Let’s not beat around the bush: if your copy is not generating you revenue, it needs some TLC, stat. Every piece of copy’s main objective is to sell, whether it’s a sales page that’s directly promoting your product or service or a social media caption that’s building trust with your audience and selling your brand as a whole.
There’s a lot that goes into how to write effective sales copy that sells, but don’t worry. In this article, we’re going to share our favorite tips on how to write persuasive sales copy that does all the legwork for you 💸
1. Make It Ridiculously Easy
Your potential buyers shouldn’t have to re-read your copy to understand what you’re saying. In fact, they shouldn’t even have to pause while scrolling through your sales page or promo emails. Your copy must be so engaging & easy to understand that your target audience immediately figures out what you’re selling, why they should buy it, and how to do it.
Still wondering how to write effective sales copy with this method? First, pay attention to the formatting. Break down long sentences & chunky paragraphs, use easy-to-read lists & bullet points, and make it skimmable (most people skim). Visualize what your copy would look like once designed. You could even try skimming it and seeing if it’s a smooth experience.
Second, use words that your audience will understand and feel connected to. If you’re convincing teens to buy a product, you might want to hold off on using fancy words and incorporate more slang into your copy. If you’re writing for an educated audience with a college degree, use more complex concepts to catch their attention (depending on your brand).
💡You don’t have to remove fancy words & complicated terms per se — you just have to write in a way that’s EASY to understand for YOUR audience.
2. Address Objections
Your potential buyers will have objections swirling around in their heads as they read your copy. “Is this for me?” “How do I know this product/service will actually work?” “Can’t I just do XYZ instead?”
It’s natural for people to resist making a purchase, and it’s your copy’s job to address their objections and convince them otherwise (or, if they’re genuinely not a good fit for your service or product, give them the information they need to make that decision).
Don’t be afraid of addressing your target audience’s objections directly. A good place to do that is an FAQ section, but you can also turn it into a separate section on your sales page or send an objections-focused email to your email list as a part of your campaign.
Most importantly, be transparent. Emphasize the strengths of your product or service, but be honest about who will benefit from it and who won’t. For example, if you’re selling a course on how to start your own photography business, it may not be a good fit for experienced photographers who’re looking for more advanced knowledge.
3. Ditch Empty Social Proof
You may have heard about the importance of social proof before. Showing that other people have bought & loved your product or service is one of the most effective ways to make your prospective customers buy it, too. Testimonials, case studies, and logos of brands that have bought from you are all great examples of social proof that you can integrate into your sales copy.
But if you’re wondering how to write great sales copy, here’s an important thing to remember about social proof: ditch everything that’s not ultra-specific.
General testimonials like “I loved working with XYZ!” or “XYZ is a great product!” may be positive, but they’re way too generic to make your target audience resonate with them. Your prospective customers want to know WHY your product/service is amazing and HOW it changed other people’s lives. Ultimately, they want a detailed STORY, not empty — albeit nice — words.
So, how do you get better social proof to use on your landing pages, sales ages, and other pieces of copy? Ask your past customers & clients guiding questions and then turn their answers into a testimonial (after asking their permission, of course.) Your conversion rates will thank you 😎
→ See also: How to Get Client Testimonials to Grow Your Business
4. Research, Research, Research
Instead of Googling “how to write effective sales copy” and winging it, RESEARCH. Writing sales copy starts with research, and there’s simply no way around this important step (sorry!). Before you write a single word of sales copy, it’s extremely important to understand WHO you’re writing for. Here’s why.
Imagine a busy mom of two, a millennial who’s working to get his business off the ground, and a backpacker who’s traveling the world. These people have different interests, desires, and pain points. To get their attention, you need to talk to each of these people in a targeted & specific way instead of trying to learn how to write for everybody.
Spend some time researching your industry & target market, coming up with buyer personas, and figuring out what kind of messaging would resonate with them. There are a few ways to conduct market research for copywriting purposes:
- Surveys: share a 5-minute survey with your email list and/or social media audience asking them questions about their desires & the problems they’re experiencing.
- Interviews: set up interviews with past clients or customers to ask them questions about their experience with your brand and any alternatives they may have tried.
- Message mining: browse (read: stalk) the corners of the Internet where your target audience hands out, whether that’s Instagram or Facebook groups, to gather insight into their thoughts.
If you’ve been asking yourself how to write good sales copy, market research is THE answer. It’s key to understanding the psychology behind your consumer’s mind, and there’s no better way to make them feel more connected to your brand.
5. Balance Features and Benefits
You’re probably on the edge of your seat to tell your audience about all the amazing features of your product or service. You want them to know how many modules are included in your course, how many weeks of support they get with your coaching container, and what exactly is included in your web design services.
Look, I get it — you want your target audience to know that you’re the best of the best and that they’re getting an amazing deal. But the thing is, while it’s important for your audience to get details about the features of your product/service, they also need to understand its benefits.
What are you actually selling? It goes beyond the number of modules or group calls. You’re selling a transformation that’ll make a real difference and change your target audience’s lives for the better. Visualize the RESULTS they’ll get from your offer, and write copy that’ll make them visualize it, too.
It’s important to go over both the features and the benefits in your sales copy. First, grab your target audience’s attention with strong benefits-driven opening sections to show them why they should care about your product/service, and then solidify their trust with the details about the features.
6. Stop Being Boring
Now, don’t close the tab. I’m not trying to be mean, but the truth is that there are thousands of sales pages & emails out there that look exactly the same. They’re selling different things, but they all FEEL the same, and that’s not good enough for your brand.
To stand out from the crowd, become a thought leader. At its core, effective sales copy shifts perspectives. It teaches your target audience something new and opens their eyes to new solutions & thoughts. It’s not just well-written. It’s mind-bending.
Slade Copy House is a copywriting studio that specializes in psychology-driven copy that gives your target audience an experience no other brand can give. If you’re ready to learn how to write effective sales copy, learn more about our services here!
