WWN30: Copy That

A while back now a friend reached out.

He was launching a new community offer and wanted a sales page written.

Now, dear reader, let me be clear.

I am not a copywriter, nor do I pretend to be one on the internet.

(Despite what some people seem to think, I think they just assume that everything is copywriting, which is stupid.)

So I made that clear to the chap. But he was still pretty keen.

And, as he pointed out, he found my emails compelling and persuasive so figured it was a similar skillset.

So in the end I agreed.

The result?

Approximately $60k in monthly recurring revenue generated for his business in a couple of months.

Phew!

I share all this because I want to share a lesson I learned from that experience about copywriting. And I thought it might help to know that I have written some successful pieces of copy before.

Because there is a lot of bullshido out there about copywriting.

Tips, tricks, hacks, templates etc.

You've got people saying "it doesn't matter if your writing is ugly" or telling you all you need to do

is break your

sentences up into fragments

like this.

Even worse, you have idiots out there saying “everything is copywriting” on X-Twitter and all I can say in response is “lmao, what?”

Sigh.

Nope.

And even worse than that, you have people who think that copywriting is a sleazy thing, a bad thing, like you’re manipulating people.

All of these types of people, they all miss the fundamental foundations of copywriting.

That’s what I’m covering in this issue.

Not much in the way of tactics, tips, tricks, etc. Just the basic philosophy of copywriting.

Now let me repeat: I am not a copywriter, and I don't pretend to be one on Twitter.

I've written copy. All my product copy is written by yours truly and that sales page I already mentioned has driven over $60k MRR. But I'm not a pro, I'm just a good writer with an understanding of the basics.

And with that understanding, I’ve deliberately worked on the copy part on top of the foundation of good writing.

But enough disclaimers.

What is copywriting?

It’s Simple!

Copywriting is telling the truth in a way that makes the reader feel it.

That's what really matters. Telling the truth, and telling it well.

When I talk to people about selling and copywriting they often say "I just don't want to be scammy and so I find it hard to write persuasively". Well if you don't want to be scammy, don't be...

…But that's not what copywriting is. Not done right.

Good copy is telling the truth.

Now of course, this is much easier if you’re writing for a product that is legitimately good and really helps people.

If your product sucks then your copy will too. Go somewhere else to learn how to scam people.

Here's where most Content Creatooooor types fall. They're selling a 42 page PDF they compiled from Google with little actual expertise and 99% of their buyers never even read it.

Tell the truth about THAT and nobody will buy it.

But create something that really helps people? That solves a burning problem?

Well now when you tell the truth, people want it.

Take a look at any of my friend Kieran Drew’s products.

Like his “Magnetic Content Masterclass”.

Or his “High Impact Writing”.

There’s no sensationalism on those sales pages (both affiliate links, by the way, because they’re good products and if you end up buying, you might as well help fund the Write Way while you’re at it.)

They just tell the simple truth about what’s inside and why it can help you.

If it’s something you need help with? You’ll buy.

If it’s not? You will not.

Simples.

Here's the thing. People don't know what’s in your product!

They’ve never used it, never read it, they didn’t create it.

They don't know what your product can do for them.

So you need to tell them. They don't know that subscribing to your email list will make them a better writer. Tell them. They don't know that your car is engineered to a higher standard than the competition. Tell them. They don't know your book is more entertaining and fast-paced than the rest. Tell them. They don't know that your Social media guide will help them grow faster and easier. Tell them. They don’t know that your beer is brewed to exacting purity standards. Tell them.

But, you need to tell them in the right way.

You need to make them feel!

This is the second stumbling point.

You've got a good product. You know why it's good.

But how to persuade people? Here's where the gurus pull out the hacks. The 6 persuasion principles derived from Cialdini (mostly BS) or the 17 rhetorical secrets (less BS, but limited use in copy) or whatever the latest tips and tricks are…

It's the wrong approach.

Back up a moment. You're selling a good product, right?

This product will actually change the lives of people who will use it in some small or large way, right? It's worth the price and it makes a difference, right?

Okay.

Well make the reader feel that.

And this goes back to the course I sent you when you sign up, and a bunch of the Write Way newsletter issues since then too. Showing instead of telling, making it sing and so on.

Like I said at the start, the point of this issue is to give you the right philosophy, not overload you in tactical tips for how to apply it. For that, you’ll need to look elsewhere (I’ll have a recommendation or two in a minute.)

But let me give you a guide and then a few quick tips.

You need to start with where your reader is. Make them visualise it in their minds eye. The problem they have right in front of them, from inadequate shaving cream to poor persuasive writing ability.

Then deepen their connection to the problem, reinforce it with your language until it's visual and strong, they can almost taste it. Guide them through solving the problem with your product and out into the sunlit uplands of problem solved.

How?

Well, honestly the best way to learn that part is probably where I learned it.

Joshua Lisec's Best Way Insiders was foundational to my understanding of Copywriting. It’s a subscription offer, and you can sign up for a subscription here (affiliate link).

But if it's the copywriting back issue you want, plus some extra goodies, ​grab it here (also an affiliate link)​.

Neither are cheap, but you can make the cost back with a single sales page (I did…).

I also learned a lot from Jim Clair. He doesn’t talk about it so much these days but he taught me a lot.

With that as the foundation, I read a ton of sales pages, read the work of the greats like Hopkins, Sugarman, Ogilvy etc. Did CopyHour (it was okay), and a ton of stuff on specifically email-based copywriting (my main focus) which I’m not going to list out just now.

And, of course, a lot of popular fiction like Jack Carr and Lee Child.

Oh, and I mentioned some tips for making people feel:

• Use concrete language (SeeWWN22 : Pouring Concrete for more on that)

• Use visual language

• Use specific language

• Write to all 5 senses (See WWN4: Keepin' it real for more on that)

• Be simple, direct and clear

• Tell the right kind of stories (See WWN2: What's the Story? for more on that)

And above all, practice, practice, practice!

Which is all we have time for just now. Perhaps we’ll look more at persuasive writing over the next couple of weeks.

Until next week, may your copywriting fund the purchase of much tobacco and many pipes,

Yours,

James Carran, Craftsman Writer

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