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Copywriting Principles Explained!

The aim of copywriting is to bring the product or service on offer to the attention of the intended market. The copy needs to show, as clearly as possible, what the benefits of buying the product will be for the reader. Copywriters generally use one of the following methods of copywriting to demonstrate these effectively:

  • AIDA
  • You vs We
  • WAYS

 

AIDA

Dating back to the 1920s, AIDA is one of the best known, most successful and oldest formulas for creating sales copy. Its longevity is testament to its power and adaptability.

AIDA stands for:

  • ATTENTION – any sales copy should attract the ATTENTION of the reader
  • INTEREST – it should then arouse INTEREST in the product or service
  • DESIRE – the copy should then stimulate a DESIRE to purchase
  • ACTION – finally, and possibly most importantly, it should prompt ACTION from the reader

 

You Vs We

Good copywriters will always focus on what benefits YOU will enjoy as the purchaser, not what features WE, as the company, are providing. So, to create effective advertising copy using the words ‘you’ and ‘your’ a lot and using ‘our’ and ‘we’ or ‘us’ less often is a good rule to employ. It keeps the copywriter focused on the reader rather than switching the focus back to the business.

Effective sales copy must always:

  • focus on the reader
  • play on their hopes and fears and explain how the product or service will address them
  • highlight the benefits of the product or service the purchaser will enjoy

 

WAYS

This is the least well-known of the copywriting principles explained here. Its basic premise is that copywriters should Write As You Speak – leaving out the ‘ums’, ‘ahs’, ‘erms’, ‘you knows’ and ‘as I say’s’ that litter speech! Most people do not want to be wowed with vocabulary they’ve never heard before, confused by complex sentence construction or amazed by literary style, unless the aim is to sell a product or service offering these as a benefit! In most circumstances the best way to approach writing sales copy is to write as you would speak to someone in a friendly, face-to-face conversation.

So, the copywriter should concentrate on:

  • keeping it simple
  • giving the facts needed to make an informed decision
  • keeping the prospect’s question ‘What’s in it for me?’ in mind
  • showing the benefits
  • engaging his emotions
  • creating an image in the prospect’s mind
  • addressing his concerns

 

Following any of these three methods is a sure fire way to write winning copy.

If you want to find out more about being a freelance copywriter request a free Writers Bureau Complete Copywriter Course prospectus today!

 

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Lisa Harrison

"I’d just like to say thanks. If it wasn't for your lovely tutor giving me some really positive feedback, I wouldn't have dared to try and become freelance copywriter and leave a full-time job. Since I've started out on my own, my quality of life has improved dramatically. I'm happier, my little boy is happier and I'm excited to grow my business over the next year. I've earned £1940 in just under six months working on a part-time basis. '’I've got three regular clients. I'll always be grateful to them for taking me on despite being new to this profession."


Lisa Harrison

 

Institute of Training and Occupational Learning

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The WRITERS BUREAU

Privacy Policy

10th August 2018

BACKGROUND:

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1 - Definitions and Interpretation

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"Account"

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"Cookie"

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"Cookie Law"

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"We/Us/Our"

means The Writers Bureau is a division of Systematic Training and Trading Ltd (STT), a limited company registered in England under company number 256396, whose registered address is 8-10 Dutton Street, Manchester, M3 1LE., and whose main trading address is as above.

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4 - Your Rights

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7 - How and Where Do We Store Your Data?

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      AND
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    We use Communigator as our emailing system and your name and email address are stored therein and are used to send you information about our courses and services.
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    Your entry details are securely stored on our server.
  • 7.7 Where Your Data is Stored When You Join The Association of Freelance Writers:

    We use Communigator as our emailing system and your name and email address are stored therein and are used to update you with AFW news.

    If you paid by card: Your details, except card details, are stored within our cart. We use SagePay or PayPal to process your card payments so your details are stored therein.

    Your membership details are securely stored on our server.

8 - Do We Share Your Data?

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  • 8.2 In certain circumstances, We may be legally required to share certain data held by Us, which may include your personal data, for example, where We are involved in legal proceedings, where We are complying with legal obligations, a court order, or a governmental authority.
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  • 8.4 We may sometimes use third party data processors that are located outside of the European Economic Area ("the EEA") (The EEA consists of all EU member states, plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein). Where We transfer any personal data outside the EEA, We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your data is treated as safely and securely as it would be within the UK and under the GDPR.

9 - What Happens If Our Business Changes Hands?

  • 9.1 We may, from time to time, expand or reduce Our business and this may involve the sale and/or the transfer of control of all or part of Our business. Any personal data that you have provided will, where it is relevant to any part of Our business that is being transferred, be transferred along with that part and the new owner or newly controlling party will, under the terms of this Privacy Policy, be permitted to use that data only for the same purposes for which it was originally collected by Us.
  • 9.2 In the event that any of your data is to be transferred in such a manner, you will not be contacted in advance and informed of the changes.

10 - How Can You Control Your Data?

  • 10.1 When you submit personal data via Our Site, you may be given options to restrict Our use of your data. In particular, We aim to give you strong controls on Our use of your data for direct marketing purposes (including the ability to stop receiving emails from Us which you may do by unsubscribing using the links provided in Our emails).
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11 - Your Right to Withhold Information

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  • 11.2 You may restrict Our use of Cookies. For more information, see section 13

12 - How Can You Access Your Data?

  • You have the right to ask for a copy of any of your personal data held by Us (where such data is held). Under the GDPR, no fee is payable and We will provide any and all information in response to your request free of charge. Please contact Us for more details at studentservices@writersbureau.com, or using the contact details below in section 14.

13 - Our Use of Cookies

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  • 13.6 The following first party Cookies may be placed on your computer or device:

Name of Cookie

Purpose

Strictly Necessary

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Analytics Cookie

Yes

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Analytics Cookie

Yes

__utmt

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Yes

__utmc

Analytics Cookie

Yes

__utma

Analytics Cookie

Yes

__utmz

Analytics Cookie

Yes

__PHPSESSID

Analytics Cookie

Yes
     
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  • 13.8 The analytics service(s) used by Our Site use(s) Cookies to gather the required information.
  • 13.9 The analytics service(s) used by Our Site use(s) the following Cookies:

Name of Cookie

First / Third Party

Provider

Purpose

_ga

Third Party

Google Analytics

Analytics Cookie

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Third Party

Google Analytics

Analytics Cookie
  • 13.10 In addition to the controls that We provide, you can choose to enable or disable Cookies in your internet browser. Most internet browsers also enable you to choose whether you wish to disable all cookies or only third party Cookies. By default, most internet browsers accept Cookies but this can be changed. For further details, please consult the help menu in your internet browser or the documentation that came with your device.
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  • 13.12 It is recommended that you keep your internet browser and operating system up-to-date and that you consult the help and guidance provided by the developer of your internet browser and manufacturer of your computer or device if you are unsure about adjusting your privacy settings.
  • Our Site may place and access certain first party Cookies on your computer or device. First party Cookies are those placed directly by Us and are used only by Us. We use Cookies to facilitate and improve your experience of Our Site and to provide and improve Our products and services. By using Our Site you may also receive certain third party Cookies on your computer or device. Third party Cookies are those placed by websites, services, and/or parties other than Us. Third party Cookies are used on Our Site for advertising services. In addition, Our Site uses analytics services provided by Google Analytics, which also use Cookies. Website analytics refers to a set of tools used to collect and analyse usage statistics, enabling Us to better understand how people use Our Site. For more details, please refer to Our Cookie section in this document

14 - Contacting Us

  • If you have any questions about Our Site or this Privacy Policy, please contact Us by email at studentservices@writersbureau.com, by telephone on 0161 819 9922, or by post at 8-10 Dutton Street, Manchester, M3 1LE. Please ensure that your query is clear, particularly if it is a request for information about the data We hold about you (as under section 12, above).

15 - Changes to Our Privacy Policy

  • We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time (for example, if the law changes). Any changes will be immediately posted on Our Site and you will be deemed to have accepted the terms of the Privacy Policy on your first use of Our Site following the alterations. We recommend that you check this page regularly to keep up-to-date.