Here’s a deep dive on my top 3 rules for writing words that sell
The biggest mistake rookie copywriters make is trying to convince people to buy.
Perhaps counter-intuitively, this ends up not being very convincing.
The best copy is actually:
— Clear— Relatable
— Educational
That leads us to our 3 rules
Rule1: Clarity
First Ask yourself these questions before writing:
— What are you selling?
— Who are you selling it to?
— What is their top fear/desire?
— How does your offer benefit them?
This clarifies your vision before you write.
Once you start writing, don’t try to be clever or convincing.
Instead:
— Use simple words
— Use short sentences
— Focus on informing, not selling
Combine that with a ton of proof (case studies, testimonials, etc) that your offer works, and you’ll have a persuasive pitch.
Rule 2: Speak Your Customer’s Language
How you write and speak might not be how your customers write and speak. If you stubbornly use your default tone, you won’t persuade. Instead, do deep research on whoever you’re writing for.
Some info to compile:
— Age
— Gender
— Location
— Economic status
— Fears
— Desires
— Solutions they’ve tried already
— Why those solutions haven’t worked Once you have those, you’ll be prepared to write in their language.
Rule 3: Make Your Writing Short and Evocative
One of my favorite writing quotes… “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” Contrary to what your instincts might tell you, shorter writing is more difficult to create, and it’s more effective.
“Evocative” basically means “inspiring emotion”. Your research will tell you which emotions your audience will respond best to. Once you have those, you can use stories and imagery to create the feelings that will persuade best.
Quick example of that… A boring concept: Progressive overload. An evocative take on it: Progressive overload trains your muscles to get stronger and takes you toward your fitness goals one day at a time.
If you master just those 3, you’ll be a better copywriter than 80% of people.
Here are a few more topics to study that’ll put you in the top 10%:
— Offers
— Hooks
— Angles
— Social proof
— Unique selling propositions
That’s everything. If you want to learn more about writing and building content businesses, join our copywriting forum here
