Crafting a great copy is an invaluable skill that many people should acquire, regardless of whether they actually want to become a copywriter or not. If you are selling something to make money, the copywriting skills and tactics you apply will help you secure the deal.
Here are the 8 basics you need to know when it comes to writing a good enough copy:
#1 Knowing Your Target Audience: It is much easier to write to someone when you have a little background knowledge on them. You should try to come up with a mental or written image of who your target audience is, what their age is, where they live, their average income, and their likes and dislikes?
Always ask yourself these 2 simple questions:
- WHY should people purchase your stuff, and
- WHAT’s in it for them? (it’s always about them)
Find a way to make your copy stand out from others, e.g. use real life stories. Spend an afternoon to do market research on similar sales letters and identify their hook or USP.
#2 Spend Time To Write A Good Headline: If your headline is puny, it is very unlikely your prospects will consume the rest of your copy. If you are sending email newsletters, the headline pertains to your subject. Give people a strong reason to read your email.
#3 Add Subheadlines Between Your Copy: Subheadline not only can help to break up your copy but they also help to grab the prospects’ attention. You can use them to highlight the key points of your copy. Remember the ‘what’s in it for them’ question?
#4 Avoid Overuse Of Fluffy Words: Stay away from words such as maybe, hopefully, wish, could, perhaps, etc. Instead you want to create clear sentences that are short and contain strong words such as will and can. You want to sound confident in your copy.
#5 Write Your Copy In Present Tense: Instead of saying ‘was’ or ‘were’, use ‘is’ or ‘are. Present tense can help to strengthen the entire copy because it puts your prospects in the moment. You may use past tense when writing stories that have already happened.
#6 Show Proof And Testimonials: Insert testimonials to your copy if possible, show a photo of that person; it also helps to include where the person lives by city or state. If you can show your existing customers have already benefited from what you offer, they will more likely to pull out their wallet. Make sure you ask permission first when adding proof.
#7 Use 100% Guarantee To Shoulder The Risk: Let your propsects know if they aren’t completely thrilled with the outcomes, you will rush to send a full refund of every penny.
#8 Have An End Goal In Your Copy: At the end of the day, you want your prospects to order from you. Remember to ask for the sale, tell them to click the add to cart button.
Once your finished writing your copy, always proofread it few times. Either you can do this or have someone else do it for you. By applying these 8 copywriting basics to every copy you write, you should have no difficulties in becoming a good enough copywriter.
