No Hype Copywriting

Books · Marketing, Startups

(Read this in November 2020, adding to Notion in Feb 2021)

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No-Hype Copywriting

Summary

  • don’t use hype or appeals to emotion as a way to get customers
  • Don’t use adjectives like amazing, awesome etc

First, gather the bones

First, gather the bones. Start with the basics of what you’re offering

Headline should have a clear reason to buy now

Devise a clear, strong, specific offer of value. Don’t just do “hey, I exist” marketing

An offer prompts people to get out of information gathering mode and act. Like “try out my product for free”, or “sign up here”, or “get free consultation for an order worth more than $x”. State exactly what customers will receive

Say more, not less. Write down in bullet points or paragraphs everything a shopper needs to know about what you’re selling. Do not skimp here. Be as expansive as you can be. Assume as little product knowledge as possible. State what users its most suitable for. Bolster credibility

Provide background information. Include third party commentary. Describe credentials of those involved. Explain where your passion comes from. Show examples of what your mean. Provide evidence of your success. Demonstrate your product (video). Be specific— give real, non rounded numbers. Name your sources. Be consistent with your words over time. Whenever possible, provide a guarantee. End with a call to action

Then, flesh out the bare bones

Flesh out the bare bones. Select atleast 3 of the techniques below:

  • Create rapport with your ideal customer segment with the examples you use and showing them the next logical step
  • Use emotional words and phrases
  • Add colourful details. For every abstraction and generality you have, add specific and memorable examples
  • Pair up problems with solutions
  • Aim at the positive of your offering instead of the negative
  • Paint vivid scenarios
  • Evoke multiple senses
  • Incite curiosity
  • Tell a real story (building a storybrand)
  • Contrast the before and after
  • Use an Organizing metaphor (use one general metaphor repeatedly)
  • Offer proof: either tactile or social
  • Differentiate what you’re selling
  • Reassure the reader by proactively identifying and addressing their worries
  • Describe consequences
  • Explain why the consequences matter
  • Create dialogue in the copy. Pretend to have a small dialogue with the reader. “What if I have to do x? No problem...”
  • Insert background facts from trusted third parties
  • Admit your weaknesses and explain why the exist
  • Use repetitive rhetoric
  • Offer everyday analogies

Lastly, touch up the flesh

Touch up the flesh

Create a more compelling headline.

A/B test as frequently as possible. Have a smaller secondary headline under the main INR

  1. Name your target market in your headline
  2. Play up the emotion
  3. Cite a specific number
  4. Quote someone, specially a well known client
  5. Say what the reader is thinking
  6. Feature your guarantee. Specially if you guarantee someone customers do not
  7. Promise to remove an annoyance
  8. Invoke imagination (imagine if ... )
  9. Ask a tantalising question
  10. Pose a challenge to the reader
  11. Announce a surprising fact
  12. Deepen the benefit
  13. Highlight your offer
  14. Pay attention to tone

Edit for vigour. Use Dynamic words instead of passive ones

  • Change all future tense to present tense
  • Change your pronouns to “you”, instead of “we” or “I”
  • Remove extra verbiage and make copy sharper
  • Use active verbs. Who is doing what to whom
  • Sentence variety in length and simplicity
  • Paragraph length should ideally be 3-4 sentences
  • Drive your point repeatedly