Copywriting for benefits, not hard-selling

Nov 29, 2006

A majority of copywriters are so desperate to make a sale that they begin to sound boring and artificial immediately. The sad thing is, they really believe in the way they write those silly sales letters.

Brian at Copyblogger argues why such tactics should be avoided, referring to a post by Michel Fortin. I totally agree that hard-selling drives away even interested buyers. Instead of hard-selling, a copywriter should aim towards highlighting the genuine benefits of the product or service. I personally don’t believe in even creating a “sense of urgency” because I feel we should respect our readers and let them decide when they want to carry out a transaction. But it doesn’t mean I advise my writers against creating such a sales letter. My aim is always to help the reader make an educated decision, not buy something in a state of alarm.