By Rebecca Matter

I’ve been on my soapbox for some time now saying that if Internet marketers don’t learn to write for the web, they’re leaving money on the table.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you need to be a full-fledged copywriter before you start writing for your Internet business.

Nor am I saying that by any means do you have to spend a lot of time writing long sales letters.

But if you’re going to be a successful Internet entrepreneur – especially when you are just starting out – you must know how to write strong, persuasive copy.

There is no way around it.

Without a good copywriting foundation, your web writing will never be as good as it could be.

Which means it will not convert your website visitors into paying customers as well as it should. Which means you will not get as many returning clients, nor will you be able to charge the fees you want to charge for your products.

Need proof?

Take a look at some of the most successful Internet marketers…

Online expert Nick Usborne … started as a copywriter.

SEO Expert Heather Lloyd-Martin? Also a copywriter.

Highest-paid, email auto-responder guru Jay White? You got it … started as a copywriter!

Simply put, learn how to write copy well and you’ll land more interested prospects because you’ll be able to effectively sell yourself and your services. Plus, your copy will convert at a higher rate, which means more money in your pocket.

And – if you’re really good – you could turn “writing for the web” into a service you offer. Master the art of writing copy, and you’ll be able to charge more for your services since you’ll be in such high demand.

And I’m talking all web channels here …

Emails – they won’t get opened with lousy subject lines, and weak leads will cause your prospect to hit the delete key before even reading the email.

Landing Pages – weak headlines and leads will have visitors exiting the website before they even get to your call to action.

SEO and PPC – if you don’t understand sales copy, you’ll have a hard time targeting the right people for your campaigns, based on where they are in the buying cycle.

Social Media – your job here is to capture attention (copywriting principle), engage your audience (copywriting principle), and ultimately persuade them to take action (yep, copywriting principle).

Once you know how to write good copy, your web training will be cake. Because then it’s just simply taking what you already know about copy and applying it to the various marketing channels you want to work in.

Online Spending GREW Last Year, in the Midst of the Meltdown

Even as bricks-and-mortar retailers drop like flies, Internet businesses are thriving!

Overall online spending grew to 130.1 billion on 2008 – a 6 percent increase.

And there is plenty of room for you in this market. In fact, this is the perfect time to start your own “recession-immune” Internet business that allows you to leave financial worries in the dust – that’s what just a fraction of $130 billion will allow you to do.

Learn how you can get your piece of the online marketplace today.

Not only will you be able to get web visitors to your landing pages, you can write the pages so they stay and take action. (Getting the top spot on Google means nothing if people abort your website 3 seconds after they arrive.)

Your copy skills will power up your pay-per-click campaigns:

“Pay-per-click campaigns are based on keywords and phrases. The words you bid on must be relevant to your ad copy, landing page, and your offer. But, it’s more than just relevance that is going to convince a random web surfer to sign up and enter an email address. It takes well-written, benefit-oriented copy. And you can only get that from a copywriter.” – Andrew Palmer, AWAI Advisory Board

You can even tackle the expanding social media market:

“Copywriting skills are invaluable to building a targeted audience in social media. Knowing how to make crisp, concise benefit oriented, attention-getting statements can help you build your brand and attract more clients quickly. Your words are what others see long before they get to meet you, either on the phone or in person.”
- Jim Turner, Copywriter and Social Media Strategist

Four tips for taking your web writing to the next level …

Tip #1: If you haven’t taken any formal copywriting training, do it now.

Personally, I recommend AWAI’s Accelerated Six-Figure Copywriting Program. And, no it’s not because of my affiliation.

I recommend it because it’s hands-down the best program available for learning how to write copy that converts. Ask any copywriting expert out there like Bob Bly, Chris Marlow, and Steve Slaunwhite, or the many successful working copywriters who have taken the program, and they’ll tell you the same thing.

Earlier today AWAI actually announced that its newly upgraded program is also available online now, so you can take your training anywhere you choose to be. Definitely check it out. (It comes with a FULL YEAR guarantee!)

Tip #2: Never stop learning.

Just because you’ve taken one copywriting program, doesn’t mean you’re done learning. You need to keep improving your skills, and the only way to do that is to keep challenging yourself to learn more.

At the recommendation of Michael Masterson, I make myself read one non-fiction book a week, at a minimum. It ensures I have plenty of fresh ideas whenever I face a new project. I can’t even tell you how many article and product ideas have come from books I’ve read!

Tip #3: Learn from multiple sources.

Nick Usborne taught me this one …

Study the work of good copywriters who take opposing views on what ‘great copywriting’ means.

Someone may think they know everything about copywriting and may be convinced that their approach is the best one.

Not true. No single copywriter knows it all.

Find mentors who disagree or take very different views on copywriting.

That way you will broaden your views, and deepen your skills.

Tip #4: Write every day.

And I mean every day. Your writing will only get stronger.

Plus your confidence will grow whenever you look at how far you’ve come.

A few years ago I started an eletter called Copywriting Insider. At the time it was the ‘best copy I’d ever written’ and I was very proud. I look back now and think to myself – “ugh, I wrote that?” And then I think, “wow, I’m such a better writer now!”

It’s the perfect pick-me-up when I’m having a day filled with self-doubt.

Concluding thoughts …

Learn to write strong, persuasive copy. Your Internet business will only benefit.

In fact, a business that sends out a good, persuasive letter can see hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales in a matter of days, even hours.

For example, legendary copywriter Paul Hollingshead wrote a letter last month that was sent out to folks by e-mail. It generated over a million dollars in sales in 18 days.

Learn to do what Paul does, and you have the power to create similar results for your own business.

It’s just a fundamental truth about business:

If you can learn the simple secrets of writing a persuasive letter, customers will beat a path to your door.

These are uncertain times. Now, more than ever, you need to learn a skill that gives you control over your personal and financial destiny. I know of no better way to do that than to master the art of writing strong, persuasive copy.

To learn more about how you can master this skill yourself, read what Paul has to say about it right here.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 at 4:42 pm and is filed under Daily Issues .