I am sure many of you have read copywriting books and countless blog posts. Even took a copywriting course.
But what happens when you sit down to write your own copy?
You feel like an ignorant mumbler. Getting started is difficult. It's hard to come up with something to write. You worry. Then, you check Facebook. Later on, you make another cup of tea. Afterward, you respond to e-mails.
How about your copy, though?
This is something you would rather not do.
Actually, you are angry, disgusted, and ready to throw your computer out the window.
Doesn't that sound familiar?
As part of this blog post, I reveal the 25 essentials every business owner should know about copywriting. You can use these 25 rules to improve your copy to become more persuasive, and you can sell more.
My Rules of Persuasive Copywriting
- To write a good copy, you must know who your audience is. When you don't know who you're writing for, you can't address people's fears, desires, and secret wishes. You've nailed your audience, right?
- The best copies are stolen, not made up. Make sure you don't copy from your competitors (that's plagiarism; plus, they probably have no idea what they're doing). Steal copy instead by listening to clients and prospects.
- Connect with your buyers using the same language they use. Don't use jargon or complicated words that your readers won't understand.
- Start typing, but don't expect your copy to appear magically. Apply a solid copywriting process that combines research, planning, writing, and editing. Creating quality copy is a step-by-step process.
- The end is where you should begin. Without a clear understanding of your content's goal, you cannot write compelling copy. Each paragraph and sentence must contribute to this goal.
- Have a real passion for helping people. Understanding persuasion tricks is less important than solving real problems. Copywriting for a product nobody wants is impossible for anyone, including the highest-paid copywriter.
- You will translate the feature into a benefit by asking yourself So what? for every product or service feature. Why would your reader care about this?
- Use the inverted pyramid method. Prioritize the most important information.
- You should write scanner- and reader-friendly code. Scanners skim your headlines, subheads, and bullet points to grasp your main message. The reader is interested in the details.
You listened to your clients and wrote your draft based on their needs and wishes.
How can you convince new clients to believe and trust you and purchase from you? How can you nudge them to contact you?
How to Boost Your Persuasiveness and Nudge Readers to Act?
- Motivate your audience with emotion. Back up your claims with facts. Motivate customers with emotional appeals and help them justify their purchases based on logic and facts.
- Storytelling is more engaging than sales pitches.
- You should avoid bragging because it irritates people. Increase your credibility with non-sugary testimonials and story-based case studies.
- Eliminate any objections that readers may have to purchasing from you. What's holding them back?
- Social proof will boost your credibility. Let people know how many projects you've completed or who else has hired you. Mentioning your waiting list will create an air of popularity.
- Appeal to people's fear of losing. By not purchasing from you, what are they missing?
- By nudging them to make a decision, you can overcome buyer procrastination. You can use scarcity to your advantage: offer a limited-time promotion, offer a limited edition, or have limited availability. Create a sense of urgency by adding a countdown timer.
- Embrace the power of free. It is common for people to perceive free shipping and free bonuses as having a higher perceived value than discounts.
- Guarantees reduce the buyer's risk. Consequently, people may be more confident about purchasing.
Your offer is irresistible. You've encouraged readers to make a decision. Finally, they're ready to buy from you.
Nearly finished with your copy...
Here Are Some Essential Editing Tricks Everyone Should Know:
- Don't be shy. Be bossy! Making your call-to-action more powerful and clear will entice people to click Buy or get in touch for a quote.
- Don't use clichés, don't be wordy, and eliminate weak phrases. Make sure every sentence and word in your copy contributes to your copy's goal. The result of lazy editing is that your readers might not even reach your call to action because of the slowdown.
- Paint vivid pictures. It increases their desire to hire you if they can imagine what it would be like to work with you.
- Your copy should be precise and specific. You can bolster your arguments with particular facts, but drivel undermines them.
- If you can't prove you are the best, then don't use superlatives like fastest, simplest, and safest.
- Verify that you have not made grammar or spelling mistakes. You don't want to make yourself look silly, do you?
- Listen to the rhythm of your copy as you read it aloud. You can tell if your copy skips or stumbles by the way your sentences plod.
Conclusion
Writers of sales copy face many challenges - that's why they usually earn some of the most profitable salaries.
Making things right may take several tries, which is why you should analyze and compare what's working and what isn't working.
Take a printout of this page, stick it up on the wall, and refer to it whenever you get lost. Your efforts will be rewarded in the end, and you'll soon see their benefits.
