5 Copywriting Tips that Turn Followers Into Fans

Business

October 17th, 2018

If there’s one skill you need to master as a business owner, copywriting is it!

I’ve always loved writing. Short stories as a child (How The Monkey Got its Tail was one of my hits), angst-filled diary entries as a teenager, and academic papers in grad school. I thought all that writing prepared me well for business, but I was wrong.

Copywriting is an area so many nutrition entrepreneurs struggle with and here’s why…it’s absolutely nothing like the writing style we learned in college! You’ve probably written tons of research papers and know how to cite sources better than the AMA at this point.

And if you’re writing for Healthline or Today’s Dietitian, keep doing what you’re doing. But if you want to write words that sell, read on. 

Copywriting is a special style of writing that inspires people to take ACTION. Whether it’s downloading a freebie, signing up for a discovery call or handing over their Mastercard, good copy gets people to DO something.

So how can you become a better copywriter? I’ve put together a list of 5 ways to make your writing stand out and attract raving fans. 

1) Know Your Audience 

There’s a reason this advice keeps coming up like a broken record. Knowing your audience inside and out is the foundation of any solid business and also makes writing effective copy a LOT easier. 

When you know the challenges, frustrations and deep desires of your target audience you can communicate with them in a much deeper way. That’s how you write copy that gets people wondering if you moonlight as a mind reader and feeling like you truly understand their needs. It’s also how you create offers that people can’t wait to buy!

Knowing your audience starts with market research and that’s a whole other bag of jellybeans I won’t address in this post. Thorough market research is 100% essential and also something I see so many entrepreneurs skip in favour of logos and fonts. Let me put it this way. Knowing your audience helps you get clients. Logos don’t…even if they’re super sexy.

2) Write Like You Speak

If you can speak, you can write! Yet there’s something about the act of writing that seems to turn normal people into formal robots. 

In normal conversation we use contractions like don’t instead of “I do not.” See how stiff that sounds? If you want to avoid sounding like a robot (and I’m assuming you do), use contractions and keep your writing conversational. 

When you sit down to write, imagine you’re chatting with your ideal client. What do you want to say to them? What do they need to hear to know you’re the right person to help solve their problems?

A good test is to read everything you’ve written out loud. If it doesn’t sound like something you’d say, rewrite it the way you’d actually say it when speaking.

3) Magic Words

By magic, what I really mean is persuasive. There are certain words that spark curiosity and  trigger an emotional reaction in people.

Here’s a few of those magic words:

  • FREE
  • NEW
  • BECAUSE
  • SECRET
  • YOU 
  • IMAGINE

And if you want a mammoth list of 595 power words, check out this blog post by Jon Morrow.

4) Use a Thesaurus

Yep, I’m a total word nerd who’s slightly obsessed with my thesaurus. When the same word gets repeated and overused, it loses impact and makes people tune out. Use your trusty thesaurus to search for new words that will draw your readers in and pique their interest. It’s also fun incorporating alliterations like trusty thesaurus (did you catch that?), crush cravings, banish bloat, and mealtime meltdowns.

5) Be Specific

The best way to make your writing pop is to be more specific. Compare these sentences:

  • You’ll lose weight and have more energy
  • You’ll finally be able to zip up your skinny jeans again and keep up with your kids when they’re begging you to play hide and seek one more time.

See how adding details makes the sentence so much more relatable? Details help your potential client envision the results they’ll achieve in a crystal clear and tangible way.

So there you have it! These 5 copywriting tips will help your writing stand out and resonate with your ideal clients in a big way. 

Now I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and share your #1 struggle with writing for your business.