Do you ever feel like your copywriting is missing something… maybe a little “oomph”? It gets the job done, but you’re not making as many conversions as you should be and certainly not selling as much as you want.
Even if you follow the big copywriting rules, have a strong Call To Action, and generally write some good copy… when it’s not producing the right results, you’ve gotta revisit your copy and see what’s going wrong.
We’ve all been there. Sometimes, you just hit a wall or haven’t landed on the right kind of copy that resonates with your audience.
But just “okay” copy isn’t what’s going to build your business. Let’s try these four little changes that can work wonders to take your sales copy to the next level. (Remember, you’re going to want to have the basics down before you start implementing these tweaks.)
Start With The End.
Instead of writing the first paragraph (or the headline) first, write the call to action first. Make it strong, and convincing – so convincing that you almost sign up for it yourself.
Once you’re inspired by your own CTA, move back to the beginning. Start your copy just as strong as you ended it – with compelling stories, statistics, and relationship-building. Get your audience saying a couple of yes’s right up front so that the last yes slips from their mouth easily.
Write Less. Or maybe write more.
Some people are afraid of long-form sales copy. (You shouldn’t be.)
And some people can’t seem to shut up about themselves long enough to let the customer actually buy.
Either way, try changing up your style so that you’re creating copy of a different length.
If you typically sell your product or service with just a few paragraphs… see what long-form copy can do for you. (I’ve written 20+ page sales letters that work very well, so don’t argue with me about “they won’t read it.” They will if it’s interesting enough!)
If you’re typically long-winded, first make sure that you’re using customer-centric language instead of talking about yourself. If you’re already doing that, try shortening your copy. You may discover that your audience doesn’t want to read every single detail – they just want the bottom line.
The fact is, every audience is different and you should always be testing your copy’s length to make sure you’re not writing too little… or too much.
No matter how long your copy is, make sure you’re able to answer these questions:
- Is your message super-clear?
- Does your audience know exactly what you want them to do, and are they convinced to do it?
- Is there still space for confusion as to the actual point of your sales copy? (In other words… does your audience actually KNOW what you’re selling?)
Clear, concise writing will lead the reader to the point, and make that point so obvious, there’s no way the reader can miss it. Aim to make your copy just as simple.
Use More Bullet Points.
One of the biggest copy mistakes I see is what I call “the wall of text.” That’s basically when you write loooonnnnng paragraphs that make eyes go buggy (and your reader stop reading.)
Bullet points are a great place to add some visual interest to your copy. I typically use bullet points for big benefits, “what you’ll discover,” or futurecast their lives after they’ve experienced what I’m selling… after all, these draw the eye and actually get read more than the rest of the copy!
Read these two descriptions to see what I mean:
My product is great, red, and easy to use. It’s made with all-natural ingredients and tastes like peanut butter.
My product is:
- Great
- Red
- Easy to use
- Made with all-natural ingredients
- Peanut-butter flavored
Which is more eye-catching? Which is easier to remember? Bullet points punctuate information, making it punchier and more memorable overall.
(Disclaimer – don’t actually write your bullet points like this! I’ll be creating an article on how to write bullet points in the future and I’ll link it once it’s written.)
Research Your Audience Better.
I’m sure it’s shocking to all of you that I would say this (sarcasm alert), but so many business owners just aren’t clear enough on who they’re writing to, and that causes some serious confusion in the writing itself.
If you start writing a sales letter, for example, speaking to Martha, who lives in a cute little house close to her church, where she meets with a knitting group on Thursday mornings, and then also try to include Izzi, who works at a tattoo shop, lives in a communal apartment, and is in a band, you’re probably going to lose the interest of both readers.
Whoever is reading your sales letter has to know that there is a reason they should care, and they need to understand that pretty quickly, or they’re going to move on. Before you start writing, then, you have to be just as clear about who you’re talking to, so you and your writing don’t lose focus.
See How These Changes Make Your Copy More Effective
Using these four small changes effectively will take time and practice, so take a look at your existing sales copy and give it a nice little audit to see how you’re doing.
Then, as you create new copy, keep these tips in the back of your mind. Once you train your brain to remember the small stuff that boosts your writing, you’ll be on your way to better conversions and more sales.
