Part II: More Diabolically Subtle Copywriting Tips for Faster, Easier Sales

Click here for part I in this series.

Here’s the weird thing about copywriting … 

When done right, it’s smooth as silk and looks like anybody can do it.

Unfortunately, it looks so easy that everyone TRIES to do it, which creates some of the strangest persuasion and leads to abysmal sales.   

So here are a few more subtle tricks, strategies, and techniques to prevent you from being lumped in the embarrassing newbie category.

Start with a BANG!!

This tip is specifically for email because of the way our inboxes are set up.

You see, many times you can not only see the subject line, but also the first line of the email.

So you’ve gotta hook them there, too. 

I’m not sure where I learned this first tip, but it was probably from Zig Ziglar when he said…

“Use meaningful specifics instead of wandering generalities.”

You’ve seen this done in newspapers (if you remember them), magazines, or online articles when they have the date and location listed first.

It looks like this:

London, June17

It’s powerful because it immediately pulls you into the copy with something specific.

Specifics are also more believable.

For instance, saying, “A lot of people agree that…”, is less believable than, “A recent poll of 239,376 subscribers agree that…”

You can do the same thing with the first couple lines of your email, as follows, using time, dates, place, and specific names:

“In 1978, when he was six and living in the New York ghetto, little Jerry Anderson already lived by the power of his fists.”

Kick it Off with Stories and Curiosity

Another fast-start tip is to lead off with a story-like curiosity statement that’s related to the headline.

One of my favorite marketers in this regard is the legendary Joe Sugarman.

His book, Triggers, is packed with them.

Here are a few. 

As examples, I’ve underlined the part that hooks you into reading more (also note how the chapter titles make you curious).

Chapter 1 – The Ice Cream Ordering Sequence

People are funny. And the way they respond sometimes makes for some very valuable

insights. That’s the basis of this true but crazy story of how …

Chapter 4 – Raising Dirty Laundry Up a Flagpole

Picture this. You’re talking to a prospect, trying to sell him or her a product when deep inside

you know that the product has a flaw in it.

Chapter 6 – The TV Salesman’s Secret

I was told this story by a master salesman who worked at a TV and appliance store. He was the most successful salesman this store ever had and consistently beat out all the other …

Chapter 10 – Our President Drives a Rabbit

Even if you are a multimillionaire, you want to know that you are not being taken advantage of, and, even more importantly, that you are getting value for your financial investment.

Great Segues Carry Your Readers Along

Let’s say your reader is cruising along through your copy and you abruptly switch topics. 

Suddenly, they’ve been knocked off the slippery slope and they think, “What the heck?”

It’s because you didn’t have a smooth segue.

So here’s a fairly hefty list of segues… because you need a lot of them to make your transitions silky smooth.

• As promised, this month…
• It’s true!
• Simply because I wanted…
• To make sure…
• So why am I telling you this?
• Let me tell you…
• Anyway…
• Remember…
• Let’s talk about….
• As you know…
• Look…
• Ah, that’s so much better…
• Truly special.
• Not that you should care, but…
• Well…
• But…
• Because…
• That’s right…
• Can you believe that…
• By now…
• Don’t even try to…
• You know…
• In any case…
• So…
• Now you’ve got to understand…
• In addition to…
• Of course,…
• Why would…
• Then there were…
• At that point…
• What about…
• The trouble is…
• To my knowledge…
• But no matter what…
• Here’s why…
• By the way…
• Reluctantly….
• Whatever.
• According to…
• Here’s a curious story…
• Way back in…
• If…then…
• Let me explain…
• So read on…
• Still…
• Forget about all that…
• I will reveal shortly…
• But there’s more…
• In a minute…
• On the next page I’ll…
• Now here comes the good part…

If They Stumble, You’ll Fumble the Sale

OK, we’ve got a hot start with plenty of segues to tie your copy together.

Now how do you end this masterpiece?

When you’re putting the finishing touches on your copy, you’re usually tired of looking at it.

So there’s a serious temptation to let it slide and leave it just the way it is.

That’s a big mistake.

After all, you’ve worked your butt off to create it, so why not use the appropriate polish?

Or as a friend of mine loves to say…

“It’s always hard to pound the last nail.”

So on the last pass or two, look for places where your reader stumbles.

What’s a stumble?

It’s just like walking down the street, enjoying the scenery and waving to friends.

Then you catch your toe on a crack, lurch forward, and scramble madly to keep your balance.

You think, “Whoa, what the heck was that?”

It’s the same with your copy.

When it flows smoothly, you reader is heading merrily toward the sale.

But when they’re thrown off, you can lose them for good.

So how do you spot the “stumbles?”

Two quick suggestions.

FIRST, an oft-repeated admonition… READ IT OUT LOUD.

I know, it’s a pain to go through it so slowly… again… but you’ll easily catch those nasty stumbles.

Of course, another way is to have someone else read it.

Because everything may be crystal clear and totally obvious to YOU, but clear as mud to someone else. 

Also, you’ve read the darn thing so many times you’re probably a little “snow blind.”

In other words, your mind no longer notices the grammar goofs, the weird analogies, the weak segues, and the unintelligible logic.

So an unbiased reader will quickly point out the lack of clarity and you’ll eliminate the stumbles. 

“NEXT, Scan for Power Words!”

There are lists of power words all over the internet, ever since John Carlton handed out his original list over a decade ago. 

So grab a batch and go through your text looking for weak areas.

Most important, insert powerful ACTION words wherever you can. 

And finally, bookend your email by finishing with a twist of logic that echoes the point you made at the beginning. 

It’s diabolically subtle, but when you tie a satisfying bow on your message for the reader, they’re positively predisposed to reading your next email… and the next… and the next… 

… Which means they’ll buy faster, easier, and for an eternity at the very least.

And with that last tip, get out there and put everything above IN PLAY. 

You’ll be amazed what these simple changes will do for your profits.

And leave your comments… we appreciate it!