2. Have you sent your idea query pitch to magazines or newspapers who may be interested? or will you write "on spec"?

With many magazines and newspapers now accepting material online it is now possible in many instances to email your queries directly to publication. Have you read publishers guidelines carefully to make sure if this method is acceptable?

Before sending your query pitch: - Is it likely to be what publisher needs: have you studied publication?

- Is timing right. Have you checked magazines editorial calendar? If it is a seasonal article is now best time to send your query?

If you have answered yes to these questions then package your idea into an attractive proposal and send it off to editor of your chosen publication.

3. Have you adequately researched your topic?

Read everything you can on topic from all available sources - bookstores, newspapers, libraries, periodical indexes and internet sources. Never discard anything about your subject topic since you don't know until you write it up what you may actually want to use. Tip: Saving magazines, newspapers and clippings for subject matter can save time when researching future writing assignments on same topic or when working to deadlines. Catalogue all your collected material for easy reference. 4. Have you interviewed key person/people you need for your proposed feature?

Now it is time to organize your material into a feature article.

5. Have you discarded everything in your research except for factual information?

There's an internet marketing expert in States who went from zip to millionaire just by promoting a book on car secrets via a very wordy online sales letter. He is now recognised as perhaps world leading expert in internet marketing. His name is Corey Rudl.

The copy on our product pages is equally as long ... and it works, delivering us many thousands of dollars in product sales without any offline promotion.

"How to Create a Sales Explosion With Every Ad and Letter You Write" ... http://www.synergie.com.au/explosion.htm "Marketing Manager's Toolkit" - http://www.synergie.com.au/marketing-forms-product.htm "Tenders that Sell" - http://www.synergie.com.au endersthatsell.htm

The key is to get to point early ... you can have long copy on your website BUT (and I stress BUT) make sure beginning of your message gets to point quickly. That's where you can lose people. It's vitally important that you hook them quickly by offering strong "hit them in face" benefits.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` The difference between writing direct mail and writing web copy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will often start a letter by relating to main frustrations or problems that a reader faces. Sometimes I will spend two or three paragraphs getting what I call "nod factor" happening. (This is when they are nodding their head in agreement with what you have written).

With web copy, you simply can't start your sales letter with three paragraphs of copy setting scene.

Chop, then chop then chop again!

Even though I said writing long copy is definitely acceptable, what won't work is FLUFF. Remove all those fluffy, round-about ways of saying things and replace them with short, sharp and to point words. You can go into great length to describe something as long as it is ABSOLUTELY critical to sales message.

Here's a tip to help you write like a miser:

When writing online copy I avoid using a word processor. I actually go into my email program and write it in email message window. It's a mind-set thing. Makes sense doesn't it! We all write emails in a quick, friendly, to point way - much more economically than we do when writing snail mail. When you've written your draft THEN cut and paste it into your word processing program.

So, how do you make your words SELL online?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Follow recipe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Remember, in other articles we talk about AIDCA formula. Make sure you follow it in your offline and your online copy.

A - Attention - grab their attention with a powerful headline that absolutely shouts out benefits of visiting site

I - Gain their interest by relating to their needs or frustrations

D - Create desire by spelling out benefits and painting a picture of how better off their lives will be by investing in your product or service.