Copywriting tips and tricks | Who can do copywriting?

 In the age of digital where almost everything and every business is adopting the digital forum, be it a B2B business or a B2C, it has perhaps become essential for fresh graduates as well as the already existing experienced employees and businesses man's to make themselves aware or educate enough to know the crux of digital, as of especially post COVID-19. Before Covid, the concept of digital business already existed, but there was not enough acceptance or recognition among the small businesses and even some big companies were reluctant to adopt digital business forums.

Now nearly one and a half years later of COVID, digital adaptability amongst businesses as well as digital learning has become an essential trait. There are tons of different digital skills towards which people are going after, but today we are going to discuss one digital skill towards which people really don't pay attention, and that skill is COPYWRITING. Yes, copywriting is a good skill to have but there are some misconceptions regarding copywriting, which we will discuss below, so let's get started.

WHAT IS COPYWRITING?

Copywriting is simply writing persuasive sentences in such a way that would eventually make the readers read your content and at the same time performs an action of your desire. The action can be any type, it can be a sign-up, a sale, an opt-in or a group join invitation. This action is normally called the CTA (Call To Action). 

Fundamentally there are four basic aspects of a copy.

1. The WHO. To whom you are selling
2. The WHY. Why are you selling? does it solve any particular problem?
3. The HOW. How will the selling thing benefit the purchaser?
4. The WHEN. Directing the buyer from where he can buy or how can he buy

So, from now onwards I am pretty sure that you have understood the concept behind copywriting. And to make you feel better here is a persuasive point of copywriting. Copywriting can be done by anyone, you don't have to be a super experienced player to write copy, else if you are good at writing persuasive sentences in such a way that would make the reader take immediate action to the call, then you can write a good and effective copy.

Understanding the core concept of copywriting is enough but in order to excel in it, one must know the common yet important metrics or tips while writing a copy. Here are some tips and tricks regarding copywriting which will be beneficial for the copywriters as well as all the tips may build a context in the minds of people for whom copywriting is new. So let's get started.

• USE SHORT SENTENCES

While writing any type of copy, be it a sales copy, newsletter, E-mail, landing page, etc. You only have seven seconds to grab the readers attention and at the same time to make him read furthermore content of your copy, so if you are using long sentences it will eventually build a wall of text same as the boring academic textbooks which do not have any interesting element present in it and at the same time they do not have any pictures which may induce the interest of the reader. So the bottom line with copywriting should always be, Short sentences = Better copy.

• THE SLIPPERY SLIDE

In order to write effective copy, it is important to make them slide down to the end of your copy, which would eventually make your copywriting goal fulfilled. The slippery slide is the same as it sounds, write in a way that would automatically slide them to the next sentence.

Here is a brief example,

Do you know why stray dogs bark without a reason?

Studies have shown meanings of different barks!

What if you can understand the meaning of each bark. You'll definitely want to, right?

This will help you understand the exact pain point of the stray.

Which would eventually make your life even more meaningful.

Here is XXXX product (dogs bark translator)

This example is just for your understanding, to help you get an idea about the slippery slide of copywriting.

The key thing to note is, you should not have a direct approach, else your main objective (Sales, etc) should be present at the end of your copy. First, you have to engage with the reader, once they get engaged then, at the end of your copy your objective must be present to make them take the action of your desire.

• SUPER SPECIFIC HEADLINES

As the name suggests, the headline must be super specific, because that is perhaps the most significant. Your headline must specifically tell the reader what information or content they are gonna get, and your content must also support your headline. If you have used a clickbait headline and your content is not about or related to the headline then there is no chance the reader is going to read the copy entirely, else the reader would immediately stop reading and probably would leave the page or copy in the beginning.

For example:

Save more time the easy way

(This headline is not bad but it can be more specific)

Save 2 hours per day with these 7 productivity hacks

(This headline is super-specific and direct)

• USE FOMO

Using FOMO in your copy is an old and effective trick. FOMO which stands for Fear Of Missing Out has always helped the copywriters. Although FOMO does not work in every situation but, if you can implement FOMO in your copy then you should use it. FOMO can be used in many ways, the bottom line while using FOMO should always be, make people think that they are missing out on some amazing deal that would never come their way again. 

For Example:

It can be a limited special discount

It can be a special deal

It can be a product with limited units

• WRITE STRONG LEADS

After your super-specific headline, the next most important thing of your copy is your lead. One that comes right after the heading, because through your headline the reader has landed into the copy, but if your lead is weak then probably the reader would leave the copy without reading it through. 

So, in order to write a good lead you must implement a strategy, and here are three strategies that will help you write better leads.

Use a hook in your first or second sentence

Using a hook in the first or second sentence is important because it will grab your reader's attention and eventually would lead them to read the furthermore content of your copy.

Your lead should range between 5 to 6 sentences

Again, the point of writing a lead is to grab your reader's attention so if the lead is too long and detailed, then very quickly the reader will lose interest in the content. So, the lead has to be between 5 to 6 sentences long. Your main goal of writing a lead is to maintain the reader's attention and transition them into the make section of your content.

Use mini-stories in your leads

Writing mini-stories means the story has to be between 4 to 5 lines. Clearly, you don't have too much space to write a story, but the main purpose of writing a mini-story is to grab the reader's attention. You can use a testimonial of one of your customers or clients about what problem they had before and how your "Product" has helped them to eliminate that problem.

• DO NOT USE BIG WORDS

As discussed already, you should use short sentences in your copy. So, if you start using big and fancy words in your copy, that is only going to make the reader's reading difficult. Else, your copy should be easy to read with simple, and understandable content. Like, instead of using UTILIZE, you can write USE. Instead of using OVERWROUGHT use EXCITED. Similarly, instead of using FASCINATING use INTERESTING. Hence point being when it comes to doing copywriting, do not use big fancy words, else make your content easy to read.

• THE AIDA FORMULA

AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action, it is a comprehensive way to pitch your idea or brand message in no time. The AIDA is more effective on landing pages, newsletters, Sales pages, articles, etc. In fact, the AIDA can be used in the introduction section of your website, etc. 

 

The key point while writing an AIDA-based content or copy is that all the abbreviations must be in consideration. 

For Example:

• BENEFITS OVER FEATURE

Another well-known tip of copywriting is mentioning the associated benefits of the product or service rather than explaining the features of the product or service to the customers or to the prospects. Because the customer is not there to do an instant purchase all the time. This is because of the sales funnel effect, think like a buyer for a second, you heard about a brand that is selling X product, and you as a buyer have only landed on the website to get information about the product. If the company has mentioned benefits of the product, that is more resonating than reading the features of the product and if the copywriting is done remarkably well then they would make it more relatable for you and people other like you because the company might have done some great in-depth research upon the customer avatar and now, therefore, they were able to hit the pain point of yours and the people like you.

• GET OUT OF THE FRIENDS ZONE

Let say a potential customer lands on your website through your landing page and the customer really likes your product, you were able to hit the pain point of the customer but instead of moving ahead, he avoids it. Why?

Because of some pre-determined objections, like, 

It is too expensive!

Not a good time right now.

Will this work for me?

I am not ready to move from product X

Again, having a pre-determined objection is not a problem, else it is a natural thing we all build some pre-determined objections about certain things but the question is how can YOU the company, and the copywriter break such objections?

Simply, before they start honking objections, you start discussing them. While doing copywriting it is important to know the customer avatar so that you would get aware of the probable objections the potential customers make while doing shopping. When you answer your potential customer's pre-determined objections already, then it becomes an easy step to close in the lead. So, if their objection is "The product will be too expensive" and you have addressed that "We offer X product in the same price with added extra benefits of free one-month customer service" that is when you have erased their objection. So be clear about the customer avatar while doing copywriting because it will help you to get more sales as compare to the others.

• URGENCY AND SCARCITY

A lot of times people do like a product or service and they even go ahead from the friend zone but suddenly a pre-determined objection comes to their mind that "Maybe I am going too fast, I should take some time to think whether to buy or not". Most of the time people do not come back especially if they are at the top of the funnel (TOFU) stage. To cater to this problem use urgency and scarcity in your copy, words like, "Limited-time offer", "Limited quantities", "Only 47 left", "Sale ends on September 31st", "Offer close on Thursday", "Don't miss out", etc. When these such words get inducted into a sales page, it induces the buyer and makes him feel left out if he doesn't avail the opportunity. Yes, the FOMO effect, you can relate that as well.

• SOLVE THE SOCIAL PROOF PARADOX

Social proof is a plus point when it comes to selling courses or plans regarding personal development, and in cases like teaching and mentoring, you need to have social proof that will reduce the potential customers objections. But what if you do not have any social proof. To start with this social proof paradox initially design a free lead magnet that will have an informative piece of information that will eventually lead them to become your long-term customers, in exchange ask them to share their E-mail address where you will be sending those free resources. This is how you will have a list of sign-up people who have signed up with you in exchange for a free lead magnet. That's it, for starters you have created a social proof for your product or service which will make you a reliable source.

• CONCLUSION

Like I said about copywriting earlier, it can be done by anyone, regardless of your in-experience your mindset, or your capabilities. It only requires being persuasive while writing any type of copy. All the mentioned copywriting tips and tricks are applicable and what I am expecting is after even reading this whole lengthy article about copywriting one thing is certain that through this content you must have had developed a context in your sub-conscious about copywriting and I am sure this will help you at least the start of your journey as a copywriter.