Weak copywriting will produce weak sales. And you use copywriting far more than you think.
If there’s one thing that confuses and frustrates new (and even seasoned) copywriters, it’s the not-always-obvious features and benefits.
We want to share all the great things about our new coaching program, so we say things like:
- 6-week self-study course
- Includes workbooks and live training
- Members’ only discounts
While these are all good points, they’re bland. That’s because they’re features, not benefits. They tell us about the program, but not why we should buy it.
Benefits, on the other hand, tell us the “so what” of features.
“6-week self-study course.” So what? Why should your reader care?
- Because she’s busy and needs to work on her own schedule, not yours.
- Because she’s already studied shorter, less comprehensive courses and needs more in-depth information.
- Because she prefers to learn on her own, not in a group.
“Includes workbooks and live training.” So what? What are the benefits of workbooks and live training?
- Your student can put what she learns into action with workbooks.
- She can get her specific questions answered during live training.
- She can work through complex issues with the help of the group.
As you can see, benefits go much further than simple attributes, such as length and format. They show your prospective client not only what’s in the program, but why the product is exactly right for her, at this specific moment in her life and career.
Features and benefits work together in sales copy as two halves of a statement, like this:
“6-week self-study course so you can learn at your own pace, when it’s convenient for you.”
In fact, this powerful feature/benefit combo is often the basis for the bullet points you see in sales copy, and the format of them makes them easy to write, too.
Simply list all the features of your product, then for each one, ask yourself “Why?” Why should the reader care? But don’t stop there. Dig deeper to uncover “the why behind the why” and you’ll soon be crafting truly irresistible sales pages that convert far better than you expect. In the above example, the why behind the why might be, “so you don’t have to spend family time on webinars that have been scheduled to benefit someone else.”
Now not only is your prospective client working at her own pace, but she’s also freeing up time to spend with her family. That’s a great benefit she won’t find with most courses.
It’s easy to list all the features of your product or coaching program, but far more difficult to uncover the benefits that will drive sales. When you truly understand the difference, though, it will become easier, and your sales will reflect the change in your copy.
While copyrighting has one main goal – to sell or generate leads – you use this skill far more than you think. Meaning, the stronger a copywriter you become, the easier things get.
Seven Surprising Places You’re Using Copywriting (And You Probably Don’t Realize It)
When you hear the word “copywriting” do you immediately think of long sales pages, squeeze pages, and unwanted bulk mail?
You’re not alone in that thinking, but the fact is, copywriting is more than just sales messages. In fact, as an online business owner, most of the content you produce could be called copywriting, at least in some sense. After all, if you’re creating content with the goal of selling something, that is copywriting.
Sure, we all like to hang out on Facebook and chat with friends, catch up on the latest funny videos, and enjoy a mindless “quiz” or two. But for coaches, Facebook is much more than that. It’s a place to connect with potential clients, and that means that when you’re sharing your latest blog post or program with your business friends, you have to keep good copywriting in mind.
LinkedIn Profile
What makes you stand out from the other coaches in your niche? Your LinkedIn profile is where you share what makes you the best person to solve your ideal client’s problems. It’s where you shout about your credentials and let your ego run the show. Think of your LinkedIn profile like a résumé, and be sure to list your most impressive credentials.
About Page
Here’s your chance to have some fun while blowing your own horn. It’s important to know that the about page is often the most visited page on a website, so it’s a critical piece of your overall brand and message. The purpose of your about page is to entice people to want to learn more about your services, so be sure to include a call to action on the page.
Blog Posts
All blog posts have a job to do. Maybe they’re meant to lead your reader to a sales page. Perhaps you’re asking for readers to subscribe to your mailing list. Perhaps your blog post is designed to start a conversation. Or possibly it’s just sharing great content and inviting readers to learn more by clicking on related posts. Whatever the job, it’s copywriting that entices your reader to take that next action.
One hundred and forty characters is precious little space for creating compelling content, yet that’s exactly what you must do if you hope to use Twitter as part of your overall marketing strategy. Think of tweets like email subject lines, and craft them to convey as much information as possible while still enticing readers to act.
Whether you’re sending an email about a new product or service or simply letting readers know you have a new blog post up, your email qualifies as copywriting. In fact, even the personal emails you send to prospective clients contain what we would call copywriting.
Product Descriptions
Look around Amazon for a few minutes, and you’ll notice a lot of very similar products. So, what differentiates the product with over two thousand sales compared to the one with only a few dozen? Read the product descriptions of both, and you’ll understand. Product descriptions must sell the product. You’re conveying information, but you must do it with the benefits and pain points of your target customer in mind.
You can list the dimensions but wouldn’t it grab your attention more if the description includes how effortlessly those dimensions will fit into your life. Ease of use, practicality, efficient storage are all features and a good copywriter knows how to turn those features into customer benefits to close that sale.
The fact is, copywriting is everywhere in your business, from your sales pages to your invoices.
Whenever you ask a reader to take some action, you’re writing copy, and the more comfortable with the idea of it, the better (and more natural) you’ll become. Of course, the more natural you become, the higher your sales will be and the more subscribers you’ll get to your email list.
