Part II: Copywriting

Copywriting•Dates back many years

•You have been subjected to it your entire life

•Any purchase you make from an ad, email, commercial or billboard - is due to copywriting

•And this is what you learn to do to reach potential clients

Copywriting•It is about a relationship between you and your target audience

•Think of it person to person

•Think of it as dating

•You don’t propose on the 1st date

•You build the relationship first

•If you grasp this concept – then copywriting is easier

•Think of it like talking to friend and convincing them to go to a movie

•It’s folksier

•Less formal

•Incorrect grammar and sentence structure is allowed (for a purpose)

Copywriting•When you talk a friend into doing something – what do you

•You appeal to what you to know means something to them

•You use inside info you have about them to motivate them to doing what you want

•You do it in a friendly way that makes them smile and give in

Two Considerations

•How do you avoid following the path of others and using “clique-ish” words

•How do you use words to inspire without making claims

•Typical copywriting strategies may not work

•May have to compromise in order to stay in scope

•This means the story becomes more important

•Speaking emotionally keeps you in scope

•Using positive psychology techniques in your writing takes your writing and speaking to another level.

•You are actually starting the healing process in your marketing material

CopywritingInvolves moving a prospective client through the relationship

This can be in one email – one sales page or series of communications

See “Role of Writing For The Sales Funnel” video

Also: “12 Stages of Intimacy” video

Copy writing is persuasive with the intent of driving an action

Give compelling reasons to take action now

Branding – the impression a brand is making on you – not necessarily selling at the time

3 Rules of Selling

•By Mark Morgan Ford

•People do not like the idea of being sold

•People buy for emotional, not rational reasons

•Once sold, people need to satisfy their emotional decisions with logic

Bob Bly: A good copywriter helps the prospect solve a problem or achieve a goal

1. Gets attention

2. Identify the clients problem

3. Position the product as the solution

4. Prove the value of your solution vs others

5. Call to action

Know what your prospect wants and match your product to what they want

Exercise

•Type in the chat the topic of your service

•What problem do you think you are solving with your service

•Type your answers in the same chat response

Know The Prospect•Basic facts, age, gender, income

•Deeper facts: interests, worries

•Deepest insights: core beliefs, feelings, desires

•You have to see the prospect as a living breathing person – the prospect is the most important thing in copywriting (not the product)

•Keep the love going – build and continue to serve the prospect to turn them into a loyal client

Food Network Media Card

•74% women

•Average age: 43.8

•Income: $67, 876

•College: 61.2%

•Where chefs are celebrities and food is entertainment for passionate viewers

Men’s Health Media Card•84% Men

•Age 41

•Income 84, 651

•34.5% college grad+

•For active, professional men who want greater control over their physical, mental and emotional lives

We always talk about the client avatar – the ideal client

But before you write to this person you need a big idea

You need a theme or message that runs through all your material

Big Idea

David Olgivy

It’s a big promise that your service helps in meaningful ways

Big idea is an over riding benefit that flows through all of your copy – new, strong, timely, unique and understandable

Big Idea

Impactful – taps into deeper psychological benefits

It is an overarching idea that flows through everything

It can be your personal goal or the goal for the client

My example: Stop the war on food

The Big Idea1.If you choose one that is your goal –then who you speak and write to will have to feel the same way as you

This means you can use more of the “I” voice

2: If you choose a big idea that is more the goal of the client, you have to know how they feel

And means you use more of the “you” voice

•Weaving the big idea into all your writing and speaking does not mean you are saying the same thing

•Can have many different topics but they should serve the big idea – the goal or theme

•Each piece of writing or presentation will have it’s own big idea – it’s own theme

•Call these sub-big ideas

Writing An Email or Flyer

•Come up with a theme or big idea for the email or flyer

•Create a headline that contains the big idea and holds them emotionally

•Follow up with up to 4 paragraphs that supports big idea and adds credibility

•Finish with a call to action (also contains big idea)

Headlines

What do you think of these?

1. What Do Holistic Nutritionists Do When They Have A Cold?

2. Is The Health Of Your Child Worth $1

What emotions do they evoke?

Example:Headline: The World’s Easiest Way To End Constipation:

Idea: Help for pooping

Emotions: I can do it (cause it’s easy), less embarrassed, more in control

Story – tell the story of someone resolving their constipation or give statistics about why people are constipated

1 single desirable outcome – pooping with ease and ending discomfort, stress

1 response (call to action) – Get this ebook for $19 to help you poop

Is making a claim?

Research For Titles and Topics•Look at current events in your subject area

•Listen to the news

•Look at seasonal magazine issues and evergreen issues.

•Sign up for google alerts

•Know the prospects – media card/kits

•Does your product/program have something unique

Don’t Be Afraid To Look At Others•Look at other blog posts and articles and talk to past clients (survey clients)

•Look for industry-specific sites - look at conference topics

•News website – put in your key words and see what you can find

•Always be the customer for what you are selling - experience it yourself

•Collect samples of other peoples promotions

•Repeat promotions if working

How Can Research Pay Off?

•Helps germinate big idea

•A unique approach

•Instant credibility

•Showcase a hidden benefit

•Create the perfect solution

•Big Idea: The Chia Secret All Diabetics Need To Know

Theory of Resistance•People naturally resist being sold

•Buyers need to see you as solution to their problems

•What is the emotion they feel from the solution and problem?

•Connect with them emotionally

•You are helping someone you care about accomplish something important to them

•This will make your writing be effective and stronger

Remember•2 parties in a transaction – each has an agenda

•The seller wants the buyer to take the offer

•The buyer wants to avoid wasting time and money

•The buyer anticipates the sellers push and actively resists

•Your goal is to present the unexpected to reduce their resistance

Sales letter

Get prospect’s attention

Keeps the attention

Makes it impossible to refuse

Compelling them to action

Persuasion is about understanding. This lead to acceptance that a service is relevant to the target audience

4 P’s of Persuasion

Promise – Gets attention – usually in the headline and sub headline or tagline

Picture: Paint a vivid picture – tell a story that lets the reader feel the problem and the solution

Proof – back up what you say – statistics, studies, testimonials (watch claims)

Push – a call to action with an outstanding offer – and asking them to purchase – can tell them again what you already told them

Example of 4P’s https://getproactiv.ca/en_ca/our-best-acne-treatment-system.html

Exercise:

You decide that you want to sell your services to either those who follow:

Paleo Diet: What is the big Idea?

Vegan Diet (health reasons only): What is the big idea?

What can you provide for them that they want?

Great email line - “Your free gift is waiting for you here” – will get it opened (better if it says what is free).

Same message weakens over time

Perspectives change, Options change so copy need to change

Keep it fresh and relevant, address current events

Always test headlines, offers and bonuses

Write As You Talk

•Establishes intimacy and a one-on-one tone

•Copy writing is informal conversational

•Spoken English

•Forget grammatically correct

•When you talk to a friend, do you strategize ahead of time?

To Write Like Your TalkTry to simulate the rhythm of the spoken voice by using punctuation

Bold, italics and caps

Use dots … or a long dash

Or skip a line

Use your own natural voice but it must be in a way that is appropriate for the brand

ie is your prospect a skeptic (been let down too many times) or new to the process and idea

Proper voice

Believe the product/service will you’re selling will improve their lives

Figure out what it would take to convince you to buy the product

Keep it simple and avoid jargon

Unless the jargon is relevant like techy words for a techy crowd

Writing Like You TalkShort sentences – easier to scan and digest and moves the reader along in an easy quick way

Bullet points – put the benefit first –then explain

Flesch-Kincaid scoring

Tool for measuring ease – the lower the score the more believable, try to be under 8.0 - under 5.0 is even better

http://www.readabilityformulas.com/freetests/six-readability-formulas.php

Creating Authenticity and Credibility1. Employ Specific Details

Don’t Say: Bananas are nutrient-rich

Do Say: Bananas boost beneficial bacteria, increased levels of muscle-maintaining potassium and sustain energy levels.

2. Avoid Filler Words: Avoid using fashionable, rich, lovely, charming, upscale, sickly, cozy, colourful, beautiful…

They do not necessarily add anything and are subject to interpretation by the reader – it is lazy way of writing description

3. Use strong verbs

Replace words like “to be “ and “to have” with verbs that indicate action or offer a visual image:

An exercise epidemic swept through my town. It saved me as I discoveredthe power of my own body.

4. Find details that others overlook

Think about not only what you see but also what you smell, hear and feel

Imagine lounging on your deck, a book on your lap and a mocktail in your hand. Just steps away, your children splash in the lake as the seagulls squawk above.

Offer exact numbers in the details

Testimonials – don’t just ask what happened – as how they feel or felt –be careful not to include claims

Don’t take testimonials out of context so that it changes the actual message

Write With PassionIt will make your words carry more meaning

Your ideas will be more clear and compelling

Your voice is stronger, richer and more convincing

Your energy will carry over to your prospect

How? Know the prospect and the product –testimonials can help – get excited and feel the problem and feel the solution

Passion – What Does Your Client Think?

Does you prospect like bold, in your face “us vs the enemy”

Are they suspicious of the status quo and would like an outsider solution

Presenting your services as a novel –not part of the establishment

Limit exclamation point – only for impact every now and then

Softer ApproachDoes the client want to see a partnership relationship with you?

“I will help you do three things: Sleep better, digest better and have more energy”

“Improve Your Life” I will work with you step-by-step

“Get Yourself Out of Pain” with one click

All address a problem – offer a solution

The Power of Using StoriesDramatize the benefit – creates a picture

Taps into a fear or desire ie: to be respected

Brings the benefit to life

You feel the intrigue and you want to know more

It starts with a human interest story, the story creates a hero, includes a moral which is buy this product and they can have this benefit, too

To Tell A Story

Go back to the prospect file and figure out what are the desire etc

The hero in the story is the prospect – so what is the prospect struggling with

Client stories are gold

Voices in a Story1st person: Prospect will relate and see how it will solve his/her problem

The hero is telling the story

2nd person: The powerful “you” voice talks directly to the reader and draws them into the story

3rd person: Provides a parable with an irresistible lesson – two men same college one successful, one not – what is the difference

To Write Your StoryIdentify the message – to help you guide the reader so he/she responds – what do you want them to do

Start in the middle of the action – not at the beginning

Layout the story development – where does it end (what obstacle was overcome)

1. Know and prepare the story – whose the hero (how are they like the prospect), what’s the problem, what’s the solutions and how did the hero get the solution

2. Start in the middle

“While my dinners guests enjoyed the magnificent meal I had slaved to prepare, I was stuck in the bathroom, double over with cramps, begging my colon to co-operate” “Little did I know, my dinner guests were the cause of my problem”

3. Construct the story – make it very tight, hint at big benefits to come, tell it quickly, stick to the truth, use specifics, juicy details, tie it together with a promise, then transition

In summaryRemember the theory of resistance

Make sure your copy is relevant and beneficial

Use stories, make promises “more to get” and hold attention

Write like you talk and how the prospect talks

Write with passion

BenefitsShow reader what’s in it for him/her

They keep him moving through you copy

They create a psychological connection between his/her desires and your product/service

The stronger the emotional reaction, the quicker they will buy your product

Benefits are not features

BenefitsOnce the buyer become emotionally attached to the product, they will buy

ie: powerful car – make buyer seem powerful this is benefit not a feature

Features are statistics, raw data – they are the logic rationale and do not create an emotional attachment

Figure out the how the features can create a benefit to the client

Unique BenefitsWhat are you offering that no one else is?

The unique benefit could be something a holistic nutrition professional does that other practitioners do not.

It could be a bonus you are offering

It could be service you provide that is unique to you and not other holistic nutrition professionals.

Principle of Future BenefitsFocus your prospects attention on future benefits, creating the emotional attachment between your service and their desires

Well-being is about thoughts of the today and the future

You never have to worry …

Health is an easy product to have future benefit as is education – we are involved with both - improving someone’s health definitely has future benefits

Future benefits can be implied – they can have a benefit now and this will continue into the future

Sidestep the roadblocks to losing weight in 90 days – And start living the life you have dreamed off… starting now

Sidestep the roadblocks to losing weight in 90 days – and discover the simple plan to create the body of your dreams…

Unique Selling Proposition(USP)Service or product must have a specific benefit that is unique

How is your service the best in the field – unique, fundamentally different or better than anything else

Example USP:

Children’s Health Newsletter: Written exclusively for by mothers

USP

USP is not necessarily copy

When you look at the your research and data about the service – make a list – iecustomer service, product specs, user input, reviews, try it yourself – leads you to coming up with a USP

Articulate your USP in your taglines, headline, sub-headlines, email subject, social ads, testimonials, restate it in the call-to-action

People TransformationYou are taking clients from a less desirable state before they start to a more desirable state after

Copy writing is articulating this: transporting or shifting: a less desirable before state to a more desirable after state

Always be talking about the customer

What will clients be able to do after they work with you that they can’t do now

Identify The Customer – Who Are You Speaking To?

Before After

Have: What did they have or not before? What do they have now or don’t have?

Feel: What is their emotional state of the

audience before – write with empathy -

acknowledging their feelings before hand but

you need to know what they are feeling

What will they feel after - describe what they

feel emotionally after

Average Day: What is their day like before What is their day like after

Status: What was their status before Do they have more after?

Evil: How can you position before as bad Good: How can you position the after as good

Stimulate emotionsStimulate several emotions so you can reach more prospects more deeply

Prospects have several emotions going on at once

Not just fear and greed

42 Copywriting Emotions: http://www.copywriting-express.com/Copywriting_Emotions.html

3-step buying tier – emotion - desire – action

Use different words to convey the emotion

Headline80% will move on if you do not grab their attention with the headline –

The headline should grab be emotionally meaningful (core beliefs, desires, feelings)

The headline moves the reader into the copy

- If they are afraid – offer hope.

- Insecure – offer confidence

Best Headline Words:

Discover, Easy, Free, New, Proven, Save, Results, it’s Here, Introducing, At Last, Guarantee, Bargain, Last Chance, Quick, Sale, Why, How To, Just Arrived, Now, Announcing

The 4 U’sUnique – What is unique about your service?

Useful – How is it useful?

Urgent – Why should they get it now rather than later

Ultra-Specific – Don’t be vague –prospect need to know what benefits are there for him/her

Examples:

The World’s Easiest Way To End Constipation

Discover The World’s Easiest Way To End Constipation Now – Special Offer

Are Your Ready? A Customize Plan For a New You in 30 Days. Stop Struggling

Start Pooping – Feel Great Now With A Special Strategy Just For You

The Lead

Start of the copy – It contains the big idea

Set the tone and the pace

Forges instant connection with the target audience – convinces them it is relevant to the them and useful

The LeadWithin the first 10 -30% of the copy -after the headline – the promise and deep benefit should be mentioned

Tell a simple story – keep it real and clear

Buying a car – the prestige, the independence, making a statement about yourself

Buying a sleep supplement – selling alertness, being rested, feeling good

Awareness SpectrumDetermine where your prospect lies along the spectrum

Direct approach works best when the customer is aware of the problem exist and that a solution may exist

Direct Approach – just the facts – state the promise upfront

They are already aware so they know this is a solution

Indirect approach is for those who are not aware there is a problem or a solution

Indirect lead – use an intriguing headline, starts with a story

Works best when they do not know you or trust

Are not aware there is a problem or solutions

6 Leads Type

1. Direct: Offer – Puts promise upfront – popular with known products

2. Direct: Promise – Give the prospect a strong reason to consider – make sure it’s unique

3. Direct: Problem- Solution “for relief from that – try this”

4. Indirect Secret or Systems:

- Indirect secret: Why you should never eat these “healthy” foods”

- Indirect system: Free E-Cookbook: Discover how to extended the power of foods to gain more energy, lose weight and feel good about life

5. Indirect: Declaration – attention is the purpose – should be startling , new and wide reaching, breaking news, bold prediction “Read this or Die”

6. Indirect: Story – Must be a real story – beginning, middle and an end

Taps into an affinity (a natural liking or sympathy)

Telling A StoryThree parts to the story:

Beginning: Grab their attention, pull them into the story, introduce the challenge (the issue), identify the promise, arouse the curiosity or create the urgency, hit hard and quick. Start with the most exciting part of the story - the middle

Middle: Tackle the challenge the hero (the reader) must overcome. Write the obstacles that need to be overcome clearly. Build the drama and use conflict to drive key points home for the reader. Don’t let the story wander. Instead create motion and energy by guiding the prospect smoothly toward the pay-off – the resolution of the conflict.

The End: Here comes the pay-off – the solution. The pace quickens as you lead them toward the call-to-action (use shorter sentences as a technique to quicken pace).

The Sale ArgumentThe lead has brought the prospect to the point of seeing the big promise (the solution – it has painted the picture).

The body copy is where you prove to the prospect that your solution is the one she needs – like no other

In the body copy – present benefits, testimonials, proof without leaving the client confused, bored or skeptical

The client is now at rationalizing stage

They made the emotional decision – that buying your service will help him.

Now you re-enforce the USP and state or re-state you offer and bonuses

You can also introduce a new idea or explain something new (showing benefits) and testimonials

Could introduce the solution (let me show you how (whatever you said they would get)

Use of subheadingsSubheading can be used for those who like to skip through – make sure they use the 4U’s

To make your copy smooth:

1. Identify the most important truths about the product/service and present them with the greatest appeal

2. Deal with any perceived shortcoming directly and positively (objections)

3. Write gripping copy that move the readers emotionally while answering the rational questions

4. If using bullets, put benefits first and then explain

The CloseGet rid of any remaining skepticism and replace it with a positive expectant feeling about the commercial relationship between you and prospect

Get them the ACT now and leave the prospect delighted that they have made the rational decision to buy the product.

The CloseIn the close restate the big promise -what are they getting and why its great

Equate the product with the desired benefits

Restate the USP

Add a false close: Just when they think you are wrapping up you add one more powerful benefit before asking for payment.

What Is Irresistible Offer?

An irresistible offer offers prospects something some compelling they cannot help but call, mail or go online to buy – unique, high perceive value, tied to brand, no risk

Popular offers – report, gift, big discount, special intro rate, free sample or trial, special access to the leader

OfferDon’t just think of saving money -what would make a difference to them that your service has? Live meetings? Group support? Tools they can use?

Now you can appeal to their logic and give them one more rationale – ie save 30%

Also create sense of urgency – date specific, limited quantity

Adding a Guarantee

Helps remove risk

Can we make a guarantee?

State refund clearly – it helps reduce remorse for buying

Helps make you seen more trustworthy because you stand behind your product

The PSA proven technique where you can add one or more enticements or remind them of a benefit or it could be a surprise ( such as price is tax deductible)

Could be comments from clients (testimonial)

Or a friendly remind that free benefits are only available for a short time (and state time)

Plus link

TransubstantiationChange an ordinary substance into something extraordinary

You want the client to imagine the product is bigger, better, more valuable than it appears

A name change can do this

What is this

Normal Everyday Fruitcake

Native Texan Pecan Cake

Transubstantiation

In SummaryHeadline - Make or break the entire copy

Use the 4U’s in your headline

If you can’t get it all in the headline, then use tag line

Try 6 different leads to find the best one

Fill your sales argument with proof and more benefits

Include a false close in your close – one more incentive

Boost results with a guarantee and a PS

Winning words listAmazing, announcing, at last, bargain, bonus, breakthrough, charter, discount, discover, easy, first time, forever, free gift, guaranteed, how to, hurry, improved, instantly, introducing, it’s here, just arrived, last chance, limited, miracle, never before, new, now, opportunity, premium, priority, revolutionary, rush, save, secret, send no money, special, the truth about, today, unique, valuable, win, yes, you