The Copywriting Formula That Works Every Time

Oftentimes, people think that “copywriting” is one of those things they’ll “just never learn” – because it takes a special gift or talent.

Fortunately, by following a basic formula, you can learn to write copy that’s compelling, persuasive and vibrant – something that hooks the reader’s attention and gets them to take action on whatever you’re selling or  promoting.

Like any craft, there are certain steps you have to follow in order to get the best results. For instance:

Understand Your Target Audience.

Who is your audience? What are their fears? Hopes? Goals? Essentially, what’s keeping them up at night? What will you do for them and how will you help them solve this problem?

Once you know this core concept, everything else will flow accordingly.  Then, when getting your research together, you’ll want to thoroughly:

Organize Your Material.

Organize it so that it speaks to their wants, needs and goals – not yours.  Frankly, your audience could care less that you’ve been in business for 30 years and won numerous awards. They care that you can give THEM award-winning service.

Of course, you want to be sure you’re organizing the right kind of information, which is why it’s crucial to:

Know Your Product or Service.

Learn everything you can about it — its benefits, its flaws (yes, there are flaws!), and be able to readily anticipate the reader’s internal objections before they even know them.

If you’re promoting an affiliate product, it’s best to own that particular product so that you can try it yourself and be able to communicate what it does for others.

Use Simple Terms and Phrases.

That’s not to say you should write for a 5-year-old, but it’s a good idea to write for an 8^th grade reading level (approximately 14-15 years of age).

Clear out any words that could throw up a stumbling block to your reader and jar them away from reading and taking action. At the same time, you’ll want to make sure that you:

Speak to Their Emotions.

Use illustrative words and descriptions:  “Sell the sizzle, not the steak”. Paint a picture in their mind’s eye about the kind of results they’ll achieve and what they’ll learn from taking that first step today.

It’s even a good idea to think about a proper angle and:

Tell a Story.

Your copy should only be long enough to tell that story and then stop. You don’t need to keep droning on and on or focusing on insignificant details. A good story will do much of the “heavy lifting” for you!

Great headlines naturally evoke stories like the famous “They laughed when I sat down to the piano – but when I started to play!…” Everyone can picture themselves in that kind of situation.

Don’t Try to Be Funny.

Or clever, or cute… as everyone has different definitions of humor – and sometimes in trying to be funny, you actually throw off the reader and make them stop to consider whether or not your product/service is really worth it.

Instead of wasting all that energy thinking of something witty to say, use it to:

Stay Specific and Give Proof.

Use names, places, figures – share what’s happened to people who have used the product or service.  Back up your statements with proof – then give the user the ability to take action easily.

By keeping each of these steps in mind when writing sales copy, you’ll be able to communicate your offer effectively, persuade the reader to take action and reward them for doing so.  Give it a try and watch the words come to life on the page.

Please share your thoughts on this copywriting formula by leaving a comment below.

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