How to Write Compelling Copy

Are you promoting your business, but only hearing crickets?

So many business owners I know have trouble writing compelling copy that attracts quality leads.

After working with hundreds of coaches on this challenge, and recently devising a pitch for a startup, I have truly immersed myself in what it takes to write compelling copy and how to position your value in a mouthwatering, irresistible way.

In this episode, we’ll cover

* What you need to communicate in your copy

* What you need to be doing instead

* How the End Point Method works

I have developed what I am calling the ‘End Point Method’ and it helps you to get past the features and jargon that you might be using now, to rather describe your services in a compelling and attractive way that makes sense to your niche.

If you get it right, you will attract more quality leads and enquiries.

What You Need to Communicate in Copy

When you consider any purchase, you subconsciously ask yourself – “what’s in it for me?”

In other words, you ask yourself something like – ‘Why should I spend my hard-earned money on this?’ ‘Do I really need this?’ ‘What will it give me?” “Is it worth it?”

Everyone – you, the clients you are trying to secure – buy because of what’s in it for them..

That’s why you hear marketing professionals say things like:

“Sell the sizzle, not the sausage.”

“Facts tell, stories sell.”

“Promote benefits, not features.”

So number 1, your copy needs to answer the question – ‘what’s in it for me?’.

There are some other things that are important to include in the copy, too, and these are relevant if you are running a service-based business.

There are three things you need to weave in:

(1.) When people buy, 90% of their buying decisions are emotionally driven.

So your copy needs to tell a story that clearly articulates the benefits and results but does so in a way that engages them emotionally, which will increase their motivation to enquire.

(2.) People buy from those who are similar to them, and who they trust.

So your copy needs to tell the story in a relatable way that will resonate and connect with the person seeing the promotion, so they will be more motivated to enquire.

This comes down to you personally. If you are a 20-year-old woman and you are trying to sell menopause coaching to a 50-year-old woman, it’s probably not going to go so well because – what would a 20-year-old woman know about menopause?

This is where the relatability comes in. Part of communicating your value is why you are positioned to be the provider of choice for this service. It could be your similar life experience, your journey, your expertise in an area, or your demographic.

(3.) People buy to solve problems – not for fun!

Unless you speak to the results and outcomes that they are seeking, then people aren’t interested.

A lot of people try to sell services to people who don’t need them because the problem is too poorly defined, too vague – or too small.

A simple example is this: if I get a cut on my arm, I’ll use a bandaid to solve it. If I break my arm, I’ll go to a doctor or better still, a specialist.

So in your copy, when you can clearly describe the big problem people want to solve and the benefits and results that someone is seeking, you are demonstrating your understanding of their challenges, and they are more likely to enquire because they trust that you truly understand them.

What You Might Be Doing Instead

If not doing the above things in your copy, what might you be doing instead?

What I see a lot of is copy that focuses on your title, your qualifications and/or the method you use to work with people, and all of the things you do with them in your program/

If your copy is solely talking about you and not in a relatable way to your ideal client, and if your copy is describing the features of your work or the science behind it, there could be a problem.

Read your copy out aloud, and how do you feel afterwards?

Put yourself in your client’s shoes – if you stumbled across your promotion – would YOU want to buy it? Why or why not?

If it’s all about you and how you work, that’s why you are probably hearing crickets!

Getting your story right is really important and it is ultimately the difference between enquiries or no enquiries.

While there isn’t enough time to go into a full-page copy example, I want to share some simple statements I often see on websites that don’t quite fit the bill:

“I help you create an exciting vision that feels good inside and out.”

“I help you work out what you want to achieve and how to get there.”

“I help you develop healthy habits that are sustainable and fit with your goals.”

Here are a few statements that are a lot better and make the value a lot clearer:

“I help women in their 50s to reverse diabetes and lose weight with a simple, low-carb eating approach.’

“I work with athletes to address their inner critic and mental wellbeing so they can achieve those important 1% increases in performance.”

I’ve just made these examples up, but you can tell right away that one set of statements is much clearer, free of coaching jargon, and easier to buy.

The nutshell is, when you have a clear copy, the reader can identify themselves in the statement and will more likely qualify themselves as a good fit for your business.

The best way to get the words to answer these questions is with client interviews.

How the End Point Method Works

If you are a coach then you have some skills to help you master this already.

Just like helping your ideal client peel off the layers to get to the heart of what’s important to them, my End Point Method is a similar process.

It helps you get past all those features you keep listing in your ad copy and all those jargony words, and pull out the feelings, results and benefits that people will want to connect with.

It also helps you map out the customer journey so you can explain to clients how you help them get to their desired end result.

So by using the endpoint method, you can work out:

The problem your ideal client needs to solve
The result they desperately want
The step-by-step process you guide them through to get there – but spoken as a list of benefits, not a list of features.

There are a few simple questions to ask yourself and answer to get the heart of the valuable copy.

What do you do?
How do you do it?
What are the results?
How do people feel?
If people achieve these results, what else becomes possible?
How does THAT feel?
Why does that matter to them?
What might that mean?

Summary

If your promotional copy has gotten NO traction, it might be worth looking at the copy and value proposition in your promotions.

I discussed four important things that your copy needs to cover:

What’s in it for me
An emotional story that shows you understand their problem
Text that shows how you resonate with the ideal client
A focus on a big enough problem they have and want to solve.

Market research is the best way to get the answers to these questions.

Further, you need to coach yourself or work with a business coach to get to the crux of the matter – to get to the heart of your value proposition – so that you can clearly articulate this in your messaging.

If you need support with this process, get in touch. I have about 5 places available this month to dive deep into getting your messaging right.

Ready to get clarity on your pathway to success?

Understanding who you are and what you need will allow your business to thrive! If you’re truly ready to break old habits and get out of the rut I encourage you to check out the Habitology membership.

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