Every picture may tell a story but on the web, words sell

Many designers may disagree but the fact is, the web is a word driven medium.

Three reasons why:

- search engines generate about 80% of all internet traffic and they're 'visually challenged'. They can't read pictures, they don't appreciate complicated designs and they certainly don't like sites built in Flash. But they do like words, especially those that are relevant to searches

- on the net content really is king. Search engines like sites with lots of content and so do people. The net is supposed to be a source of free information. The more you offer, the 'stickier' your site, and the higher your search engine rankings

- but always remember that search engines don't buy your products or services. If you want people to buy, you have to inform, engage and persuade - words are the salesperson's most powerful tool.

Incise offers three writing services:

- direct response and advertising copy for print and the net
- clear 'plain language' communications for organisations involved in complex areas such as financial services
- promotional copy for literature, advertising, websites and public relations.

To discover how to transform words into profits call Paul Lock on 01453 873638 or email me at paullock@incisecomms.co.uk

Your secret weapon in the battle for online profits

There are many components to a successful postal or electronic mailing campaign - the product, the list to be mailed, the offer and the response mechanism. Research shows that sales copy is 2nd in importance after the mailing list - but without strong copy, your campaign will fail. It's your secret weapon because most businesses don't understand the power of words.

The Incise approach to direct response is methodical. We'll want all the information you can give us about previous campaigns, what's worked and what hasn't, who responds to what and how often they buy.

Before we write anything we have to understand what motivates the likely buyers - their primary and secondary emotional drivers. We all buy on emotion and justify our purchase with logic.

We'll then start working on the structure of the mailing or website - every successful mailing follows an almost standard structure - and draft the headings. Then we get down to the serious business of the body copy - the bit that creates interest in and desire for your offer - to prove the prospect should buy.

And don't let anyone tell you that nobody reads long copy - they do and test after test proves that it works better for:

- businesses with one product
- businesses selling services.

What people don't read is copy that's irrelevant to them and their needs and which fails to engage their interest and emotions. 

Incise can write direct response and advertising copy for your online and offline marketing.

Call 01453 873638 or mail paullock@incisecomms.co.uk for details.

70% of people have dumped companies because of bad letters

According to a survey of over 2,000 people by the Abbey bank, badly written letters could be costing firms millions in lost customers. Mistakes about personal information, confusing jargon and complicated sentences were among the main problems.

Over 70% of those questioned said they had dumped a company after a letter angered or upset them. According to the research author, Dr. Guy Fielding, "People keep letters for longer and their effects go deep".

So why risk your most valuable asset - your customers - over something that's so easy to put right?
 
Our clear communications clients include Ecclesiastical Insurance, Norwich Union and Zurich Financial Services. We've also worked on major writing projects for the Financial Services Authority, the Association of British Insurers, Motorola, the KCS Group and software specialists, Tertio.

If your company communicates clearly, you'll benefit in several ways. You'll get fewer complaints, be seen as modern and professional and have fewer 'customer service' queries.

Call 01453 873638 or mail paullock@incisecomms.co.uk  for a discussion about how we can help you build better customer relationships.
 
You can get an instant improvement to your writing with StyleWriter, the plain English software. I've used StyleWriter for nearly ten years. It transformed my writing and it still helps me communicate better.

For a FREE 30 day trial, click on the banner below.

#%@! - Anglo-Saxon is the key to better communication

Did you know that 78% of spoken words are from native English - the core of the language that we've spoken for the last 1,500 years? Yet half the words used in company communications derive from Latin, Greek and French?

Recent research analysing a million words of everyday conversation reveals a big language gap between how people speak and how companies communicate. According to Optimum who conducted the research, this mismatch is making websites less effective at distributing information.

This is partly because copy is much harder to read off screen than off the page.

The average online reading speed is 20% slower than print. Eye strain is greater too. So the extra effort in dealing with longer, less familiar words can be enough to send readers to another site. They just 'click off'.

If that wasn't bad enough, the standard of writing on the net is usually inferior to offline communication - and the net is a word driven medium!

For help writing your website, brochure or letters call 0845 456 5342 or mail paullock@incisecomms.co.uk for details.

Need help writing your resume (CV)? Get FREE tips from my resume help site  - click here
And for free cover letter writing tips go to my coverletter help site - click here

Promoting your business more profitably 

You can judge for yourself whether we can write promotional copy - we wrote this website.  Our approach to all writing tasks is to find out:

- who the copy is for

- what you want to tell them
 
- why they need to know

- their emotional and rational needs in relation to your product or service

- the status of your relationship with them

- what you want them to do after they've read your copy.

We've written promotional copy for whisky companies, custard powder manufacturers, pub retailers, financial services companies, telecoms operators and marketing agencies. So we can probably help you.
 
Call 01453 873638 or mail paullock@incisecomms.co.uk for details.

Get FREE copywriting tips!

If you would like to learn more about copywriting and marketing....

Contact us on 01453 873638 or mail service@incisecomms.co.uk for advice and prices.

For sales letter writing tips click here
For resume writing tips click here
For cover letter writing tips click here