SUBJECT: Lesson #4 - Fire up Your Copy!

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Use words that fire the imagination, and please don’t think that
this contradicts the point just made. You can make a powerful
announcement without sounding verbose. Which of these following
sentences sounds best?

“You will be happy you did this because you will make a lot of
money.” Or, “Relaxing on your luxury yacht in years to come, you
will know you made a truly life-changing decision.” 

There are no fancy words in the second one – nothing anyone
would struggle to understand or find irritating – but it swaps a
dead statement for one that engages the imagination and lends a
momentous note to the occasion. 

"And Your Point Is?"

Have you ever been faced with a salesperson who lists all the
technical specifications of a product without telling you how
any of the features will benefit you? 

Selling a product is not about describing its features; it is
about explaining how those features will make your life better.
It is about benefits that are personal to the individual. 

Effective copywriting should speak of the personal gains the
product or service will offer. Let’s say you are asked to write
copy for a company that sells running shoes. The new product has
a revolutionary shock-absorbing sole (its USP). Would the
customer want to know the chemical composition of the sole? Or
would they want to know that it can reduce damage to joints and
cartilage so that more frequent exercise can be taken so that
more weight can be lost so that long-term health will improve so
that longevity increases so that more time can be spent with the
grandkids in later life?

Of course you wouldn’t go that far with it, but the principle is
sound; your intention is to alert your audience to the many
benefits they will enjoy by choosing your client’s product over
a rival’s.

Appeal to the Emotions!

This is where your artistry as a writer can come into its own.
Although copywriting rules should be followed in a scientific
manner because they have been proven to work, an ability to
appeal to the customer’s emotions is a precious talent, and it
can reap great financial rewards for yourself and your client. 

The literary skills of the copywriter will dictate how effective
this will be, and it is certainly not necessary to write
tear-jerking prose to achieve the desired result. In fact, one
of the best ways to trigger the emotions is to do what was
discussed in the point above: simply describe the positive
benefits for the customer. People like to imagine themselves
being happy and healthy so most of the hard work is already
done; you just need to show them the way. Describe a scene that
links the product with a happy outcome for the customer. 


To Your Success,
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