Copywriting formula
Copywriting is an indispensable part of any type of marketing and today you are going to learn about a proven Copywriting formula that works every time.
If applied properly, this formula will get you results that you can only imagine.
As you might already know the world of copywriting is very competitive, some copywriters struggle to get work while you will also come across copywriters that are working in the field for decades and charging thousands of dollars a day for their services.
This may motivate or intimidate you. But don’t worry after you are done reading this blog you’ll understand why some copywrites manage to make 7-8 figures without great writing skills and much experience with copywriting.
The below proven copywriting formula will work wonders for you and you’ll be able to make money effortlessly with your copywriting skills.
If you are a beginner you must be wondering what is copywriting? and how can you get started as a copywriter? To know you’ll have to read my previous blog. You can do that by clicking here
So, how can you reach to the point where you can make a living through copywriting and have clients willing to pay you the rates and only experienced copywriters get?
But, before we start you must know that Copywriting is easier than you might think. To become a world-class Copywriter you do not need years of experience or any formal training.
You just need to follow a process to get started as a copywriter.
Now, let’s discuss the proven copywriting formula that will help you create a copy that’ll work every time.
#1 Study the product and create a product description
When Rolls-Royce became the client of copywriting legend David Ogilvy he spent three weeks studying and understanding every technical detail of the Rolls-Royce cars to come up with a winning headline that says “60 miles per hour, the loudest noise comes from the electric clock”.
David Ogilvy believed if you study the product inside out and come up with a great headline then 80% of your copywriting work is done.
If you have ever purchased anything from an online store you must be aware of the importance of the product description.
The product description is the first impression customers have with a product or service.
Know about the product inside out by getting answers to the below questions –
What are its features?
How it’s unique and different from other similar products in the market?
How does it work?
Who is it for?
How the product can benefit the customers?
After getting answers to these questions you’ll be in a great position to write a compelling product description.
Here are few tips for writing a compelling product description
1. Customer is the king – always keep in mind your customer’s needs while writing a product description.
2. Use attention-catching words like – Hurry, New, Free, Limited, Now, Guarantee, secret, etc.
3. Get comprehensive- cover as many details as possible.
4. Avoid jargon, write as you speak – audiences don’t respond well to jargon and will likely be less engaged.
5. Create scan-able description- Use bullet points so that it is skimmable.
6. Highlight the benefits- The customer must be aware of the benefits he’ll get if he purchases the product.
7. Apply SEO in your copy- If the copy is for online business the SEO best practices must be followed to rank higher in the search engine rankings.
Now that you have studied and understood the product and created a compelling product description let’s move on to the next important step.
#2 Research potential customers
Researching your potential customers is one of the most important aspects of the copywriting formula. Researching is a must for creating a world-class copy.
Why? Because you don’t want to sell size 10 shoes to a customer who needs a size 7.
You must know who you are creating copy for and how they look like! owing to the fact that to be an effective copywriter you must only focus on a specific segment or group of people.
However, researching potential customers can be money and time consuming but if done properly it can yield game-changing results.
Identify the potential customers
To research potential customers the first step is to identify the potential customers and the market.
You can identify potential customers by grouping them into common variables such as:
1. Demographics – Age, Gender, Annual Income, Family size
2. Geography- Country, City, State, Climate conditions, Population size
3. Behavior- Loyalty, Brand conscious, Readiness to buy, frequent shopper
4. Psychographics- Interests, Values, Lifestyle, Personality
Next, you’ll have to evaluate the groups and your product and decide which segment/s is best for targeting to get most sales out of your copy.
#3 Study your competition
The other things you can do to identify your potential customers is to conduct research on your competitors and find out who are their customers and what did they look like.
By doing this not only you’ll get to know your competitor’s customers better but also the dark spots where they have missed the opportunity.
Conduct a survey
To facilitate the research on potential customers you can conduct a survey on existing customers who are currently buying the product.
Ask them what they like and what is something they didn’t like about the product.
Create a buyers persona
Ask yourself how a typical customer for your product would look like.
For example, let’s say if you are writing a copy for Rolls Royce what the customer would look like: Rolls Royce is a really expensive car and it symbolizes class and royalty.
Do you know not everyone who can buy it and wish to buy a Rolls Royce car is not allowed to buy it?
There is a process to buy a Rolls Royce car where it is decided if the person wishing to buy it is fit enough to be its owner.
The net worth is not the only criteria to choose if the person is suitable to buy it. The entire profile; social standing is put under the scanner.
So, the typical customer would look some like – Age 40+, high annual income, high net worth, probably male (as males are usually the ones who are car fanatic), from large cities, brand conscious, lives a lavish lifestyle, etc.
Always remember the amount of money you make through your copy is directly proportional to how well you know your potential customers.
#4 Write attention-grabbing headlines
A Bad headline is a deal-breaker. Writing attention-grabbing headlines is the most important, hardest and time-consuming part of the perfect copywriting formula.
Headlines are usually the foremost thing a customer reads and plays a huge part in influencing them.
The purpose of a headline is not just grabbing the reader’s attention it can convey a much wider message about the product and can make or break a sale.
So, how to write headlines that grab the reader’s attention and persuade them to buy the product?
Here are things that a perfect headline must have:
1. Creativity
A headline must be unique and creative. The world is full of ordinary copywriters who survive through plagiarism.
World-class copywriters not only write unique and original headlines but also think outside the box and come up with creative headlines.
2. Clarity
The best kinds of headlines are clear and to the point. Headlines that beat around the bushes do not perform well.
3. Relevancy
The main objective of headlines is to sell and headlines that sell are relevant. They shouldn’t be a gimmick, false selling tactic or clickbait.
Selling thrives on trust and if the headline is lost its relevancy the product will lose its trust among the customers.
4. Must create a sense of urgency (FOMO)
To write a headline that converts a copywriter must know all the benefits the product can provide its customers.
Using the benefits and features a copywriter can write headlines that create a sense of urgency and capitalize on the fear of customers losing out on an opportunity to buy a great product.
5. Must include powerful adjectives
The word we use, hear or read affects the neural functioning of our brain and it can trigger specific responses.
To write headlines that generate a reaction, copywriters must dig into the words that trigger an emotional and psychological reaction.
6. Create an irresistible offer
Make them an offer they can’t refuse. When someone is looking to purchase something he checks two things the product value and its price.
To create an irritable offer the value part must outweigh the price. A copywriter can offer discounts, value-addition, bundle the products or customize to achieve the perfect offer for his customers.
Write a persuasive copy
Persuasion is the most important element of a copywriting formula because you are writing the copy to influence people to buy your product.
A world-class Copy is 80% research and thinking & 20% writing. We have covered the research and thinking in previous steps.
Now let’s come to the last step, the writing part.
Some tips to create a persuasive copy:
Grab your audience’s attention quickly
Grabbing your audience’s attention instantly with images and headlines is very important.
The image used should arouse curiosity in the mind of your customers. He must find your image or headline interesting enough to read your entire copy.
The best way to learn how to add interesting images and headlines to your copy is by checking magazine covers.
List benefits the product offers before features
The feature is “what the product is” And benefits are “what the product does”.
Every customer wants to know what’s in it for me. Why should I check the product out? By listing benefits on the top you can make sure the customer keeps his interest.
When you’ve got your customer interested hit them with your product features and show them how it’s better than its competitor. Also, help them realize how their lives going to get better when they use your product.
Spark your audience’s imagination with storytelling
This technique is so powerful that is been used for thousands of years to persuade someone.
Add relevant customer stories on how the product benefitted them. Testimonials are a great way to add stories in your copy.
Eliminate all objections with preemptive credibility
Nowadays consumers are more skeptical and demanding than ever because they have access to the information they can research your product and your competitor’s product and compare them.
So as a copywriter you must use case studies, reviews, testimonials, and back up the product with facts and research. This will boost your credibility in the eyes of the customer.
You shouldn’t wait for your customers to compare your product with something; instead, you should compare it for them. This is what it’s called preemptive credibility.
Add Social proof
Humans are social animals. That’s why understanding human social psychology is so important for a copywriter. People follow other people who are similar to them.
People also believe everything that says ‘According to a research’ or ‘Trusted by millions’ or have you seen the Colgate ad saying 9 out of 10 dentists recommends Colgate.
Why is that? Because people actively desire the reassurance of running with the majority as long as the information feels trustworthy.
Go for a conversational tone
When you write as you say you build a genuine personal connection with your audience.
This connection leads to trust and when trust has established the job of a copywriter becomes very easy.
Have a proper structure to your copy
An engaging and persuasive copy can be achieved through a proper structure. Words are not important unless they are arranged suitably. The structure gives meaning to a copy.
Here is a simple trick that will help you to structure a perfect copy:
Answer the following question one by one and add it to your copy-
1. Who are you? (Build trust and connection with the customer)
2. What is your product? (Specify the features of the product)
3. What the product can do for you? (List down the benefits of the product and add social proof)
4. How you can buy it? (Call to action and Buying details)
Have a clear call to action
Your call to action should be short and simple and must have a command-oriented statement that tells your client what to do next. Use the command verb to start the call to action.
For example for a clothing store use – Buy now, hurry discount only till stock lasts (FOMO), order now, etc.
To Sum up:
The Proven Copywriting Formula That Works Every Time is:
1. Study the product
2. Create a product description
3. Research potential customers
4. Write attention-grabbing headlines
5. Write a persuasive copy