A lot of online copy is filled with hype that turns readers off, turns clients off and, frankly, turns other copywriters off! Yet a lot of copywriters are guilty of writing hype-filled copy. I must admit, I've been guilty of it myself (probably more than once)! How do we avoid the trap of writing copy that sounds "hype-y"?

Today's site, http://thecopydoctoronline.com - The Copy Doctor, will help you to fine-tune your copy, avoiding hype while maximizing its impact.

Follow these three simple steps to get the hype out of your copy:

Talk about the reader's pain. The pain you're trying to relieve, through your product or service, is the focal point of your reader's awareness. Write about their pain, focus on it, and use language that lets the reader know you empathize with their pain, you understand it, and that you possibly have a solution to it. That will result in your copy not sounding hype-y, even if it makes extraordinary claims. Your reader won't necessarily perceive extraordinary claims as hype, if the copy is relevant to their life and their problems. Focusing on their pain is one of the ways you allow that perception to grow.

Tell Stories. Your copy shouldn't be just about facts and figures. Tell your readers a story. Politicians are masters at this. Ask any politician a question, and chances are you will get a story: "Well, I'm glad you asked me that. Just last week, I was chatting with Millie Pye, who also lives on Social Security, and she ". Off they go, into a story. Of course they rehearsed it, were waiting for this very question so they could tell their tale. Story-telling works because it draws you in (whether you like it or not). It's pretty hard to argue with a story!

Detail over description! Too many adverbs and adjectives can make your copy look like hype. Don't believe me? Look at this phrase: "We have the greatest company in the world! Our boss is fantastic!" Sounds like a load of bull, doesn't it? With a bit of work, it can change to this: "Our CEO, Bob Smith, graduated from the Harvard School of Business. Over the past ten years, he has increased the profitability of this company by over 15% every year." While the first example is full of hype (and not much else!), the second example offers simple details of Bob Smith's education and career all hype-free.