Everything I know about Copywriting - Part 1
Writing well is a marketers most vital skill. Do you know these tips already?
Over the next few weeks, I’ll post bullet-point brain-dumps of everything I know on particular topics that are the essence of being a great founder.
The first is writing and selling.
If you can’t write a good ad headline or email sales letter - you are screwed. So let’s fix that.
Here is everything I know about copywriting (part I):
Write simply by using simple words. Try not to exceed one or two syllables. This isn’t “dumbing” down. It makes your writing easier to read. And you want people to read what you write. Right?
Treat every word as unnecessary until proven essential. This means going back through your writing and putting every word on trial. “What happens if I kill this word?”. Most of the time, it makes your writing punchier and easier to read.
Paint a picture in our mind. The last bullet point uses the simple, unexpected analogy of a courtroom and killing. This is how you make things stick in your reader’s mind.
Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself. When you feel like you’re being repetitive - only then is your point starting to get across.
Appeal to your readers inner most unspoken desires. Then once you have landed a promise to fulfil that desire, everything after must address their objections and hesitations.
Inner unspoken desires: “I want to make more money. I want to be sexier. I want higher status”
Hesitations: “How much does it cost? What’s included? How much is shipping? What’s your return policy? Is it for me? Will I like it? Will I get bored of it? Is it worth it? Do people like me buy this?”
Objections: “It costs too much. It’ll lose its value. I won’t have time to use it. It’ll get lost. The contract terms are too long. I won’t see a return on this.”
For headlines, write about the transformation your prospect will undergo when they do business with you. What will they become? This is the story you must tell. You are the guide showing them the way.
For ad copy, there is nothing more powerful than stating pure facts. Take Ogilvy’s Rolls-Royce ad: At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock. “It's the best headline I ever wrote,” Ogilvy later said.
Write as if you are speaking to one person. Because you are! The more you read as if a close friend was speaking to you over a beer - the better.