Whether you write for ezines or Web sites, Online readers love information, but be sure your information is crisp, clean, clear, and concise.
1. Keep your paragraphs short, even a line or two. Online readers will ignore long batches of words in long paragraphs, whether in an ezine or at a Web site. That costs the author a lot of book sales. Respect readers who want material short and sweet.
2. Write tips in their correct format. First, use a verb as a command. Follow it by the cost of not doing it. End with a positive comment. Use this three-sentence formula to bring the curious to you.
3. Make your heading compelling. If you haven’t tested it on associates, or haven’t edited it at least five times, it says “lackluster.” People will delete your email or leave your site to find something new. Which one will you read? “How to Write an Article,” or “Sell More Books by Writing a Short Article?”
4. Get to the point quickly in the title and the first line. Long stories and introductions turn readers off. They want instant gratification. Keep your introduction and conclusion to one or two sentences.
5. Tell your readers what you want them to do. Without direction you won’t get them to visit your Web site or order your products. They are waiting for your magic formula to make them richer, healthier, or enjoy great relationships.
6. Target your article to your most profitable audience. Not everyone will want your information, so include your audience in the title or introduction. When you target your audience, you write more compelling, focused copy that your readers will love. They will reward you by checking out where your book is sold.
7. Eliminate all superfluous words such as adjectives and adverbs like “ly” and passive verbs. Because of a lack of effort, novices ruin their work with sentences full of “is” and “was” linking verbs instead of bold verbs. Neither books, nor articles will sell with these “slugs.”
Keep these tips in mind, so that your article will bring people to you, your service, your Web site, and your products.
Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people’s lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” and “Create your Web Site With Marketing Pizzazz,” she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 145 free articles. Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com.
