We’ve all been there! We’ve all had the need to do some of our own copywriting that must serve a specific purpose and got stuck on where to start. Either that, or we’ve been so passionate about what we’re writing about that we can’t stop ourselves from producing reams of copy that might only mean something to us – but you can’t bring yourself to cut it down…
That’s when having a copy checklist can help.
I’m not a sales copywriter myself, but I have produced copy for my own business and published a book or five in my time, so my advice comes from a point of consideration for you, not cast-iron rules to follow!
Plan your copy
As with anything in business, it’s useful to make a plan. And that plan can start with your why. What is the purpose your copy must serve? Who are you writing it for, and what do you want them to do having read it?
- Why are you writing?
- Who are you writing to?
- What action should they take?
I find it helps to always have these questions in mind as I write, to keep me focused on the point.
Copy checklist
There are certain points to hit when writing compelling sales copy – that is copy that makes the reader take action – buy, download, share and so on, and these bullet points offer a guide to forming a structure to your writing:
- Headline
- Offer – what’s the point of the article/page?
- Deadline – is there a limited time offer?
- Testimonials – social proof
- Bullet points/lists – make it scannable
- Dual readership path – makes it easy to scan, but also contains enough detail for people who like to be more in-depth
- Personalisation – hit pain points, evoke aspirations or inspiration, identify with your readers
- Guarantee – instill trust in your brand, make a promise and stick to it
- Photos or video – lighten the mood and attract the eye
- Clear call to action – what you want them to do next
- Multiple ways to respond – choice and control over their next move
- Your logo – a soft touch to remind them of your brand.
PS: adding a PS at the end of an email for example is often the part that remains in the memory and serves as a trigger for the call to action.
So, to take my own advice…
I wrote this article for entrepreneurs like you, so that you can incorporate your copywriting into a sales funnel. The desire is to give you some pointers to make the copy compelling, enjoyable to read and valuable. I hope it makes writing it enjoyable for you too.
What do I want you to do next? Write something! And I’d love it if you then get in touch to tell me how you used these pointers and if it made a difference to your writing techniques.
Thank you for reading, and good luck with writing your sales copy.
PS – I’d love it even more if you got in touch to talk about other ways to produce sales leads or share added value to your customers.
Mike