The Secret to Drilling Down Deep in Your Target Market

Here's another drill ripped out of the Field Guide for my Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp. There are 20 drills total which take 15 minutes per day (my "recruits" get weekends off). Each drill stands on its own but put them all together and the impact on your salesmanship is phenomenal! So here is another one for you?

Copywriting is a team sport. There is you (the writer) and the reader. But the reader has all the power. She gets to decide when the game's over. As soon as the reader is gone, no one is there to read the copy! So anticipate what's going to keep her interested and intrigued ahead of time. Here's how it's done.

Pick a primary target market. (Yes you can have more than one, but the more specific you make your target market, the easier it will be to sell to them. So let's go with ONE.) Now let's narrow it even further. I coined a term called "tarket" which is a combination of Target + Market = Tarket.

See, "tarket" is a singular way to look at writing to one person rather than a mob. Get this one concept down and your copy will bond effortlessly with the reader. Because it's just you and her in the room. (Oops - I let out another of my secrets. We're limited in the English language when it comes to identifying rather than "he" I suggest if you use the pronoun "she" instead. Your copy will go through a subtle filter that you may find is more palatable to more of your audience than you imagined. Of course, it depends on who your target market or "tarket" is.)

Here's a million dollar tip for your copy. In general, even educated people don't mind reading simple words. Simple means clear. If you use high falutin language, you risk pulling the reader out of the reading experience?maybe fast enough to click away forever. But there's a fine line between talking down to your market. Don't go there. For the most part, Americans read between the 11th and 12th grade levels. Did you know that best-selling books are written for the 8th to 10th grade level? "Reader's Digest" aims for the 10th grade level, while "Time" and "The Wall Street Journal" reach for the 11th. So Keep It Simple, Sweetheart!

Prepare a Fact Sheet for your target market. Write down all the facts and demographic information you know about them. Here are a few categories to get you started;

• Age
• Gender
• Education
• Family status
• Socioeconomic status
• Profession/occupation
• Hobbies
• Geographic location
• Media they consume (including Web sites, blogs, magazines, television shows)

Next find a picture of your newly born "tarket". Make him or her as real as possible. I have a picture of my tarket I got from clip art. (In fact, he or she can BE real. If you would like to focus on a client or friend that fits the bill, that's fine too. Just do the brain work.)

Finally give your tarket a name. That helps solidify EXACTLY who it is youre speaking to in your writing.

Putting yourself in the shoes of your client is the best thing you can ever do. When you start thinking and anticipating what's going on in their minds, that's when your copy's going to start connecting. And that's what we do as copywriters and business folks.

So where do you grab this Field Guide for more copywriting exercises? Sorry. Only recruits of my Bootcamp can get it for now. So sign up today for the next session. It will be one of the best business decisions you've ever made. www.red-hot-copy.com/rhcbootcamp.htm

AB OUT THE AUTHOR:

World class copywriter, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero is the author of the award winning home study course, Red Hot Copy to Woo Your Target Market and founder of the online copywriting school Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp, ( http://www.red-hot-copy.com/rhcbootcamp.htm). Learn insider secrets to great copywriting from a pro whos been in the trenches with Lorries f^ree ezine, Copywriting TNT. Sign up at http://www.red-hot-copy.com.

In The News:

---

How To Ethically Use A Swipe File For Your Ad Copy

Did you ever wish you could afford to hire one... Read More

11 Reasons Not to Hire a Freelance Copywriter (and Why Theyre All Poor Excuses)

Think you can take the Copywriting Challenge on your own?... Read More

Discover Your Creativity

You have a choice. Do you want to be constructive... Read More

Its Time To Start That Swipe File

Just as great fiction is an art, so is great... Read More

Writing Online In Two Syllables or Less

About once a month I fly off somewhere to give... Read More

The Power of Saying You Can

If you have children, you will doubtless remember saying to... Read More

Five Sections of Your Copy Guaranteed To Get Read

Only about 20% of your copy is going to get... Read More

Writing For Sex Markets

Many professional freelancers will go their entire career without ever... Read More

Traffics Nice... But Whos Driving?

In the competitive marketplace of the new millennium, the demand... Read More

Headlines That Pull, Persuade and Propel!

When writing direct response copy, there are a few things... Read More

Hey, Client, This Is Me! Sell With Your Writing Voice

In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as... Read More

The Write Way To Grow Your Business

Hone your writing skills to project a more professional business... Read More

11 Ways to Get an Editors Attention

I worked as a business magazine editor for about 20... Read More

8 Tips for Writing Headlines that Grab Attention (and Keep Prospects Reading!)

Effective headlines make all the difference in whether your prospect... Read More

19 Secrets to Making Your Ad Copy More Effective

The sales letter is the key; the sales letter is... Read More

The Secret to Web Copywriting Gurudom

Have you seen those copywriting gurus, working it on the... Read More

Impulse Writing for Better Ad Headings

Writing headlines for your ads is the most important part... Read More

Help, Help, Help, Sell

Here's a fundamental difference between copywriting offline and copywriting for... Read More

How To Get Started With A Career In Copywriting

Careers in copywriting are booming. Could it be that the... Read More

A Copywriting Lesson from Dr. Seuss

Looking for inspiration for your next marketing communication? Try the... Read More

Writing Tips for Your Website

Now that your website is up and running, it's time... Read More

How To Write Headlines That Get Attention

No doubt, the headline is the most important part of... Read More

Promote Your Business and Get Paid for Doing It!

How can you gain credibility and exposure for you and... Read More

7 Steps You MUST Take Before Writing a Word of Copy!

Copywriting ChecklistOkay, you know you have your product (or service)... Read More

Welcome Informed Criticism of Your Work

When you come to 'know' something, there is a temptation... Read More

Is Freelance Hiring Right For You?

Assume you were faced with the task of hiring a... Read More

10 Keys to Copy That Sells!

Whether you're selling a product or service, the 10 tips... Read More

Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?

It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by... Read More

Is Your Web Copy Plain Talk?

It's true, we were all taught in school to express... Read More

How To Find Editing Services Online

Quality is what you need. What you don't have is... Read More

Kick-Start Your Juices

Listen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour. Time... Read More

Art Of Writing Profitable Classified Ads

The art of writing profitable classified adsEverybody wants to make... Read More

How to Write Ad Copy that Sells

When I write copy for my advertising clients, I always... Read More