've got a description of what your buyers want from your product, think about your perfect, ideal buyer. Yes, just one person. In copywriting, you're writing for an individual, not for a crowd. You'll sell Widget X one widget at a time.

3. Why does he want it?

Why does your perfect buyer want Widget X? What will it do for him?

Imagine what problems your perfect buyer has, and write them down. Write down all the problems you can think of.

4. Why is your product, Widget X, the perfect answer to what your perfect buyer wants?

You'll notice that up to now, we've focused completely on your buyers. This is because every buyer is concentrating on What's In It For Me, and the more you focus on that too, the more sales you'll make.

As we said, copywriting is NOT about the words, it's about the ACTIONS.

So now write a few sentences about why Widget X is the perfect answer/ solution to your buyer's wants.

5. Use plain language in your advertising

Now you're ready to write your advertising copy. Focus on what your buyer wants.

Here's how to write the copy:

* Start with the problem your perfect buyer has

Start your copy by reminding your buyer of a problem he has. Make this problem very clear, using specifics.

* Explain (show) how your product helps him to solve that problem

Next, explain precisely how Widget X helps your perfect buyer to solve his problems. Again, don't focus on the features of Widget X. Focus on Widget X as the solution, and show how Widget X will solve your buyer's problem.

* What his life will be like when the problem is solved

Paint a picture in your perfect buyer's mind of what his life will be like when Widget X has solved his problem.

* A call to action

Finally, remember your call to action: include your Web address, your phone number and address if your ad is a lead-generation tool. If you're using your ad as direct response, include the price, payment method, and delivery information.

So there you have a fast way to develop copywriting skills in five simple steps. Try them. The more you use the above steps, the more effective your copywriting will become.

Top copywriter Angela Booth's "Copywriting Master Class - Ten Weeks to Copywriting Genius" teaches you copywriting skills. Her ebook "Seven Days To Easy Money: Copywriting Success" takes you from novice to professional copywriter in just seven days. You could be writing your own copy, and signing up your first copywriting clients within two days.