In 2020, I was a beginner copywriter.
However, I was able to get clients very quickly.
By the end of my first year, I earned close to 6 figures and wrote for HUNDREDS of freelance clients.
This was only possible because of what I did BEFORE writing for clients.
For 3 months, I learned the fundamentals of copywriting.
I read 10 copywriting books, practiced my skills and wrote daily.
After baking the copywriting fundamentals into my brain, I was able to write for clients with confidence.
This is the golden key for breaking into copywriting FAST.
In this blog post…
I’m going to share what copywriting is, why you MUST learn the fundamentals of copywriting BEFORE writing for clients and 9 copywriting fundamentals every copywriter must learn.
What is Copywriting?
There’s a lot of confusion around what copywriting is.
Let’s end this confusion once and for all.
Real copywriters know that copywriting is nothing more than salesmanship in print.
Instead of selling face to face, using your tongue, you are selling to thousands of readers through your writing.
This is also why copywriting is much more powerful than traditional sales.
Because you can sell to 10x as many prospects at the same time. And you only have to create your “sales presentation” once.
Also…
Copywriters write for many different types of platforms:
- Social media
- Advertisements
- Video scripts
- Blog posts
- Emails
- Website pages
- And much more
However, the fundamentals of copywriting apply to whichever medium you write for.
Each platform varies with best practices, but HOW to write a persuasive message never changes.
The majority of your time as a copywriter will be spent writing, researching and editing.
To learn more about the 3 main phases of copywriting see this blog post.
Why YOU Must Learn the Fundamentals of Copywriting BEFORE You Look for Clients
The key to success as a freelance copywriter is simple.
Provide REAL value to your clients.
How do you do this?
By getting them results.
The main results clients are looking for are generating leads and sales.
However, the MAIN purpose of hiring a copywriter is to ultimately make more money.
If you can make your clients richer with each gig you submit, you can earn a farmer’s fortune.
You will always be in demand.
Now, 10 years from now, even 100 years (if robots haven’t pulled a Terminator on us by then).
But in order to gain desirable results for your clients, you must learn, study and apply the copywriting fundamentals with everything you write.
You can think of the copywriting fundamentals as the foundation of a house.
If you learn the fundamentals of copywriting as a beginner, you will build a sturdy base for your home.
However, if you do NOT have a solid grasp of the copywriting fundamentals, you will have a weak base. And it’s only a matter of time until your house comes tumbling down.
The safest way to ensure a long, successful copywriting career is to MASTER the copywriting fundamentals.
Never stop improving your knowledge and skills of the fundamentals of copywriting.
9 Copywriting Fundamentals that Will Help You Write Copy That Sells
1. Know Your Audience Better Than They Know Themselves
The most important phase of copywriting is NOT writing.
It’s research.
Before you write, you want to spend a LOT of time getting to know your audience.
Get to know them on a personal and emotional level.
Here are some smart questions to answer.
After you uncover the answers, you will know your audience better than they know themselves.
- What keeps them awake at night, indigestion boiling up their esophagus, eyes open, staring at the ceiling?
- What causes them pain?
- What humiliates them?
- What are they afraid of?
- What makes them mad?
- What do they worry about most?
- What 3 things frustrate them most each day?
- What do they want most?
- What make them feel insecure?
- What is the #1 most URGENT problem they are desperately trying to solve?
- What do they COMPLAIN about to their friends over a drink?
- What are their VALUES like?
- What trends are occurring and will occur in their business or lives?
- Is there a built-in bias to the way they make decisions? (Example: engineers = exceptionally analytical.)
- Do they have their own insider language?
Use the knowledge from these answers in everything you write.
2. Grab Your Ideal Reader’s Attention
After you know your audience on a deep level, you must grab their attention.
This is the job of your headline.
If you fail to grab attention, your audience will NOT read your copy – no matter how amazing it may be.
To ensure you grab your audience’s attention, make your headlines specifically tailored to them.
Their interests.
Their problems.
Their desires.
Follow this ultimate guide for writing attention-grabbing headlines.
This guide gives you 10 sure-fire ways to grab your ideal reader’s attention FAST.
3. Sell Benefits, Not Features
A HUGE mistake is to blabber about your product’s features.
A feature is a characteristic or attribute of your product.
Wake up, buddy.
NOBODY cares about these.
However, people DO care about benefits.
A benefit explains how your product’s features directly translate into something positive for your reader.
Get this…
The #1 way to emphasize benefits is to explain what they will DO for your customer.
Here’s a quick example:
Losing 25 pounds is a benefit.
Lots of weight loss companies will sprinkle their copy with benefits like this.
But this is NOT what motivates people to buy a weight loss product.
Nope.
People buy weight loss products for the NEW LIFE they will live in a skinnier, healthier body.
Look more attractive, live a longer life, be more active with their kids and so on.
Uncover the real benefits of your product’s features and emphasize them in a dramatic and emotional way.
If you do, you will skyrocket sales.
4. Ask for Action NOW
Copywriting is all about getting a direct response.
To do this, you must ask your readers to take a specific action (this depends on what your client’s goal is).
This is the job of your call to action (CTA).
CTAs are placed at the end of your copy.
EVERY piece of copy you write should have a call to action.
Give readers clear, direct and concise instructions on what to do next.
3 quick tips to boost response:
- Make it VERY easy to take action
- Summarize the main benefits of your product (the main benefits of using your product/service)
- Give readers a reason to act NOW – discounts, limited number of products available, etc.
Want more tips on how to write persuasive CTAs? Click here.
5. Tell Interesting Stories
Stories are probably the most persuasive tool in your copywriting toolbox.
Stories cover all the bases for writing copy that sells - solves problems, persuades, educates, entertains, taps into emotions, and all that good stuff.
5 types of stories to tell in your writing:
- Inspirational stories
- Cautionary tales (mistakes to avoid)
- Stories about celebrities
- Stories about historical figures
- Rags-to-riches stories
TIP:
The more emotional, dramatic and tension filled your stories are, the more powerful they’ll be.
If you want to learn how to write engaging stories that sell, devour this guide. LINK
6. Be Specific
One of the biggest roadblocks in selling is making your claims believable.
An easy way to leapfrog over this hurdle is to add specific details throughout your copy.
Add specific details to your:
- Features
- Benefits
- Stories
- Testimonials
EVERYTHING.
You can do so by adding stats, figures, comparisons, number of steps to take, vivid descriptions and so on.
When you describe something with specific details it is much more believable, engaging and persuasive.
7. Keep it Simple
One of the worst things you can do in your writing is to make it complicated.
You want readers to be able to understand your message at a glance.
It should be readable at a 5th grade level.
Here are some tips to help you simplify your writing:
- Use short sentences, paragraphs and words
- Use easy-to-understand language
- Use simple metaphors and analogies
- Avoid jargon
The easier it is for readers to grasp your message, the easier it is for you to persuade them.
8. The Most Important Word in Writing
FREE.
SALE.
NOW.
Nope…
Victor Schwab revealed the most powerful word in copywriting is - "YOU."
Why?
It’s simple.
People really only care about themselves (and their families).
They do NOT care about you, your product or your company.
All they care about is what’s in it for them.
So, when you're writing copy, talk directly to your reader.
Use lots of "YOU" language to show them that you understand them, care about them and that your message is all about THEM.
9. Proof
Gary Bencivenga is considered the world’s greatest living copywriter.
For good reason.
He’s sold billions worth of products.
When he retired, he held a $5,000 seminar revealing all his battle-tested secrets.
His main secret for success?
PROOF.
You see, to get people to believe you, you need to prove your claims.
Here are three ways to get the job done:
- Social proof – testimonials, reviews, case studies, etc.
- Add credentials and authority – like years in business, number of products sold, awards won, etc.
- Use the "If…Then" technique. Say if your reader meets a requirement, then they get a big benefit. For example, "If you have 5 minutes per day, then you can lose 10 pounds this month."
IMPORTANT:
Don't say something unless you can prove it's true.
Use strong proof to back up your claims.
You want to sandwich your claims between proof elements.
Also, never make your claims bigger than your proof.
Conclusion
Well, my friend, you now have access to 9 of the most powerful copywriting fundamentals on the planet.
Learn them, study them and, most importantly, APPLY them.
If you consistently apply the copywriting fundamentals in your writing, you will quickly rise the ranks in the copywriting world.
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