A Formula for Copywriting Success

7 replies
Dear Fello Copywriters:

I have always been wondering: is there a formula for copywriting success?
Interesting question, isn't it?

As you know, there are so many different ways of maximizing your marketing results. There are hundreds of proven strategies, approaches and solutions, that have been adopted by many copywriting professionals.

Still, there is no clear-cut path to success.
When you initiate a marketing campaign for a new product or service, you don't know for sure what is going to happen, even if you call yourself
a guru. Quite often, marketing is a gamble. Or a mystery...

You don't know for sure how your target audience will react to your sales presentation and what your return on investment is going to be. It is always hard to predict an outcome. Besides, what works
for some people, does not necessarily work for others.

Of course, you can model someone else's successful tactics. You can imitate your role models , well-known copywriters, entrepreneurs or even
celebrities. But always remember that when it comes to marketing, a lot of different elements come into place. Economic conditions change constantly and technology continues to evolve, presenting new challenges and opportunities for all of us. What seems like a great idea today, may lose its appeal in the near future.

Certain strategies that proved to be effective in the past, might have a lesser impact on your bottomline today. What does THAT mean?
It means that you can no longer rely on the same methods to build your business. You should constantly brainstorm, develop your creativity and and stay current on all the latest developments. Use your creativity and resourcefulness to stay above the clutter, rely on your instincts and always do the testing. Dare to be different! Don't forget that "hype-infested" phrases that worked in the past, my deter many of your potential clients from hiring you.
#copywriting #formula #success
  • Profile picture of the author wrcato
    My first rule is, to research my product. then I spend a lot of time on the offer.
    Then I write the copy. Then I spend a lot of time on the headline and subheads.

    As far as marketing goes, what work in the past will still work today.

    Just do it! then get it live.
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    William Cato
    Sit Down, Have A Cup Of Coffee
    and read my blog http://www.2ultra.com
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    • Profile picture of the author ph1470
      Originally Posted by wrcato View Post

      My first rule is, to research my product. then I spend a lot of time on the offer.
      Then I write the copy. Then I spend a lot of time on the headline and subheads.

      As far as marketing goes, what work in the past will still work today.

      Just do it! then get it live.
      You make it sound so simple. Copywriting is a talent I wish I possessed.

      With good copywrite you don't even feel like you're being sold something. You're too busy being excited about what you're reading.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jim Talbott
    As in so many other areas of life we just have to take a stab at doing it. I saw a great set of videos this afternoon that basically encourage getting in the habit of just getting it done. Take action and you will succeed. Take no action and it's unlikely that you will make much if any progress. I agree though that staying up to date and familiar with what is current and relevant is certainly key to better success.
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  • Profile picture of the author Adaptive
    You don't know for sure how your target audience will react to your sales presentation and what your return on investment is going to be.
    That's true until you test. Once you have done a test with a small portion of the population you want to reach, you can reasonably extrapolate to the results you'll get serving more of the population.

    Ideally, even before the test, you'll have some good research about the demographics and psychographics of the target market. You'll know about their concerns, goals, emotions, desires. You'll have noticed, in your work and in your competitors' work, what communication ingredients tend to inspire a positive result of rapport, trust, and action.

    Regards,
    Allen
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  • Profile picture of the author DougHughes
    Know your market
    Get their attention
    Speak their language
    Tune them up with a good story
    Use their hopes, fears, dreams, common enemies, deep regrets etc...to paint a picture of the problem you will solve for them (your good offer).
    Tell them how you will solve their problem
    Tell them why and how you differ (and are better) from your competition
    Admit a damning fault
    Prove everything
    Be specific
    Features/benefits
    Counter obvious objections
    Uncover hidden objections and counter them too
    Scrape the chaff from the wheat (negative qualifiers)
    Bring them back to dream/fear state with a good story
    Create scarcity/demand
    Give a better than good guarantee (what would you want?)
    More scarcity/demand conditioning
    Tell them the price and let them know that this offer won't be there for long and why.
    Bring them back with hypnotic techniques that return to their hopes, fears, dreams, common enemies, deep regrets etc...and the picture of the problem you will solve for them.
    Slip in an a good "act now" bonus.
    Summarize with some good postscript statements.

    Of course we could get a lot more philosophical about all of this but I think as a general rule this stuff works pretty well.

    You could eliminate most of the copy in a sales letter too, and do this via video pitch or auto responder series.

    I think for the most part, the psychology is the same. I would be curious to know what anyone thinks the next big communication medium beyond text or video could be? What about 3D or Holographic marketing, or virtual reality advertising?

    Still, I suppose that at the end of the day, as long as we speak in words we will continue to think in words, and those words will always have the potential to move us.
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    I write copy. Learn More.>>

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  • Profile picture of the author vistad
    A few ground rules for copywriting.
    1. Know your service or product thoroughly including what is special about it in comparison to competitors.
    2. Ask for a profile of the typical customer.
    3. Clearly enunciate the message that has to go across. Is it to buy? Is it to inform? Is it to direct?
    4. Find out which pics are being used.
    Now pick up paper and pencil. Keep your eraser handy.
    (Many copywriters I know do not work with computers till a late stage in writing.)
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