How to Write Killer Copy: Code No. 3

He calls those affected (like I’ve been often) mala lingua scriptures which roughly translated means “boring copywriter.”

Number three has been cracked. 

I. M. Vague implanted this message into his victims:

Once deciphered, this means:

I learned this lesson the hard way creating web/catalog copy for resources at FamilyLife. Every product we offered from other sources or created ourselves helped husbands, wives, moms, and dads. How may different ways are there to describe a book or resource that’s directed at one or more of these audiences?

I. M. Vague controlled us so thoroughly that in one month’s direct mail piece for Father’s Day, the copy was interchangeable. If we took out the author’s name, any copy block would have applied to any product on the page. I. M. Vague had vanquished that release.

I know your service, idea, or product (SIP) is unique. You know it, too. You’ve communicated about it for so long, you think you know it inside and out. You understand it, don’t you? You “get it”. Of course you do. The problem is, you don’t need to be convinced that your SIP is the best choice. You don’t need to be moved to pull out your credit card, make a phone call, text a short code, or click on a website.

In order to enlarge your users or audience, you must identify the unique features, benefits, uses, and lifechange that define your SIP.

So come with me. Let’s grab our shovels and dig in. Don’t forget to wear your grubby clothes, gloves, and a water bottle. We’re going to get dirty and sweaty as we dig.

When did your SIP launch? Dig into your CRM and find ten people in your audience who were early adopters and contact them. Call them if you can. First, these audience members will love to hear directly from you. Thank them for their interest. Now, do the hard thing: listen. This isn’t a time to defend your SIP. This isn’t the time to talk about the improvements you’ve made since then. Just listen… and take good notes. Ask questions like:

What questions would you add to the list? Leave your ideas in the comments below.

Talking to end users will open up new ideas about how your SIP is utilized. The process will energize you. You’ll feel like you’ve just written 101 uses for a Sharpee or duct tape. Your SIP will feel broader, deeper, and richer than ever before.

Be sure to thank your end users for their time. Try to do so tangibly with other SIPs or a discount. And remember, thank you cards are always helpful.

This exercise is also helpful if you talk to new users. You’ll capture their excitement more than how they use it, but that can be helpful too.

Most copy for your SIP was written before the SIP released or when it was new. I bet, if yours is like most organizations, that same copy has been tweaked a little, but remains the same. Original copy is often written from 30,000 feet above the project. Imagine describing a house from your next Southwest flight. That would be quite difficult. You could talk about size, size of yard, driveway, and some other characteristics. You could talk about it’s relative size to other houses you’ve seen at 30,000 feet. You could give an address.

Now imagine taking a guided tour of the home. What if the architect, building contractor, a couple guys from the construction team, and the owner showed you around? How well could you describe the house now?

That’s what you need to do to write unique copy about your SIP.

I’m amazed when copywriters haven’t:

For example, I love the new AMC television series, The Pitch. I’ll never forget watching the pilot regarding Subway. In the show, we see neither advertising agency eat breakfast at Subway (the product group they were creating a campaign for). Nor do we see them interviewing the target market identified by Subway: 18-25 year old males. 

I know the program only lasts an hour. Perhaps they did both and the editors were unable to show us this process. BUT, I’m betting they did no such thing. I. M. Vague knows their agencies addresses, too.

Whatever you are writing copy for right now, go deep. Get out of the office, get inside, become a user of the SIP yourself. Keep digging until you hit unique.

My final challenge: Keep refreshing your copy points over time. Read user evaluations, talk to your phone bank operators about complaints and complements, visit the frontline locations to see how shoppers interact with your SIP.