Every copywriter should know how to write a guarantee. It’s a powerful marketing tool.

A solid guarantee provides tangible proof that a business is reputable and helps lower the perceived risk prospects feel when considering the offer. It boosts response to nearly any sales message.

You can even use a guarantee in fundraising to assure that funds are used as promised. Don’t be afraid of a guarantee — ever. It will almost certainly create more profit than will be lost through the few people who take advantage of it.

Here are the basics of writing a guarantee

If there’s anything like a guarantee template, it’s this:

We provide the finest widgets in the world. If you are not fully satisfied, for any reason, just return your widget within 60 days for a full refund of your purchase price.

You can be more personal. Or stronger. Just keep it short and sweet and readable at a glance.

Include the elements of a solid guarantee. Your guarantee should assure the prospective buyer of the quality of the product, clearly spell out terms and conditions, and specify a generous time period for evaluation. It should also state clearly what the company will do should the customer be dissatisfied.

Make limitations clear. Sometimes you must have limits. You might have a time limit: “If you’re not satisfied return within 30 days for a full refund.” You might have usage conditions: “With normal use…” or “When used according to directions….” You might have a liability limit: “Liability limited to the replacement cost of this item.” You might want to specify repair or replacement rather than return: “If it doesn’t work as promised, we’ll repair or replace it free.”

Don’t use limits unless you must. But when you do, make the limit clear.

Make your guarantee legal. Never, ever use a guarantee that hasn’t passed muster in the legal department. Make sure you’re not promising something you don’t intend to. And make sure the guarantee will stand up in court if you have any customer complaints down the road.

Backup your guarantee fully. If you say it, mean it. And make sure everyone in the organization understands the guarantee, especially phone operators, complaint handlers, management, and anyone else who deals directly with customers.

Avoid legal-looking teeny type. No one wants to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous customers. And, yes, your guarantee is legally binding. However, a guarantee shouldn’t look like a legal document, or you’ll alienate honest customers. Never use asterisks. Never list lots of exceptions to the guarantee. And never use big blocks of teeny type.

If the legal beagles force you to do these things, follow the lead of most financial direct marketers and bury the type elsewhere in the package. (Just don’t hide anything your customers should know.)

Keep conditions to a minimum. Don’t beat up people with conditions. Treat people as if they’re honest and most of them will act that way.

Tips for getting the most from your guarantee

A guarantee should speak for itself, but there are some tricks of the trade to make a guarantee work harder.

Make the guarantee visible. It should be one of the key elements of your promotion. If it’s a direct mail package, it can appear in the letter (especially near the end), the brochure, the order form or order form stub (for the customer to keep), or featured as a stand-alone insert that looks valuable. If it’s a print ad, highlight it in a box. In broadcast, say it and show it on screen along with the main offer.

Use guarantee copy to sell. The whole point of the guarantee is to help stimulate a response, so whenever possible, I like to include sell copy in the guarantee. For example, I might add a line such as “Fill out the order form and mail it today. Try your gizmo for 60 days. If you’re not completely satisfied …” and so on.

Opt for unconditional guarantees. They’re stronger than conditional guarantees and easier to administer. However, if you have to use a conditional guarantee, a longer term is better — a 60 day free examination is better than 30 days, for example. (Often people don’t think that a month is long enough to avoid payment if they change their mind.)

Use strong language. Unconditionally Guaranteed. No-Risk Guarantee. 100 Percent Satisfaction Guarantee. No-Questions-Asked Guarantee. As long as it’s believable, the stronger your guarantee the better.

Go beyond money back. Try “Double Your Money Back” or “115% Credit” for another purchase. Or maybe “We won’t cash your check for 30 days” or “We’ll return your own check to you” to assure that the customer will never have money at risk. To really assure your prospect, put yourself on the line with a super powerful guarantee that appears to carry some risk for you.

Dramatize your guarantee. You don’t have to promise to run naked through Grand Central Station if your customer isn’t satisfied, but you can certainly make your guarantee dramatic in other ways. For example, “Clip this coupon and bring it to our store. If we can’t match the lowest price in town, we’ll pay for the gas you used to drive here.”

Make your guarantee look official. Certificate borders, certificate paper, watermarks, icons like eagles and flags, dollar values in the corners, and other touches can help your guarantee look official. You can even ask the designer to create a seal or stamp with your basic guarantee copy in it.

A little guarantee inspiration

Here’s a simple, elegant guarantee from L. L. Bean in their 1993 Christmas catalog:

Our products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way. Return anything purchased from us if it proves otherwise. We will replace it, refund your purchase price, or credit your credit card, as you wish. We do not want you to have anything from L. L. Bean that is not completely satisfactory.

Here’s a classic guarantee from the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog from 1902:

We accept your order and your money, guaranteeing the goods to reach you in due time and in perfect condition, and if they are not perfectly satisfactory to you when received, you can return them to us at our expense of freight or express charges both ways and we will immediately return your money.

Related posts:

1. How do you guarantee something that’s free?
2. 60 powerful offers proven to make sales
3. How to write a direct response TV commercial that sells

When I recently asked for guest post submissions, I had no idea what I’d get. Well, what I got was nothing short of amazing.

It appears that I have some incredibly smart readers with plenty of know-how to share.

So I’m delighted to introduce my very first guest blog post, written by Sally Bagshaw, a writer and editor extraordinaire from the land down under (Brisbane, Australia).

***

Corporate newsletters are an important tool to communicate with employees, clients, prospects, or suppliers. But like blogging, newsletters can become a victim of not enough time, not enough material to work from, or not enough inspiration.

What starts out as a regular, engaging and proactive tool slowly degrades into a half-baked email sent out once every blue moon. Subscribers slip away, employees disengage, and an important communication opportunity vanishes.

So what do you do? How do you come up with and write newsletter articles that are interesting?

Follow these seven simple steps and you’ll soon be back on track:

1. Know your audience

Even if it’s an internal newsletter for employees, don’t overlook the importance of understanding their problems, their motives and what they are interested in. If you are able to speak to them in their language, your internal communication efforts will become a whole lot easier.

2. Have a strong, newsworthy angle

Newsletters are meant to cover news. It’s that simple. And each article should have an angle that is reflected in the headline, lead and quote.

To make sure your angle is newsworthy, see if it covers one (or more) of the following news elements:

Timeliness — did it happen recently?

Proximity — did it happen close by to you or your readers?

Prominence — was someone important involved (a celebrity or a leader in your organisation)?

Consequence — did it have a big impact (this can also mean big in monetary terms)?

Human Interest — was it about someone who your audience would be interested in?

Novelty — was it quirky or out of the ordinary?

Progress — did it have to do with innovation or development?

If you can’t tick one of these elements off the list, re-visit your angle and tweak it.
Also have a think about the 5Ws and H (who, what, when, where, why and how) of your story. It will make it easier for you to write the article.

3. Write a killer headline

Headlines are just as important for newsletter articles as they are for media releases, direct mail, and blog posts. Keep your headline short, written in the active voice, and make sure it contains a strong verb.

If you get really stuck, try who > strong verb> what.

4. Follow it with a powerful lead

Your lead (the first paragraph) should cover as many of the 5Ws and H as possible. Write in the active voice and check to make sure you are staying true to your angle. The lead needs to hook your reader into reading the whole article, so don’t be afraid to put the most interesting information up front – don’t bury it further down the page.

5. Build your angle with a quote

A quote can add interest to your article and show the ‘human element’ in the story. Don’t waste your quote on trivial information such as times or dates. Instead use it to show opinion, observation and impact.

6. Use an image to create interest

People love pictures. Think outside the square and show off your employees, products, even premises in a different way – as long as it supports your angle.

7. Finish your article with a call to action

Like any marketing material, newsletter articles should have a call to action. Obviously you may not be calling for the reader to buy something, but don’t leave them hanging there with no direction on what to do next (after all, you’ve written such a motivating article, they are going to want to do something).

Think along the lines of:

• download the latest policy from the intranet
• register for training
• request the latest product brochure
• book a demonstration
• email the project coordinator
• complete the satisfaction survey
• … you get the idea.

So that’s it. You are now prepared for your next newsletter. Don’t be afraid, focus on your angle and the rest will fall into place.

Good luck!

Sally Bagshaw is a web copywriter and content strategist with a special knack for finding the best angle for newsletter articles. Visit her website at www.snappysentences.com.

Related posts:

1. How to write an advertorial to sell a product
2. Program your brain for writing success in 7 easy steps
3. Do you design your copy before you write it?

Every copywriter longs for the opportunity to write a TV commercial. But the type of commercial you’ll end up writing isn’t what you think it will be.

Unless you work at an ad agency or video production house, you’re not going to come anywhere close to writing a script for the next NIKE commercial.

You might get the opportunity to write a direct response or DRTV commercial. But you’re more likely to write spots for shoe stores, neighborhood banks, used car dealers, furniture outlets, fruit markets, and other local businesses.

Not too impressive, I know, but there’s a ton of small businesses who need these kind of TV spots. And someone has to write the scripts. Right?

It might as well be you.

Understanding Local TV Advertising

TV commercials are not like other media, such as print or websites.

A reader browsing a website has plenty of time to absorb information and can even reread copy that is interesting or informative.

However, TV commercials happen in real time. Most local spots run 30 seconds. That’s all the time you have to tell the viewer about whatever you’re selling. When it’s over, it’s over.

Of course, an advertiser will run commercials more than once, so viewers may be able to see your spot several times. However, the number of times it runs is out of your control. So you shouldn’t rely on repetition to get your message across. It should be clear and complete even if seen just once.

It’s also important to remember that the small businesses who run local TV ads don’t have a big budget. The owners usually operate brick-and-mortar stores and want to attract local customers. Your commercial can’t waste time on clever visuals or dialog. It must introduce the business quickly and give viewers a reason to go to the store.

The 30-Second TV Commercial Formula

There are many ways to structure a TV commercial, but for our purposes, let’s stick to the standard “voice over” spot. This means that an announcer reads about 30 seconds of copy accompanied by synchronized video. (Technically, a 30-second commercial is 28.5 seconds. You lose about one and a half seconds to fade the video up at the beginning and down at the end.)

So you will write a script consisting of two elements: the audio (announcer’s voice over) and the video.

Click to download a pdf of this template.

Most writers use a specially formatted TV script template for this, a page with the Audio on one side and the Video on the other. You can see the template I use here.

If there is anything like a formula for writing a local 30-second TV script, it’s this:

1. Say it.

2. Explain it.

3. Repeat it.

SAY IT.

With only 30 seconds to work with, you don’t have much time to build a mood or be clever. You must get to the point with the first sentence. Come right out and say what the spot is going to be about.

“Save 50 percent on all living room furniture at Finley’s Furniture!”

“Sun Bank offers you the lowest rate home equity loans in town.”

“Buy your dream car at Nolte Chevrolet for just one dollar down!”

The lead sentence in a commercial is like the headline in a print ad. It must get the viewer’s attention, select the appropriate audience for the message, and make the viewer want to know more.

Along with the announcer speaking this lead sentence, you will need to show a visual to go along with it. If the commercial is about saving 50 percent at Finley’s Furniture, you could show an attractive set of furniture with the words “Save 50%” on the screen.

Words on a TV screen are generally called “chyron” or “CG” for character generator. So when you write the announcer’s first sentence in the audio column, you will also write instructions for the video and CG in the Video column.

EXPLAIN IT.

After you SAY IT, you need to EXPLAIN IT. If your lead sentence is successful, you now have the attention of the viewer and must spend a few seconds sharing additional details.

If your lead sentence is “Save 50 percent on all living room furniture at Finley’s Furniture,” you could show various brand name pieces of furniture with audio that names each one.

Or to keep it simple, the audio may be nothing more than “Save 50% off traditional furniture. Save 50% off modern furniture. Save 50% off sectionals, tables, and lamps.” And so on.

REPEAT IT.

Finally, after you SAY IT and EXPLAIN IT, you should REPEAT IT. This sounds pretty simple, but a lot of writers forget this.

Remember that your audience is not necessarily a captive one. Attention spans are very, very short.

With remote controls and hundreds of channels to choose from, you can also expect many viewers to come into your spot late. They may be interested in what you’re talking about, but if you don’t repeat your “headline,” you run the risk of loosing a sale.

Often you just need to repeat the idea in the lead sentence and, since you’re probably urging people to show up at a store at a particular time, give the location and time. Like this: “Save 50 percent on every piece of living room furniture in the store. This weekend only at Finley’s Furniture. 123 Main Street in downtown Groveport.”

On the screen, you could show “Save 50%” plus the date and address, along with a picture of the outside of the store.

Quick Tip For Writing Local TV Commercials

Okay, I know a commercial like this isn’t very sophisticated. It doesn’t take a genius to write one.

That’s why the hardest part is resisting the urge to be creative. You have a job to do, usually to drive buyers to a store location. And more often than not, the more creative you try to be, the more likely your commercial will fail.

What you have to learn is how to build the words, images, and CG so they deliver a clear, complete message in just 30 seconds. So here’s my tip: Set up your DVR or video recorder to capture a few dozen local TV ads. Then watch them carefully and transcribe the audio and video images.

After doing this a few times, you’ll start to get a sense for how local TV commercials are put together. Eventually you’ll be able to write a script on your own. It may not be an award winner, but it will probably be good enough to get the job done.

Related posts:

1. How to write a direct response TV commercial that sells
2. How to write a radio ad that generates calls or traffic

Click picture to see advertorial sample.

If there’s any copywriting project that creates confusion for many of today’s new copywriters, it’s writing an advertorial.

Unlike most advertisements, the advertorial demands a different tone and a certain restraint in how copy is written. It must be less promotional and more “newsy.”

But let’s start at the beginning. What is an advertorial?

Here’s how Wikipedia defines advertorial …

An advertorial is an advertisement written in the form of an objective article, and presented in a printed publication—usually designed to look like a legitimate and independent news story. The term “advertorial” is a portmanteau of “advertisement” and “editorial.” Merriam-Webster dates the origin of the word to 1946.

In other words, an advertorial is an ad written to look and sound like editorial matter. With the typical advertisement, you want the ad to jump off the page. But with an advertorial, you want the ad to blend in, as if it’s just another article in the publication.

This may seem counterintuitive, but one of the reasons advertorials work is that people tend to tune out printed ad in the same way they have “banner blindness” online. Advertorials fly under the radar and can draw readers into the copy in the same way that articles do in a newspaper. People reading a publication are looking for things to read, not looking for ads.

Here’s a sample advertorial I wrote over 12 years ago. This is a short advertorial, but most of the basics are included.

• Attention grabbing headline.
• Newsy copy that uses an inverted pyramid writing style.
• Simple layout that looks like other articles in the same publication.
• One or more photos with a caption.

You’ll notice in this advertorial example, I’ve included a faux coup0n at the bottom to highlight the offer and call to action. This is not typical of advertorials, but then, I’m always breaking the rules when I have a good reason. In this case, I wanted to communicate with both readers and scanners and not rely entirely on the call to action at the end of the article.

It paid off, since this was a successful ad which help my client sell out in record time.

So why are advertorials a problem for many copywriters? I think it’s hard for many writers to switch from a promotional tone to a more newsy tone. And for young writers who are used to skimming rather than reading, and who get all their news online rather than in publications, the advertorial is a mysterious concept.

Now I realize that writing advertorials may seem like an old-fogey idea, but print isn’t dead yet. And more and more offline copywriting techniques are being used online. Just as the advertorial works in print, it will also work online.

So eventually, as a professional copywriter, you will be asked to write an advertorial. And you should understand how it works and how to write one.

Here are a bunch of other advertorial samples. The best way to learn about this special style of ad is to read a few.

Related posts:

1. How to write product descriptions that appeal to the senses
2. How to write a 30-second TV commercial script
3. Sell anything with this universal copywriting formula

Imagine a local school asks you to write a fundraising letter to raise money for a new library.

You sit down at your computer and start typing.

They laughed when I suggested a new library, but when the kids started to read …

Dear Parent,

It hit me like a bolt of lightning!

The kids at St. Mary’s Middle School don’t read. For years, no one could figure out why. But now, a new breakthrough scientific study has revealed the shocking answer. NO LIBRARY!

That’s right. How can kids read if they have no books?

I ran into the same situation at my former school and after years of hand-wringing, trying every reading program under the sun, we experimented with a simple, book-lined library. And it worked!

Instantly, kids started to check out books and read them. The results were astonishing. And now you can get the same breathtaking results at St. Mary’s. With no risk or obligation.

You’ll be amazed when kids start checking out books in a wild frenzy of curiosity. You’ll stare wide-eyed as their brains swell and explode with knowledge. They’ll go to college. Get degrees. Be elected President. Discover medical cures. Travel to the stars.

Others may ask for a donation of $500 or more, but I’m not going to ask for $500 or $350 or even $200. In fact, I won’t even ask for $100.

For the next 28 days, you can donate to the St. Mary’s Library, soon to be jam packed with big, thick, juicy books, for just $49.95!

Your satisfaction is GUARANTEED! If you’re not 100% satisfied with the new library, just ask for you money back within 30 days after the grand opening, and you’ll receive a full refund (less processing fee), no questions asked!

What do the kids at St. Mary’s have to say?

“Yeah, I guess I’d read a book. If we had any.” – Johnny S.

“I don’t want to grow up dumb. Other kids have a library. Why not us?” – Sally Q.

“What’s a book?” – Pete H.

Don’t delay! This is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a lasting legacy for the kids at St. Mary’s Middle School. Mail your check today!

Sincerely,
Sister Catherine

P.S. WAIT! If you donate within the next 28 days, you’ll receive the Orange Zester 3000, the amazing new kitchen tool used by all the top chefs in Brockton, PA. Donate TODAY!!!

Uh … yeah.

Writing a fundraising letter isn’t the same as writing a letter to sell widgets and slicer-dicers.

With most “selling” copy, your job is to encourage a transaction. But with fundraising, your job is to make a more subtle appeal for assistance.

How about you hit the delete key and try that letter one more time.

The children of St. Mary’s are asking for your help …

Dear Parent,

I have bad news.

Our recent fundraising event to build a school library fell short of our goal. And unless we can raise the last $50,000, we won’t get the matching funds available to us from the National School Alliance (NSA).

Sadly, that means no library. No books. And another year of giving our children an education that’s less than they deserve.

We need your help right away. Can you afford a gift of $50? We’ve written to 1000 of our best, most reliable supporters. And if each of you can spare just $50, we’ll reach our goal, get the funding we need, and build the library we’ve promised our young students.

We don’t like asking you for yet another donation, since you’ve been so generous already. But frankly, you’re our last resort.

As you know, St. Mary’s has a reputation for educational excellence and high student test scores. But in the last few years, we’ve fallen behind. This is due to our inability to afford a proper library with the modern tools and resources today’s students (and teachers) need.

Without your help, we face another year of going without.

Can you find it in your heart to give just $50? We need your help today. The deadline for getting the matching funds is just 4 weeks away.

Thank you for your years of generous support. It’s people like you who make our school, and our community, a shining example of what community spirit can accomplish.

Sincerely,
Sister Catherine

P.S. To show our appreciation for your gift, a memorial brick with your name will be placed at the entrance to the new library. This will remind our students of how you helped to build a path for their future.

This is only a quick example, much shorter and far less polished than you would actually write for a fundraising letter. But it shows the difference. The approach is softer. More emotional. More personal.

To sell, you tug at the wallet. To raise funds, you tug at the heart.

Related posts:

1. How to write the perfect sales letter
2. How to write a powerful, response-boosting guarantee

Let me start off by saying that I’m not a poofy, hand-holding, kumbaya kind of copywriting guy. I’m more of the roll-up your sleeves and get down to business kind of copywriting guy.

So I have a love / hate relationship with mission statements. Too often they’re an exercise in overinflated ego and empty rhetoric. (The photo is a tongue-in-cheek reference to “the vision thing” that leads some companies to write a fuzzy, self-indulgent mission statement.)

However, it is important for an organization to have a mission and that mission should be expressed in a well-written mission statement. It’s the corporate version of an elevator pitch.

Recently while writing a mission statement for one of my clients, I realized how hard it can be to express in just a few words the whole of an organization’s purpose for being. But in my usual, step-by-step approach to projects, I came up with a set of rules for how a mission statement should be written to make it useful.

It’s important to understand that a mission statement must guide and inspire. It’s a verbal road map that shows where an organization is and where it’s headed. It describes why an organization exists, what principles it adheres to, and what it strives to accomplish.

In other words, it defines the philosophy, mores, and goals of the organization. Generally, there’s a somewhat lofty tone that lifts the mission statement above the task-oriented language of most marketing. However, as I’ve already pointed out, this can easily spiral out of control and become empty rhetoric. So be careful.

Here are 4 tips for writing a good mission statement.

1. Keep it short. It should be about a paragraph. Long enough to say something, but short enough so that you can remember most of it.

Here’s an example of a mission statement from H&R Block that’s way too long:

To help our clients achieve their financial objectives by serving as their tax and financial partner. As the world’s largest tax services company, H & R Block has one-to-one relationships with millions of clients, helping them benefit from all of the deductions and credits available to them and build a better financial future. It is the only major company that offers a full range of software, online and in-office tax solutions, combined with financial information and suggestions that enable clients to consider how they could achieve their financial objectives. This advice — the H &R Block Advantage — includes suggestions about retirement savings, home ownership, saving for their children’s college education, eligibility for government programs and other alternatives. When clients request in-depth financial plans and investment advice, their H &R Block tax professional refers them to H & R Block Financial Advisors Inc., which can assist them with a detailed investment plan and investment services. H &R Block Financial Advisors, member NYSE, SIPC, employs more than 1,000 financial advisors serving clients in more than 150 offices in the U.S. H & R Block Inc. is not a registered broker-dealer. Clients who request information about home mortgages are referred to H &R Block Mortgage Corp., which offers a full range of retail mortgage products. Our research shows that our H &R Block Advantage advice package along with related financial services increased client satisfaction with H & R Block’s tax services. H & R Block has long been a trusted tax partner to millions of taxpayers. Now we are enhancing the value of our tax services by helping clients as their tax and financial partner.

Wow. Did you go to sleep while reading that? I did. I’m not sure this is even a mission statement. It’s more like an “about us” web page or bad brochure copy.

Here’s an example from a nonprofit called Food Gatherers that’s short and to-the-point:

Food Gatherers exists to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes in our community by: reducing food waste through the rescue and distribution of perishable and non-perishable food, coordinating with other hunger relief providers, educating the public about hunger, and developing new food resources.

2. Stay focused. A mission statement should not be a comprehensive business plan. It should briefly outline philosophy, mores, and goals and nothing else. These are guiding principles. The H&R Block example above is an example of a mission statement that strays too far beyond principles.

Here’s an example of a focused mission statement from CFCU Credit Union:

To provide the highest level of personal financial services in a friendly, professional manner; to encourage thrift, savings and the wise use of credit; to increase the knowledge and ability of our members to manage and control their financial well-being; to provide sound financial management in order to maintain earnings for our continued growth and to provide our employees with a challenging and rewarding career.

3. Be specific. A mission statement should be descriptive and actionable. Customers or clients should understand what the organization is saying. And employees should understand what they’re supposed to do.

Here’s a laughably unspecific example from Ninety Nine Restaurant:

A Passion to Serve.

I have no idea what that means. Maybe it’s a joke, because restaurants “serve.” Maybe whoever wrote it was just lazy. Either way, it’s vague and useless.

Here’s a much more specific example from Brannigans:

To ensure that each guest receives prompt, professional, friendly and courteous service. To maintain a clean, comfortable and well maintained premises for our guests and staff. To provide at a fair price – nutritional, well-prepared meals – using only quality ingredients. To ensure that all guests and staff are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. To thank each guest for the opportunity to serve them. By maintaining these objectives we shall be assured of a fair profit that will allow us to contribute to the community we serve.

4. Make it inspirational. This is the emotional element you need to infuse into your mission statement copy. If you write something short, focused, and specific, you have already out-written 90 percent of other mission statements. But if you can also make it inspirational, you’ll put it over the top.

Here’s an example from Denny’s Restaurant that really falls flat:

Our Mission at Denny’s is to establish beneficial business relationships with diverse suppliers who share our commitment to customer service, quality and competitive pricing.

Doesn’t exactly make you gung-ho about eating there or doing business with them.

Here’s a more inspirational example from CARE:

Our mission is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and experience, we promote innovative solutions and are advocates for global responsibility. We facilitate lasting change by:

• Strengthening capacity for self-help
• Providing economic opportunity
• Delivering relief in emergencies
• Influencing policy decisions at all levels
• Addressing discrimination in all its forms

Guided by the aspirations of local communities, we pursue our mission with both excellence and compassion because the people whom we serve deserve nothing less.

This mission statement runs on all cylinders. It’s short, focused, specific, and inspiration. Notice that it even uses bullet points to drive home the actionable language.

Like a lot of copywriting, writing mission statements isn’t just about how you write, but what you write. If done properly, it can be a fairly involved project. But the payoff for the organization you’re writing for is a single, simple statement that lays the groundwork for future branding, marketing, and communication.

For more examples of mission statements, good and bad, take a look at MissionStatements.com.

No related posts.

The hot copywriting projects today are sales pages, email messages, auto responders, blogs, and all manner of online marketing.

But the good old-fashioned sales letter still works and its techniques are required for many online and offline marketing messages.

I fear that thousands of young copywriters now growing up in the Internet age are trying to learn how to write copy without ever learning how to write a sales letter.

Smart copywriters know better, of course. Trying to write copy without knowing how to write a sales letter is like trying to bake a cake without knowing how to turn on the oven.

Every sales letter is a little different, depending on the offer and the audience, but here are the basics for writing a perfect sales letter.

• Consider using a headline or Johnson Box. Not every letter will have these elements, but they are ideal for telegraphing your offer or a clear benefit statement. Just remember that they make your letter look less personal and more like advertising. Just in case, you can find the definition of “Johnson Box” here.

• Use an appropriate salutation. Personalization is best when you can do it. Otherwise, use a salutation that connects with the reader as closely as possible. “Dear Friend” is safe but general. “Dear Cat Lover” is more targeted and specific. If you’re mailing to a business audience, use the occupational or professional title.

• Make your first sentence short and attention-grabbing. You must instantly involve the reader. Make a startling statement. Tell an interesting story. Hit an emotional hot button. Or just state the offer and get to the point. This last approach is often the best tactic and offers the least room for error. Subsequent sentences will expand on this first sentence to pull the reader into the body copy.

• Present your offer on page one. If you don’t give your offer in the headline or first sentence, you should put it somewhere on page one. Be clear and specific about what your reader will get by responding.

• End the first page in mid-sentence. Whether it’s curiosity or an urge for “closure,” cutting a sentence in two at the bottom of a page helps encourage the reader to flip the page and finish the sentence — and, you hope, keep reading. You can also use this technique on successive pages where the reader must turn a page over or go to a separate sheet.

• Keep your copy on-track. You’re not writing a novel, but your main idea should be a thread that weaves through the whole letter. At minimum, present your theme on page one and end on a similar note on the last page.

• Make the body of the letter work hard. If you’ve grabbed your reader’s attention and generated interest in your offer, follow immediately with benefits, details, word pictures, testimonials, and proofs to eliminate doubt.

• Call for action. Quickly restate the main points of your offer and ask for the response you want — clearly and directly. Restate information on involvement devices, motivators, incentives, etc. Restate the big benefit.

• Make response easy and clear. How should the reader respond? Give your toll-free number. Explain the ordering process one-two-three.

• Guarantee your offer. Assure the reader that there is no risk. State your guarantee in strong terms. This should directly follow your call to action.

• Stress urgency. Why should the reader respond now? Is it a limited-time offer? Are supplies limited? Are prices going up soon? Give a logical, sensible, honest reason why this is the best time to respond. And be clear about what will happen if the reader does not respond — the lost opportunity, the consequences.

• End the letter when you’re finished. Just as you shouldn’t have a long wind up at the beginning of a letter, you shouldn’t prattle on at the end. End a letter as bluntly as you began it. Often this is a quick restatement of your instructions for responding or a simple “thank you.”

• Have the right person sign your letter. Your letter should be signed by the highest authority person available or by someone relevant to the reader. Ideally, the signature should be in blue ink. (Hint: Consider how the signature looks. Does it suggest confidence and believability, or is it shaky and uncertain?)

• Use your P.S. effectively. The postscript is one of the most-read parts of a letter. It should present an important message, a prime benefit, a restatement of the offer, a reminder of the deadline, a sweetener, or whatever you feel is most effective in this prime spot. Some call the P.S. a headline at the end of the letter. Ideally, it should be short, one to three lines long.

Click on the photo at the beginning of this article to see one of my sales letters. I’ve chosen this sample specifically because it’s from many years ago and represents an “old-fashioned” sales letter incorporating all of the tips above.

Note that, like any good copywriter, I bend the rules a little. My headline doesn’t present benefits, but a teaser. And the P.S. is long, presenting testimonials and two followup postscripts.

Related posts:

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2. 30 sales letter openers to kick start your sales pitch
3. How to write a fundraising letter for Sister Catherine

Unless you specialize in television advertising, you’re not too likely to get a copywriting assignment to write a TV commercial.

But you never know.

I have a background in TV and radio, so I occasionally write for these advertising media, but not as often as I would like. However, when the opportunity arises, I need to know how to handle it. And you do too.

First, watch this classic TV commercial for Ginsu Knives and pay attention to how it is structured. This is the granddaddy of all modern direct response TV (or DRTV) ads. Even though it looks dated, today’s commercials work pretty much the same.

Soda Breaks and Channel Zapping

Judging by the vastly overproduced TV commercials coming out of most ad agencies, you would think people are glued to their TV, attentively absorbing every word. Analyzing and deconstructing every image.

Not quite.

The only people focused on TV commercials are the people producing them. When average Americans watch TV, they’re tuned in to see a specific program, not the commercials, with the possible exception of the Super Bowl.

During commercial breaks, people run to the kitchen for a soda or zap around 150 channels to see what else is on. And what about the distractions? The phone ringing. The dog barking. The kids screaming. Some people just turn on TV to keep them company as they read, eat dinner, or visit friends on Facebook.

In other words, viewers (potential customers) are watching TV, they just aren’t 100% focused on it. And that’s the key. Because viewers are not focused, you have to be. You must present an attention-getting, clear, direct selling message.

This begins by focusing on your goal. Unlike many other TV commercials, in a direct response TV ad you are not creating an image or building a brand, you are generating an action.

There are four main actions for a DRTV spot:

1. Get an order.
2. Generate an inquiry.
3. Produce store traffic.
4. Support a campaign in another medium.

Before you write a single word, decide what you want viewers to do and focus the entire script on provoking that action. If you have other objectives, create other messages to accomplish them.

The Formula for a DRTV Commercial That Sells

There really is no such thing as a universal formula for a DRTV spot. You might be selling exercise equipment, generating inquiries for financial services, soliciting sponsors for poor children, or any of a dozen other things. Each will have unique requirements.

However, since most spots are pushing a product, I’ll keep this simple and give you one “formula” for generating orders.

1. Get your viewer’s attention. Remember, people are engaged in all sorts of activities besides watching TV. And even if they’re watching, they might not really be paying attention. So you have to break through the fog and grab your viewer.

Research shows that viewer interest rises or falls dramatically during the first 5 seconds. To quote Kenneth Roman and Jane Maas in How to Advertise, “Commercial attention does not build. Your audience can only become less interested, never more. The level you reach in the first 5 seconds is the highest you will get, so don’t save your punches.”

2. Present a problem. Your time is severely limited in any TV commercial. Even a 2-minute spot goes by fast, so you can’t dawdle. The best way to get attention is to dive right in and present a problem your viewer can identify with. Show the problem or demonstrate the old way of doing something. Universally-experienced problems are best, the more common and troublesome the better.

3. Solve the problem. Once you have presented the problem, show how your product is the solution. This should be a simple, immediate demonstration. Show before and after. Show results. Show benefits. Think visually and dramatize everything.

4. Make an offer. Give the price, clear ordering instructions, terms, and a call to action. Add extra incentives, such as premiums, a lower price, related items, add-ons, or anything else to increase the value of the offer.

Since you probably want a phone order, push your toll-free number hard. Show it. Say it. And since people may want to write it down, you have to say it often enough to embed it in their memory or give them time to find a pencil and paper or dial the number.

If you’re driving traffic to a store or a website, specify the location or Web address you want people to go to.

5. Guarantee your offer. A guarantee is essential to lower the doubts of your viewer. There is always the thought “What if this doesn’t work? What if I don’t like it? What if there’s a problem?” An unconditional, money-back guarantee removes these doubts at the moment of decision.

6. Add an urgent call to action. You want response now, not later. When people put off action until later, they tend not to act at all. Most direct response offers on TV work because of impulse, and that impulse may vanish quickly.

The entire gist of your message should be “Buy now or you will lose this opportunity.” This can take the form of time or quantity limits, rewards for fast response, or directive language that urges the viewer to “Call now” and “Hurry.”

Some of these tips may seem elementary, but you’d be surprised how often novice copywriters torpedo a TV commercial script because they don’t focus on such basics.

Now go back and watch the Ginsu Knives commercial again and see how it uses the formula I’ve just outlined. Things haven’t changed much over the years, have they?

Note: The phone number call to action is missing at the end of this commercial. If it were running on TV today, a unique number would appear, along with ordering details, and the announcer would encourage the viewer to call immediately.

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Related posts:

1. How to write a 30-second TV commercial script
2. How to write a postcard for maximum response
3. How to write a powerful, response-boosting guarantee

In today’s down economy, more and more businesses are turning to postcards to advertise their products and services.

Postcards are cheap, versatile, effective, and easy to produce. Plus, you can get them in the mail fast and get results in just days.

The postcard shown here is an example. Click it to see both front and back as a pdf. This is a postcard I created for one of my clients a couple years ago to generate leads for a product. And it’s a prime example of how to make a postcard work.

Some copywriters have trouble with postcards because they don’t understand the format. Is it an ad you mail? Is it a small self-mailer? Is it like a billboard? Or is it merely support for other campaigns?

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Use a postcard to drive “traffic.” With few exceptions, postcards are not a good format for direct sales. Their true power is in getting attention quickly and driving people to take a second step immediately.

For example, you can drive people to a website, drive them to a retail store, or drive them to request information. In marketing lingo, we’re talking about the “two-step” sales process.

2. Focus on one big idea per card. Just one. Not two or three. ONE. If you have more than one idea, create more than one card.

For example, a client of mine wanted to cheaply generate leads from a targeted audience. However, we didn’t know which of several benefits would be the most compelling. So instead of cramming a laundry list into one card, we created a series of cards with one benefit each. This helped maintain focus in each card, from the headline to the call to action.

3. Get attention with a bold headline. Sure, you should have a picture on the front too. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that a picture is worth a thousand words. It’s not. Only words drive action.

And since a postcard must communicate a powerful message quickly, you must have a powerful headline to do the job. All the usual headline rules apply, including selecting your audience and conveying a benefit.

4. Make a simple, compelling offer. Again, your goal is to drive people to take the next step. So your offer should be related to that. In other words, if you’re selling the world’s greatest widget, don’t present an offer for the widget on your postcard. Rather, your offer could simply be for more information about the widget.

This can take the form of a demonstration, sample, brochure, or some other free item. That and that alone is your offer on the postcard. Don’t get ahead of yourself and try to close the sale right away.

5. Provide a clear call to action. If you’ve gotten attention with a headline and made a “next step” offer, you must issue a call to action that is direct and unambiguous. “Go to www.PensRUs.com and ask for your customized sample pack today!” Notice that the call to action tells your prospect what to do and how to do it.

6. Load up on information. Yes, a postcard should be quick and direct. Yes, you should focus on one main point. But that doesn’t mean you have to be spartan with your copy.

Don’t believe people when they say a postcard can’t use long copy. Long or “longish” copy works great even on a small postcard. However, given the next-step nature of the offer, all the information should be about what the prospect will get when he or she takes the next step, not necessarily about the product or service itself.

If you’re offering an information kit, list all the things in the kit and talk about what the prospect will discover, but without revealing too much. Tease, don’t tell.

7. Think direct mail “package” not “postcard.” That’s right, package. When I create a postcard, I’m really creating a mini-direct mail package, complete with letter, brochure, and reply. Why? Because what makes a direct mail package work is the same thing that makes a postcard work. At least it’s what makes my postcards work.

The “letter” is a short, personalized message on the address side of the card, complete with salutation and signature. The “brochure” is the information on the front of the card. And the “reply” is simply the call to action for a phone call, website visit, or trip to a local store.

8. Use a “jumbo” postcard when possible. The typical postcard is about 4″x6″. However, jumbo cards can be up to 6″x9″ or larger. You don’t get low postcard rates, but response is generally higher for two reasons. 1) The card is bigger and stands out in the mail. 2) You have more room for information.

Remember, a postcard (at least the sort of direct response postcard I’m talking about here) is not a billboard or a print ad. And it’s not a piece of slick corporate advertising. It’s a kick in the seat of the pants or a sharp punch between the shoulder blades to get people to take just one, teeny little step forward.

The real sales pitch will happen at that next step: a detailed Web landing page, a salesperson in the retail store, or followup information.

Note: You CAN use a postcard to make direct sales IF you are mailing to current customers or if you are offering something that is cheap and familiar.

Related posts:

1. How to write a powerful, response-boosting guarantee
2. How to write a direct response TV commercial that sells
3. 3 “must-have” elements of direct response copywriting

As a copywriter, you may not often get the chance to write radio ads. Usually, the client or the radio production house will write the script.

But occasionally, someone will ask, “Oh, by the way. Can you write radio ad copy?” Naturally, you’ll want to say “Yes.”

In the back of your mind you’ll wonder if you can do it. It seems simple enough. But if all you’ve ever written is print ads, radio advertising will feel like foreign territory.

So let’s talk about radio ads and how to write a basic radio script. We’ll listen to one of my own completed radio ads as an example.

Keep in mind that there are different ways to write a radio ad. I’m presenting just one basic way with a high probability of success.

11 tips for writing a radio ad script

Click here to listen to a sample radio ad. I wrote this for an advertiser selling computers to those with bad credit.

Here are my thoughts on this and similar radio ad scripts:

Write for 60 seconds. Radio ads are generally 30 or 60 seconds. 30-second ads have better “clearance,” meaning they’re easier to schedule because they’re shorter. They’re also cheaper. But 30 seconds usually isn’t long enough to deliver a selling message. If you expect to generate immediate response, you’re going to need 60 seconds minimum.

The sample radio ad breaks down roughly like this: 9 seconds for the “headline” or intro copy, 22 seconds for detailed information, 16 seconds for the offer, and 12 seconds for the call to action. Just the offer and call to action would fill up a 30-second spot.

Use a simple announcer format. Yes, you hear all sorts of funny, entertaining radio ads. But those aren’t the kind of ads that will generate an immediate, measurable response, which is what smart advertisers will want.

Remember, people are working, driving, cleaning the house, and doing all sorts of things in less than ideal listening conditions. The most successful ads tend to be simple.

Most of the ads I write are nothing more than an announcer talking directly to listeners. This has the added advantage of being more personal and less expensive than spots filled with funny actors and dramatic sound effects.

Identify and solve a problem. In the sample radio ad, the listener’s problem is wanting a computer but not having the money or credit to get one. The solution is getting a new computer for a low price and without a credit check.

Not all radio ads are problem-solution. If you’re writing an ad for a retail store sale, for example, you simply have to announce the sale. But problem-solution works well because it directly addresses the needs of your audience.

Make a dramatic promise. This strengthens your solution and makes it more appealing. Listen again to the sample radio ad:

A brand new computer for less than six dollars a day? Yes! Now you can have a brand new computer for less than six dollars a day!

No credit check. No interest. No hidden fees.

The cost works out to about $180 a month, but it’s presented in a dramatic fashion as less than “six dollars a day.” If you’re in a credit crunch, this presents an appealing option for getting a computer.

List the benefits. While the benefits of a product or service may seem obvious, you should mention them anyway. This is true for all advertising, but especially true of radio advertising where your audience is preoccupied and needs a mental nudge.

In our sample ad, the announcer lists the many benefits of computer ownership:

A computer lets you connect to the internet, stay in touch with friends, share photos, listen to music, watch movies, search for jobs, finish your degree, work from home, help your kids in school, and more.

Guarantee satisfaction. Just as a promise strengthens your solution, a guarantee strengthens your promise. The more specific your guarantee, the better. In this case, you just have to call and you are guaranteed to qualify for a computer for less than six dollars a day without the hassle of a credit check:

All you need is a checking account and a home phone and we guarantee you’ll qualify for a brand new computer for less than six dollars a day. We’ll never check your credit.

Build the offer and emphasize a time limit. This creates more excitement and urgency. As we continue with our sample radio ad, the announcer says:

But wait! Call in the next 30 minutes and you’ll also get … a flat screen color monitor, supercharged internet service for one year, a digital camera, tons of software, a digital music player, 100 music downloads, a printer, copier, and scanner.

Present a clear call to action. There can be no subtlety about this. If you want a call, ask for it. If you want people to go to a store, tell them. If you want web visits, say it directly.

In the sample radio ad, the answer presents the call to action like this:

It’s all yours … guaranteed … for less than six dollars a day. Call today to get your brand new computer. Call 866-431-0502. That’s 866-431-0502. 866-431-0502.

Note that the number is repeated 3 times to help people remember it long enough to dial it.

Try a vanity phone number or web address. A special number such as 1-800-ABCDEFG (for a reading program) or web address such as zerotax.com (for a brochure on lowering your taxes) is easier to remember. However, while a vanity website URL is always good, a vanity phone number may hurt response.

I discussed this with a client recently who has tested vanity phone numbers against ordinary toll-free numbers and says ordinary numbers work better. It could be that vanity numbers are easy to remember, but hard to dial. Or it may be that if a number seems easy to remember, there’s a temptation to put off dialing until later … and later never comes.

Offer something free. In the sample we’ve used here, the ad is selling a product directly. You call and place an order. But in many (perhaps most) radio ads, the goal is to offer something free to generate sales leads or to offer a free or risk-free trial.

These soft offers work well in radio because, unlike TV or print ads, you can’t see what you’re buying and the selling time is incredibly short. Plus, you can’t go back and review the ad. The majority of radio ads I write include a risk-free offer such as “Try it risk-free for 30 days.” Risk-free means you pay for the product, but you can change your mind at any time during the trial period and get your money back.

Use humor carefully. From a selling standpoint, humor is hit-or-miss. And you always run the risk of upstaging the selling message. You can be lighthearted and friendly, of course, but you’ll usually get a better response with a simple, straightforward delivery.

Related posts:

1. Why vanity phone numbers can kill your ad copy
2. How to write a 30-second TV commercial script
3. How to write a direct response TV commercial that sells