19 - Copywriting 101: How to Write Compelling Content That Sells
Is your written content blowing up your bank account? It can...and it should! Get down with the copywriting fundamentals and some proven formulas on this episode of the Payday With Rayray Podcast.
“If you’re afraid of polarizing, you’re never going to win at advertising.”
– Rachel Bell
I’ll share the science of copywriting and why it’s an essential part of every business. You’ll also learn the four copywriting commandments and the rookie mistakes that lead to dusty inboxes and lonely DMs. Grab a notebook (or your Notes app) and jot down some super-sexy copywriting formulas that’ll turn your copy from meh to money-makin’ in no time!
Show Notes
01:00 – Introducing today’s episode: Copywriting 101!
01:30 – All the deets about OCA.
03:40 – Why I believe in marketing laws, not fleeting strategies.
04:45 – You have to learn the principles first to maximize the best strategies.
06:50 – The deadly content-creating question: “What do I want to talk about today?”
07:55 – Write what your ideal client needs to hear, not what you want to share.
08:40 – Add value with your content and speak to their fears, pains, and goals.
10:23 – The more polarizing you can be, the more you can be yourself, the better.
11:40 – Have a capacity for rejection in advertising; provide value and entertainment.
12:45 – Copywriting is the act of writing content so the reader feels compelled to act or shift; these communication skills apply to videos and sales calls, too.
14:15 – Communicate with power and clarity by practicing.
15:30 – David Ogilvy: The direct-response godfather who made copy personal.
17:00 – The 4 Copywriting Commandments:
o 17:30 - Commandment #1: Your role is to sell, and don’t get distracted.
o 18:30 – Clarity over cleverness, always.
o 19:40 – Commandment #2: Clearly define your positioning, what and for who.
o 21:40 Commandment #3: Talk in a language they use every day – individually.
o 23:20 – Commandment #4: Write dope headlines that aren’t tricky.
24:50 – Think about yourself and ask: Would I stop to read this?
25:12 – Your content needs to be readable; about a 4-5th grade reading level
27:35 – Read Ogilvy on Advertising to go deeper.
27:50 – Some top-converting sales formulas:
o 28:00 – P.A.D.S.= Problem, Agitation, Discredit, Solution
o 30:30 – An example.
o 28:10 – A.I.D.A. = Attention, Interest, Desire, Action
o 32:30 – An example.
o 28:16 – P.P.P.P. = Picture, Promise, Prove, Push
o 34:30 – An example.
28:30 – The pattern: Get attention, go deeper with a hook, reinforce, then offer solution.
37:00 – The biggest copywriting mistakes:
o 37:20 – No point or too many points.
o 37:30 – Your headlines are weak and vague.
o 38:00 – You’re being too safe.
o 38:20 – You’re relevant to your friends/family/peers but not your ideal client.
o 38:55 – The copy is dense and has no intrigue – write for skimmers on social.
o 39:30 – You obsess over being clever.
o 40:20 – There’s no logical theme – filter what’s relevant.
o 41:30 – You don’t end with a call to action.
41:55 – Get the BONUS Content Audit Workshop to see me audit LIVE here
“We’re aiming for you to be yourself; for people to see themselves in you and therefore listen to you.”
– Rachel Bell
Exercise
Get the BONUS Content that SELLS Workshop for free right here!
