Your Copy Should Answer These 5 Critical Questions If You Want To Make Sales

As online marketing grows, your competition grows as well. You are no longer competing with the other two people in your neighborhood. You are now up against everyone offering the same service on a global scale. Your copy should reflect this.

Here are five questions your copy needs to answer if you are going to stand out, and by extension, convert.

Do I need this

The human is a creature of habit. We are not enthusiastic for change. I’m sure you’ve all heard sayings like “Why fix something that isn’t broken?”

So the first question you need to answer in your copy is “Why do I need this? Why do I need it now?”

This is why you need to show the client they have a problem. Sometimes they might not realize it, especially if they are accustomed to the mediocre.

For instance, someone who goes to the gym regularly, or jogs twice a week, will be convinced they have this fitness thing under control. If you want to sell them exercise videos, then convince them they have a problem.

So you could advertise your videos during winter, and point out exercising to a video in doors is easier than trying to brave the morning chill.

In the current health climate, maybe you could point out being in a gym with other people, and touching equipment who only knows was touched by someone who is a health hazard.

Make the reader realize they have a problem.

What do I get

I’ve seen a lot of experts spend time building themselves up and not the customer. They spent a lot of time on features, not benefits.

Your copy should never do this. It should not avoid answering the question “what’s in it for me?”

Failing to answer this question is a deadly mistake. In fact, it’s so deadly, this question should have been first on the list.

If you don’t know how that shiny new gadget is going to benefit you, are you going to spend your hard-earned cash buying it? I don’t think so.

People need to know what’s in it for them. I’m not just talking about, “Hey, you’re going to get these five videos.”

What I’m talking about is what are those videos going to do for the customer? What difference are they going to make?

If you don’t tell them what’s in it for them, they’re not going to pay attention. They’re not going to be interested and you’re not going to convert.

I’ve addressed the issue of features VS benefits at length before.

On whose authority does your copy speak

If a rando comes up to me and starts telling me how my life will improve after using X product, my first question will be, “There are hundreds other random people trying to sell me random stuff. Why should I listen to you, or any of them for that matter?”

You can now jump for joy. This is where you get to build up your expertise. This is where we finally allow you to toot your own horn.

Just a moment, don’t get carried away. Whatever you tell the customer about yourself, should always come back to one central question. What’s in it for me?

If I’m going to sit here and tell you that I’ve been writing copy for almost 14 years, the benefit is straight forward.

I’m not just some new kid off the block that read tutorials on youcanalsowrite.com who thinks they can write you converting copy. I’m a professional who’s been helping businesses like yours for more than a decade.

It’s not just about “I’m awesome,” even though I am. It’s about I’m awesome, and here is what it means for you.

How will my problem be solved

Question number four, how will my problem be solved?

See, one of the things we tend to do is get so excited about what the customer’s life is going to look like after they’ve solved the problem, we don’t actually let them get any insight into the process itself.

That leads to uncertainty. Uncertainty in any part of your conversion process is a looming disaster.

If I don’t have any idea what’s going to happen, then I’ve got anxiety about going through it.

When people hire me to write copy, they want to know how I work. They want to know what to expect from the entire working relationship.

If I’m able to give them a really good overview and say, Okay, first we’re going to do this, then we’re going to do that, it increases their confidence in me as an expert.

They don’t need to know all of the ins and outs. They do however need an idea of what it’s going to look like.

So I tell my clients, we’re going to have a discovery call, we’re going to talk about this, I’m going to do some research, you’ll get your copy on the delivery date, then we can talk about edits afterwards.

Tell the customer what to expect in your copy. It’s not just you opening a door and walking into an unknown room, you’re giving them a little bit of insight into how things are going to change for them.

What do I do next

So you make readers realize they have a problem. You even convince them of the benefits and your expertise. But then your copy doesn’t tell them what to do next.

Sadly, this happens more than I wish to count.

If you don’t give them specific step by step instructions on exactly what to do next, then again, you’re opening the door for that confusion.

Give them their exact next step. Tell them what to do and tell them what’s going to happen when they hit the buy button or hit the submit button.

Trust me, you want a reader typing in their email address or reaching for their credit card after reading your copy.

You don’t want them Googling “How to opt into John’s Daily tips.” You don’t want them going on Reddit to ask, “So how do I get Brigit’s exercise videos after paying for them?”

Your copy can convert, it’s all up to you

Whether you are writing six paragraphs or six pages, the end goal is converting. To make sure your copy converts, check if it answers the questions:

1. Why do I need this now if at all?

2. What’s in it for me?

3. Why should I listen to you?

4. How will my problem be solved?

5. What do I need to do next?

If you are struggling to answer these questions, or your copy still isn’t converting, book a call with me today.

Originally published at https://alysonlex.com on February 22, 2023.