How to write effective copy: 3 basic rules to follow

If you have read my article on the copywriting, you already know how important it is to write in the right way to attract the audience's attention and especially persuade them to take a certain action.

Nowadays, there are many web marketing tools in which writing takes a central role: whether you write in your blog, send out weekly newsletters, or publish social media posts, if you don't use the right form, all your strategic efforts will be in vain.

The goal is simple: grab attention and make sure the reader gets to the bottom of your message, no matter how long it is.

If you're wondering how to do this, the solution is to use the right content conveyed with the right tools and methods. Because remember: no matter how many competitors you have out there (and certainly competition is no excuse to get discouraged or complain), punchy copy allows everyone to get the best customers for themselves.

Do you agree?

Well, today I want to give you some slightly more practical tips on how to have effective communication that allows you to reach your audience and actively engage them.

This is something super easy that you can put into practice right now in your written content. As I've already told you, you don't need to be an expert in this field-it really only takes a little to start making a difference. Here you will find everything you need to get started.

But let's get right into the heart of the matter!

Here are some Basic rules on how to write effective copy That help you communicate to achieve your goals.

Why people buy

Well, before we dive into the actual copy, we need to take a step back and start with a trivial but important question: why do people buy?

Basically, you have to kind of get inside their heads to understand what their motives are for spending money to buy a product or pay for a service. And if you're wondering what this has to do with copywriting, well, it's very simple: you need it to be able to then leverage those thoughts and create an ad hoc message.

Of course, we are all different and each with our own needs or problems; but we can tend to identify some "standard" motivations for people to buy:

Earning money (or saving it): For example, buying a course that teaches how to use the Instagram Stories to promote yourself or a book on the secrets of saving money on everyday expenses;
Being superior to others (having status): the classic case of the super awesome car to brag to friends with;
Taking care of loved ones (to be loved): the purchase of a cooking class to prepare new recipes for their family;
Improve health or impress others: This is the case when you pay for the advice of a personal trainer to get in shape;
Saving time to devote to what you enjoy: it can be a course on how to use Excel quickly and efficiently, or a food processor that does everything on its own while you take care of other things;
Avoiding efforts and simplifying life (who doesn't wish that?).

So, to recap: if you know what your potential customers are looking for, you can base your communication on their specific need and go to the very right chords with your message that resonate with it.

Find your niche: target audience types

As in any self-respecting strategy, writing a message necessarily involves this step: finding your niche to make your communication suitable for that specific clientele.

I know, you've probably heard this a thousand times, and yet it's true: whatever you plan to do, you cannot ignore identifying your target audience and your positioning in the market.

Your copy must also be based on such considerations.

So ask yourself, on the one hand, what kind of people identify with you, what characteristics they have, and who finds your solution valuable; on the other hand, be clear about who you are, what sets you apart from others, what you do better than them, and what advantage you offer your customers.

Remember, people always have too little time: when they come across you, you must immediately give them a compelling reason to choose you. This is one of the most important basic rules of copy.

To write targeted content, you can consider some classic breakdowns of the target audience:

#1 Relationship with the product or service:

They may be people who have never used a product/service such as yours, who did but were disappointed, or who were satisfied instead.

#2 Level of awareness

Those who know you well, those who do not know why they choose you (you are one of many), those who know that they have a problem and that there are solutions, but they do not know that you are one of them; finally, those who are totally unaware that they have a problem or a need.

#3 Purchasing behavior

There are the innovators, who buy the novelty right away, arrive quickly (they decide to buy in a short time) but leave just as quickly (they are not constant), or the gregarious, who seek something already tested and established, win over with greater difficulty, but then are loyal.

#4 The question

It can be latent, so people do not seek you out and do not know you are there; or informational, meaning if you happen to catch their eye they might buy, but boh; finally conscious, when people want you, regardless of price.

Based on these considerations, you will change both the content and the tone of your message to make sure that you attract the people you are interested in and move them to action.

What an effective text contains

Okay, among the basic rules of copy, the first thing you need to keep in mind for a persuasive copywriting is that your text must make the reader perform an action. To do that, it must have these characteristics:

A title attention-grabbing (the tone you use always depends on your intended audience): it can focus on the problem, the desire, or the outcome;
Create a emotional connection With people (read: leveraging their desires);
Emphasize the benefits you offer and how you differ from others (mind you, don't focus so much on the features or quality of your offering, but on how it can improve people's lives);
Define your solution And let people know that it is appreciated (if already tested);
Giving one more reason to act now (communicating a sense of urgency and scarcity, which may be of money, time, price, bonus or availability);
Making your irresistible proposal and powerful (of course, there must be a high and perceivable value)-for example, using a specific name and dividing it into parts to increase its value;
Contain a call to action well-defined (click on link, subscribe to newsletter, purchase, etc.).

Le 3 basic rules of copy

Well, let's now look at the 3 basic rules of copy to communicate effectively.

The starting point is almost a given: use good Italian, with logical and fluent language. If you mess up with grammar or make gross errors, you already lose too many points at the start, so be careful 😉

Basically, there are three basic things you must always consider whenever you write text intended for your audience (whether it is on social media, on your website, or in your newsletter):

#1 Don't make walls of text

Leave space between paragraphs so that it is easy to read even at first glance and entices people to pay attention to your message. Also consider line spacing and formatting.

#2 You always give Tu

The reader must read how he thinks and speaks, so avoid using "she," "you," but try to shorten the distance.

#3 Monkey-proof writing

Yeah, assuming that people out there share and understand your industry expert vocabulary is one of the worst mistakes you can make; don't fall into the ego trap, avoid formalisms or technicalities, use simple language; in short, speak as you eat.

Conclusion

Finally, remember: your customers often do not understand because they lack the basis for understanding. If they can misunderstand, they will misunderstand; if they don't understand half a thing, they will understand practically nothing; if you don't use strong leverage, they will never be able to pay attention.

This is why copy is one of the most important aspects of marketing: it allows you to push people to action by promoting not products and services, but results and value.

How to do it I just showed you: study your audience, define your niche and target audience, write what you want to communicate, and rework the text based on these small steps.

Apply these basic rules of copy and you will definitely see results.

Make a difference!

Photo by lilartsy on Unsplash