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copywriting :: Internet Marketing :: Copywriting
Kick-Starting Body Copy
Have you ever wondered what exactly is up
with copy? This informative report can give you an insight into
everything you've ever wanted to know about copy.
Several
correspondents to our newsletter, AdBriefing, say that they are having
trouble writing body copy for ads. Their problem seems to be the
age-old one of how to kick things off – how to make a start. Can I
help? Of course, I can.
When you have been writing copy as long as I have, you will come to
understand that there is an unwritten formula for writing copy. While I
shudder at the thought of formulae in advertising (since advertising is
still a matter of doing what your instincts tell you to be right, and
not what some computer programme tells you), there is no doubt that
copy should follow a logical sequence. A sequence that takes its lead
from the message in the main headline.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, every headline should
contain some kind of offer or promise. At risk of repeating myself, it
should contain a benefit along the lines of: Buy this product and get
this benefit. If it doesn’t do this, then to my mind there is no point
in running the ad. As the great Doctor Sam Johnson said, back in the
1700s: Promise, large promise, is the soul of advertising.
Ok – assuming that you have written a benefit-ridden headline, it
follows that the first line of body copy should reinforce that benefit.
It should enlarge upon it. It should take the initial promise and make
more of it – much more. In other words, it should be a more verbose
rendering of the headline statement. An expansion of what is in it for
the punter.
It should not, decidedly not, be talking about something entirely
different from what is contained in the headline – as a lot of
so-called copywriters tend to do. This merely diverts your prospect’s
attention from your major proposition. Always remember that the reason
he is bothering to read your body copy is because he has been intrigued
by your headline. He wants to be sure he has understood the message.
All right, with the opening para written, the rest should write
itself. Your second para should talk about the features of the product.
How it works. What it does. How fast it operates – that kind of thing.
And if it has a lot of features, expand your writing into a third and
fourth paragraphs if necessary.
This done, your penultimate para should refer back to the headline
– once again reiterating the benefit. After that, all you need is a
call-to-action paragraph; one that describes where, how and when the
product can be bought.
And that, in a nutshell, is how to construct body copy. The
formula, however, is not set in stone. Just so long as your first
paragraph is always a re-work of the headline message, you can do more
or less as you wish with the rest of it.
Simple – isn’t it?
About The Author
Patrick Quinn is an award winning copywriter with 40 years'
experience of the advertising business in London, Miami, Dublin and
Edinburgh.
He publishes a FREE monthly newsletter, AdBriefing. Subscriptions are available at: http://www.adbriefing.com
j.p@markethillpublishing.co.uk
There's a lot to understand about copy. We were able to
provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty
more to write about in subsequent articles.
We hope you found the information on this page useful and will return often to browse
the many articles throughout our site. We will be adding new material on an ongoing
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