Q1: Long-form or short-form?

I’d say it depends on what you sell, the complexity of the sale, and the price point. Selling an ebook needs a much shorter copy than selling a private coaching service. Think of copy as buying information written in a compelling way.

The more expensive the product or service is, the more copy it needs to provide necessary buying information for the prospects. But, remember to be concise. Tell more with less. Copy consumption and the message are way more important the words.

Q2: Should I use a casual tone?

Casual tone means the way or the slang we speak. It makes it easier to consume the copy. I would always opt for a casual tone whenever I can.

But here’s the catch. Not everyone speaks the way you do. I’d recommend that you think twice before writing in a casual tone. Think about the culture, background, and first language of your ideal prospects.

Write to clarify first before you can write to persuade. People need to understand the context (clearly!) before they can make a buying decision.

Q3: What is the most important part of the copy?

The sales message or ‘big idea’. When we’re trying to sell something, we know everything about the product. But the prospects don’t. So, there’s an information asymmetry between the copywriter and the prospects.

The ‘big idea’ of the copy isn’t to sell. But to give insights (about the product or service) to the prospects in a compelling and captivating way. That’s the game-changer for all copies.

The copy needs to transfer buying information in a way that the prospects can relate to and be excited about. If the idea is interesting enough, closing the sale would be effortless.

Q4: Should I always write short sentences?

Yes, all the time. Our brain can only handle so much information at a given time. If you try to squeeze two or three ideas into one sentence, it’s going to be really hard to consume.

Your copy’s first job is to capture attention — the headline. Its second job is to make the prospect interested enough to read it. Short and punchy sentences provide reading momentum.

The faster they read, the more they consume. And the more they consume, the more they are sold.

Q5: I can only think of 10 headlines. How much more do I need?

I don’t really recommend writing 100 headlines just to choose a few. It’s a waste of time for me. Your headline can be so much more effective when it’s written fewer with the right message and keywords.

What I usually do is start my work with a draft headline. This will give me the direction I need to write the copy. Once the copy is done, I come up with 8 to 10 headlines. These headlines are picked from snippets of the body copy (messaging is key here).

I would then restructure those headlines with relevant power words and keywords to amplify their emotional strength. Then I choose one that matches the copy. It works well for me. Feel free to do what works for you.

Q6: Does bolding, capitalization, and color helps in copywriting?

Absolutely. The goal of doing that is to make your copy easier to read. Remember, before your copy can sell, it needs to be consumed. Because the thing that sells isn’t the words but the ideas and offers.

Words are simply a tool to transfer your message. And formatting makes the transfer smoother. Do anything you can to make reading the copy a whole lot easier for the readers.

Q7: How do I improve the conversion of my copy?

Most people think copy sells. I’m sorry to say that it’s not true. Your offer, guarantees, and ideas are the ones that sell. There’s no such thing as a copy that sells. It’s simply a tool to articulate what you sell.

If you want to improve your copy’s conversion, follow my holy grail of conversion.

Double down on your target customer profile. Knowing who to target is the ultimate key to creating offers that convert like crazy
Figure out your ‘big idea’. This will make your copy different and people love to consume interesting ideas and stories (you’re reading one now *smirk*)
Make your copy easy to read. Choose the right words. Say the right thing. Use a suitable font style and size. Go easy on the color, especially the background
Attract the right kind of traffic. Attract buyers by selling a downgraded version of your offer. Freebie-seekers aren’t going to pay no matter what.
Reverse the risk. You should always sell something that doesn’t put the risk on the buyer. That’ll keep one of their feet at the door. E.g. 100% money-back guarantee.

**Recommended reads: 5 Steps to Generating Big Ideas by Sandy Franks

Q8: Is it true that the headline changes everything?

Hell, yes! Why do you think you’re reading this right now. The headline made you click. The headline is the difference between making zero sales to six-figures in revenue.

In the digital world, consumer attention is an expensive currency. Whoever gets the most attention, wins. And those who can turn attention into monetization is the power player in the industry.

Clicks can change the trajectory of any business. Big or small. There’s no better attention seeker for your business other than the headline.

Q9: Does “power words” help in getting conversion?

Power words do help in some way. And it depends on your KPI. If your KPI is click-through, then it helps. If your KPI is sales, then it might or might not.

I typically use power words to amplify the emotional messaging of my copy. I also make sure I use them sparingly and appropriately. The over-the-top kind of copy gets ignored most of the time because people are skeptical of big claims (unless you can back it up).

The keyword here is ‘amplify’. You must nail the messaging first before you can tune up the emotional notch of the reader.

**One tip for using power words is to refer to an online swipe file and use one or two power words that match the context of your message.

Q10: Is it true that copywriting is the most important thing in business?

Not entirely true. Again, copywriting is a tool to transfer your message. With that being said, there are lots of moving pieces that must be in place within the business.

Things like business model, the funnel, offer design, marketing, and branding. I’ve come to notice that when you focus on the bigger picture first your copy holds much more power in your business. What does that mean?

It means your copy and content are the bridge that connects the moving pieces within the business. And they impact your business objectives directly or indirectly. I think that’s how you should use copywriting.