54 - Copywriting Masterclass & Audit: Writing Formulas That SELL

Is your copy working? Direct-response copywriting is an essential skill for every entrepreneur. Listen in as I break down copywriting essentials and do a live audit of our copywriting competition winners social media post.

“The creative and the copy are equally important.”

– Rachel Bell

In this episode, I’ll share the content writing matrix and some copywriting commandments. You’ll learn why your copy and your creative are equally as important and how to use your client transformation timeline to structure copy that compels and converts. I’ll also share common copywriting mistakes and illustrate the difference between traditional and direct-response advertising – and you’ll get an inside look at how I audit social media posts so they do what they’re meant to…which is sell.

Here’s a glance at what you’ll learn from me in this episode: 

• Direct-response copywriting basics.

• The importance of communicating your value.

• Traditional vs. direct-response copywriting examples.

• The content writing matrix.

• The copy and the creative and why they’re equally as important.

• The client transformation timeline.

• Copywriting techniques and copy commandments.

• Common copywriting mistakes.

• How to structure your copy.

• How I go through a copywriting audit.

Live Copywriting Audit Replay

Show Notes

• 00:30 – Introducing today’s show: A copywriting workshop.

• 02:45 – OCA open enrollment is almost here!

• 04:20 – What you’ll get from this session: Direct-response copywriting basics, why it exists, why it’s important, and how to implement the principles.

• 05:10 – Session introduction and my goal to make everything simple and easy.

• 07:45 – Brooklyn’s business, journey, and the community she’s creating.

• 10:10 – The unique thing about choosing coaching as a career path.

• 11:00 – What it is/isn’t about and the importance of communicating your value.

• 12:55 – The content piece of copywriting: The matrix.

  • 13:30 –What lane of awareness is your client in?

  • 15:32 – How often do you talk to cold, warm, and hot leads?

• 16:25 – The copy and the creative: the copy is the text piece, the creative is photo/video/infographic

  • 16:45 – Copy is the words you use to create a message and the creative supplements and grabs attention

• 17:45 – Content writing

  • 18:25 – To gain trust, address the people reading, don’t just talk about yourself

  • 19:30 – Your business exists to serve; this is where discernment comes into play

  • 20:40 – Don’t confuse your image with your being

• 21:00 – The client transformation timeline explains the journey your client or prospect will go on with you

  • 21:40 – Begin with where your avatar is right now and fast forward to where they want to be

  • 22:30 – Get clear on what need to be realized, demonstrated, and implemented for them to reach that end goal

• 24:00 – A thought exercise to clarify your content debacles

  • 24:50 – Get into the hidden thoughts by understanding what they’re really thinking right now

  • 26:00 – Make sure your content is “info-tainment”

  • 26:20 – The perfect piece of content provides value and entertainment

• 27:35 – Bring the passion back into your work

• 28:05 – Copy techniques

  • 30:45 – Copywriting is the act of writing for the goal of influencing a reader to take an action

  • 32:00 – If you can be a good writer, you can become a great speaker

  • 33:00 – Breaking down Coca-Cola advertisements and a lesson on strategic advertisements

  • 35:00 – And example of general vs. direct-response advertising: David Ogilvy’s Rolls Royce advertisement

• 36:50 – Copywriting commandments:

  • 37:00 – #1: Your role is to sell, not to be the most creative or witty

  • 38:05 – #2: Clearly define your positioning: What and for who?

  • 40:00 – #3: Talk to them in the language they use and in the language they think

  • 41:00 – #4: Write great headlines: Seduce and intrigue so they read the next line

  • 43:50 - #5: Use an average readability level of grade 3 – Hemmingway app

• 44:45 – Copywriting mistakes:

  • 45:00 – Too few or too many points

  • 45:15 – No firm positioning and playing it too safe

  • 45:30 – Weak headlines

  • 44:50 – Appealing too much to friends and colleagues instead of ICA’s

  • 46:40 – It’s too dense and doesn’t continuously intrigue

  • 47:00 – Too mysterious, not clear

  • 47:10 – Too much bouncing around topics

  • 48:20 – No direct call to action

• 48:30 – How to structure your copy:

  • 48:40 – There are four pieces: a pattern-interrupting headline, an intrigue to read more, value bombs, and a call to action

  • 50:20 – An example

• 51:30 – The audit

  • 52:40 – Brooklyn’s ideal client avatar and their problem

  • 55:25 – Her ICA’s hidden thoughts and her one-sentence solution

  • 58:25 – Reading Brooklyn’s post

  • 01:01:30 – Feedback for Brooklyn

  • 01:29:30 – Brooklyn’s final thoughts: Simplicity is key

• 01:32:20 – On being the exception to the rule

“Ask: ‘What would be helpful to my ideal client avatar today?”

– Rachel Bell

Exercise:

Audit your latest social media post. What did you get right? What can you improve?