Expert Copywriting Tips from James Palmer

Beyond Niche Marketing is pleased to offer a guest post by James Palmer of The Copywriting Blog. James is an expert copywriter dedicated to helping small business market their products and services more effectively.

Bullets are one of the greatest weapons in a copywriter’s arsenal. They are those little benefit-laden tidbits that tease the reader into wanting to know more, and ultimately buy the product. But just like any other copywriting element, there’s a right way and a wrong way to craft effective bullets that compel your readers to keep reading—and ultimately buy your product.

Today I’d like to share a few tips for crafting effective, compelling bullets.

Expert Copywriting Tip: The 4 U’s

Michael Masterson teaches this concept in his AWAI copywriting courses, and with good reason—they work! If you can make your bullets fit just three out of the four U’s, you’ll be well on your way to making some serious moolah!

Here’s how they work.

The first U stands for Urgency. A good bullet must communicate urgency, a reason for your prospect to desire the benefit now instead of later.

The second U is for Useful. The promise or claim made in the bullet must be useful to the reader, or else why should they care if your product has that benefit or not?

The third U is Unique. The benefit should be unique, as in one particular thing instead of a group of things. A unique thing is real and concrete, which lends credibility.

The fourth U is Ultra-Specific. To be compelling, your bullets must be extremely specific, not boring, hum-drum and mediocre. Include numbers, lengths of time, how much weight was lost, how much money was earned, and how long it took.

Let’s check out the 4 U’s in action. Here’s a bullet I wrote for a client recently.

3 simple secrets developed by “the world’s greatest car salesman” that you can use to gain almost instant access to over 250 potential prospects for your product or service.

Does it meet the 4 U’s? Let’s see . . . I don’t know about Urgency, but it’s definitely Useful, and I think “the world’s greatest car salesman” is certainly unique. The 3 secrets and 250 prospects make it Ultra-Specific. Well, two out of three ain’t bad!

As long as you hit on most of the 4 U’s, you’re good to go. So what are some other tips?

• “The answer may surprise you”
  Reword a claim as a question followed by the phrase, “the answer may surprise you”.Example: “Should you really drink 8 ounces of water a day? The answer may surprise you.”

• Create a Villain
  With this technique, you simply paint the opposition to your solution as the enemy.Example: “Tax secrets the IRS doesn’t want you to know.”

• Think Timely
  Writing a bullet based on current news is a powerful way to make them more compelling, as long as it fits the product. Here’s an example of mine from the same promotion:

  What’s in your tomatoes? (Hint: It’s not salmonella!) The hidden potential dangers lurking in your tomatoes, corn, soybeans, even your favorite ice cream, and the 1 thing you can do to avoid them.

• “How to”
  The phrase “how to” works well in bullets, as it does in headlines, especially when combined with uniqueness and specificity. Just don’t overuse it.“How to look good naked.”
  “How to make $500 a week working part-time from home.”

• “Secrets of . . .”
  Everyone loves a secret, especially if said secret comes from an unusual (i.e. Unique) source.“Secrets of a one-armed golfer . . .”
  “Secrets of a multi-millionaire . . .”

• Challenge the Reader
  Get the reader involved in the copy by testing their knowledge.Example: “20 common health problems that can be alleviated by losing weight. Can you name them all?”

• Tell the Reader Where They Can Find the Information
  Example: “How to turn your blog into a money-making machine. Page 66.”

Remember, when you’re writing a long string of bullets, you’ll want to vary your technique for each of them. List some short bullets along with longer bullets like my “world’s best car salesmen” example above. This will keep your copy lively and hold your reader’s interest.

Now, go write some killer bullets that keep your prospect’s reading all the way to the “Buy Now” button!

James Palmer is a freelance direct response copywriter who specializes in creating online sales letters, landing pages, and other marketing material that make people money. He has written for Bob Bly, Early to Rise, and a wide variety of businesses both large and small. Please visit his blog at The Copywriting Blog. For his free report, “6 Copywriting Mistakes Online Marketers Make That Absolutely KILL Response,” sign up at http://www.jamesmpalmer.com/newsletter.htm.