Good copy is at the heart of every successful marketing campaign. This is just as true for a simple slogan, with genius inherent in its brevity, as it is for a biblical sized sales letter that is typical of direct marketing efforts – both online and off. And there is more to effective copy than just a good turn of phrase.
For any marketing campaign to have any chance of success, there are three factors that must be analysed and understood before a single word is ever written.

1. First, concerning your product or service, what is your offer? In business, nothing happens without an offer! Your customer is asking, “What are you trying to sell me?”
2. Second is your market – for direct marketers it’s your list. The right message to the wrong market = poor sales.
3. Third is the medium or the “piece”. Is it a newspaper ad, a fourteen page sales letter, a post card sized invitation? The tool must suit the job it is intended to accomplish.

In the coming days we will be analysing effective sales copy a little more closely. In particular, we’ll focus in on direct marketing and we’ll start with the first factor – what is your offer?
And soon, we’ll be revealing some pretty good information on how to research your market to help you determine if you even have a worthwhile offer to make! And if it’s not the right offer – what should you be offering?
And finally, if you have the right offer, directed at the right audience, then what is the best way to deliver that message.
So stay tuned!
Copy that!