How To Write A Great Sales Letter - When You Hate To Write
By
Kevin Nunley
kevin@drnunley.com
http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.asp
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I
can sit here all day giving you tips and hints on
headlines and phrases that sell. But none of it will
do you any good if you just plain hate sitting down
at the keyboard.
If
you can't stand writing, you're in good company. Most
of us feel the same. I once asked a high school English
teacher how many of her 300 students liked to write.
"Oh, about 9 of them," she said.
Everyone
from Mark Twain to Bart Simpson has faced a blank
sheet of paper for hours with no idea of what to put
on it. Well let me give you a few ideas from my office
of professional writers. In the world of non-fiction
writing, being a professional doesn't necessarily
mean being a great writer. It does mean you have to
be able to conjure up great copy every single day,
even when you don't feel well or aren't in the mood.
The
first step is just to get something on paper--anything!
And I do mean anything. Just start writing down whatever
comes to mind. If you can't think of anything, write
"I'm sitting here and I can't think of anything
to write."
Yes,
that sounds pretty stupid. But it's exactly the technique
a lot of top writers use to get the creative juices
flowing. Next you'll find yourself typing "I
need to write a sales letter to promote my new software.
It's software to help people get organized. Most people
have lots of information, but they can't remember
where they put it. This software has people organize
their information in a system that makes it super
easy to find, in just seconds."
Wow!
You're writing, you're telling your story, and best
of all, you're not worrying about being bad because
you know you can go back later and change it all.
One
top writer copies and pastes favorite lines from other
sources (like the client's web site.) Then she rewrites
those sections in her own words so that they are completely
original. That's enough to get her going. Next she
fills in additional fresh copy between the blurbs
she has already completed. Even on days when she would
rather be anywhere but behind a computer, she cranks
out first rate copy in record time.
Another
method is to just start talking. Talk into one of
those little tape recorders you get at Radio Shack.
Pretend you're telling your best friend, your mother,
or Paris Hilton all about your big idea. Go into all
the details. Talk it all out. Later, go back, listen,
and take notes. Your notes will be the start of your
email message.
Don't
type very well? 60 percent of North Americans can't
type. Hunting keys often makes writing frustrating
if not impossible. Follow in the tradition of a great
many very famous writers. Pick up a cheap ballpoint
pen and write down your ideas with the good old handwriting
you learned in second grade. Then have someone type
it up.
The
key is to just get something, anything, on your computer
screen or on paper. Once you have that, start to edit.
The copy will take on a life of its own and the writing
will come easier. Or, simply hand your first attempts
to a professional writer. Most can churn your notes
into polished copy faster and cheaper than they can
write entirely new copy.
About
the Author: When Kevin Nunley sat down to
write this article, he stared at a blank screen for
about 15 minutes. Then he used some of the methods
described above to quickly create the article you
just read. You can do it, too. Write something today.
OR, get Kevin to write it for you at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.asp
Reach him at kevin@drnunley.com
Source:
www.isnare.com
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