Just admit it: if you are an online businessman you must have spent long hours trying to answer questions like:

– What is the most powerful element of a sales letter?

– What makes prospects forget everything and click on the cherished “Buy now” button? and finally

– What can you do with the sales letter so your conversion rate jumps up like crazy?

Check it up: most sales letter copywriters agree on this: “headline is 90% of your sales letter’s success, so spend 90% of time on inventing the kick-a** one.”
However, there is one more vital ingredient of a successful sales letter, which isn’t less important than the headline, – and that’s the closing.

According to Wiki, “closing is a sales term which refers to the process of making a sale”. In other words, closing is meant to be the most persuasive sales letter section, with the most distinctive call to action. If your headline is poor, people won’t read the sales copy, but once you’ve only come up with a mediocre closing, they won’t buy the product.

So, let’s look at different types of sales letter closings classified in a table with descriptions, samples, and useful tips.

Image by Alexson Chu

Writing website’s privacy policy or terms and conditions may seem a hopeless task, as:

a) few people really enjoy describing legal issues, and
b) even fewer people read such stuff of their own free will.

Nevertheless, both pages make an essential part of any website, so, if you have one and are interested in its progress, take time to write relevant terms and policy – or hire someone who will do it for you.

Here I’d like to answer the most common questions about Terms and Privacy Policy writing.

WHAT?

Privacy Policy: stands for the way a company collects, stores and uses personal information provided by their customers/visitors. The fact that someone likes your site doesn’t mean that he/she burns with desire to give you the email/credit card number/health history/pet name etc. You should remove all user’s doubts by stating that you won’t disclose the data to third parties, will use it only for business purposes and cherish like the apple of your eye. Here neither paroles of honor nor solemn oaths are necessary – just add the Privacy Policy page to your site, and the visitor will feel safe.

Terms and Conditions: refer to the general website rules covering management and financial implications. By publishing relevant and pithy terms, you inform users about their rights and obligations, outline the company’s client policy and make a commitment.

Both: Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions are a kind of official agreement between you and the user. As laws differ from country to country, you may carry a certain risk, if the case is brought to court, so keep in mind your international audience while completing these documents.

HOW?

Privacy Policy: this page is meant to reassure users by answering such questions as

• what personal data you collect (Explain what information you need and why. Avoid requesting unnecessary data, otherwise the user may get not only suspicious of your activities but also very tired before the long form is filled);
• how it is stored and used (Reassure users that you won’t abuse their personal information and will use it only within limited business ends);
• how you can guarantee its safety (Clarify how your server and online operations are protected from scammers. Show in details how you ensure security and privacy, for example, [all account information on our website is password-protected]);
• to whom the data may be disclosed (Be upright while listing parties who will get access to the data);
• how the user can edit or delete it (Establish your credibility by placing such boxes as [Change User Profile] or [Edit My Personal Information]);
• the way you inform users about policy changes (Ask users to check back your website periodically for updates);
• who to contact with questions about privacy (Make it clear that you are always ready to answer visitors’ questions and to help them, if necessary).

Terms and Conditions: a standard Terms of Service page may include:

• definition and interpretation (Clear up what you mean by terms like “Agreement”, “You”, “We”, “Services” etc. This part isn’t a must, but once you decided to write it, stick to official language. Of course, some readers would appreciate if you write something like [Mr. Smith, the Client, hereinafter referred to as “Dude”], but not everyone has a sense of humor, and most people may think you’re unreliable. So try to be as serious as you can);
• acceptance (Notify users that by accepting the Terms and Conditions they agree to keep the given rules);
• intellectual property rights (It also makes sense to mention copyright. Though that can’t completely prevent an infringement, such a notification will at least reduce the chances of it);
• information about website/services it provides/products it sells (Try to put yourself in the user’s shoes and answer all possible questions that he/she may have);
• terms of delivery/payment etc (See the previous tip);
• warranties (If you sell something via your website, inform the user that the product/service fits to the stated purpose, doesn’t infringe the rights of other parties, and that you (the seller) have the full rights to it. Don’t forget about the disclaimer emphasizing that you aren’t responsible for any circumstances beyond your control);
• limitation of liability (That’s a critically important part, as, being neglected, it can result in a real headache. Explain very precisely which obligations to the user you fulfill, and which you don’t);
• third parties (Remind the user that only those who accepted the present Terms can take advantage of whatever your website offers. Actually that’s quite obvious for most people, however, lawyers think this part is indispensable, so let it be);
• notices and contacts (Once again show that you are available to answer any question or remark);
• and any other issue that you consider important.

Both: well, let’s talk about more pleasant things, like KISS. Not trivial kisses at lowercase characters, but the great and effective KISS principle: Keep It Short & Simple. That means: when you use a formal language, don’t overdo it. Give your Terms and Policy to a friend (hereinabove referred as “Third party”) and ask whether they are at least half-understandable (unless your friend is a qualified lawyer).

WHERE?

Where to place links to these pages? Most often Terms and Conditions’ and Privacy Policy’s links are situated on the bottom of the home page, yet some webmasters prefer them to figure on the site bar or even at the top.

Where to find more information considering legal acts? You can visit the SBA official website to underpin the legal ground for your copywriting building.

Now let me solemnly inform you that this article is protected by all existing laws, can’t be copied, and fits to the standards of professional copywriting. We guarantee the protection of your personal data, in case you want to leave a comment or to submit a feedback here.

Yes, that’s all about the difficult relations between the freelance writer and the client. Can they live in harmony? Actually does happy and long-term collaboration really exist?

The fact is that both parties may expect different things from their partnership. What does the client want? – To get the best quality at the lowest price, that’s all. As for the writers, the reasons they look for an engagement vary greatly.

Some of them ghost-write without any self promotion just to earn quick cash, others think long-term and aspire to build their reputation in the Web community to attract more readers to their blog/site, but there are also people who have neither skills nor intention to write, but are ordinary scammers, only very active in self-promotion. These guys surf freelancer forums and dupe potential clients by selling them some copy-pasted junk or even by disappearing, payment received, without saying good bye. That’s because of these “writing experts” many clients are so suspicious about online copywriters, urging them to pass all kinds of copyscapes, qualification tests etc.

All in all, how to tell a professional copywriter from a scammer and to get your order done timely and properly? Let’s explore the issue step by step

Step 1. You choose a pro.

The easiest way to find one is to use web search. It is more efficient as copywriters who have invested their time and money to build a website usually provide better-quality results and are more reliable. Look through their samples and testimonials, apply for a free quote, use live support to discuss the order – long story short, take advantage of all options the website provides.

You can also search online business related forums, like Digital Point, where dozens of writers post their offers daily. Learn more about writer’s experience and reputation by requesting a portfolio. Some writers have samples of their work on their sites or blogs; others may give you links to their previous projects. Each forum is a community, so you can also easily check the writer’s reputation by reading the feedback on his/her services.

Although there are enough pros among independent writers, copywriting agencies are more preferable, as they feature higher output and a wider range of niches to specialize in.

Step 2. You place an order.

Outline the task as precisely as you can. It would be very helpful if the quote request included the following:

– service you need (e.g. SEO writing, copywriting sales letter, blog entries writing etc);

– number of articles/posts and words per each of them;

– target audience description;

– further project details (like keywords to use, (brand) names to mention, desirable style of writing, format etc);

– timeframe (how soon you need it to be done);

– and supporting documents/link to the website where the copy will be published, if any.

Even if you discussed everything online, you’d better make up an invoice where all these points are clarified, and send it to the writer’s email. Many people don’t want to trouble themselves by concluding legal contracts, but sending an invoice is easy and always works as a kind of guarantee.

Apart from the technical aspect of placing your order, there are also some delicate issues that you shouldn’t avoid however. As a rule, the most sticking point is the uniqueness of content. How can you be sure it will be 100% original?

– Make it clear when placing your order, say explicitly, “unique SEO articles”. Do explain what you mean by “unique content”, for example: “I need custom researched copies written from scratch.”

– Notify the writer that you will check the content using plagiarism tools. Although some elite authors may take it as a grievous insult, this method makes sense while hiring a new writer with whom you have never dealt before.

– Ask to provide you with a list of sources the copywriter used for the copy.

– Keep away from going too far, as the freelancer may think you don’t trust him/her and just refuse to work with you. Your goal is not to sacrifice the credibility and good relations with your writer for some strict rule being obeyed, but to build them.

Another important consideration is to settle beforehand who will have the full rights for the copy, whether the copywriter wants to leave his/her signature or agrees to work as a ghost writer.

Step 3. You check the result.

Make sure you can contact the writer via instant messenger or phone. Use your email inbox for receiving materials, and choose more effective communication facilities to know how your project is moving forward.

You might also ask to send the work in batches, so that you can revise the first one and make remarks, if necessary.

A professional copywriter will usually allow up to 3 proofings without charging an extra fee for editing.

If you really liked the result, don’t be lazy – take time to leave a testimonial on the writer’s website, add a positive feedback to his/her forum profile or just send a thank-you letter; it will help you to build harmonious and confiding relations with your writer.

Do you agree that the above is enough to ensure you’ll be getting high-quality results? Please feel free to share your opinion and thoughts!

Image by Pink Sherbet Photography

Copywriting 911 has already written about plagiarism and how the infringer can be beaten using DMCA. However, not every webmaster who published duplicate content is a shameless scammer. Some of them don’t even suspect that the lovely and amazingly cheap article they bought is just a word-by-word snippet from Wiki. Long live freelancers! I bet most of you guys have faced this problem at least once. Considering online marketing, good content – is the one that is at least unique, so let’s look at the best-known duplicate content checkers on the Web.

1. Copyscape

What? That’s a recognized leader in the plagiarism checker niche. To use the free online version you have to upload the file – it will be easier if you use a blog platform to publish your text, check the text and then delete it. But keep in mind that Copyscape pings Google’s indexed and archived sites, so for your test pages this may be ineffective. Today free Copyscape search is limited to 10 requests per one IP address monthly (compared to 20 initially). Premium version costs $0.05 per search and requires either the text or the URL to be pasted.

+ Copyscape deals not so much with full sentences as with separate word combinations. Even if the clause was divided into several parts and some conjunctions were inserted to cover up the traces, Copyscape will detect it very fast.

– The tool isn’t as reliable as one may wish. Though it claims to track 2000 words at one time, we’ve found Copyscape to be fully effective only for 500 words or even less, otherwise the results may be inaccurate. Even if the screenshot proudly informs you the text is “copyscape passed”, that still doesn’t guarantee it is 100% unique on the Web (let alone offline sources which aren’t considered by Google-oriented Copyscape).

2. Article Checker

What? A well-known tool in the webmasters’ community. Using Article Checker you can track articles (just paste the text into the whitespace), documents (with .txt extension) and websites. The checker searches Google and Yahoo for matches, yet in Yahoo its results are more profound.

+ It’s free, simple and available online.

– Unfortunately, Article Checker can only track full sentences, so some results just aren’t displayed.

3. Plagiarism Checker

What? Actually I know at least two tools under this name. First let’s talk about the one on the domain plagiarismchecker[dot]com. This online tool operates with Google and Yahoo and implies a common “copy-paste” mechanism. The domain is basically meant for students and authors, containing helpful articles on plagiarism and related issues, however, it can be useful for webmasters as well.

+ It’s easy-to-use and free. In addition, the new Plagiarism Checker option allows to check web pages, which makes it compete with Article Checker.

– Unlike similar tools, Plagiarism Checker has rather strict word-count limits; thus, you can track not more than 32 words at one time. So it won’t be good in long text tracking, but still can be applied to random search.

4. The Plagiarism Checker

What? Another educational software designed by the University of Maryland, yet webmasters can also take advantage of it. Enter the text, click the “check” button – and get a rather accurate list of results with links to the original sources.

+ The Plagiarism Checker is freely available online and effective.

– Doesn’t highlight the duplicate sentences in the original copy, so it takes some time to find the matches.

5. Plagium

What? A standard duplicate content tracker.

+ Available 24/7 and free.

– The text should be less than 1000 characters, but not too short. The number of requests is limited as well.

6. DupeFree Pro

What? Actually this tool is about comparing two texts rather than finding matches on the Web. Nevertheless, it is able to make 5 random phrase searches per user at the three main search engines.

+ DupeFree Pro is helpful for SEO: it calculates keyword density and gives a list of related keywords. Free for download.

– Isn’t so effective for plagiarism tracking in the Internet as Copyscape or Article Checker.

Other tools. Of course, there is a plenty of other content trackers, many of which are free and available online. Just explore the Web – and, who knows, maybe you will find some masterpiece of plagiarism checking?

Any alternative?

You must have heard about random search, or using search engines as content checkers. It’s quite easy: all you have to do is to copy and paste a random sentence into, say, Google and click “search”. Although many authoritative authors and webmasters prefer this simple method to special plagiarism tools, random search still has its weak points. Just take into account the name itself – “random” – and you’ll better understand its drawbacks. What if the random sentence you googled wasn’t plagiarized, but the next one – which you decided to skip – is really duplicate? All in all, random search doesn’t give any guarantee, though it is truly simple and free.

Choosing reliable writers, as well as the right freelancer policy, minimizes your chances to pay for plagiarized content, yet let’s discuss it in the next entry.

Image by AMICHAELMURRAY

Show me a person who wasn’t fond of playing Lego as a kid. You could spend hours constructing tiny houses and gas stations. Life seemed so easy: you just took the multi-colored pieces and fixed them on the right place. Actually, the Lego concept is amazing itself: no suffering of creation, no broken ambitions – only the pure joy of simulation. 😉

And what does all that have to do with copywriting? Quite a lot, as today there exist sooo many tools helping to build copy quickly and easily – just as with a Lego set. Of course I don’t mean content generators or similar stuff – your construction shouldn’t be made of stolen bricks. Yet some sources can be rather useful when creating the article frame, making it more attractive, or just squeezing your creative juices.

For example, you are to describe the importance of advertising copywriting and to promote your services. As usual,

• you start with a catchy headline;
• then follow with a powerful lead;
• next you write some bullet points to make the copy better scannable;
• at last you end with a well-thought conclusion.

Well, how can you manage with all this using a copywriting Lego set?

• Try the Advertising Slogan Generator to create a striking headline. All you have to do is to type the name of your brand – or another appropriate keyword, – press the Sloganize button, and the magic machine will create dozens of slogans.

e.g. I entered “Copywriting 911” and here is what this tool offers me:

I Feel Like Copywriting 911 Tonight.
Happiness is Copywriting 911-shaped.
Copywriting 911 is Mightier than the Sword.
Don’t Get Mad, Get Copywriting 911.

Then you choose the best one and create a headline, like

Feel Like Copywriting 911 Tonight?
Psychologists Admit: Happiness is Copywriting 911-shaped.
Do You Know Why Copywriting 911 is Mightier than the Sword?
Tired of Empty Words? Don’t Get Mad, Get Copywriting 911.

• To write an effective lead you can start with a quote. No matter what you are writing about – just add an appropriate quote, and your content will look more persuasive for the readers. Many successful bloggers know about this effect and use it.

e.g. Instead of writing a long detailed paragraph about the ultimate importance of ads, you can have the lead done with a witty suitable quote, such as

Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does.

Steuart Henderson Britt

• If you mastered the previous tools, you can also apply them to the bullet points, converting your ideas into short and striking utterings. Whatever you choose, that’s the most difficult part of the whole copy building, as here more detailed information should be placed. Any tool won’t do it for you, but some of them can find the related words to enrich your copy.

• Finally, create an effective conclusion. Make it pithy and converting, using the Metaphor and Analogue tool.

e.g. On their website I found a good definition of advertising copywriting, compared with simple article writing:

A copywriter is like a bricklayer…. proficient at building word structures if directed properly.
An Advertising Expert, is like the architect ….. his experience, training and judgement coupled with understanding consumer motivation is essential to creating the plans the content creators follow.

So, the company’s promo copy can be ended by something like:

Writing an article is like laying bricks: one just needs to place words in the right places.
While to run an advertising campaign is like being an architect: one should have training, experience and judgment, as well as understand consumer’s motivation to create the plan for the “bricklayer” to follow. Our pros are both architects and bricklayers building your success in business!

Of course, that isn’t the only possible way to apply the copywriting Lego set – maybe you can do it better or find other helpful sources. Just try it, get inspiration and test your writing skills.

Image by udronotto

The one who cuts often
is a barber, a butcher, –
or a great writer.

Haiku

Have you ever wondered why most people would prefer a story to a multi-volumed novel? Why O’Henri is easier to read than Charles Dickens? And why on earth your brilliant content didn’t bomb as you’d expected it to?

You may think people on the Web ignore long posts because they are focused on making money rather than on reading. It’s a double error. First some topics require truly detailed descriptions. Secondly readers hate wasting their time not so much on long pages, but on boring ones.

The thing about brevity is that you keep only the most significant words, cutting out everything occasional and far-fetched. As a result, your copy becomes fast-paced, and your idea – quite clear. But that doesn’t mean you should simply cut every second word/sentence. As the above haiku says, a writer must know where and what to cut exactly. By the way, practicing this ancient Japanese style can be very useful, as it teaches to organize thinking.

All in all, if you’ve just realized your writing isn’t as excellent as it had seemed before, try these 4 steps to short writing.

1. “The present letter is a very long one, simply because I had no leisure to make it shorter.”

Blaise Pascal

First of all keep aside the idea that writing short phrases is easy. Just try – and you’ll see: it’s a drudgery (at least when you start).

Think through your topic and jot down a few sentences or word combinations that express your idea the best. Unless you write a press release or a newsletter, you don’t have to answer the notorious “5 W’s and How”, but make sure you gave the reader all the necessary details.

2. “It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.”

Robert Southey

Now it’s time to cut. Replace, when it is possible, lengthy expressions with simple ones and compound words with monosyllabic ones. Write short. But pithy. Don’t get upset if you can’t find the exact words at once – it will come with experience (provided you work hard, trying on dozens of words, and not just waiting for your inborn talent to show).

3. “The only problem
with Haiku is that you just
get started and then”

Roger McGough

… and then you find out that half a page is already written and you haven’t come to the point yet. Work on the overall text structure. Such parts of narrative as introduction, body and conclusion weren’t invented by cruel school teachers to make people’s life hell. Make sure your copy is well-structured and logical. Once again – cut all unnecessary words or even paragraphs. Don’t feel sorry for them – they only put a spoke in the wheel of your creativity.

4. “The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle.”

Author Unknown

Do practice. Once you’ve caught the basics of short and pithy writing, try your strength. You can perfect your skills by describing your thoughts and emotions in one-sentence stories, six-word sentences and haiku – a classic Japanese verse which includes only 17 syllables. Polish your style and become a brilliant writer.

They say, brevity is the soul of wit. And I’d add that wit is the heart of author’s income. Isn’t it good motivation for improving your writing style?

Do you believe in Santa? Perhaps you did in your childhood, but, as years passed by, you grew more skeptical about it. You may have seen your father stuffing your Christmas stockings with candies, or someone told you that was all just a fable. All in all, Santa’s existence may be disputable, but don’t get upset: I have something really nice to tell you. Though the times when you were awaiting Christmas with thrill of joy passed long ago, you have grown and become, say, a webmaster, you can still expect Santa to grant your wishes – and that is Santa 911!

Unlike the traditional white-bearded Santa in red suit, Santa 911 is young (but very professional already), creative and available 365 days a year. He wears a PR suit – deep green, like a Christmas tree, and his SEO hat is as white as snow. Santa 911′s favorite dish is sweet and appetizing content cookies from his baking team – little copywriting elves who are engaged in making presents to everyone’s taste. Santa 911 says his magic elves know copywriting cookery inside out, producing finger-licking SEO articles, tasty press releases, delicious advertising pages and some other pastry, rich in vitamins and keywords.

Many people from all over the world believe in Santa 911 and send him letters, knowing their wish will be granted at once, regardless of the season:

“Dear Santa, I need your help. For some reason my PR-tree faded. Not long ago it was as green as many other trees in Google garden, but after I had decorated it with multiple link beads and graphic ornaments, my Christmas tree lost its amazing deep color. Maybe you can send me some magic content dust to restore its original color and to make my web place sparkle?”

or:

“Oh Santa, I know you are almost all-powerful and can fulfill any wish. I’ve never asked you anything, ’cause I’m used to buying all I want by myself, but this time I really need your assistance. I’m running an online business and I’m gonna offer exciting Christmas discounts for my product. Please bring me a charming sales letter, with compelling content and irresistible P.S.’s wrapped in html and tied up with an eye-catching headline bow. You can put the gift in the Christmas stockings or just send it in an email attachment. Thanks in advance!”

Each time Santa 911 receives such letters he urges his smart elves to produce the best result they are able to get, and puts the harness on his faithful reindeer to deliver the order in time.

Next time you wonder whether Santa really exists, try contacting Santa 911 – and you’ll see where the fiction ends and the real high quality starts.

Special Holiday Offer: make an order during the Christmas holidays (until the 7th of January) and get a gift from Santa 911 and his magic copywriting elves!

Order a 1000+ word article and enjoy a

50% discount, if you are among the first three clients;
25% discount, if you are among the second three clients;
10% discount for the next 4 clients!