The ability to write great copy is a gift for a handful of people. Fortunately for the rest of us, it is a skill that can be taught, and class is now in session!
Let me break this down in bullet form to give you an outline from beginning to end:
• Headline - If the readers attention is not captured at this point, you are dead in the water.
• The Story - Make a connection with your reader, build a relationship, show you care.
• The Solution - Offer them a way out, the same solution you used, and how it assisted you!
• Educate - This is how and why it works.
• Reach Out - Offer them the solution to remove the pain and introduce pleasure.
The Headline gives you 7 seconds to capture their attention or they move on to someone else to assist them. What is it that you are offering them? Not the specific product as such, but how does this copy offer value to their business or life? Place yourself in their shoes, see the Headline from the readers perspective, is it offering VALUE to the reader? Take your time with this process, even if the body of your copy is Golden, the reader will never see it, if your Header does not do its job. Play with the word arrangement, move them around, try different fonts, capitalizing, punctuation. Sometimes a simple change in the Header is the only difference in success and failure.
The Story is the next step in this arrangement you are presenting. The need to make a connection at this point, it's crucial if you want to keep the readers attention. Your ability to expose the pain or lack of success that they are presently experiencing is what makes the connection. Establishing the ground work for a relationship at this point is a must, the reader has to BELIEVE you know their present situation. Either you have lived it or seen it before, and having your reader BELIEVE this prepares them for the next step in this dance you are creating.
The Solution is the opportunity for you to show the reader the light at the end of the tunnel. By now they know what their issue is, they feel a connection with (you) the writer, and they are prepared to RECEIVE the answer to their problem. Do this next step correctly and this copy is Golden. Tell the reader that you have the answer, you have experienced their pain, you have applied this solution, And guess what? It WORKED! This solution you are offering solved your problem, and if it worked for you, it will work for them. If you had failed to build the relationship with the reader by this point, they will NEVER take your solution and act on it! This brings us back to the Social Marketing aspect of my training, to days Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs have moved to the next level of Marketing. Old school tactics do not work anymore and this is squeezing a lot of old school applications to the way side.
Educate the reader on "HOW" and "WHY" this solution works. Give them the step by step blueprint on how to apply this solution to their problem. Remember look at this process from the readers perspective, they may be unfamiliar with the process or material needed to solve their situation. Never ASSUME the reader is familiar with the process you are educating them on. Bring it back to the ABC layout, that way no one gets lost. Also be sure to explain WHY this process was successful for this situation, it may seem obvious to you, but again see it from a readers perspective. At this point the reader is eager to see this process in action, and is ready to take the ACTION needed to solve their problem.
Reach Out, here is how you can get it and remove the pain or acquire the pleasure you are seeking. Remember you are doing one thing at this point, Selling or giving away a solution to AVOID PAIN or ACQUIRE PLEASURE! O.K here is the good news, if you followed these instructions properly you have a pending sale and/or a new prospect to add to your list.....Job Well Done!
Education and seeking knowledge is a must to stay ahead of the pack in this industry, but you have to remember that knowledge not applied is only a waste of your time and possibly money. Take what you learn and run with it, find something that you excel in and promote it. Give it away, that's right GIVE IT AWAY! Become a true leader in this industry and show others the path to success, if done correctly the HUNTER will become the HUNTED!
Blessings,
Shawn F Murphy
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