Critique my 'non-classical' copy

by 22 replies
29
Hello guys

I've been a huge lurker in the copywriting section and I honestly think this might be the most helpful subforum in WF and I hope to get some helpful, constructive criticism here, as I've read so much useful stuff on here, also got a copy of a few copywriting courses/books that I'm still going through.

The aim: for the person to take action and register a website.
Target audience: No professional clientele, just regular people who are tired of their jobs and are just starting to wander off the idea to start making money online, much like newcomers on WF.
the page: Creating A Website in 3 Steps - Found Success
(It's supposed to be a convincing tutorial. The tutorial is designed to be very user-friendly and basic)

This might be a bit cluttered, should possibly cut this down to a smaller size, but I wanted to address the most common questions.

Also you might have had noticed I didn't take the traditional route which you usually see in sales-pages, because I'm not trying to sell a product, no focus in over-selling or over-convincing; instead I hope to motivate the person to take action.

I realize this might get some negative feedback here, it's pretty unusual but lets see what you guys got to say.

+ a bonus would be to critique my signature copy(I think it's very good, btw), also, as in it's related to the original critiqued page.


Thank you in advance and I truly appreciate your time to respond to this

/EDIT: New version

Updated Version 2.0 Copy



Walt
#copywriting #copy #critique #nonclassical
  • It's great. I wouldn't change a thing. I know you will get great results
    • [1] reply
    • Are you using sarcasm? It sure feels like that way, but I can't be sure here.
      Oh I see now. Have a good laugh - I've heard it's useful to your health.

      As far throat clearing goes I'm a firm believer in that the visitor should know EXACTLY what the site/article/processed info is about. As for the preamble - it's not create a little bit of emotional bond (didn't manage to pull through, apparently)


      Thank you very much for the feedback, none the less, I will definitely try and work on the idea of 'starting off' with "the start off". Good advice!


      Walt
      • [1] reply
  • Why the throat clearing and preamble?

    The core of the page is this as far as I can tell: "START OFF by creating a damn site which will take under 2 minutes, without any tech know-how and in 3 easy steps as I’ll show you ASAP."

    Modify that into a decent headline and go from there. Move all that other stuff down below.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Consider creating a separate post where you can move the preselling elements, and use a traditional sales letter structure on the current page to fully explain the service. You don't have to oversell or overconvince, but the traditional structure helps the reader follow and understand the pitch.

    And it helps the copywriter make sure they address all the questions and concerns the reader will have.

    If they get confused or feel like their question is not being addressed, they bail.

    Here is a good traditional structure:
    David Frey's 12-Step Foolproof Sales Letter Template
    Marketing Article: 12-Step Foolproof Sales Letter Template
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Walt,

    Writing your own copy is hard enough, and putting it up for critique can be even more painful. We get that. That's the gig.

    All that said...

    You're trying too hard. Take it easier on yourself... and your reader.

    Lose the oh so tired big-bad-guru, "me? I'm a nice guy" angle and stick to what you've got for them and what it'll do for them. You're projecting your own cynicism onto prospects.

    Don't make this harder than it needs to be.

    What have you got? (Does it pass the "so what" test?)

    What'll it do for me? (Get specific and lay it out in terms of benefits, not facts)

    What do you want me to do next? (Again, get specific...)

    What will my life be like when I do it?

    What will my life be like if I chicken out or wait?

    Keep working... it never ends.
    • [ 3 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Truer words may not have ever been spoken on this quiet little sub-forum.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Clearly English isn't your first language, as there's all sorts of problems going on here with your writing. That's something you'll need to try and work on.

    I don't know what you're trying to do with all the font and colour changes, but it looks ridiculous. There's no way I would take a site seriously with that kind of style and format.

    Ok, I struggled to skim through the copy. Honestly, it's terrible. You probably don't want to hear that, but it's the truth.

    Instead of dismissing the idea of 'classical copy', you'd be better off studying it to learn as much as you can. The reason it's used so much is because it works.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Walt.

    I took my own kicking from these guys a few days ago, indeed you found it. What I have done, and am about to reload in the morning, is a new version of my copy. I took it to heart, got a bit defensive, then went away and had a look at what I'd done.

    I had refined all of the punch out of my copy with a million 'little' tweaks. I suspect that's what you've done here.

    It's easy to do, but the others are right. All the fonts and color changes make it nigh-on impossible to read. You know this copy like the back of your hand now, but literally try and read it like you haven't seen it before. You'll skim over it like we did.

    Two fonts, two colours, is what I'd recommend as a maximum. And clean up your graphics, it looks like a kid with ADD has gone mad with Microsoft Paint and some downloaded screenshots...

    Secondly I don't see the non classical aspect. I see an attempt at classical. I tried other people's methods, didn't work, tried something new, found some success, here is what I'm going to give you and then it's up to you to put some work in and find your own path.

    Kinda looks like half the classical journey without the guaranteed payout.

    It's not a bad offer, but it needs rewriting, the page needs cleaning up.

    Personally I would also focus it. Because what you're offering is achievable through any hosting company with a template built site.

    So I would suggest offering:

    1 of 3 proven moneyspinning site concepts. At the moment you have infinite choice, which is too much for most people's heads to take. Paradox of choice, analysis paralysis, call it whatever you want. You have it.

    I know you're saying "Just start a damn website." But if I am a typical person, sitting there without an idea, I can continue to feel stupid with you shouting at me or I can go and look at funny cat memes on Facebook with a click of a mouse and feel better about myself that way.

    Offer them the choice to do their own, but base it around 3 turnkey sites, ready to go, selling love, sexual magnetism, property riches, investment success, whatever you want.

    Then get someone to rewrite that carnage that is a web page. Ditch your blog post, too, just calling everyone else copycats does not automatically make you different.

    Use the blog for something useful. Tell people the new moneyspinning niches, not the well-trodden path, if you have anything to say on the subject. Find the best dropshipping offers, find the latest IM millionaires, or any of them. Use them as inspirational stories.

    Use it to answer questions that readers might have after reading your copy.

    Hopefully that's constructive enough.
    • [ 2 ] Thanks
  • Banned
    Yeah...the English is horrible. That will turn your reader right off. Look how you start - Lucra...Lucra...Lucra. The word is "lucrative".

    As for the rest - you've over-sauced the recipe and it tastes like a mess. Both in the design and the writing. K.I.S.S. - "keep it simple stupid".

    This is all you need - Place Your Title Here
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • I get what you're trying to do here, but the delivery is clunky and awkwardly written. Sounds more like a stream of consciousness draft than a final copy.

    I suggest reading it out loud, recording it and listening to it a few days later with a fresh perspective. Forget that its the copy you worked so hard on and pretend you're reading/listening to someone else's ad.

    Do this at least five times and listen for anything that's:

    1. Confusing.
    2. Oversold.
    3. Boring.
    4. Irrelevant.
    5. Awkward.

    You'll hear what needs to be removed or rewritten.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Here are my thoughts:

    Your copy starts with a subhead, a vague one. There is no hook. I would change the headline to something that implied more of a unique angle, like "After Creating Dozens of High-End Websites Under the Gun, Here's My 3 Step Fast-Track Way of Doing It"

    Or something to that effect, followed by a short line that further piques their interest, and does nothing else other than encourage them to continue reading:. Example:

    In fact, my old boss didn't know whether to tell me I was odd, or ingenius for thinking this up…

    From this point, you start listing some of the ways how your website set up proces is so unique, weird, different, but why it's also better. You're just hinting, not revealing everything. You weave it into a back story that goes into the origin or source of your discovery, how it affected the way you and your coworkers or whoever else does things, etc.

    Keep in mind that the more you emphasize words, the less power each emphasis has, and the more overall visual noise you add to the sales message.

    Take every paragraph that is five lines or longer and try to break it down to two or three lines. This will require shortening sentences and figuring out where to nicely break them.

    As you break your paragraphs, think which paragraphs would benefit from additional clarity before they're read. Try to insert some short subheads in those spots. some subheads further the story. Others voice customer concerns. Others are statements and affirmations.

    Your top copy block is unfriendly for skimming so a few well-done subheads will go a long way. constructing an outline of your current sales letter would help you with this.

    Copy laden with exclamation marks isn't my style, but other copywriters do just fine with the hypey tone. I personally think you should tone down the energy and tone up the outside references and support.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • It reads to me as if you are using what you think is some standard type of IM sales message to try and hook people in, but that it's not really you and it doesn't flow easily for you.

      Why not just be yourself, explain what it is you are offering in a simpler and easier manner and maybe get someone to look at some of the grammar.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
      • [1] reply
  • Your new website version is terrible. You need to hire a copywriter. Your copy just doesn't flow or make sense.

    That dog won't hunt!

    Read and use the solid info. in Dan Furman's book, Do the Web Write, which is available at amazon.com.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks

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    Hello guys I've been a huge lurker in the copywriting section and I honestly think this might be the most helpful subforum in WF and I hope to get some helpful, constructive criticism here, as I've read so much useful stuff on here, also got a copy of a few copywriting courses/books that I'm still going through.