Classic copywriting books are needed now more than ever. With the explosion of marketing technology, AI-generated content, and companies worldwide competing for the same customers, timeless principles are priceless. 

Because although AI can generate content, understanding human emotions and psychology, as taught in these books, is essential for creating an engaging and persuasive copywriting piece.

With all our new technology, it’s easy to get pulled away from the fundamentals of copywriting. However, when you combine the fundamentals with modern technology, you become unstoppable.

Breakthrough Advertising By Eugene Schwartz

Breakthrough Advertising is a favorite among copywriters. Eugene Schwartz, a direct-response copywriter who was prolific in the mid-20th century, is a legend.

Breakthrough Advertising is a dense book, and most reviews will only cite the Schwartz lessons from the first half. For example, almost every review will cite Schwartz’s advice that demand for a product cannot be created—only channeled.

(I guess I just did it too.)

That advice about customer demand is indeed sage wisdom to write down and remember forever. But it’s in the second half of the Breakthrough Advertising, which gets little attention, where I find the most gems. 

One of those gems is Schwartz writing about the topic of belief.

Belief is the goal, Schwartz states.

If you can channel the tremendous force of his belief—either in content or direction—behind only one claim, no matter how small, then that one fully-believed claim will sell more goods than all the half-questioned promises your competitors can write for all the rest of their days.

A prospect can’t fully accept and value your offer unless you build the necessary beliefs. Your coupons and bonuses will bounce right off your prospects unless they believe your product is right for them.

As an example, Schwartz describes a challenge he had in selling a TV repair manual. Back in the 1950’s, TVs were complex, intimidating machines that broke down constantly, leading to expensive repair bills.

The homeowner could save a ton of money doing TV repairs themselves. The problem was that nobody believed they could actually repair a TV.

Schwartz persuaded prospects they could repair the TV using nothing but his words. He did it through the way he structured his sales letter, strategically targeting belief after belief. You can find the full sales letter in Breakthrough Advertising—it’s incredible.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK TODAY:

These days, the marketing world is filled with hype and over-the-top promises. Schwartz advises us to dial down those big promises. Instead, focus on building belief. Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes and ask, “What does my prospect need to believe in order to say “yes” to my offer?

If you want more on this topic of belief building in your prospect’s mind, I teach a step-by-step process in my own, Simple Marketing for Smart People.

The Robert Collier Letter Book

Robert Collier built a successful direct-response marketing business by sending simple letters in the mail. 

He used letters to sell all sorts of products, from coal (Collier was a mining engineer) to women’s dresses. But he mainly sold books. 

The books were typically stories from history, such as H.G. Wells’s The Outline of History, or personal development books around achievement and success. Collier sold over 300,000 copies of his personal development book called The Secret of the Ages.

His letters were clear, compelling, and most importantly—human.

Collier has a way of writing that makes you feel like he’s writing you a personal letter even though has was mailing these letters to thousands of people.

One notable letter was written to mothers and sold a home study course. It has the headline: “There is No University Like a Mother’s Reading to Her Child.”

Really tugs on the heartstrings, doesn’t it? That’s classic Collier.

Now, these letters were not merely for entertainment. He calls the letters he writes “Resultful Letters,” meaning the letters had to lead to results. That is, a purchase.

But it’s Collier’s way of getting the reader to take action (i.e., to purchase the product) that sets him apart.

His approach centers on knowing your reader. Collier states:

Familiarity with the thing you are selling is an advantage, but the one essential without which success is impossible in selling, by mail or selling in person, is a thorough understanding of human reactions. Study your reader first—your product second. If you understand his reactions and present those phases of your product that relate to his needs, then you cannot help but write a good letter.

Wise words for today’s copywriter.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK TODAY:

Use The Robert Collier Letter to add a human element to your writing. This book is different in that it’s learn by example. There’s not as much teaching as other copywriting books, but rather, you learn from Collier’s example letters, of which there are dozens.

Read Collier’s letters, his commentary, and his approach will sink in. The next time you sit down to write copy, you’ll naturally harness your inner Collier.

Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins

Claude Hopkins is a pioneering figure in advertising. His most famous book, Scientific Advertising, is short at just 87 pages. Yet, it’s still constantly referenced for its timeless principles.

In Scientific Adveritsing, Hopkins writes:

The lack of fundamentals has been the main trouble with advertising in the past . . . it was like a man trying to build a modern locomotive without first asserting what others had done.

Hopkins laments that advertising success has felt like too much of a gamble, too much too much like speculation, like betting at the race track.

Do you see how even today, we’re wrestling with the same problem? We roll out a new product launch, ad campaign, or VSL, and it feels like we’re rolling the dice.

Hopkins believed advertising could be a safe and sure venture. But in order to do so, we must learn the fundamentals.

Hopkins then walks through his nearly 20 laws of advertising. He covers everything from headlines to distribution to giving samples. That last law, giving samples, was one of Hopkin’s favorite techniques. He sold a mountain of products by giving away samples. Hopkins believed the product should be its own best salesman. 

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK TODAY:

Each of Hopkin’s laws can be applied today. For example, his law of giving samples is easier than ever thanks to shipping across the world being easier than ever. 

His law on individuality and adding personality to your copy is critical given the massive amount of content on the internet and the difficulty of standing out.

Weave Hopkin’s laws into your next copywriting project and enjoy the results.

Your Turn

The benefit of learning copywriting from history’s greats is that they weren’t distracted by the internet and modern technology. That meant they put all their effort into the only tool they had—their words.

Study these great books to learn the timeless principles that lead to high-converting copy. Then, combine those principles with modern technology and watch your results soar.

The post 3 Classic Copywriting Books You Need Now More than Ever appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

Recognizing the immense value this group brings to my business, I’m eager to contribute by sharing my unique “Holy Grail Copy” methodology. This approach, though unconventional, has been pivotal in building multi-million-dollar businesses for both myself and my clients.

To pique your interest, someone once said about my frameworks:

“Your strategies are like Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumb trail leading to the Witch’s House. But in this case, you’re the witch, and what you conjure is pure magic.”

Let’s dive in.

A few years back, I sold one of my companies internally. This move allowed me to amalgamate my diverse passions into a singular, powerful persuasion strategy. When I unveiled it last year, we observed:

• $383 per email subscriber.
• $209 per FB Group Member.
• $1.83 EPC, while the industry average was $0.53.

These figures are far from ordinary. And here’s the secret behind them:

Introducing Holy Grail Copywriting (HGC):

HGC’s core principle is “Start at the Finish Line.” In perception management, you can strategically position yourself within your prospect’s hierarchy of needs. By aligning your product with their most pressing desires, selling becomes effortless.

The 5-Step HGC Process:

1. Identify Your Prospect’s Most Pressing Pain:

While basic marketing emphasizes targeting pain points, it’s crucial to differentiate between passive pain (complaining without action) and active pain (which drives action). The key is to focus on the latter.

Differentiate Between “Moaning” and “Moving” Pain: Understand the spectrum of pain. A stubbed toe is Moaning Pain, a mere inconvenience. In contrast, the urgency of a severed thumb is Moving Pain, demanding immediate action.

Apply the DUG Checklist: Grasp the essence of the DUG checklist, a tool to categorize pain into:

• Desperation: A situation so dire that immediate action is the only option. Example: Think of a business owner teetering on bankruptcy’s edge.
• Urgency: An imminent threat that demands swift action to prevent dire consequences. Example: Picture a smoker discovering early signs of lung cancer.
• Gravity: Deeply held values or priorities that might override other considerations. Example: Visualize a parent prioritizing their child’s needs over lucrative opportunities

2. Tailor Your Product to Alleviate That Pain:

Understand what relief from this pain looks like for your prospect. Then, either create a product or reposition your existing one to offer that relief.

• Craft or Reposition Your Product: Determine the ideal solution for the identified Moving Pain and ensure your product aligns with that vision.
• Introduce Novelty: Unexpected solutions to pressing problems are often the most enticing. Always introduce an element of novelty to stand out.

3. Infuse Your Product with Unique, Attractive Qualities:

Creating allure in a product is an art. At its core, allure is about evoking emotion, creating a connection, and making a product more than just a tangible item—it becomes an experience. One of the most potent tools to achieve this is storytelling. Stories have the power to breathe life into otherwise mundane products.

• Identify Popular Cultural References: Draw inspiration from powerful symbols like the Infinity Gauntlet.
• Integrate Psychological Triggers: Weave in elements of storytelling, unique mechanisms, and shared values.

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4. Use a Religion-Inspired Persuasion Sequence:

Religions have, for millennia, captivated the human spirit. It has an astonishing 83% penetration rate. They’ve done this through powerful narratives that touch upon the very essence of human existence, desires, fears, and aspirations. At the heart of many religious texts is a sequence that resonates deeply with believers: Sin, Salvation, Heaven, and Hell.

• Sin (The Problem): This represents the pain or problem your prospect faces.
• Salvation (The Solution): Here, you introduce your product as the answer.
• Heaven (The Benefits): This is the promised land, the utopia that awaits.
• Hell (The Consequences of Inaction): The bleak future that awaits if the problem remains unresolved.

5. Promote Your Product Using Diverse Marketing Angles:

With AI now optimizing ad performance, the key is to provide it with diverse data. I use the TADA Template, which helps generate multiple ad angles based on dominant human emotions. This approach allows for rapid testing across various channels.

In summary, Holy Grail Copywriting is about creating a magical “escape from moving pain” novel product, pitching it via religious persuasion sequence and shouting it loud via an infinite angle approach on paid and social media.

So there you go. Hope it helps you make a mint!

I hope this enriched perspective proves invaluable to you. If you want to find out how Holy Grail can best be deployed in your business, please email my assistant with the subject line “HOLY GRAIL!” here: john.holygrailoffer@gmail.com

The post Holy Grail Copywriting: The 5-Step Mental Model Behind Blockbuster Marketing Campaigns appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

Email is almost 40 times better at acquiring new customers than Facebook and Twitter. But only if you send the right emails, to the right people, at the right time. 

There are countless ways to write copy that converts, but only one way to do it consistently: by using a framework. 

The Power of a Copywriting Framework

Before we introduce you to one of our favorite frameworks, let’s unpack why you should use a framework to begin with.

Copywriting frameworks provide a structure to organize your ideas while ensuring you don’t mistakenly neglect any key points needed to achieve your goals. They’re simple to use, easy to remember, and most importantly, they drive results. 

But not all copywriting frameworks are created equal. Some pack more punch than others. Let’s look at why: 

Neuroscience teaches us purchasing decisions are strongly influenced by emotions, but it doesn’t stop there. The written word (and that includes email) has the power to make neurochemical connections in the brain that inspire brand loyalty…for life. 

The L.O.V.E. email copywriting framework is designed to create emotional connections and build the trust needed to convert your prospects into buyers.  Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

The L.O.V.E. Email Copywriting Framework 

L is for “Leverage”

In the typical sense of the word, leverage means to take something (maybe even the simplest thing) and use it to maximum advantage. Does this principle apply to email copywriting? You bet. You only have one chance to make a great first impression. To do it well:

Remind readers why they’re receiving your email in the first place. 

Be mindful of how your reader first learned about your brand. Whether they opted-in to your list in-store, through a lead magnet, or because they made a purchase, make sure your first email reminds them that they asked you to send them something.

Follow-through shows you pay attention and that your brand values integrity.

Capitalize on your existing authority & build trust. 

People have a million things on their mind. You have to convince them that out of the many voices competing for their attention, yours is the one they can trust. 

Adam Waytz, an Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management, suggests trust is built when you demonstrate benevolence, integrity, competence and predictability.

What does this mean in actual practice?

Let’s start with an example of what not to do: 

“Dear Susie,

My name is John. I am the owner of The Luxury Cars Company. We have sold thousands of cars to people just like you!”

This email doesn’t incorporate any of the trust factors we mentioned above. In fact, it may even come across as arrogant and disengenuous. That’s definitely not what we’re going for!

What about this? 

“Dear Susie,

My name is John and I am the owner of The Luxury Cars Company. We take pride in having helped countless people like yourself find their dream car.”

Better. But still not quite hitting the mark. Because there are umpteen other luxury car dealerships that say the same thing. What’s so special about this one? 

So let’s try this again:  

“Dear Susie, 

According to studies, 56% of luxury car owners feel happier overall with their lives. That’s why clients of The Luxury Cars Company will be the first to tell you, we don’t sell cars, we sell happiness. We’ve helped over 10,000+ people find happiness behind the wheel since we opened our doors 10 years ago.

While there’s still plenty of room for improvement here, we’re getting a lot closer to the finish line because:

• The writer seems benevolent (they want people to be happy–and the fact that their customers are saying they are happy after shopping with them adds a touch of implied integrity). 
• The statistic is interesting because it speaks to the reader’s desire–and demonstrates success (competence!). 
• The fact that over 10,000 customers have been helped suggests a sense of predictability. If they did it for them, they can do it for you, too! 

Find common ground. 

You must understand what matters to your readers in order to write copy that resonates with them. You may need to conduct market research, analyze customer feedback, or gather data on their demographics and behavior. By doing so, you can identify trends, patterns, and commonalities among your customers, which can help you create more targeted messages.

Want to take it a step further? Personalize your message. Even the tiniest things, like adding “Hi Susie” to the beginning of your email, can increase engagement exponentially. 

Speak to their pain point. 

You have to tread carefully with this one, lest you delve into the not-so-recommended territory of fear-mongering. In order to offer up your solution, you have to first communicate why the reader needs that solution. 

There are many ways to do this. One of the best ways is to let someone else deliver the bad news. You can do this easily by sharing an interesting fact or statistic from a reputable source. 

You’ve seen this a million times. Insurance companies use statistics related to accidents, disasters, or health issues to encourage consumers to purchase insurance policies. Security companies may use crime statistics or statistics related to home invasions to encourage consumers to purchase security systems. And the list goes on and on. 

What statistics can you use that might inform your reader about something they might not have even been aware of–and how your product or service can solve that problem? 

O is for “Offer” 

Now that you’ve captured attention and made a connection with your reader, you need to clearly communicate why your prospect should buy the solution you sell. There are many ways to do this, but here are a few we love: 

• Emphasize the unique benefits that set your product/service apart from competitors.
• Share testimonials from satisfied customers who have benefited from your product or service.
• Illustrate how your product or service has positively impacted the lives of real people.

V is for “Validate”

Now that you’ve captured your reader’s attention and shown them that your product/service will solve their problem, they’re ready to buy, right? 

Wrong. Because objections are popping like popcorn in your reader’s mind. Right now, they’re thinking: But wait! What about… [fill in the blank with an objection your reader might have.]

Today, customers are more skeptical than ever. Between bots trying to sell them cryptocurrency on Tinder and Instagram ads sucking them into buy products they never actually receive, people are pretty darn afraid of getting burned. 

To help them overcome their objections, consider what may be causing them to hesitate, empathize with them, and then address their objections head-on. 

Here are a few ways to do this: 

• Respond to the concern in a way that makes the reader feel heard and understood. Use clear and concise language. Relate to the reader. And be honest. 
• Display social proof, such as the number of followers or subscribers on social media, positive reviews on review sites, or the number of happy customers.
• If price is a concern, offer discounts, financing options, or alternative pricing plans that fit within the customer’s budget.
• Offer a satisfaction guarantee or free trial period to help customers feel more confident in their purchase.
• Provide evidence of your company’s credentials, certifications, or awards, and share any media coverage or industry recognition.

E is for “Ease”

It might seem ludicrous at this point to think your reader is still sitting on the fence when you’ve given them so many reasons to get off, but humans can be interesting creatures. We tend to fear commitment. This is why your call to action needs to speak to those who are ready to click “Buy Now” – and to those who aren’t. 

Here are a few ways to make it easy for your readers to take action:  

• Test different CTAs:  “Learn more” or “Try it out” are great CTAs, as they invite the reader to explore and learn more about your product or service without committing to a purchase.
• Good old-fashioned FOMO: By adding a time limitation or limited offer to your service or product, you are more likely to inspire action. 
• Include a transitional CTA: If your reader isn’t ready to take the desired action, give them another option. 

Think of your CTA as asking someone on a date. Don’t be demanding. Be enticing and inviting. 

Wrapping It All Up

Once you’ve nailed the L.O.V.E. copywriting framework in an email sequence, you’ll want to tie it all together by writing absolutely unforgettable subject lines for each email. Remember,  33% of people open email based on the subject line alone.  It would be a tragedy to invest the time in developing an awesome email marketing sequence like this only to find that noone actually reads it. 

Here are a few tips to help you create email subject lines that work: 

• Keep it under nine words if possible. People have short attention spans. 
• Make sure it touches on a pain point. 
• Make it weird–weird subject lines inspire curiosity and clicks. 

Check this out if you want 8 more points to make effective email marketing subject lines quick and easy.
By integrating the proven L.O.V.E. email copywriting framework into your marketing tactics, you can create an automated system that deepens connections, builds trust, and converts prospects into buyers consistently and predictably. And that’s the whole point of this thing we call digital marketing!

The post The L.O.V.E. 4-Step Email Copywriting Framework: Connections, Trust & Conversion appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

Copywriters are a rare breed of freelancer. Not only do we have extensive knowledge of marketing but we geek out on the principles of human psychology, and have a flair for the written word in a way that allows us to sell in a cool and sophisticated way…

And because of that… we tend to sort of be good at… a lot of things? Or at least that’s what your clients probably think.

If you think about it, sometimes the actual role of a copywriter can get a little fuzzy at times. With clients expecting you to act as a copywriter one day, a content writer the next day, and a full-blown marketing strategist the day after that!

So the question is this: where do you draw the line?

As a copywriter, what jobs should you actually be doing?

Well, the great thing about being a freelance copywriter is that you can offer whatever you want… or don’t want to do!

When I started my business I often offered additional services above and beyond copywriting to get my foot in the door. Today, any clients who hire my agency get copy and consulting, that’s it.

So while your goal might be to get to a point where ALL you do is write words in documents and send them over to your clients, it’s entirely possible to expand your job scope to gain experience and build client relationships.

So in this article I’m going to be breaking down the common roles and responsibilities that a copywriter fulfills, BUT I’m also going to share the additional services that you can take on as a copywriter…

To not only better serve your clients, but to also put more of dat money in your pocket!

Hey Posse, it’s Alex! Coming at ya this week with another blog by request!

My DMs are typically full of messages from my community and I often get asked these TWO questions…

The first typically comes from people who haven’t taken the plunge into copywriting just yet, and are wondering what exactly it is that a copywriter does…

And the second comes from relatively new copywriters who are dealing with clients that expect them to be a jack-of-all-trades, and they’re wondering what exactly they should be doing…

So if you fall into one of those two categories… then leave me a comment up below, because this blog is for YOU.

And if you’re new to the crew – WELCOME! I put out a new marketing, copywriting, or mindset blog every single week. So leave your email below to get more articles like this one.

So if you’ve ever wondered what a copywriter actually DOES or what freelancing services you can offer clients as a beginner copywriter, here are 16 ways you can start making more money in your business.

Take out a pen and paper, and get ready to write down the ones you vibe with the most. And if you’re a business owner, looking to hire a copywriter – then I’m going to share you with my Copywriter Job Description—to make your search for a copywriter as easy (and seamless) as possible.
Ok I’ve broken these services down into 3 categories, and the first is, of course…

1. Copywriting Services

Okay, so this first category is the list of services that actually fall under a copywriter’s job description (in my opinion). This is what savvy clients, who actually understand what you do, may expect you to do for them.

Now before you get too overwhelmed with the list I’m about to go over, please keep in mind that this is YOUR copywriting business. And you DO NOT have to offer all of these assets if you don’t want to.
Ads

This can include digital ads like the ones you see on Google, Facebook, and Instagram, video ads like you see right here on YouTube, or even printed ads that you might see in Newspapers and on Flyers.

The main purpose of digital ads, of course, is to get a CLICK. Now with ads (all forms of copywriting actually), it’s very important to remember that your headline, and the first few sentences of text, are the MOST IMPORTANT THING to get right.

Because in the age of ‘the scroll’ you simply have to master the art of crafting compelling hooks. All great ads grab attention with a powerful hook.

Email Marketing

Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Emails sent to a list of subscribers with the sole purpose of marketing something – although great email campaigns should also add a lot of value and focus on building rapport with the list.

So depending on your client’s needs, they may ask you for different types of emails like autoresponders, an indoctrination sequence, sales emails, content emails, affiliate emails or re-engagement emails—as a copywriter you can add all of these to your list of services…

BUT as a copywriter, your job is to only WRITE these emails. You do not need to be the one to load these emails into your client’s email sending software unless you WANT TO. I have never offered this to a client because it’s tedious and technical and you never want to be the one that actually sends an email draft to the entire list.

Landing Pages

It’s like a sales page… but WAY shorter and used for the main purpose of lead generation. So if the #1 job of your ad is to convert eyeballs into clicks, the #1 job of a landing page is to convert more clicks into leads. You want to motivate & inspire a prospect to enter their information (typically first name and email) in exchange for a “Free High-Value Promise” or what is more commonly called a lead magnet.

Sales Pages

And the BIG ONE. This is what I like to call your moneymaker… because not only is this the page that’s going to make your clients the most money and profit in their business…

But it’s the page that’ll get YOU paid the most money to write!

The copywriting magic needed to turn prospects into paying customers is where persuasion, psychology, and major writing swagger come into play.

In my opinion, ALL copywriters need to master this skill—it’s what sets us apart from other content writers.

Now if you’re a copywriter or business owner, looking to write a high-converting Sales Page that will get you paid, and keep clients and prospects coming back to you for more and more…. and more. Then make sure to check out my 5 Day Write & Ignite Challenge, where I teach you the exact proven sales page formula that I personally use in multi-million dollar launches.

Home Pages & Website Copy

This is what I refer to as branding copy or authority copy! While conversions are still important on your main homepage, your brand message is EVERYTHING. Your home page is the first thing that people see when visiting your website so you gotta make a great first impression! The goal of a Homepage is simple: to create trust, build authority, and offer next steps.

About Pages

With more and more audiences seeking out products, coaches, and businesses that share their same values, well-written About Pages are a great opportunity to share a brand’s story, vision, mission, philosophy, and what makes them different.

It’s your way of answering the question – yeah, but who are you… really?

As a copywriter, you can offer this a service to any client that doesn’t already have an About Page OR you can offer to revamp any About Pages that are dull and less than inspiring.

And – in case you were wondering – your job as the copywriter is to simply write these pages (same with landing pages, sales pages, and websites) and not actually BUILD them.

Promotional Videos & Video Sales Letters

Remember what I’ve been saying over and over again to you guys?! VIDEO IS THE FUTURE!

In fact, 87% of video marketers say that video gives them a positive return on investment. So it’s safe to say that… yes. Video marketing is indeed where it’s at! Says the girl who spends HOURS making video content every week.

Promotional videos are used for the purpose of promoting a specific marketing initiative, event, or product. They are typically short, sweet, and to the point. The copy part of promo videos will include the video’s titles, subtitles, any copy that’s used as visual elements throughout the video, and of course the SCRIPT.

And it’s important to remember that although copy is only PART of what makes a great promo video, up to 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. So making sure that the copy you have in your video subtitles is essential in boosting your conversions.

Another type of video marketing that requires copywriting skills is VSLs – or video sales letters! Video sales letters are similar to written sales letters except they are written scripts, rather than a written page.

Again, your job as the copywriter is to simply WRITE the video scripts and ancillary copy – not actually produce the videos!

Product Descriptions

Product descriptions refer to that short little blurb of text that describes what a product is, what it does, and WHY someone should buy it. It’s incredibly common in e-commerce stores where copy space for products is limited.

But a common mistake that I see made ALL of the time is a boring product description that just… describes the product. You know, all features and no benefits.

Great product descriptions need to go deeper than the boring left-brain need-to-know stuff.

You want customers to read your product description and think… Wow now that’s cool/interesting/unique/smart/funny! I gotta get it!

Alright that covers the bases of copywriting services. Now let’s move onto a different service package you can consider offering for your clients…

2. Content Writing

As a professional copywriter, you’ll find that A LOT of businesses will ask you to do some content writing for them as well…

And just like picking and choosing your copywriting services, you can and should use your own discretion on whether or not you will offer content writing for your clients as well.

While copywriting is the art of crafting words for the sole purpose of conversion… Content writing focuses more on engagement, education, and brand awareness.

And there are various forms of content writing that you can choose to include in your services, but I’m just going to cover the 5 big ones that will be most beneficial to your clients…

Social Media Captions

Social Media is a HUGE part of most brands and businesses’ marketing strategies these days, and if it’s not already, then it definitely should be.

Because Social Media is where the majority of the population is hanging out on a day-to-day basis.

Globally, over 3.6 billion people use social media… and that number is expected to increase to 4.4 billion by the year 2025.

And handling your client’s social media captions and content is a great way to get your foot in the door with a client that you really want to work with. Just remember that the main purpose of social media is to connect and engage with the audience… So you should always be providing value in the form of either education, entertainment, or inspiration.

Blog Posts

I mean come on… everyone knows the power of blogging. Blogs are one of the best ways to get ranked in Google searches and optimize your SEO. But the thing is… most busy business owners just don’t have the time (or energy ) to pump out blog posts on a consistent basis.

And that’s where YOU can step up and offer your services. As a minimum, you could offer at least 1 blog post a week, and of course, go up from there!

Newsletters

These are the weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly emails that get sent out to a list of subscribers. The purpose isn’t to sell or promote anything directly, but rather to build rapport, trust, and credibility. And most importantly, CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

Because one thing is for certain in this day-and-age… customers don’t stick around with brands that they don’t feel connected to on some level. So if your clients don’t already send out consistent content-rich newsletters to their mailing list, then they are missing out on a huge opportunity to cultivate a loyal following – and BOOM – guess who can help them out with that?….

Content Videos

Content videos are a MASSIVE way to build a loyal following and brand. I know because I grew my entire business with content videos!

And yes, like promotional videos, all content videos start out as a script or, at the very least, a loose outline! Because even though they are personal and conversational, you still want to make sure your content videos are informative and valuable and follow a framework!

Not to mention the need to craft compelling headlines and convince viewers to watch, like, and subscribe.
So as a copywriter, you can absolutely offer content video scripts to your list of services!

SEO

Aka search engine optimization. Essentially, SEO is focused on improving the visibility of your website by getting it to rank higher in search engines.

Now, this is something that I get asked ALL of the time… Alex, do I NEED to know SEO as a conversion copywriter?

And the answer is no…

I mean I straight-up tell my clients that I’m not an expert in SEO. I literally know nothing about it except the general basics of how it works. And it’s not something that interests me enough to study and become a master at.

So I always recommend that my clients work with an SEO specialist if they are looking to optimize their websites in that way.

But, but BUT… that doesn’t mean you can’t add SEO to your list of services if you know what you’re doing!

SEO copywriting is common in particular industries and niches so do your research and find out if it’s something you WANT to consider mastering.

I mean, killer SEO strategies with high-converting copy sounds like a winning combination if you ask me.

So if you want to take things one step further and add SEO onto your list of services that you offer to clients, you definitely can.

But you’ll want to make sure that you know more than “just the basics” if you’re calling yourself an SEO specialist.

The good news is, the best SEO secret in the world is to write copy and content that is valuable, creates authority, and gets people to stay and engage with your page or website – which as a copywriter you’ll already know how to do. Alright, now the 3rd category of services you could offer is…

3. Marketing Support

If you REALLY want to beef up your packages (and the money you have coming in), you may want to consider offering marketing services to your clients as well.

Offering additional marketing support can make you invaluable to your clients because they’re basically getting a unicorn – someone who can write, strategize and implement.

Of course, there’s a whole slew of services that you could offer under this category… but let’s just cover the basic 3 that most copywriters could easily transition into offering.

Community Management

A major part of writing in business comes down to communicating with followers, subscribers, and customers via email, membership sites and social media. Customer support was the first role I had at Mindvalley so if you’re looking to get your foot in the door with a brand you’d LOVE to write copy for, why not offer community management as a service to showcase your writing ability?

Funnel-Building

If you have a more technical flair and you’re familiar with online tools like GrooveFunnels, ClickFunnels, Kajabi, or others, you can add funnel-building to your list of services! This is essentially CREATING the pages and sales funnels you are writing. This can be a highly valuable service that will save your clients from having to hire someone else OR spend hours doing it themselves.

Marketing Consulting

This is something you might start to offer after you’ve been in the game for a while, and have developed a pretty solid understanding of the world of marketing.

A marketing consultant is an advisor and strategies who works with companies to create and design marketing campaigns.

As a marketing consultant, you could help to create detailed marketing plans, determine a business’s marketing message, and identify the right marketing mix to most effectively get your client’s message out to the masses.

Remember, as a copywriter, you really are the best of both worlds… word nerd meets marketing master.

So pick and choose the services that resonate the most with you.

And never forget the value you bring to the table.

The post What Services Should I Offer As a Copywriter? appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

Every digital marketer understands that publishing articles or blog posts on your website is an excellent way to create content for your SEO strategy and build awareness. On top of that, you also get to connect to your audience on a deeper level.

However, many marketers focus on publishing seasonal content or articles on trending topics, which can drive traffic, but only for a limited time.

According to HubSpot’s State of Marketing Trends Report (2022), 83% of marketers say it’s better to focus on quality rather than quantity of content, even if it means publishing fewer blog posts.

But if your content depends on trending topics, how can you create quality content that lasts? Enter evergreen content.

First, let’s be honest; creating evergreen content isn’t a walk in the park. Many marketers have tried creating this type of content on their websites but can’t seem to get the results they need.

So how do you create something that doesn’t age?

In this article, I’ll discuss what evergreen content is, why it is important to have one, and how you can create one that will give you lasting results.

Let’s get started.

Evergreen Content Explained

I’m pretty sure many of you have heard this term many times already, and some of you might have an idea of what it is.

But for those still unfamiliar with it, evergreen content is search engine-optimized content that is relevant all year round and can stay fresh over an even longer period. Some may argue that any content is sustainable, given that it remains published once you upload it to your site.

But evergreen content isn’t just any other content. It continues to be of interest to your target audience even after its publication date, attracting more visitors over time.

The topics used in evergreen content are those that many users will search for at any time of the year, making it an excellent strategy for SEO and content marketing.

This type of content comes in many shapes and sizes. Depending on your products or services, evergreen formats can range from listicles, how-to guides, tips, reviews, and videos. Something to note is that producing these formats doesn’t automatically make your content evergreen.

The main ingredient to making evergreen content is the topic, which should stand the test of time.

To understand this better, let’s look at seasonal content. This type of content contains topics tied to a specific time of the year, a trending item, or even in the news or social media. The hype on these topics usually dies down once enough time is passed.

For instance, marketers often produce content for various holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Content around these times can often generate traffic, but once the holiday is over, it’s unlikely that level of traffic will continue.

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Why Is It Important to Have Them on Your Website?

It’s no secret that seasonal content can quickly generate a lot of traffic to your site, but it can become irrelevant even quicker as new trends emerge.

Evergreen content can give you lasting results and so much more. Here are some reasons why you should start creating one:

• Great for SEO. Evergreen topics are usually searched, which means your content will likely rank on search engines. On top of that, it will always drive traffic to your site and keep on doing so, especially if it’s high quality.
• Lead magnet. Since you’re showing your expertise through evergreen content, it can encourage visitors to check your product or services. And because it’s relevant all year round, you can use it to attract new leads every time.
• Excellent marketing material. This is one of my favorite benefits of evergreen content. You can promote it repeatedly, making it a versatile marketing tool.
• Add value to you and your customers. Since it answers a common problem that your target audience has, you can help them address their issue. At the same time, the steady traffic it provides can help your website grow.
• Impactful investment. Creating evergreen content takes time. This ensures that you provide high-quality content that will always be interesting to your audience. That’s why it’s an excellent investment by providing significant returns in the future.
• Lasts for years. The idea that evergreen content can last for years ultimately means less work for you. A single high-quality post can give you a real bang for your buck, compared to seasonal ones that only last for a week or, if you’re lucky, a couple of months.

Step-by-Step Guide: Creating Evergreen Content

Now that we’ve established how critical evergreen content is for your digital marketing strategy, it’s time to learn the ropes of creating one that can be impactful for years. Follow these steps to begin:

1. Find a Problem to Solve

For evergreen content to succeed, it should solve a problem your customers face. It doesn’t have to be a major problem, but it’s something that many people may encounter in their lives.

For example, if you sell car parts like tires, one problem many car owners can encounter is changing their tires. You can create an article or a video showing your customers how they can change their tires and how often to rotate them to avoid wear and tear.

Now you’re not only solving their problem but providing extra value!

But I get it that you just don’t magically stumble upon a problem, and you need to put in some work to find the right fit for your website. So here are some steps you can take to find out the best problem you can address in your evergreen content:

• Ask yourself. You know your business well, and you can use this first-hand knowledge to look for pain points your customers are facing.
• Ask your customers. Don’t be afraid to send surveys to your customers. The worst thing that could happen is that they won’t answer it. But the benefits? Learning about their problems and what they expect from your business.
• Check your competition. While some may tell you to copy what your competitors are doing, I think many other opportunities are available to avoid doing this. Instead, check to see what they’re doing so you can understand what works and what doesn’t. From there, it’ll be easier to come up with an idea of what problem you want to solve for your customers.
• Check the internet. The internet is an excellent tool, especially if you know how to take advantage of it. One way is to check frequently asked questions about a particular industry through platforms like Quora and Reddit. You’ll be surprised by what information is waiting for you.

2. Conduct Keyword Research

Since evergreen content is a search-engine-optimized piece, it requires some keyword research to make it as effective as possible. This will also allow you to determine whether the problem you want to solve has merit, and people are actually searching the internet for answers to it.

So how do you go about this?

First, you need to invest in the right tools. While there are numerous tools, like Google Trends and Keyword Surfer, that can provide you with basic keyword research features for free. You might miss out on opportunities that only paid tools can provide. But if you’re not ready to shed some cash, the free versions can also give you valuable insights.

Next, you need to understand what to look for. The monthly search volume is the most important metric you have to check when conducting keyword research. This can tell the potential amount of viewers you can reach with a particular keyword or phrase.

However, note that there is yet to be an actual benchmark on what a healthy monthly search volume is, especially since niches and industries vary in size.

For instance, if you are working on a popular niche like fashion or beauty, you can see that the search volume is high. But a very specific niche, like bass fishing, may have a lower volume. Be sure to only compare different keywords in your niche.

Lastly, use long-tail keyword phrases instead of just keywords. Almost everyone we know uses the internet for answers to just about anything. So, when you optimize your content for longer keyword phrases, you can get their attention easier since it usually focuses on a more specific topic.

Going back to our example on the car parts business, your keyword phrases for tire changing content can include “how long does it take to change tires” or “how often should you change tires.” They also have high search volumes, meaning many people are interested to know the answers to those questions.

3. Create a Topic Using Your Chosen Keywords

Now, let’s go to the fun part. Once you have all the details you need and have collected all the keywords you want to use, it’s time to think of a topic for your evergreen content. To help you out, here are some questions you can ask yourself when coming up with a topic:

• Will it be relevant to your customers after a year?
• Will your customer and potential customers always search for this topic?
• Will it be easy to reshare this topic on various platforms over and over without seeming outdated?

If your answer is all yes, then you found your golden ticket. You can frame this as your working title to see how to structure and position the content and think of any other related topics you might want to touch on along the way.

Important Things to Remember

Creating evergreen content may sound easy, but there are other things you need to consider to make it successful. You already have a topic in mind, and that’s a good start. However, there are other things that you need to remember when you’re putting it all together.

1. Make It Informative

Always remember quality over quantity. While longer blog posts can rank higher in search engines, it’s better to provide value to your audience than the search algorithm. As an example, if you were writing about the benefits of Google My Business software or social media marketing trends, your articles should still give some value to the readers. With this in mind, ensure your evergreen content is as long as it’s supposed to be—no fluff to achieve a particular word count. Your content should be made for humans, not robots.

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2. Don’t Forget the Layout

Even if you have the best evergreen content piece in the world, if it doesn’t have good design and proper formatting, your efforts are put to waste. So, apart from ensuring your content can rank, you must deliver a memorable reading experience.

This will not only build customer trust but can potentially convert visitors to customers.

When it comes to optimizing the layout and design of your evergreen content, make sure that there is enough white space between the paragraphs. This makes it easy for your visitors to consume the content.

Next, don’t put a lot of distractions. If you do, they won’t be able to finish the content and will jump to another page. Lastly, make it visually appealing. You can add relevant images or videos to break walls of text. Just make sure you can get your readers at the end.

Remember, the longer readers stay and read your content, the higher your chances of turning them into qualified leads.

3. Regularly Update Your Content

Just because evergreen content can last for years doesn’t necessarily mean you can just upload it and never touch it again. Since your main goal is to provide information to your customers, you must ensure that those details are updated every time. It doesn’t have to be every week; you just need to ensure that the information is not outdated so you won’t mislead your readers.

You can also use this opportunity to link other website pages from your content. This can help with your overall SEO strategy, especially if the piece generates a lot of traffic. If you have already created evergreen content, here are some things you need to update:

• Data and Statistics
• Quotes
• Screenshots and images
• Titles
• Examples

I don’t recommend adding dates to your evergreen content URL if you can help it(e.g., Best-Apps-for-Video-Editing-2022), as it will quickly become outdated, and your SEO efforts are going to waste every time you change the link.

But if you’re using one in your title, make sure you update that too. You can also use the help of AI writing software to add extra paragraphs and beef up your post a little.

4. Write for Beginners

This may sound counterintuitive, especially if you want to assert your expertise in the field. But people who search for broad topics are usually not experts, so ensure your content can cater to a large audience.

That’s why it’s best to avoid technical jargon. It’s okay to mention it when necessary. Just ensure that you give a brief explanation about it. At the same time, keep your tone conversational. Read your sentences and paragraphs to check if they sound natural.

5. Promote Your Content

Now that you’ve put together your winning content piece, it’s time to put it to work to reach your audience—it just doesn’t automatically give results after you publish it. This is where content promotion comes in.

There are various ways you can promote your content. This can be through social media sites like Facebook or Instagram. You can also promote it via email, especially if you have an extensive mailing list. Or even via guest blogging.

Since this can stand the test of time, you can promote it repeatedly, which is perfect for times when you just don’t know what to post.

Conclusion

Before evergreen content can give you the desired results, you must ensure that Google knows your site exists. If not, then you should index your site first and then work from there.

Creating evergreen content that lasts requires a lot of work, and you should be willing to do it. By following these practices I’ve shared, you can make an effective piece to drive ongoing growth to your site.

The results may not be quick, but if you do things right, you’ll reap the benefits far longer than you think.

The post How to Create Evergreen Content That Generates Traffic to Your Site appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

And no, you don’t need to be a copywriter or hire one. Yet.

Can this post alone help you write your high-converting sales copy? Keep reading.

Will it feel like a lot of work? Maybe.

Will it work? Yes.

When some entrepreneurs and marketers think of writing copy, they either turn to AI or Google their way through it. Maybe they get lucky and score a free template they can copy and paste.

Unfortunately, this is lazy. And lazy effort equals sluggish results. But you’re not lazy. You’re here to peruse this article and get to work right after.

Here’s what you need to do to nail your sales copy:

Doing Voice of Customer Research

This research involves learning everything you need to know about your current and prospective clients.

So that you can learn:

• Their wants
• Their needs
• Their frustrations
• Their successes
• Their motivations
• Their hesitations
• Past failed solutions
• What they are saying about your competitors
• What they are saying about your brand
• What they think about themselves

If you skip this step, you’ll risk not knowing what your ideal clients are saying or how they’re saying it.

Which means you’ll risk not connecting with them on any level.

Without this research, you’ll write copy blindly and guess your way through it rather than using your prospects’ words and phrases.

And guess what… this research alone can write 90% of your copy for you.

You can do this research in many ways. You can interview some of your clients and possibly survey them.

You can also read your positive and negative reviews and sort them based on the list above. Last but not least, you can read social media comments and even forums.

At the end of this research, you want to have an organized spreadsheet with the data you collected and sorted using the bullet points from above. Use this spreadsheet to help drive your copy.

The research above will tell you what to say and how to say it. If your biggest blocker around writing copy is not knowing what to write, you’ll eliminate it after doing your Voice of Customer research.

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Structuring Your Funnel

This is where you take a step back and wireframe your funnel before you work on your assets. Start with your traffic sources (social media, paid ads, blogs, etc.) and what their last step should be (purchase).

After you plot the beginning and end of your funnel, filling in what goes in between is easier. You’ll also be able to tell how many assets you’ll need.

Let’s say you’re selling a low-ticket product. Your simple funnel could be ads > landing page to lead magnet > email sequence > purchase.

If you’re selling a high-ticket product, your simple funnel could be ads > landing page to mastermind/3-day challenge > email sequence > purchase.

It is up to you to decide how many assets your funnel should have. However, you need to be realistic about it because if you’re selling a high-ticket product and your audience is cold, you will need to include more assets to move them deeper down the funnel.

If you are selling a low-ticket product, fewer funnel assets might make more sense because there’s less convincing to do.

No matter how many funnel assets are involved, you need to ensure that one asset can move your prospects smoothly over to the next and that your voice is consistent throughout each.

This means that your assets, such as your sales page and emails, must build up on each other while maintaining your brand voice and still including your Voice of Customer data from the research above.

Your Sales Page and Sales Emails

With your research and funnel wireframe done, you’re ready to assemble your sales page and sales email copy.

Notice how I wrote “assemble” and not “write,” that’s because copy is assembled by using proven frameworks instead of sitting down and writing from scratch without direction or guidelines.

You’ll also use your Voice of Customer data (research) to write your sales page and emails. Use their words and phrases! Show them you know exactly what they need.

When it comes to your sales page copy, you want to choose the proper framework according to your audience’s stage of awareness (how much they know about their problem and your solution) and market sophistication (how much they know about your market).

If your prospects are problem aware, they know they have a problem but don’t know about any solutions for them. So, your copy’s job is to highlight their pain and tell them that they’ll finally solve it with your product. Longer copy might be necessary to show them their current state, desired state, and how your product serves as the bridge. You’ll also need a qualifier for them to know that your product is meant for them. This is why my favorite framework for this is QUEST.

• Qualify – mention who your product is for, starting with “ideal for…”
• Understand – make them feel you understand exactly where they are.
• Educate – show them what you know and what they’ve been doing is wrong.
• Stimulate – show them social proof.
• Transition – tell them what to do to fix the problem.

If your prospects are solution aware, they know they have a problem and know there are solutions out there but don’t know how to find those solutions or where to look. So, your copy’s job is to highlight your solution as their holy grail. My favorite frameworks for this are PAS and AIDA.

• Problem – highlight the pain they live with every day.
• Agitation – make them feel that pain very deeply.
• Solution – show them how your product can take the pain away.

And,

• Attention – get their attention with a shocking statement or headline.
• Interest – show them something new or interesting, with a “wow!” factor.
• Desire – let them know they need what you have and can’t be without it.
• Action – tell them what to do, like make a purchase.

You can assemble your sales copy using any of the frameworks above after determining your prospects’ stage of awareness and market sophistication.

Market sophistication means how much your prospects know about your market. If they don’t know about group coaching, which is what your product is, they have low market sophistication, so you’ll need longer copy.

When it comes to your sales emails, you can use any of the frameworks above. The same stages of awareness and market sophistication rules apply.

But even after reading all of this, you might wonder what you can do to improve your conversion rate.

First, you probably need to find out why your copy could be underperforming.

Well… my copy sabotage quiz will help you find out how your copy could be sabotaging your conversions and how you can fix it.

You’ll finally know what to work on to make your sales copy sell.

You’ll get tips and strategies from me (a conversion copywriter) on implementing such changes.

You won’t have to Google “how to write copy that converts” because I’ll be your guide.

But if you need a prompt-guided copy system to help you write your high-converting sales copy in a day, not a week, check out my Sales Copy Bundle.

See you again soon! I’m Elenny.

The post The Anatomy of High-Converting Sales Copy appeared first on DigitalMarketer.