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:

---

To Start Making Cash from Your Online Writing, You Must Draw Blood First

Writers write just like painters, paint on canvas. This is... Read More

Some Copy Tips From An Old Hand

I have been in the ad game for a long,... Read More

10 Keys to Copy That Sells!

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

Can Honest Copywriting Succeed?

I confess--I'm a marketing heretic! I've built my career on... Read More

Copywriting Makeover: Search Engine-Friendly Can Also Mean Visitor-Friendly

When it comes to search engine optimization, copywriting plays a... Read More

Freelance Business Writers - How To Get The Best From Your Writer

At times, it can be frustrating to find freelance business... Read More

Hooks, Lines & Sinkers

Hands up if the title to this article made you... Read More

Discover Your Creativity

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

Magic Words That Sell and What Words to Avoid

We all know words are powerful. Whether written or spoken,... Read More

Freelancers Can Jump-Start Your Publicity Initiative

If you find that your progress is blocked by a... Read More

How To Become Qualified As A Proofreader

The field of proofreading is not as easy to get... Read More

The One Word Every Prospect Craves

It's arguably the most important word in the copywriter's arsenal.... Read More

SEO Copywriting: 7 Tips

So you finally built a website for your home-based business.... Read More

How To Find Freelance Jobs - Writing About Food

Did you know that jobs writing about food are available?... Read More

How to Write Carrot-Wielding Copy!

A significant reason behind websites that fail is the lack... Read More

Your Article Headlines will Make or Break Your Business

Most people with an online presence will have to regularly... Read More

Kick-Start Your Juices

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

3 Keys to Better Online Copywriting

Doing the copywriting for your own website without the proper... Read More

How To Write An Effective Ad

A letter or postcard allows you to "talk" one-on-one to... Read More

Professional Writing: Six Great Reasons to Hire a Writer

Most people can write. Some can even write well. But... Read More

Dont Be Satisfied With Your First Draft

Sometimes it's a struggle to figure out what's the best... Read More

3 Tips For Writing Content That Will Make You Sales

Content is king. Without content your website is an empty... Read More

Designing for a Non-English Audience

Having worked as a digital publishing specialist at a large... Read More

Freelance Technical Writers - How Much Are You Worth?

Where can you find out about freelance technical writing pay?... Read More

10 Tips for Writing Web Copy

One of the most important aspects of a website today... Read More

Top 3 Rules for Writing Effective Copy

One thing all successful Internet marketers have in common is... Read More

Top 7 Things To Do Before You Hire A Copywriter

Now that you've decided to hire a copywriter, how do... Read More

Copywriting 101: Exclamation Point, Friend or Foe?

My name is Ann and I'm a grammar geek. There,... Read More

Copywriting: Engage Prospects By Involving Their Senses

Imagine a bland, colorless existence. Where food had no taste,... Read More

Better Copy: The Interview is the Key

Most of us spend our days persuading others to buy... Read More

Boost Your B to B Marketing Copy: 3 Major Copywriting Blunders and How to Correct Them

When you're writing or evaluating copy for a B to... Read More

Top 8 Techniques - Secrets - Create Ad Copy For Your Business To Sky Rocket

Perhaps the most important benefit in the material that follows... Read More

Long Copy vs. Short Copy? If You?re Still Debating This, You?re Missing The Point!

I've seen this ongoing debate debate jump up again recently... Read More