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7 Tips for Creating Effective Direct Response Copy

October 10, 2012 | Ingrid Cliff

Direct response copy is a powerful and effective way to win business and create loyal clients. But how do you create it?

Here are seven tips to help you create compelling direct response copy.

1. Keep it personal – Include the person’s name throughout the copy. If you don’t know the person’s first name, either find out or go for a title that identifies them: Dear Fellow Wine Enthusiast.
2. Casual is good – Direct response copy is not the time to be formal with your writing. Keep it chatty and direct, just like the letters you used to get from your friends. And spend more time talking about the person reading the letter and their problems, rather than yourself.
3.  Lose the jargon – You may know what your jargon means, but stay on the side of caution and cut the jargon out of your copy.
4.  Tell a story – Stories are some of the most powerful psychological triggers known. Think back to stories read to you when you were a child; where you listened to in breathless anticipation. What stories can you include about your service or product?
5. Prove it – You need to include proof about your goods and services to convince people to buy. Include testimonials, awards or other information to prove your claims. If you tell people you are great, it is not as powerful as “Mrs Mary Jones of Blackwood St, Mitchelton” saying you are great. And include loads of testimonials – pages of them are better than one or two lonely ones.
6. Don’t waffle – Ensure there is a point to your copy and you get to it!
7. Call to action – Make sure people know exactly what to do after reading your copy. Spell out the precise steps they need to follow to buy or order.

If you are not confident in your letter writing ability, then have a copywriter look over your letter and refine it for you before it is finalised.