SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL OF COPYWRITING
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  • BLOG
    • Copywriting Lessons from David Ogilvy
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons from Robert Collier
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons From John Caples
    • 8 Copywriting Lessons from John Powers
    • Scientific Advertising: 10 Copywriting Lessons from Claude Hopkins
    • A Review of Current AI Copywriting Tools
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Learn How To Write Conversationally To Engage Your Audience
    • Top Skills for a Copywriter
    • Launch A Career In Advertising With These Top Portfolio Schools
    • UX Copywriting and Short Copy ​
    • Discover How To Write Killer Copy That Converts
    • What is Copywriting? >
      • What Alternative
    • 10 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Why Tone Can Make or Break Your Copy
    • How to Use Statistics, Facts and Quotes to Craft Compelling Copy
    • Great Copywriters Use Verbal Imagery to Tell a Story
    • Master the Art of Headline Writing!
    • Here’s How to Get Portfolio-Building Copywriting Gigs
    • What Volkswagen’s ’Think Small’ Teaches Copywriters
    • 5 Brands with Amazing Copywriting Teams
    • Master Hard and Soft CTAs for Superior Sales Writing
    • The Ultimate Checklist for Blog Copywriters
    • 10 Mistakes Even Experienced Copywriters Make
    • Read These 4 Books to Become a Better Copywriter
    • Sales Writing: How to Create Attention Grabbing Headlines
    • How to Create Persuasive Sales Copy
    • Proven Copywriting Methods Emotional Advertising
    • How to Write Good Copy : Preparation Techniques
    • Copywriting Secrets: 8 Powerful Ways to Add Proof and Credibility
    • Copywriting Cheat Sheet: Write Powerful Copy Quickly and Easily
    • Copywriting Insights: How to Test Ad Copy for Best Results
    • Write Effective Ad Copy: No Fail Secrets and Tips
    • What Never to Do When Writing Compelling Copy for Sales
    • How to Write Copy That Sells – Use Benefits
    • 7 Ways to Improve Your Copy Immediately
    • A Day in the Life of a Copywriter
    • Coffee, Copywriting, and Freedom
    • Copy is Everywhere
    • Direct Response Copy Sells
    • The Pros and Cons of Copywriting Part–Time
    • Three Tips to Write Copy that Converts
    • Two of the Biggest Mistakes Beginning Copywriters Make
    • Why Copywriting Makes a Great Second Career
    • Why I Love Being a Copywriter
    • Landing Pages that Work - Copy that Converts
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Copywriting Certificates: Online Copywriting Classes
    • The Advertising Museum Tokyo: Copywriting Fun
    • How to Tell a Great Brand Story
    • 20 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Top London Ad Agencies
    • The Top 10 Best Copywriting Books
    • Copywriting Courses & Resources
    • Copywriting Formulas to Write Faster: AIDA, Problem Solution and More
    • Sales Letters: Broken Down by Parts
    • Copywriting Research Tips, Tricks and Secrets
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • What is Creative Advertising
    • Ideation and How to Find the Next Big Idea
    • Creative Advertising Methods and Madness
    • Paths to Becoming a Copywriter
    • Great Print Ads - Creative Advertising That Rocks
    • Great Outdoor Ads - Creative Advertising That Works
    • Underground Ads - Creative Advertising in England
    • 10 Great Email Subject Lines
    • Email Marketing Types: Long, Short, Creative and More
    • Email Copywriting Tactics
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • Autoresponder Copywriting: How to Do It Write
    • Copywriting Examples: Social Media
    • 6 Free Copywriting Courses
    • Where You Can Get a Copywriting Certificate Online: Copywriting Training
    • Top American Ad Schools
    • 10 Ad Schools for College Graduates
    • These Direct Response Letters And Campaigns Delivered Great Results - Yours Can Too
    • How To Break Into Advertising
    • The Creative Advertising Bible: The Value Of Great Guerrilla Ad Campaigns (With Examples)
    • Content Writing Vs. Copywriting: What's the Difference?
    • SEO Copywriting: How Does Search Engine Optimization Factor Into Copywriting?
    • Show and Tell: 7 Ways to Write Strong Video Copy
    • Short, Sweet, and It Sells: How to Trim the Fat From Your Sales Copy
    • Digital VS Print Ad Copy: How to Write the Difference
    • How to Craft the Ultimate Product Description
    • B2B VS B2C Sales Copy: 6 Crucial Differences You Should Know About
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Email Marketing: 12 Tips for Getting It Right
    • Landing Pages and Lead Magnets: Everything You Need to Know
    • How to Do Better Creative Advertising: Why and How It Works
    • Where to Take Copywriting Classes in the San Francisco Bay Area
    • Why San Francisco Business Owners Need to Know Copywriting
    • How to Break Into the Copywriting Industry
    • What Everybody Should Know About Online Advertising Portfolio
    • Copywriting for Beginners: 10 Quick Tips
    • Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Keep You from Writing Great Copy
    • How to Design Great Digital Ads
    • Ad Campaigns: Nike Just Do It
    • Copywriting Examples: Google Ads
    • Best Copywriting Resources: Magazines, Organizations and More
    • How to Practice Copywriting
    • How to Build a Brand With Copywriting
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: 10 Common Grammar Mistakes
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: When to Use Commas
    • Our Top 10 Conversion Rate Optimization Copywriting Tips
    • Urgent, Useful, Unique, Ultra-Specific: How to Boost Your Copywriting with the Four U’s
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Apple 1984
    • Great Ad Campaigns: “Mikey Likes It”
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "When EF Hutton Talks"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "We Make Money the Old Fashioned Way"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Daisy
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Absolut Vodka
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Top 6 1960s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1970s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 7 1980s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1990s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Why Does Creative Advertising Matter?
    • How Can AI Copywriting Tools Make Me a Better Copywriter?
    • Why Should You Enter Advertising Contests as a Copywriter?
    • 10 Tips for Writing Captivating Social Media Copy
    • Tips for Improved Direct Response Copywriting
    • Copywriting Pro-Tip: Highlighting Benefits Over Feature
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Tips for Improved Direct Response Copywriting

Did you know that there are almost 150,000 writers in the US?
One of the most in-demand and lucrative areas of writing is copywriting. However, to be a successful copywriter, your copy needs to sell.

Direct response copywriting rules when it comes to triggering an action on the part of consumers. Creating this kind of copy can be challenging, especially if you are new to copywriting.

Besides captivating the audience you also need to prove value, eliminate doubts, and compel the reader to take action. 

​The good news is that there are a number of proven formulas and tips you can leverage to quickly start eliciting a response with your copy. 
Ready to rock at direct response copywriting? Read on to find out some of the secrets to crafting killer copy that drives results. 
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What Is Direct Response Copywriting?

If you're wondering "what is direct response copywriting," it is ad copy that drives the target audience towards a particular action. This could be something like:
  • Buying a product
  • Signing up for a service
  • Subscribing to a mailing list
  • Following an account on social media
    ​

This kind of copy will look different from copy aimed at promoting brand awareness. 

Understand Your Target Audience

The first step to writing direct response copy is understanding your target audience. 

Because direct response copywriting is designed for eliciting a response or immediate action, you have to know you are talking to when crafting it.

Knowing who your target audience is is important when creating any type of ad copy, but it is especially vital when you're doing direct response copywriting. 

To effectively sell to them, you want to get as detailed an idea as possible about your target audience.

  • What are their demographics, their interests, and their pain points?
    ​
  • What do their lives look like and what language do they use?

For instance, if your target audience is working moms, you can show empathy for their overcrowded schedule and tricky work-life balance, and simultaneously show how your product/service can help ease their time crunch. 

Claim Attention With Your Headline

The headline is easily one of the most important elements of direct response copywriting.

Stats show that while 8 out of 10 people will read a headline, only 2 out of 10 will go on to read the rest. If you don't claim attention with your headline, readers will drop off like flies before they even start the first paragraph. 

On the other hand, if you can craft a headline that demands readers' attention and gets them hooked, you'll have a better chance of leading them into your copy, and ultimately, eliciting a response. 
​
If you are struggling to create a compelling headline, an effective trick can be to write your copy first, and then come back and work on the headline.

Leverage the AIDA Formula

Another powerful tip for writing direct response copy is leveraging the AIDA formula where ever possible. 

AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. The objective is to grab attention, instill interest, create desire, and trigger action. 

So for instance, let's say you are writing ad copy for a smart alarm clock call Sunburst Light Alarm. 

To gain attention you could open with something like: 
"Are you part of the 60% of people who hit the snooze button every morning, and, as a result, get up late, rushed, and anxious?" 

If you are stuck for ideas on how to grab attention, using stats is a great way to do this. 

To instill interest you could then say: "What if we were to tell you it doesn't have to be like this? The truth is, regular alarm clocks aren't designed to work with your body and set you up for success. Instead, they disrupt your sleep cycle, leaving you tired and groggy even if you get your prescribed 8 hours."

To create desire you can then say: 
"The Sunburst Light Alarm's smart technology works with your body's natural sleep cycle to wake you up at the optimum moment in your sleep pattern. Instead of dragging yourself out of bed, you wake up naturally and gently with the help of the Sunburst Light Alarm, at the perfect time for both your schedule and your body."

To trigger action: "Ditch the snooze button anxiety for good by taking advantage of our wintertime discount sale."
​

This is just one example of how you can apply the AIDA formula. 

Write Quickly and Edit Meticulously

There's a lot to think about when writing direct response copy. You've got to focus on reaching the target audience, captivating the audience, eliciting a response, etc. 

All of this can quickly get you caught up in your head and stunt the flow of your writing. A great tip for breaking through this is to write fast.

Get it all out, even if you are second-guessing the copy. 
​
Once you have a rough draft, then spend as much time as you need to meticulously edit and hone it down into a tight piece of writing. 

Sell the Solution, Not the Product

One of the best strategies for successfully eliciting a response is to sell the solution, not the product. 

This is one of the big differentiating points between general ad copy and direct response copywriting. Instead of waxing lyrical on all of the product's features, focus on how these features will benefit the reader.
 
For instance, with the above example of the alarm clock, the copy focuses more on how the reader will wake up easily and gently, than all the high-tech features of the alarm clock.
 
At the end of the day, consumers take action because they want a solution. They are essentially buying the effects that a product or service has on their life.

​Concentrating on these will sell an offering far more effectively than long, boring paragraphs listing endless technical features. 

 

Pre-empt Doubts and Objections

If you want your direct response copywriting to convert like crazy, another hot tip is to pre-empt doubts and objections. 

Doubts and objections are some of the biggest friction points around conversion. Even if a consumer is strongly compelled to take action, an unanswered doubt could undo all your hard work and stop them at the last moment from converting. 

If you pre-empt and address possible doubts and objections in your copy, this can remove the friction point and significantly increase conversion rates.

Common consumer concerns often center around customer service, additional costs, shipping, and returns. According to cart abandonment stats, almost 50% of consumers cite extra costs as their primary reason for abandoned carts.
​
Therefore, allay their doubts and make a point to advertise things like free trials, money-back guarantees, customer satisfaction guarantees, free returns, etc. 

Take Time to Step Away

No matter how good you become at direct response copywriting, there will always be times when your brain gets stuck and you feel like you just can't craft the copy you want. 

When this happens, take some time to step away, then come back and re-evaluate. Not only does this give your mind a break, but it might also give your prefrontal cortex the space it needs to generate ideas that will make your copy shine. 

Direct response copywriting has to be tight, engaging, audience-specific, detailed, and to the point.

​This is a lot to fit into a piece of copy, so be patient with yourself during the writing process. 

Always Include a CTA

The primary goal of direct response copywriting is eliciting a response. Therefore, you must always include a CTA when writing direct response copy. 

CTA stands for "call to action". A CTA directs readers to take a specific action. Here are some examples of common CTAs:
  • Sign up now
  • Try out a free trial
  • Buy now
  • Contact us
  • Follow us on social media

The action you need to direct readers to take will depend on what the copy is for.

Sometimes the most effective CTAs are very simple and almost generic. However, feel free to get creative with your CTAs, especially when writing direct response copy. 

For instance, in the alarm clock example, the CTA told readers to ditch snooze button anxiety for good by taking advantage of the wintertime sale. 

Not only does this call the reader to action, but it also promises them extra value in the form of a discount.

​Lastly, it doesn't just tell the reader to "buy an alarm clock" it urges them to put a stop to snooze button blues and all the associated negative effects. This has a stronger emotional impact than simply instructing the reader to "buy now".

Test and Monitor Your Copy

Last but not least, always test and monitor your copy whenever possible.

​Testing and monitoring direct response copy will give you unique insights into what works, what doesn't, and where you can improve and increase conversion rates. 

Drive Results With Direct Response Copywriting

These tips are a great starting point if you want to improve your direct response copywriting skills. 

However, if you really want to become adept at writing direct response copy, then you'll need to go more in-depth. Direct response copywriting is an art that can't be taught in a couple of blog posts. 

This is why we have created the Mastering Direct Response Copy course.

​In this course, you will learn everything you need to know about direct response copywriting so you can leverage it as a profitable skill.  

Check out the Mastering Direct Response Copy course today to level up your copywriting game. 
FREE COURSE
  • Home
  • Courses
    • Copywriting 101
    • How to Create an Advertising Portfolio From Scratch
    • Direct Response Copywriting
    • 360 Copywriting Online
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG
    • Copywriting Lessons from David Ogilvy
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons from Robert Collier
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons From John Caples
    • 8 Copywriting Lessons from John Powers
    • Scientific Advertising: 10 Copywriting Lessons from Claude Hopkins
    • A Review of Current AI Copywriting Tools
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Learn How To Write Conversationally To Engage Your Audience
    • Top Skills for a Copywriter
    • Launch A Career In Advertising With These Top Portfolio Schools
    • UX Copywriting and Short Copy ​
    • Discover How To Write Killer Copy That Converts
    • What is Copywriting? >
      • What Alternative
    • 10 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Why Tone Can Make or Break Your Copy
    • How to Use Statistics, Facts and Quotes to Craft Compelling Copy
    • Great Copywriters Use Verbal Imagery to Tell a Story
    • Master the Art of Headline Writing!
    • Here’s How to Get Portfolio-Building Copywriting Gigs
    • What Volkswagen’s ’Think Small’ Teaches Copywriters
    • 5 Brands with Amazing Copywriting Teams
    • Master Hard and Soft CTAs for Superior Sales Writing
    • The Ultimate Checklist for Blog Copywriters
    • 10 Mistakes Even Experienced Copywriters Make
    • Read These 4 Books to Become a Better Copywriter
    • Sales Writing: How to Create Attention Grabbing Headlines
    • How to Create Persuasive Sales Copy
    • Proven Copywriting Methods Emotional Advertising
    • How to Write Good Copy : Preparation Techniques
    • Copywriting Secrets: 8 Powerful Ways to Add Proof and Credibility
    • Copywriting Cheat Sheet: Write Powerful Copy Quickly and Easily
    • Copywriting Insights: How to Test Ad Copy for Best Results
    • Write Effective Ad Copy: No Fail Secrets and Tips
    • What Never to Do When Writing Compelling Copy for Sales
    • How to Write Copy That Sells – Use Benefits
    • 7 Ways to Improve Your Copy Immediately
    • A Day in the Life of a Copywriter
    • Coffee, Copywriting, and Freedom
    • Copy is Everywhere
    • Direct Response Copy Sells
    • The Pros and Cons of Copywriting Part–Time
    • Three Tips to Write Copy that Converts
    • Two of the Biggest Mistakes Beginning Copywriters Make
    • Why Copywriting Makes a Great Second Career
    • Why I Love Being a Copywriter
    • Landing Pages that Work - Copy that Converts
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Copywriting Certificates: Online Copywriting Classes
    • The Advertising Museum Tokyo: Copywriting Fun
    • How to Tell a Great Brand Story
    • 20 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Top London Ad Agencies
    • The Top 10 Best Copywriting Books
    • Copywriting Courses & Resources
    • Copywriting Formulas to Write Faster: AIDA, Problem Solution and More
    • Sales Letters: Broken Down by Parts
    • Copywriting Research Tips, Tricks and Secrets
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • What is Creative Advertising
    • Ideation and How to Find the Next Big Idea
    • Creative Advertising Methods and Madness
    • Paths to Becoming a Copywriter
    • Great Print Ads - Creative Advertising That Rocks
    • Great Outdoor Ads - Creative Advertising That Works
    • Underground Ads - Creative Advertising in England
    • 10 Great Email Subject Lines
    • Email Marketing Types: Long, Short, Creative and More
    • Email Copywriting Tactics
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • Autoresponder Copywriting: How to Do It Write
    • Copywriting Examples: Social Media
    • 6 Free Copywriting Courses
    • Where You Can Get a Copywriting Certificate Online: Copywriting Training
    • Top American Ad Schools
    • 10 Ad Schools for College Graduates
    • These Direct Response Letters And Campaigns Delivered Great Results - Yours Can Too
    • How To Break Into Advertising
    • The Creative Advertising Bible: The Value Of Great Guerrilla Ad Campaigns (With Examples)
    • Content Writing Vs. Copywriting: What's the Difference?
    • SEO Copywriting: How Does Search Engine Optimization Factor Into Copywriting?
    • Show and Tell: 7 Ways to Write Strong Video Copy
    • Short, Sweet, and It Sells: How to Trim the Fat From Your Sales Copy
    • Digital VS Print Ad Copy: How to Write the Difference
    • How to Craft the Ultimate Product Description
    • B2B VS B2C Sales Copy: 6 Crucial Differences You Should Know About
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Email Marketing: 12 Tips for Getting It Right
    • Landing Pages and Lead Magnets: Everything You Need to Know
    • How to Do Better Creative Advertising: Why and How It Works
    • Where to Take Copywriting Classes in the San Francisco Bay Area
    • Why San Francisco Business Owners Need to Know Copywriting
    • How to Break Into the Copywriting Industry
    • What Everybody Should Know About Online Advertising Portfolio
    • Copywriting for Beginners: 10 Quick Tips
    • Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Keep You from Writing Great Copy
    • How to Design Great Digital Ads
    • Ad Campaigns: Nike Just Do It
    • Copywriting Examples: Google Ads
    • Best Copywriting Resources: Magazines, Organizations and More
    • How to Practice Copywriting
    • How to Build a Brand With Copywriting
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: 10 Common Grammar Mistakes
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: When to Use Commas
    • Our Top 10 Conversion Rate Optimization Copywriting Tips
    • Urgent, Useful, Unique, Ultra-Specific: How to Boost Your Copywriting with the Four U’s
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Apple 1984
    • Great Ad Campaigns: “Mikey Likes It”
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "When EF Hutton Talks"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "We Make Money the Old Fashioned Way"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Daisy
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Absolut Vodka
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Top 6 1960s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1970s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 7 1980s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1990s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Why Does Creative Advertising Matter?
    • How Can AI Copywriting Tools Make Me a Better Copywriter?
    • Why Should You Enter Advertising Contests as a Copywriter?
    • 10 Tips for Writing Captivating Social Media Copy
    • Tips for Improved Direct Response Copywriting
    • Copywriting Pro-Tip: Highlighting Benefits Over Feature