How do you write copy that sells?

Substitute Adjectives for Nouns

It may seem like a minor detail, but if you know how the human brain works, the practice of replacing adjectives with stronger nouns, can be a big boost and lead to copy that sells. We are taught in school that adjectives are used to describe characteristics and that nouns are simply stagnant people, places, or things. 

However, some nouns, if used properly, can act as adjectives, and in doing so, add urgency or punch to your copy. By substituting adjectives such as a “difficult issue” to a “dilemma” or “tough situation” to a “bind”, you can add urgency while shortening your sentence.

Copy is best when it punches, is memorable, and quick to read, and by limiting your adjectives and introducing creative nouns, you can create a copy that will have a greater impact and drive sales.

Coin Headlines That Capture Imagination

If you don’t lead with an attention-grabbing headline, your great copy won’t get read and your great product won’t get bought. With great headlines, writers bring good things to life. Your headline doesn’t have to be long. Or say anything about your product. But it does have to capture the reader’s imagination. Just do it!

Aim To Solve a Problem

Solve a problem – when writing a copy that sells my biggest tip is to offer help to your potential customer. By providing them with a solution to a problem they won’t feel like they are being ‘sold to’ but rather they are being offered an answer.

It could be anything from suggesting a way to fix an issue to presenting the perfect outfit for an upcoming event. Consumers like to feel in control and by educating them as to why your product or service is the best they will have all the information they need to make the right decision.

Make The Copy Interesting and Engaging

Copy has to be interesting to its target audience in order to encourage a purchase. Marketing copy that is blatant in its sales attempt without adding value will be ignored. Consumers value copy that says something interesting to them either by offering information or by entertaining them.

Valuable copy will engage passing consumers in a way that a sales infomercial won’t. The last thing a copywriter wants is for their text to read like the teleprompter from a 10 minute pitch ad on daytime TV.

Copy needs to be interesting for the niche that it is calling to action.

Write Anecdotally and Be Succinct

Real-life stories sell the reader. If you’re writing a triumphant piece, whether it’s long-form or short form, make sure the reader knows there is a person or group that has led to, or benefited from, the triumph.

Without real-life stories to back up the story, it can seem hollow. Readers will be more skeptical if the writer is trying to persuade or pontificate without examples. Bolster the story by using real-life accounts.

However, in order to do this effectively, you have to tell a story in as few words as possible. If you lead with an anecdote, get to the point as quickly as you can, otherwise the reader gets bored.

Speak To The Benefits

Speak to the benefits. The key to writing any copy that sells is to market it well to the consumer. Highlight the functions, the model, or any specific features. If the product is sustainable, be sure to mention that in the copy as well to attract eco-friendly customers. There’s a reason why this individual product was built – speak to those benefits and what makes it stand out.

Make Your Copy Easy To Personalize

Copywriting is an art and a science which most businesses struggle with. While great copy speaks directly to the target audience, most businesses serve a variety of customers with different needs and wants so it’s always difficult to make the crispy and accurate word choices.

Today, copywriters can and should approach writing copy from the perspective that content can now be personalized for each individual reader if they do it online. Has the reader read a long-form blog post about a niche topic and now landed on your conversion page? Great, personalize the copy keywords based on what the reader just read on the website to really maximize conversions. 

Copywriters need to adopt the new mindset that content can be easily personalized. This means the copy is written in more template form, for example: “we help you solve [customer problem they just read about] by offering [feature that matches the problem]”. If done well, you can start seeing 50-200% more business being generated.

Fit The Copy To Audience’s Level of Awareness

The most important tip for writing effective sales copy is to craft your copy to speak to the level of awareness of the majority of your audience. Copy that is directed to red hot leads who are well aware of your product will not work for an audience of people who are aware of only the problem but not the solution.

When you are crafting a copy, start with your audience’s level of awareness and then move down the levels of awareness through your copy to take your leads to the point of purchase.

Humanize Your Writing

The best way to write a copy that sells is to write a copy that is human. Today more than ever, people are buying experiences and they’re supporting businesses that they see themselves in. If your website, email, or social media copy is robotic and lifeless, your brand may find it difficult to connect with your target audience—or any audience.

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to this adjustment, think about the way people speak—the way you would speak about your brand, and what it’s capable of.

It’s also helpful to use phrases like ‘imagine,’ ‘remember when,’ and ‘have you ever,’ as these make connections simple; they trigger memories and emotions, and that’s ultimately what links people to your business and your ideas.

Give Your Brand a Voice in Your Copy

Carry the same brand voice through the text on your website, social media, and other advertising methods. For example, if your niche is teenage girls, your copy should be light, fun, relevant to pop culture, and easy to read. 

The tone of your copy should resonate with your target audience. The more identifiable your brand tone, the more likely your consumers will remember you.

Make The Copy Conversational and Brief

Make it approachable, conversational, and brief. I believe that your sales copy should not be overly difficult or wordy. You’re not writing a novel or a dissertation; you’re creating a soundbite to persuade someone to buy your goods. Keep it basic and write in a kind tone. Don’t use long run-on phrases or SAT-style words. 

That copy is too jumbled and pretentious to appeal to the majority of consumers. Avoid overthinking it. You want your copy to be compelling, but that doesn’t always mean dramatic. Consider your copy to be a pitch. In general, pitches do not include terms like “plethora” or “therefore.” In this scenario, simplicity is preferable.

Use Credible Statistics To Entice Consumers

Honesty is a decision-maker when buyers are considering doing business with you. So to persuade people to buy your products or use your service, your copy must sound credible. And using statistics, rather than giving your opinion, to back up your claims provides readers with the facts behind how your solution solves many consumers’ problems.

However, it is crucial to source data from credible sources rather than just Googling it. Reputable publications like Consumer Reports, research institutions such as the Pew Research Center, and market surveys are some of the best places to collect industry statistics that will boost the confidence of your potential customers.