If you’ve seen ads on TV, social media, or the web for products or services that you can buy right away, you’ve experienced direct response copywriting. This form of writing is designed to reach readers and tell them exactly what they want to know as quickly as possible. The goal is that the reader will be so motivated by the ad that they’ll make a purchase immediately, usually with a link or phone number included in the message.
Direct response copywriting sounds like an easy process—go ahead and write something! But it’s actually a carefully crafted form of writing that requires careful thought and practice to do well. Let’s look at some examples of direct response copywriting below.
How I can help you get out of debt for just $19
I can help you get out of debt for just $19.
And I mean that literally: if you’re in debt right now, I’ll help you find a way to pay it all off. In fact, if your total debt is less than $19, then my offer will be free. Just think about how much money you’ll save by not paying interest on your loans or credit cards anymore!
As an example of direct response copywriting at its finest, consider the following sentence: “Do what I did and put an end to the financial stress in your life.” It’s an attention-grabbing headline with a powerful offer at its core (and it doesn’t take long to read). This is why people respond so positively to direct mail pieces like this—they know exactly what they’re getting from reading a few lines!
America’s Got Talent
If you’re not familiar with America’s Got Talent, it’s a talent competition show that was created by Simon Cowell and produced by FremantleMedia. The first episode aired in June of 2006, but the show didn’t take off until season two, when it began to show what would become its signature style:
- The judges (Mel B, Howie Mandel and Howard Stern) give their thoughts on both contestants and other people associated with the show (e.g., producers).
- All of these comments are uncensored, which leads to some pretty funny moments—if you can stomach them.
- The judges also have their own catchphrases like “I don’t know why I’m here” or “I hate everyone.”
For example: In 2016 Simon Cowell said that he hated everything about the country music industry because it was full of “stupid people” who didn’t know how to write songs correctly.
Book your Las Vegas vacation now!
In the copy above, we’re using specificity to make our offer stand out. We know that people are looking for information about Las Vegas vacations, so we’ve made it clear that this is what they can get from us.
We also give them a very specific call to action: “Book your Las Vegas vacation now!” This phrase is exactly what people need in order to take action; it tells them exactly what they should do next (make an appointment). It also tells readers that the offer will expire soon, so they should act quickly before it expires. Finally, the phrase “book your trip today” makes it clear how easy this process will be—they don’t have to worry about any complicated steps or details!
Need to fill out your FAFSA? We can help.
FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It helps you find the right financial aid for you. FAFSA is a free way to get federal aid that may cover costs like tuition, fees and books.
- The FAFSA asks questions about your family finances, including income and assets (such as money in savings accounts). It doesn’t ask about your race, religion or national origin—so answer truthfully!
- You can submit the FAFSA from Oct. 1 through June 30 each year at www.fafsa.gov or with our mobile app on your smartphone or tablet.*
We’ve made it easy to fill out your FAFSA online by providing step-by-step instructions along with tips on how to make sure you don’t miss any required fields.* If there’s anything we can help with along the way, just let us know!
Are you ready to be a firefighter?
Are you ready to be a firefighter?
If you’re interested in becoming a firefighter, you’ll need to meet the qualifications for the position. First and foremost, firefighters must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. They also need to have excellent physical strength, agility and stamina as well as good vision. Other important qualifications include:
- A valid driver’s license
- The ability to swim
- Ability to lift 100 pounds (essential if they’re responsible for extricating someone from an automobile)
Once you’ve decided that being a firefighter is right for you, it’s time to look into some training options. There are many different training programs—including community colleges and universities—that offer degrees in fire science or other related disciplines; these programs typically take two years of full-time study but can vary depending on location/institution as well as individual coursework requirements such as basic first aid certification or CPR certification
Get $15 off your first ride-share service!
In this example, the copywriter has used a short sentence to explain what you can get by taking action. This sentence also offers an incentive for doing so: $15 off your first ride-share service!
Now it’s time to start getting specific about how that discount works. Include a deadline in order to get your reader into action now rather than later, or else they might forget about your offer altogether! Also include a guarantee so that you don’t lose any sales due to shipping delays or other issues with delivery of your product or service.
Finally, give them one last reason why they should choose your service over those of other companies: “Our customers love us because we offer free shipping on orders over $50.”
Caught without a coupon? Get one here.
Coupons are so prevalent that you might be surprised at how many people don’t use them. Doing so could be a great way to save money, but it can also make your life easier in the long run. Coupons are offered in both print and digital formats and can be found in magazines, newspapers, mailers, on websites and more.
And even if you’re not shopping for something specific right now—you just want to save some extra cash—you can still use coupons by purchasing items that will go into a stockpile or pantry later. You might buy canned goods when prices are lower during clearance sales (coupons included), stock up on toilet paper or toothpaste after they go on sale with coupons attached!
Coupons aren’t just available at grocery stores either: They’re used for hotel stays and airline tickets too!
Dinner and a movie under $20 in New York City.
Dinner and a movie can be expensive, but not in New York City. The Lion King is big there, and the average price of tickets is well over $100. But if you get your tickets early enough, or if you buy two at once, you can find much better prices.
For example:
- $19.99 for one ticket to see The Lion King on Broadway (plus taxes)
- $10 for two tickets to see The Lion King on Broadway (plus taxes) if purchased together online when buying them ahead of time
- $10 for one ticket to see The Lion King on Broadway (plus taxes) if purchased in person on the day of the show
- Free admission with purchase from certain restaurants within ten blocks of Madison Square Garden after 7pm
Save time, money, and energy and complete your college applications at once with our new web app.
This copywriting example is an ad for a college application-helping web app.
- What is the problem?
College applicants have to fill out several applications with different questions and requirements—each admissions office has its own way of doing things. This can be confusing for students, especially those who are applying to multiple schools and want to make sure each application features the same information.
- What is the solution?
The company behind this ad offers a web app that automates all of your college applications. It allows you to fill out one form, submit it once, and have it automatically populate all your other applications with exactly what you need from each school’s specific page or form (including uploading any attachments). The result is a consistent application package for every college on your list, so you won’t risk having human error cause problems down the line if they ask for different things in their forms than what was already filled out by the app!
- Why should I use this instead of…? There are two main benefits here: saving time, money and energy! You’ll no longer waste hours trying to figure out how many spaces there should be between lines on different forms like we did with our first daughter’s application process when she applied early decision last year; instead we just plugged everything into our software program then let her go back through it one last time before submitting everything online.”
Do you have sleep apnea? This solution could work for you, too.
Sleep apnea is an extremely common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It causes you to stop breathing during your sleep, which interrupts your normal sleep cycle and prevents you from getting the restful, uninterrupted sleep that our bodies need. The severity of the condition is determined by how frequently this happens–the more often it occurs, the worse your symptoms will be.
The main cause of sleep apnea is being overweight or obese; however, there are also several other factors that can increase your chances of developing this condition such as smoking, allergies and family history. If you have been diagnosed with this condition then there are many different treatment methods available to help manage it effectively so that you can get back on track with a healthy lifestyle once again! There are also many great options available if treatment has not worked well enough yet either so don’t hesitate now before consulting with a doctor first before trying anything else out there since some medications may result in side effects such as dizziness or fatigue which could potentially impact quality life overall instead (elderly especially should avoid taking certain types).
Find the right doctor in our database of more than 20,000 physicians.
Find the right doctor in our database of more than 20,000 physicians.
Our database includes a wide range of doctors, from general practitioners to eye doctors and dentists. Use it to find a physician near you who matches your medical needs. Or search for a specific type of specialist if you have an unusual condition or disease that requires extra care and attention.
You can use our directory to find doctors based on location, specialty, gender and other factors like after-hours availability and language spoken at home (if it’s not English).
Direct response copywriting is a way to tell readers exactly what they need to know as quickly as possible.
Direct response copywriting is a way to tell readers exactly what they need to know as quickly as possible.
It’s not just about writing a good ad copy; it’s about speaking directly to your audience and telling them everything they need to know in order to take the next step.
That could mean telling them why they should buy your product, or telling them how much money they’ll save if they do buy it, or even just giving them a form so that they can purchase from your site.
Conclusion
Keep these examples of direct response copywriting in mind as you craft anything that’s trying to sell your readers on an idea, and you’ll be well on your way to crafting a highly effective piece. Remember: the key is to find the most specific way to tell readers what they need to take action—and then, make sure they know exactly how to do it.
