In this fast-start course we’ll cover 8 response boosting lessons:Â
LESSON 1
Research, Research, Research
The secret to writing great copy is research.
Research is everything!
Once you have your research down, a large part of your work is done – you understand your product, you understand your prospect… and you can figure out how to present them an offer that speaks to their needs.
In fact, doing the research can be up to 80% of the work.
There are three areas of research we need to master:
Let’s look at each more closely…
Use it, subscribe to it, wear it, listen to it, eat it… go through the experience as if you own it.
You want to know it inside out.
Step One: List The Features
Take a pad and pen and list every single feature you can think of.
These will transform into vital parts of your copy.
Let’s do an example:
[table id=2 /]
This is a short list.
If we were doing this for real, we might find another 50+ features (the more the better). Don’t stop until you have racked your brain for every last feature.
Now, a list of features isn’t very persuasive. In fact, it’s pretty much meaningless.
To make these features grab your prospect’s attention, you have to communicate how they will benefit them.
So you need to…
Turn the features into benefits.
There are three types of benefits, and you want to express the features in terms of each:
Start with the functional benefits.
Describe what the feature does for the user…
Functional benefits:
[table id=3 /]
Turning these into copy:
But you can take it to the next level, by showing your prospect how it will impact their life.
Describe what the features will look like in their life…
Dimensionalised Benefits:
[table id=4 /]
Now we’re talking a language your prospects understand.
Hopefully your copy is bringing the product to life.
Turning these into copy:
Dimensionalised benefits paint vivid mental pictures that you reader will identify with. It shows them how the product will impact their lives.
But there’s one more level that can really pump up the purchase intention. Emotions.
Emotions are the most valuable tool a copywriter has to persuade. All decisions are made emotionally.
Decisions are made with emotions (benefits)… then are rationalized with reason (features).
Now let’s describe how the features will make them feel…
Emotional Benefits:
[table id=5 /]
Now we’re putting into words how the features will make them feel.
Turning these into copy:
So have you done this for every product feature? You have? Good.
Depending on the complexity of your product, you could have 20 to 200+ features listed out.
Give yourself a pat on the back, because you’ve completed a very important step…
Now you have the building blocks of your copy.
Take this list and put it on the wall – you should see inspiration for all parts of your copy – from your headlines… to your bullets… to your calls to action… and more.
You can now need to weave each benefit into your copy, starting first with the most important one.
But which benefit is the most important?
To know that…Â
You will need to know:
Your job now is to develop an intimate understanding of the person you are selling to.
Step Two: Figure out which benefits are most desirable to your prospect, so you know which points to be stressing.
Here are the important categories to focus on:
There’s 4 steps to help you understand your prospect:
1. Common-sense.
2. Become an Insider.
3. Meeting Prospects.
4. Special Ninja Research.
5. Amazon.
Let’s have a look at each…
1. Common-Sense
In this approach we rely on two skills that everyone has – imagination and intuition.
Step into your prospect’s shoes.
Imagine you were in their situation:
Spend 20 minutes in your imaginary world.
Jot down everything you can think of.
This exercise works surprisingly well.
2. Become an Insider
Get inside the mind of your prospect.
Dan Kennedy shares 6 powerful steps used by successful direct marketer Jerry Jones, on how to stay in the frame of mind of the prospect:
3. Meeting Prospects
Engage with prospects on many levels to get a deeper understanding of them:
4. Special Ninja Research – Existing Ads
Some of the best info can come from ads running in your industry.
Your prospect will be reading these ads so why aren’t you?
There’s a trick though…
Only pay attention to ads and funnels that have been running for a while – because these are making money!
Why waste time and money testing when you can take a short cut and model something successful?
Pay special attention to these element of the ad:
5. Amazon
Another incredible tool of prospect insight is Amazon.Â
Let’s imagine that you’re selling a sleep aid.Â
You would search Amazon for ‘sleep aid’ and review the products on the market.
Look for the products with the most reviews.Â
Now, you want to pay close attention to the reviews – both positive and negative.Â
Positive reviews will give you a ton of ammunition for sales copy.
Here’s an example:
Let’s count the ways we can pull copy from just 1 review:
And we can use the negative reviews too:
Negative reviews serve up your market’s top objections on a silver platter.Â
In this case, you’ll need to overcome the objection that the product will provoke ‘horrible nightmares’.
Now with these four steps you should have gotten to know your prospect.
Finally, to help you pull it all together you’ll need to look at…
Buying decisions don’t happen in a vacuum… and things that affect your market, also affect your prospect.
So pay attention to what’s going on in your market.
Here are a few questions to get you started:
These will give you a good grounding to what’s going on in the industry.
Again, this is all about stepping into the mind of the prospect. If you were your prospect – consider everything they are considering, look at the offers they are looking at.
Try to figure out, as your prospect would… which product / service / company / offer you would go with that would bring you the greatest satisfaction / value / benefit.
If you do this step regularly you’ll keep your finger on the pulse of your industry.
You’ll be 10 steps ahead in identifying trends in the market… so you can be well positioned to deal with them, or take advantage of them.
I want to close out this lesson with a quote from the great Gary Bencivenga.
Here’s something you should keep in mind with every piece of marketing material you write:
“The vast majority of products/services are sold because of the need for love, the fear of shame, the pride of achievement, the drive for recognition, the yearning to feel important, the urge to look attractive, the lust for power, the longing for romance, the need to feel secure, the terror of facing the unknown, the lifelong hunger for self-esteem and so on.”
To close out this lesson, grab a coffee and run through these questions when thinking about one of your Ideal Clients:
Complete these questions and you’ll have come a very long way in putting together the building blocks for great copy.
Join the Persuasive Prose Newsletter to continue…
Yes! I want to unlock the rest of the Copy Crash Course for FREE…
Your privacy is 100% protected. You’re always free to unsubscribe any time (not that you’ll want to!).
Better converting copy means more money in your pocket. Get in touch today for an obligation free quote.
YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN
Insights, tips and strategies for developing high converting copy & campaigns, sent straight to your email inbox. Absolutely free!
I take privacy seriously. Your data is 100% protected at all times. And of course, you’re free to unsubscribe at any time if you’re not receiving overwhelming value.
Praise for Persuasive Prose
“Eye opening stuff!”, “Marketing gold”, “One of the few newsletters I actually look forward to reading”.
Discover why hungry business owners & savvy marketers are enjoying this 100% free exposé on high-converting copy.
Paul Giannotti, Persuasive Prose
©2022 Persuasive Prose. All rights reserved.