Copywriting Secrets- The Winning Formula
It’s 8 am, and I have to write the copy of a brochure in 5 hours, and I’m experiencing writer’s block. So, how do I do it? Welcome to the world of a copywriter. Creative copywriting is a unique skill that circumnavigates the refined notion of intrigue. When you intrigue, you have power. It is directed at people and has genuine emotions. It’s like the balm to your soul, elixir to longevity, the melody of a song, and a rhyme to a word.
I perceive copywriting to bear similitude to a blank canvas waiting to be stroked with colours and hues. A beautiful copy is like poetry intertwined in the symphony of words. It must transcend the boundaries of mediocrity to achieve excellence. It does not beg for attention; rather, it enthrals and makes you look twice. It conjures a sense of belonging and calm.
SET THE STAGE
1. The 80:20 Rule: You must be familiar with the 80:20 Rule, more commonly referred to as the Pareto Principle, devised by the famous economist Vilfredo Federico Damaso Pareto. He stated that 80% of your results come from the 20% effort you put into achieving that objective. (80%=Outputs: 20%= inputs). Your success hinges on that 20% you put into your work to gain the 80% outcome. This ideology was coined for businesses and sprang from the concept of imbalance. But it is commonly used in every industry. As an experienced copywriter, I believe that if you spend time planning, organising, and researching, you’ll be able to crack the project’s main idea.
2. Identifying Your Target Audience: Identify whom you’re writing for and what are you trying to achieve with this? Most importantly, how would these individuals obtain your message? This is something that must be considered beforehand. For instance, suppose you’re writing a copy for a luxury real estate with unparalleled amenities and breathtaking vistas in a metropolitan city like Dubai or London. Then, you’re targetting mature and experienced buyers (not first-time buyers) who are also investors. They precisely fit the small segment of HNWI, i.e., people whose income equals or exceeds $5 million. Your copy has to portray class, style and elegance- the qualities that befit the buyers’ standards. Conduct research, segment the market and translate insights into your copy.
3. Study the Competition: You must identify the competitors’ actions and level up your game with distinction. Carrying out a competitive audit goes a long way and aids in the long run. Astound your audience with uniqueness and value. Your copy must mirror a sparkling diamond and outshine its exquisite beauty. I would recommend you to download the free competitive analysis templates from Hubspot.
4. Adopt The PAS Formula: This connotes ‘Pain-Agitate-Solve’ and is the most effective framework used by copywriters. The trick is to identify a problem, agitate the issue and then provide a solution. By adopting this strategy, you become the saviour by default. You are then portrayed as the hero with a red cape and a prince charming with shining armour who successfully slew the dragon to save the princess. So, one example for it goes like this:
- Pain: Expensive tickets. No budget-friendly flights. Why bother in the first place.
- Agitate: What a waste of time calling every airline for a better deal. Poor customer service! Long waiting hours! There is too much frustration.
- Solve: Everything is possible with skyscanner.com. Find cheap flights within seconds and book cheap tickets to your next holiday destination!
BOOM! You nailed it. If you want to understand more about this concept, I would recommend you to visit Carmine Mastropierro.
5. Using Befitting Keywords: The key to success is to use industry-specific, relevant and functional keywords appropriately. The trick is to stitch the keywords between paragraphs so that the audience notices it, and even when search engines crawl the websites, they can pick your page. I would recommend you to use sites like Ahrefs and keyword tool. They are fast, free and effective.
6. Call-to-Action (CTA):
A call-to-action would trigger the interest of the target audience. After catching their attention with a punchy headline, and unique offerings, compel them to take a positive action via a call-to-action. In this way, you can easily convert leads, achieve sales objectives and even transform perceptions. Create urgency with clarity and spark desire with relevance with a CTA. You can download free CTA templates from Hubspot. Some famous CTA’s include:
- Register Now
- Subscribe Now
- Call Now
- Watch Now
- Click Here
- Learn More
- See More
- Buy Now
- Limited Offer
- Special Offer
- Unbeatable Offer
- Exclusive Offer
- Free Gift
- Special Offer
- Discover More
- Add to Cart
- Get Started
- StartUp
- Download Free Copies
- Read More
- Claim your Gift
You can maximise the effectiveness of your writing just by following the result-oriented strategy. If you want to find a copywriting job, then I would recommend freelancer.com. and copywriters.com. And, if you want to improve your copywriting skills, then you can take a few courses on skillshare.com. So, keep these strategies in mind, when writing copy for a website, landing page, emailers, holding statements, brochures, sales letters, factsheets, social campaigns, digital campaigns, OOH (Out-of-home campaigns), social media ads or radio scripts.