Copywriting<\/strong> is an all-encompassing term that includes all forms of writing within a marketing context. In other words, it\u2019s just a larger bucket of writing. Copywriting<\/a> incorporates sales copy, but it also includes other types of marketing for other stages of the buyer journey\u2014such as content writing, email marketing, or brand storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the hierarchy of marketing-related copywriting, sales copy<\/strong> sits right in the middle between copywriting and direct response. While sales copy and direct response copywriting are similar types of marketing copy, they have some differences in terms of their implementation, realization, and goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, sales copy can be structured in a way that broadly addresses a sizable chunk of its intended market segment, hoping for long-term effects, while direct response copywriting<\/strong><\/a> speaks directly to a smaller contingent of its target audience, demanding instant action. So, while all direct response copy is sales copy, not all sales copy is a direct response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It takes time to master writing great sales copy. Thankfully, there are existing rules and tactics you can apply to get better results in a faster time frame. Follow these seven steps to achieve sales copy mastery and convince your prospects to make a purchase right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most actionable, most important, and most impactful tip for writing great sales copy begins with composing an eye-turning headline. Think of your headline<\/a> as a condensed indicator of your sales copy, in the sense that it reflects what your value proposition is going to look like further down the funnel, ending with your call to action (CTA). It\u2019s the first thing customers will read, and sometimes the last one if your headline doesn\u2019t capture their attention instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several ways to approach writing a great headline, but only a few that bring immediate results. To start, hunt down a headline you really like from an adjacent industry or a proven historical direct response copywriter, adapt it to align with your goals, and use it to spearhead your sales copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, you can also follow a headline formula to craft a compelling headline. However, make sure you\u2019re not deliberately creating \u201cclickbait\u201d headlines since shoppers have become smarter over the years and are increasingly wary of headlines that overpromise and underdeliver. Some internet users even use clickbait headlines as a signal to avoid certain publications, so make sure your site doesn\u2019t end up amplifying this negative trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re unsure, you can perform an A\/B test to determine which headlines perform the best, which ones are just average, and which headlines underperform and are ready to be discarded. Relying on hard data will bring you one step closer to tightening up your copy to match an ever-shifting, competitive marketplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the key aspects of an engaging copy is to have readers identify with your main message on a more fundamental, emotional level. You can achieve this with great storytelling, careful word choice, and by addressing your target audience in the second person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The kinematics of this rule are simple: use the pronoun \u201cyou\u201d, including its possessive form \u201cyour\u201d, whenever appropriate in the sales copy. Thanks to its flexibility, you can incorporate the second-person form to address a single individual, or to speak to a group of people\u2014using the same grammatical structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Often, you can combine the second-person form (you, your) with the first-person point of view (I, mine) to demonstrate your understanding of the audience\u2019s problems. Ultimately, what matters is for your customers to feel like you\u2019re directly speaking to their wants, needs, and desires, as long as you\u2019re honest and forthcoming in your sales script.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This rule appears to be overemphasized in most marketing circles, yet copywriters often overlook it in favor of a more hybrid approach that merges together features and benefits in the same copy. Given the increasingly shrinking attention spans of audiences worldwide, this hybrid approach to writing sales copy is more detrimental than useful in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Product and service features have their place in sales, and it\u2019s typically reserved for product descriptions, technical specifications, and user manuals. Interestingly enough, some of these elements exist outside of the sales funnel and don\u2019t drive as much sales as a benefit-dominant copy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, the percentage of technically apt customers is very small, meaning that most people are influenced by the following factors on their path to making a purchase:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, listing your product\u2019s specifications can become a bit too dull and technical, and eventually turn into a perseverance struggle on the customer\u2019s part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take this copy for instance: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Thermaltake CA-1Z1-00M4WN-00 chassis measures 550 x 420 x 286.4 mm and supports different fan configurations, including up to three 120mm fans, two 120mm fans, or a single 120mm fan, and adds options for two 140mm fans or one 140mm fan at the top. Additionally, it accommodates one 120mm and one 140mm fan at the case\u2019s bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s simply too dry to be useful. A better approach would be the following attempt: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe latest Ferrari-yellow Thermaltake chassis is highly flexible in its design, delivering optimal cooling both during intense gaming sessions and under focused work-related tasks. Its roomy 550 x 420 x 286.4 mm clearance allows for multiple fan configurations, letting you define your ideal airflow setup without compromising on performance, appearance, and power. With up to three 120mm fan mounts at the top and one 140mm fan at the chassis\u2019 bottom, you get industry-leading heat dissipation for a fraction of the cost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This version sounds, reads, and feels better. It\u2019s the preferred option on all three major accounts, featuring evocative design, competitive pricing, and a persuasive storytelling approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In summary, technically dominant copy has its place in the sales funnel, but it\u2019s typically not the first thing you want to show to incoming customers. Lead with your product or service\u2019s benefits, then provide a visible link to its technical features to round off your copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Copywriting frameworks are shortcuts to great sales copy. They combine all the rules of an effective copy into a single tried-and-true scaffolding, saving you time and effort you can spend on growing your business instead of worrying about placing the right word in the right context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several popular frameworks you can pick from, such as AIDA and PAS. Both of them have their pros and cons, but they all have a single unifying purpose: to make people buy your product or service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The AIDA formula<\/a> is one of the most popular copywriting blueprints today. It works in four distinct stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The PAS formula<\/a> works by inconveniencing the reader into solving a problem they didn\u2019t know they had in the first place. In many ways, it acts as a condensed version of the AIDA framework, meaning it\u2019s tighter and more focused than its AIDA counterpart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This framework unravels its magic in three stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to AIDA and PAS, there are other effective copywriting formulas out there such as BAB, DAGRAM, REAN, and OATH. Ultimately, it\u2019s up to you to decide which one will best serve your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customers are drawn to good stories\u2014even in sales copy. A common misconception about story-first text is to make your product the hero of the story, but this is misleading. The best way to win the hearts and minds of your audience is to make the reader the true hero of your story instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good place to start is by introducing conflict, which is equivalent to the pain point of your target audience. Then, make the reader experience that pain point firsthand by transporting them into your copy\u2019s world. Here, you can use real-world scenarios, vivid language, and sharp dialogue to make them feel like they\u2019re participating in the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, instead of saying \u201cI didn\u2019t know how to play the trombone, but I took some classes and now I do\u201d, use a variation of John Caples\u2019s approach and start your copy with something like “They Laughed When I Picked Up the Brass Horn\u2014But When I Blew My First Note!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the hero\u2019s journey is nearing its end, introduce your product or service to drive the point home. Lastly, be careful: good storytelling doesn\u2019t necessitate purple prose. Instead, make sure your discourse conveys the right message without being too ornate, esoteric, or convoluted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social proof is a highly contagious (in a good way) force that makes buyers copy other people\u2019s behaviors\u2014broadly defined as social influence. It was first coined by Robert Cialdini in the mid-80s and it remains highly relevant in the sales world to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are different types of social proof you can use in your sales copy, the most prominent being case studies, testimonials, user-generated reviews, and user statistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A case study<\/strong> is an in-depth research revolving around a goal your product or service helped or participated in achieving. If you\u2019re selling supplements, an example case study could focus on the role of creatine in sports performance and brain health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Testimonials<\/strong> are the condensed feedback of the actual customers using your products. You can get them through written follow-up forms or via detailed one-on-one communication with contended patrons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n User-generated reviews<\/strong> are more comprehensive client testimonials. Excluding paid reviews, user reviews are typically more objective than testimonials because they aren\u2019t solicited by the product maker. Also, neutral or unhappy customers might include what they consider your product or service\u2019s setbacks as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n User statistics<\/strong> are data about your clients, some of which might include the average number of your customer base, the number of hours they spend running your app or browsing your site, their average return on investment (ROI), and other measurable improvements in their business that could be relayed back to using your merchandise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Impressive user statistics like this can facilitate a positive impression on future customers, not to mention integrating any of these types of elements can nurture a genuine desire in buyers to become loyal brand patrons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If headlines are the most important openers in a sales copy, a call to action (CTA) is the key closing element that enables prospects to convert into paying customers. It\u2019s the real-life equivalent of a mutual handshake after the main deal has gone through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, an effective CTA button is short and concise, but it can also be a longer link, a spacious banner, or a visually striking image if your copy necessitates that kind of approach. If you\u2019re unsure about what type of CTA to use, stick to a clickable button with contrasting colors, action-oriented language, and some kind of a visual indication (animation on mouse hover, visible borders, additional visual elements pointing to the CTA button) to make it stand out on the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some examples of high-converting CTA language:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re running a creative business, like a video game studio, an electronic music shop, or an arts & crafts online store, you can defy the existing conventions and come up with your own unique CTA. However, make sure it\u2019s sufficiently visible and it\u2019s NOT buried under a heap of visually noisy design or badly formatted walls of text on your page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, you might hit a wall and struggle to string together a sentence, let alone compose an entire piece of copy from scratch. Thankfully, a small burst of inspiration is all it takes to break this cycle and rekindle your creativity. Here are three inspirational, high-performing sales copy examples to kick off your own writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ramit Sethi\u2019s Earnable course features a comprehensive 18,000-word landing page packed with engaging, practical, and highly effective sales copy. It guides the reader through an unforgettable journey\u2014starting with Sethi\u2019s childhood, his family\u2019s hardships, and the invaluable lessons he learned over the course of his upbringing\u2014culminating in powerful testimonials from clients who have applied his methods and matched or exceeded his level of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sethi\u2019s approach is an excellent primer on the slippery slide<\/em> technique, propelling the entrepreneur\u2019s page to sales stardom. The term \u201cslippery slide\u201d was coined by legendary copywriter Joe Sugarman, who proposed that your copy must hook the customer, keep them engaged, and never let go until they\u2019re finally ready to buy\u2014like riding a slippery slide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When done well, the slippery slide technique removes friction, easing the customer into a purchase they\u2019ll consider undeniably natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon Davids\u2019s posts gather hundreds of thousands of views each month, cementing his status as a social media thought leader all thanks to the power of aptly-designed copy. In his content, he talks about entrepreneurs from various backgrounds, whether business owners, digital creators, or even movie stars, who have defied the initial odds to build sustainable long-term businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon follows a similar approach to his fellow digital creator Justin Welsh, as both use the AIDA formula to write their copy and transform a steady stream of followers into customers with each consecutive post they publish on the most popular social media platforms today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Craft a Compelling Headline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12113313\/Sales-Copy-Rules-The-Golden-Era.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n2. Address Your Target Audience in the Second Person<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Lexus](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12113438\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Lexus.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3. Focus on Your Product\u2019s Benefits Instead of Its Features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"Rocco](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12113528\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Why-Rocco.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n4. Use a Copywriting Framework Like AIDA or PAS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"Guru](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12113649\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Rollls-Royce.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Sales](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12113745\/Sales-Copy-Rules-User-Engagement.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n5. Engage Your Audience Through Captivating Storytelling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Instrument](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12113949\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Piano.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n6. Leverage Social Proof<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"User](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12114104\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Review.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n7. Create an Irresistible Call to Action (CTA)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"Basecamp](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12114229\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Basecamp.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSales Copy Examples to Get Inspiration From<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Example #1: Earnable<\/a> by Ramid Sethi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Earnable](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12114308\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Earnable.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nExample #2: LinkedIn conversion copy<\/a> by Jon Davids<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"LinkedIn](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12114348\/Sales-Copy-Rules-LinkedIn.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Sales](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12114415\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Going-Big.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Sales](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12114450\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Hot-Growth.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/12114501\/Sales-Copy-Rules-Stealth-Techwear.png\")
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