Part 1 and Part 2 of my now infamous “Orgasmic Web Copywriting” series focused on the first two elements of the great, Gary Halbert’s, AIDA system.  We covered the importance of killer headlines and how to master them and one of the best known methods for sustaining the interest of the customer…great storytelling.  In part 3, it’s time to talk desires!

Every Sunday my wife and I take our daughters to our favourite waterside restaurant.  We eat lunch and talk about our respective weeks, until, on an already full stomach, we indulge ourselves in their fabulous dessert menu.  Rocky road sundae, banana and butterscotch waffles…decisions, decisions?

When all talk of my daughters’ school projects, my wife’s nightmare student and my web copywriting exploits is over, we sluggishly drag ourselves for a walk around the lake.  9 times out of 10, I make some sort of reference to the fact that perhaps we should have split a dessert, but nevertheless, we remain destined repeat the ritual 7 days later.

On the way back to the car, we’ll pass Toys R Us and without fail one (or both) of the girls will reliably inform us of the latest toy they simply must have.  Next comes Prada and amazingly enough, my wife needs a new dress for some event I know nothing about and finally Barnes & Noble…and of course, I need research materials for my latest web copywriting project (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!)

“6 year-old uncovers the key to eternal life!”

This Sunday, my 6 year old gave me the most profound lesson in web copywriting I have ever had.  After years of studying the greats (and lining the pockets of Mr Barnes & Mr. Noble), it was my daughter who gave me that ‘epiphany moment’!

On asking why she wanted the toy of the week, she responded (hands on hips), “Everybody wants things dad, if you don’t want things you DIE!”

I laughed…but when I thought about, she’s right.

Show me a person who has fulfilled their every desire, had their every need met, and wants for absolutely nothing and I’ll be really impressed.  However, the chances are they would be a figment of your very vivid imagination!   Why? Because no matter what we have, no matter how many zeros grace our bank balance, desire for something more is a basic human instinct we just can not shake. It’s as much a part of human nature as breathing is!

When some arrives at your website, they didn’t get there on a magic carpet ride, they arrived because they were looking for a way to meet a desire or need they have.  Great web copywriting is about convincing the reader that that you hold the key to their fulfilling the desires that they came with.

Now, for more of my Web copywriting genius…

A little over a year ago, I was approached by Matt Edwards, a brilliant Internet Marketer who couldn’t understand why his informative ebook on the power of positive thinking was struggling to sell.  In typical Internet Marketer style, Matt came to me with his solution… “do you think you could re-write it, Jay?”

One look over the product and I knew it wasn’t the problem.  Although I performed a few minor tweaks, it was evident that the REAL problem was the $2000 sales letter Matt had paid a self-proclaimed “web copywriting expert” to produce.  My gut instinct is the ‘web copywriting expert’ was probably a dyslexic alcoholic, with a possible drug problem so I won’t make you endure his ‘work’ only to say it completely failed in terms of exploiting potential customers desires.

Obviously, this is just a snippet of my full web copywriting efforts… in fact some of what you see here didn’t make the final cut… but you get the picture.  Effective web copywriting that sells, cashes in on the inherent human desire to improve our health, increase our wealth and create our own blissful experience.

In the final part of ‘Orgasmic Web Copywriting That Floats Their boat’ we will be looking at the final element of great copy…The Call To ACTION!