“When you sit down to write your body copy, pretend that you are talking to the to the woman on your right at a dinner party. She has asked you, “I am thinking of buying a new car. Which would you recommend?” Write your copy as if you were answering that question.” – David Ogilvy

Be Specific

At sixty miles an hour the loudest noise in the new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock. – David Ogilvy, Headline for Rolls Royce

The more facts you tell, the more you sell. Copy that is specific sends a message of confidence. We ignore the person that waffles. Avoid superlatives, generalisations and platitudes. They leave room for interpretation and misunderstanding. The reader thinks to himself maybe he means this, maybe he mean’s that. Facts can only mean one thing. The use of facts give purpose to your copy. Facts, however should not bore. The job of the copywriter is to bring static facts to life.

Long Copy vs Short Copy

The debate between long and short copy without any context is futile. Simply craft your copy in a way that accommodates the state of your reader. Online copy should be short for the only reason that your reader is distracted. Your copy is competing with the girl on Facebook and the video on YouTube.

Don’t beat about the bush – go straight to the point. – David Ogilvy

Every advertisement should be a complete sales pitch for your product. Copy is just salesmanship in print. Assume this will be the only window to make a sale. Include everything that is necessary and get rid of anything that is unnecessary.

Use Testimonials

Copy without a testimonial is a sin. Social proof is everything. The only way to be convincing is to use testimonials. A testimonial will justify your copy. It’s easier to believe the endorsement of a consumer than that of a paid copywriter. Nothing is more convincing then seeing somebody similar to ourselves have the same problem and have it resolved by using the product being sold.

Be Colloquial

Words are symbols. Words have inherent associations that are processed when read. A unique literary style will take attention away from the product being sold. Focus is placed on what you are selling when you keep the words simple. This is what you want to achieve.

Conclusion

Most advertising copy nowadays is being written to satisfy the seller rather than the buyer. The thing to do is to be as simple, clear and to the point as possible. A sincere explanation of what one has to sell and why it is worth will be good copy. It may lack sophistication, and the competitors may laugh at its simple appeal, but it will do the work.