Copywriting - master it today...... #47
- Adrian Dionisio - business737 owner
- Dec 19, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 19, 2024
The essence of copywriting is to convince your customer that your product offering will;
1) solve their need
2) offer them value.
Effective copywriting will deliver the following benefits;
Improves marketing
Captures attention
Builds brand image
Boosts sales
Make ideas come alive
Entices and compels potential customers
Retains customers
Attracts search engine traffic
Improves ranking
Convinces people to do business with you
Make emotional connections
Convinces with sincerity and authority
Copywriting includes but is not limited to:
Web text: General text that could range from an “About Us” page to a website homepage.
Content marketing: Great for boosting presence online and helping a business be seen as an authority.
Product descriptions (E-commerce): They need to make a product sound appealing enough to get customers to convert.
Social media management: Social media is useful in raising awareness about a brand, but the content needs to be exciting and valuable.
Press releases: When a business has a new product or service they want to promote, the first step is to let media outlets know to create a buzz around it.
8 Formulas for outstanding copywriting
Formula 1: Problem, Agitate, Solution.
Problem: identify main problem your audience has. Also known as "pain points".
Agitate: agitate with emotions & stressors.
Solution: offer your product as the solution.
Use for: landing pages
Problem: Are you spending hours looking for the best flight deals for your trip?
Agitate: You're interested but always find the price goes up when you are ready to decide
Solution: Let XXXXX do all the hard and tedious work for you.
Formula 2: Be X Without Y
Be [solution] without [pain-point]
Focus on what your audience wants to become and how they can achieve it with no stress.
Use for: headlines
Formula 3: Anaphora
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of each sentence, helping to solidify your message.
"Big skies. Big Scenery. Big Possibilities."
Use for: ads
Formula 4: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
Get attention via a bold statement. Tease the solution to spark interest. Build desire via wants and needs. Then show them how to take action.
Use for: body text
Formula 5; Feature, Advantage, Benefit
Don't just list features. Highlight the advantages those features bring, and the end-result they achieve (benefit).
Use for: body text
Formula 6: Verb, Value, Urgency.
Verb → get Value → graded Urgency → today
Use for: CTAs
Formula 7: Before, After, Bridge.
BAB is a storytelling formula that shows a user where they are now, where they can be in the future, and how your bridge (offer) gets them there.
Use for: email marketing
Formula 8: Outcome-With-Process
This formula focuses on concise clarity. Explain what will happen and how, pointing to your product as the solution.
Use for: headlines
Copywriting Examples; Apple, Nike, Coca Cola.
3 legendary companies. 1 common marketing trait: Great copywriting.
1. The headline.
The importance of the headline cannot be overestimated. 5x as many people read the headline vs the rest of the page.
Make your headline: • Short • Punchy • Eye-catching
2. Don't sell features. Sell superpowers:
Great copywriting isn't about what your product can do. It's about what your product can help the reader become. Example: Nike doesn't sell you sneakers - it sells you greatness
3. Address customer concerns:
Every customer has concerns before they buy a product. Could be price, safety, durability, or privacy. Address these concerns directly to build trust. Example: Apple tackled privacy concerns head-on when launching its new iPhone.
4. Make them laugh.
Some people like to think. But everyone loves to laugh. Humour makes your product memorable. Don't be afraid to stand out by mixing in a little humour.
5. Incentivize action
Don't just get them to read. Get them to take the next step. Use words that drive action
6. Be precise. Be specific.
Don't just tell them you're better. Tell them exactly how much better you are
7. Rhyme
Rhyme and repetition make a sentence more memorable. It's why poetry and song lyrics sound so catchy. Use rhyme and repetition to make your copy unforgettable
8. Sell outcomes instead of features
Readers don't care about your product features. They care about what problems your product will solve for them. Instead of showing them features, show them what success looks like
9 De-risk the decision
People are often hesitant before making a purchase. Overcome this hesitation by using social proof: Share success stories from other happy customers just like them.
10 Write a killer call-to-action (CTA)
Great copywriting starts with persuading the reader.. And ends with the reader taking action. Don't just use any generic CTA. Use a CTA that aligns with the next steps that you want the reader to take
Copywriting mistakes to avoid:
Mistake 1: Not using an active voice
An active voice will result in shorter, sharper sentences. This makes your copy easier to follow and finish reading.
Fix: Place emphasis on the subject of the sentence. Use specific verbs to describe the primary action.
Mistake 2: Not specific enough
Specificity separates signal from the noise. Give your prospect a signal that your copy is for them.
Fix: Describe the benefit as an action statement. Use real examples of how your product is used.
Mistake 3: No defined goal or outcome
Copy should move the prospect towards taking an action. If there's no outcome it's not copy – it's literature.
Fix: Work backwards from desired outcome. Make each sentence move the prospect closer to taking action.
Mistake 4: Misaligned motivation
We buy with emotion and justify with logic. The emotional motivation behind a purchase will have more pull than logical reasoning
Fix: Uncover your prospect's desire first, then build your copy around it
Mistake 5: Not using simple words
Copy should never confuse the prospect or make them feel dumb. Pick from words you'd use when talking with a 10 year old.
Fix: Ask a 10 year old to read your copy.
Mistake 6: Not using your prospects' language
You're not writing for yourself – you're writing for the prospect. Use their language, not your own.
Fix: Writing shouldn't be a solo activity. Interview your prospect. Pull copy from reviews, sales calls, and service tickets.
Mistake 7: Using a weak headline
Headlines open a conversation. Your prospect will only read the rest of your copy if the headline speaks to them, directly.
Fix: Use at least 1 of the following • Urgent • Unique • Useful • Ultra specific
Mistake 8: Not address objections
Sales people know that objection-handling can make or break a deal. Write copy that acts like a high-performing sales person.
Fix: Directly address the objection most relevant to your target persona
Mistake 9: Not enough examples
Examples help your prospect understand how your product fits into their world.
Fix: Describe how real customers use your product (and the benefits their received)
Mistake 10: Sentences are too long
Short, choppy sentences are high energy. They also don't take a lot of commitment to finish. Long sentences will tire out your prospect.
Fix: Replace comas with periods. Present one idea per sentence. Remove redundant words.
Many thanks and credit to Jeremy Moser for input with respect to this article.
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