Back in the days when I worked for online marketing pioneer Corey Rudl, I was given the opportunity to learn how to write a specific style of marketing writing called “direct response copy.”
This kind of copy is written with only one purpose in mind: to motivate people to take ACTION.
It’s a great tool to use if you want to inspire more engagement and sales through your website and other online marketing channels!
What makes direct response copy so effective?
Direct response copy focuses on what your ideal customers are looking for and uses a specific structure to present that information in a way that:
- relates to their needs
- answers their questions
- overcomes their objections
Then it ends with a strong call to action that tells people what to do to experience your awesomeness for themselves.
Using this type of copy on your website and in your emails will DRAMATICALLY increase engagement and sales.
But I see so many websites out there that don’t have any action-oriented copy on them at all. (It makes me sad. Sob!)
Instead of using the homepage to capture your interest… answer your questions… overcome your buying objections… and get you excited to take action, all they give you is the name of the business and a bare-bones summary of the products or services offered!
Which do YOU think is going to generate the best results for the business?
To give you an example, here’s what a website that DOESN’T use direct response marketing copy might look like:
As you can see, this copy is all about the business. It talks only about THEM and what THEY offer.
Now let’s take a look at how the same business can use direct response marketing copy to speak more to their visitors’ needs and inspire them to take action.
This example packs a lot more punch, don’t you think? It’s immediately clear what kind of benefits you’ll experience if you use this business’s services:
- Enjoy greater vitality
- Ease overworked muscles
- Release negative energy
- Enjoy an abundance of positive energy
- Release bad energy from overworked muscles
- Heal your nerves and digestion
- Bring your body, mind, and spirit into greater alignment
- And finally, there at the bottom: FEEL AWESOME.
(Mmm… yes please!)
You’re then invited to explore the different therapies to choose the one that’s right for you — so you don’t have to go back up to the navigation menu to learn more about the services offered.
That’s followed by an awesome customer testimonial that is going to be very exciting for anyone who deals with frequent or chronic pain.
And then you’re shown exactly what you need to do to book an appointment and are given additional incentive to do so, thanks to that 10% discount for booking online.
Do you see how effective that is?
Whereas in the first example, all the homepage had on it was the name of the company, a list of the services they offer, and the address. There was no call to action at all. So what are we supposed to do when we’ve read that information? Go check out the links in the navigation menu, I suppose.
But do you think everyone who gets to the end of your copy here is going to do that? Some will. However, many will think, “Huh, that’s nice,” then click away to somewhere else.
When you give people something to do, more people will do it.
It’s that simple.
So that’s direct response copy in a nutshell: copy that’s written with the purpose of getting people to take a specific action.
By giving people the information they’re looking for — in a structure that makes it as easy as possible for them to take action — you will hugely boost the number of sales, reservations, downloads, and sign-ups you attract.
Any thoughts or questions? Leave them in the comments below!
