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The Game of Words - Copywriting, and the "If's" and "But's"

The confession of the crime...

Remember those pop-up advertisements which make you click on them as if mesmerized or scream out loud even while trying to hush your baby to sleep? Sure you do! What haven't they coaxed you into buying? That Tanning oil (which made you look like a jaundiced tomato after an hour in the sun), that glorious shimmery lip-gloss (which you realized was kinda too teenybopper for your age). Those oodles and oodles of fancy bra's and slinky dresses at the annual Victoria's Closet's online sale or those bizarrely expensive memberships at those dieting sites ...Each time you have clicked you have been convinced of turning into a breathtaking beauty but unfortunately the transformation on each occasion have been purely monetary.

Ever considered what makes these advertisements quite so persuasive? No it isn't the flashy animation, it isn't the glossy snaps they come accompanied with, in fact it is, quite simply, the words that constitute it. Don't believe me? Well here is a test, remember how you perk up your eyes and ears at the sound or sight of the word FREE or SALE? How many times has the phrase BUY 2 GET 1 FREE made you click like crazy and buy clothes you can't possibly have any use for? Well don't feel guilty, you aren't quite alone on this one; thousands of people all over the world get persuaded by innocently blinking Internet ads every single day.

Which is quite all right by me, because this is what advertisements are supposed to do, sell things. People spend hundreds and thousands of dollars each year on merely letting people know about their brand through online advertisements. It is advertisements that can make or break your product, irrespective of how good or bad it inherently is. If you have to sell your item you have to make yourself visible in the market. And what better way to make yourself seen in the market than putting yourself on the Internet? Where can one possible find a bigger market AND more buyers than on the net itself?

Identifying the criminal in you

But being merely visible won't do, you shall also have to be presentable, occasionally sassy, sometimes naughty, often sexy, brash, provocative etc. etc. depending on who and what you are publicizing. Most of us tend to think that a great Internet ad is all about great graphics, smart animation, occasionally some upbeat music and of course the right placement, but that's far from the truth. A good advertisement (be it online or offline) is all about the RIGHT WORDS, and the crafter of these words, these magic incentives for buyers is who we call the Copywriter.

The Copywriters job is quite linear and consists of two basic duties;

1. Writing Copy and

2. Cajoling customers into buying goods with the help of the Copy.

All quite simple really.

Now, I know what you are thinking. You are perhaps twiddling your thumbs, eagerly looking around to escape to the next page and wincing under how complicated it all sounds. But wait! There is a moral of the story and we are getting to it.

Quite contrary to what it perhaps sounds like Copywriting is actually quite an easy job for the right candidate. See, not all of us are born with a gift of the gab. But some of us are. Now don't go about thinking that you need to be a Booker prize winner to be an A class copywriter. It isn't the manicured proficiency with words that we are talking about here. Being a copywriter doesn't require you to be a class topper or the next Shakespeare, it just needs you to be plain quick with words. Of course a sharp wit always proves handy but isn't, technically speaking, a prerequisite.

In fact it's difficult to jot down exactly what it takes to write good copy. Some people in the business would tell you that it takes talent but I'd say that it takes some good, red-blooded American street smartness. It takes the guts to imagine how anything and everything, from a safety pin to a cruise line, can be sold to a customer. And it takes the grit to push yourself to achieve more than you thought yourself capable of.

Of course even all that will not ensure your success in the field. But it will allow you an edge over your competitors. And as you will soon learn, in the advertising world earning an edge over competition is almost the same as winning the game altogether.

Tips and tricks: how to move ahead

Every profession in the world has a few techniques and strategies, which need to be applied in order to be a success in the field. These techniques are the zealously guarded secrets that the field professionals refer to as 'trade secrets'. Despite how public and popular the advertising industry appears to be, it guards its secrets well.

A thousand different people enter the advertisement industry every year. Hundreds of them are hopeful of making it big as copywriters. But while the figures are astronomical, and hope runs abundant it is really only the best of the lot who make it to the top spots.

What sets these folks apart from the rest of the gang? Nothing, if truth be told, except perhaps their sound knowledge about what works and what doesn't.

As a copywriter you will be expected to think like your target audience. So if you have been crediting yourself for being 'different' then get a new tagline! Identification is a big plus point in the market.

Imagine what you would want if you were your customer. Like you your buyers too will hanker for certain things. Remember, unlike offline advertisements online ads have a wider audience, people of all ages, caste, creed and color will be viewing your ads at the same time. But despite their differences they will have something in common, all of them will be grabbed by certain pleasant words such as FREE or NEW. Tickle them blue with the various benefits your product will offer them. Bombard their senses with the various advantages your item will be presenting them with. But do so with panache and keep it all very simple.

Every advertisement hinges on the 4 basic effects it should, preferably, be producing in a potential customer.

1. First effect: ATTENTION - make it snazzy, make it hip, make it sexy, saucy, witty or whatever the hell it is that you want. Only make sure that it catches the eye. Online ads tend to be pushed into other websites, so remember your ads are not what the visitors will be looking for. If they miss you they will never know your product, or even if they do see you unless you're catchy enough they will ignore you altogether. You have only a few seconds to grab their attention and make them click on your banner.

2. Second Effect: INTEREST - let your very first sentence be magnetic enough to capture your customer's attention completely. If you don't manage to hook them right within the first 10 seconds you will never get them back.

3. Third Effect: DESIRE- Now, tell them why they ought to buy your item, tell them how it will gel in with who and what they are...tell them how it will look good with their new pair of jeans....coax them into getting downright greedy.

4. Fourth Effect: ACTION- Give them a reason to buy from you, make them click on your banner like their life depended on it, let them hanker for your item and let them empty their very last piggy bank for it.

So, the next time you write an ad copy for your product, do keep in the above pointers in mind.

Dogs – Their Importance In Our Lives

If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, dogs are man’s best friend. However, man here implies the entire human race and we can understand the truth behind this statement by looking through the pages of history. Man’s relationship with his faithful canine friend dates back to almost fourteen thousand years. It was in the ages of the cave man when we decided to befriend an animal and to keep it as a pet. Looking back, many dog lovers will say that domesticating the dog was something as important and as essential to the development of the human race as the discovery of fire or the invention of wheel.  

Dogs are adorable creatures who have helped us in numerous ways. And come to think of it, whenever we think of friendship and loyalty, the first thing that comes to our mind is the friendship of a dog. When man traversed into the great endless realms of the outer space, man took a dog with him. Be it a tragedy like the crumbling of the World Trade Center or just an outing with your family in the park, there is no company better than a dog’s. All of us have heard stories of dogs helping human beings when they are in dire straits. I was recently watching a program that honored a golden retriever who had given exceptional service during the aftermath of the world trade center disaster. These are just isolated incidents in the gamut of incidents which tell us stories of dogs’ faithfulness. 

Most of us have owned dogs at a certain period of time. And those who have never had the experience of having a dedicated canine friend, this writer will strongly advice you to get a dog for yourself. Trust me; it is like finding a buddy for life. The breed of the dog that you choose needs careful speculation. Every individual is suited to a particular breed of dog. For those who like a lot of exercise and sports, a large dog with a sporty character is what the prescription orders. However, if you are an individual who would just like to have some company while reading a book on a lazy winter afternoon, a lapdog is ideal for you.  

Dogs are extremely friendly creatures that are known to be of great emotional help for many. There are millions of children with special needs who have greatly benefited from their interactions with dogs. Dogs are also great companions for individuals who are disabled and many organizations around the world provide trained dogs for special assistance to individuals. I have seen a friend of mine benefit greatly from his relationship with a Golden Retriever named Star. My friend had problems trusting people and suffered from a communication block. However, after the arrival of Star in his life, things changed for the better. Star taught him the many lessons of life which you can never learn in school. Star taught my friend that things like love, friendship and trust exist in this world and make it a beautiful place to live in.  

There are many dogs like Star who have changed lives forever. The wet nose and the perpetually wagging tail are reminders of a world of love that we often tend to forget, thanks to the innumerable pressures of urban living. And there is no better assurance of this than having a dog put its muzzle on your lap and looking at you with those eyes that tell you that no matter how cruel life seems, there is always companionship and love shining like an eternal beacon in front of you.        

Does Your Webpage Boast of a Catchy Content?

Launching a website isn’t enough, if you want a thriving online business. What you write on your webpage becomes the basis of generating customer response. Why would people visit your site? You have to make your page stand out among the rest. Competition on the Internet is massive and one of the ways of ensuring fast sale is catchy content. A webpage with attractive content immediately boosts your sale, increases your profit margin and lands you in a secure business position.

Keywords are very important for your site to instantly show up on the search engines. Also, you need to keep changing your content regularly to ensure that customers do not get bored. They need variety. Change your site’s layout, re-arrange its content, and rephrase certain sections now and then. All this helps.

You could also keep a special section on your site dedicated to reports and publications. Regularly updated news provides you with regular customers. If for nothing else, they will at least visit your site to keep themselves abreast. Bonuses and promo offers can be a good way of ensuring repeat customers. Training courses and freebies can be other great boosts.

Often, people post links to other subscription pages on their site. Customers are almost immediately drawn to external links. This serves a two-fold purpose. It makes certain that your customers visit your site regularly. Also, it provides you the extra cash. If they subscribe to an e-zine or newsletter through your link, you are likely to get a certain commission from the owners of that site (affiliate marketing).

Building a trust base with your customers is extremely essential. Make sure you interact regularly and cordially with them and provide them with regularly updated content, regarding international articles. You must provide them the best service if you are to retain their trust.

Make sure you maintain a consistent subscriber’s list. And make sure that there is a steady increase in that list. You can do so by keeping your webpage content up-to-date and providing promo offers. Inter-linking with other sites is usually a great help. Your content must be unique and distinguishable. It is very important for you to keep your customers hooked on to your site. Merely creating a webpage will not auto-generate income for you.

Overall, you must ensure that the content of your page is reorganized regularly. A page long out-of-date slowly loses all its subscribers. You must treat your subscribers with privilege; make them feel that their needs as customers are being taken proper care of. Internet can be a great way of earning cash. But one needs to keep these nitty-gritties in mind. 

Stuttering— A Job Hazard

Stuttering can pose a serious problem when one is searching for a job. Though, definitely not a handicap, stuttering, nevertheless, is an attribute that leads to a lot of discomfort at the workplace.

Finding recruitment is never easy. Even the most technical of jobs requires a certain verbal fluency. And this strictly undermines the faculties of a person with a stuttering problem. Employers show disinclination towards hiring such people. Often, they are recruited through a special quota, which does nothing towards enhancing their self esteem. On the contrary, it further demeans them.

So, what kind of jobs can they find themselves apt for? Possibly, those that require the minimal of verbal exchange. Technical jobs are a given. But even after the person is recruited, it is nearly impossible for him to get a promotion. People with stuttering problems are immediately relegated to the “not perfectly normal” category. Employers hardly ever recognize them for their talents alone.

In many cases, these people are recruited only as space fillers. This, rather than helping them, further de-bases their self dignity. They begin to fathom themselves as somehow disabled and unlike everybody else in the office. This can have two opposite repercussions— either, they may work overtly, hard to prove their worth despite their impeding problem. But there can be another side to it as well. These people may actually succumb to the disability tag and turn into sloths.

In many cases, despite being hardworking, stutterers find it very difficult to get a promotion. Making your way up requires a lot of interaction, not to mention making regular presentations and giving talks. One can understand why these people shy away from either and thus find themselves without a future prospect. For the very same reason, these people cannot represent their company in conferences and business and finance meetings.

And then there is the worst problem of all— the peer group! Though many are actually quite sympathetic, most colleagues usually make fun of stutterers and mock them behind their backs. Some of them may even bully the person and jeer at him by stuttering back purposefully.

Possibly, the ideal way-out for these people is, if they seek self-employment and not choose corporate jobs. That way, they will be their own masters. The ambience in the office can be quite stifling for them, both in terms of prospect and with reference to their colleagues.  
 
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These articles are written by Aritra Basu.If you are too busy to manage content for your business, allow her to take you by the hand and walk you through the path of success with the power of some high quality content. Visit www.YourWritingAlly.com , today!

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