Wordpreneur.com

BY CHARLES BROWN

As freelance copywriters, we naturally assume our readers will hang onto every word we pen, lingering now and then to ponder what great mind authored such magnificent prose.

Unfortunately, we are better off assuming the reader will only take a quick scan over our copy, lasting about 3 seconds. Only if that 3 second glance reveals something that might be interesting (to the reader, not to us) will it merit further study.

So how do we write copy that passes that 3 second test?

1. Make the headline count. Don’t be cute, coy or creative. Announce something that appeals to the reader’s self interest like bait on a hook appeals to hungry fish. The job of the headline is to persuade the reader to read the first sentence of the first paragraph. Of course that first sentence’s job is to persuade the reader to read the entire paragraph, and so on.
2. Use numerous sub-headings. Subheadings do two wonderful things that attract the attention of the scanning reader. They break the material into smaller sections and (if well written) grab the reader’s interest with something that appeals to her self interest. If the sub-heading works, the reader only thinks they are going to read this one small section. Then if your writing in that small section works, they may read your entire copy.
3. Underline or make important information bold. Underlining and bolding key phrases makes this information leap off the page. Be selective and don’t overdo this technique or it will lose its effect. The unbreakable rule here is that if the reader only reads the bold or underlined words, she should still understand your basic offer and know what the key benefits to the offer are.
4. Put some information in small boxes. Like sidebars in magazine articles, these boxes pull the eye to small sections of information. Make these boxes contain stand alone messages and examples. You can use boxes for proof, testimonials or to contain intriguing examples.
5. Bullet points or numbered lists. Lists draw the eye because they package your information in “bite sized” portions. Readers like lists because they get right to the point and they feel you are communicating the essentials of your message without a lot of fluff.

It’s always a safe bet that your readers will only scan your copy. They are busy and distracted by many other things. Only if they see something in that quick scan that interests them will they read any more.

Never assume you have any more than 3 seconds to capture that interest. But if you write your copy with scanning in mind, you can do a lot in those 3 seconds.

Charles Brown is a Dallas, Texas based freelance copywriter who writes Web copy, advertisements, white papers and direct mail. Visit his blog, Dynamic Copywriting, to subscribe to his “Freelance Copywriter Secrets” and download your free copy of his 99 Ideas for Writing Irresistible Web Content.

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