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This month marks my 6th year as a Copywriter.

And if I had to sum up the biggest lessons I learned over the years (and wish I knew sooner) it would come down to these seven ideas.

So whether you’re running a business, offering online courses or writing for fun, knowing these copywriting secrets can help you sell more and keep your readers engaged with your work.

Use this mindset to write better headlines

Imagine you walk into an office and see hundreds of papers scattered across the desk.

One of them snags your attention. You can’t help it. Your eye is drawn to it.

You walk over to pick it up and see what it’s all about.

That’s the compulsive effect you want to have with your sales letter headlines, email subject lines and article titles.

The way to do that?

Write headlines that are shorter, snappier and use power words to increase emotion and grab your reader’s attention.

When I was starting out, I wrote wordy headlines trying to fit in way too much information. Eventually, I learned to cut out the fluff and focus on the one key element most likely to pique curiosity.

When in doubt, I ask this question:

If this headline was on a scrap of paper lying among hundreds of other headlines, would it catch my eye?

If you would ignore it, so will your reader.

Avoid asking this type of question

Starting an email, article or sales letter with a question is an effective way to pull your reader into the copy.

Here’s the caveat:

You want your reader to think “yes” as they read your words.

But one mistake copywriters often make is to ask questions your reader can easily answer with a “no”.

For example, if you start an article with the question “have you ever wanted to know the secrets to better copywriting?” the reader can easily say “no, I haven’t” and move on.

So use questions where no isn’t a possible answer.

Take these examples from legendary copywriter David Ogilvy:

“What’s Under The Bonnet Of A Rolls-Royce?”

“How much should you spend on advertising?”

“What makes Rolls-Royce the best car in the world?”

As you can see, some of them are fairly basic — but they have one thing in common:

The reader can’t answer them with “no”.

So if you start with a question, make sure the answer won’t be a hard no.

Use stories to mirror your reader’s thought process

Who doesn’t love a good story?

Adding stories to your writing helps the reader stay engaged and interested.

It also serves another purpose — you can use a story to mirror your reader’s subconscious thought process to answer doubts and questions they have about your product, service or idea.

For example, if you’re selling an online programming course you could tell the story of a student who was riddled with self-doubt, worrying they didn’t have what it takes to learn to code, let alone find work.

Then walk them through the student’s emotional change from doubt to confidence as they went through the course and landed their first job.

Whenever I include a story, I make sure it serves two purposes:

Keeping the reader engaged, and answering the reader’s underlying questions or doubts.

Don’t let your words turn into Highway 50

Highway 50 runs across Nevada, and it’s widely considered the most boring stretch of road in the United States.

The highway stretches for miles and miles through a desolate, uninhabited desert. Only a few gas stations dot the landscape along the way.

Your mind wanders. You can’t help but lose focus, wishing for something to anchor your attention back to the road.

The same thing happens with words on a page.

Every once in a while you have to change up the scenery to make sure your reader isn’t dozing off.

Try to keep your reader engaged by re-capturing their attention every 200 words or 30 seconds.

You can do that by using a striking image, bolded text, a quote, or with a memorable takeaway.

Satisfy the need for validation

“ One of the first things we do after making a sizeable purchase is to seek reassurance from others that our decision was a good one.”

Paul Bringe

Who doesn’t want approval and validation?

So don’t wait for your reader to seek external validation that they’re making the right decision by going with your product or service.

Offer it up to them right on the page:

Tell them it’s the best decision they’re going to make because there’s zero downside.

Reassure your reader with a warranty, testimonials and phrases that will make them feel like they’re making the right choice.

Offer the validation they need in an honest and authentic way before they walk away from the page to seek it elsewhere.

Cause once they leave, there’s no guarantee they’ll come back.

“Sell the sizzle, not the steak”

My first copywriting mentor gave me this priceless feedback after I sent in copy for a sales page selling a new online course.

The problem was this:

I was focusing too much on the features and not enough on the intangible way the course would benefit the student.

For example, which of these do you find more compelling?

• Discover how to use the “quadrant method” to improve your organization

Or

• Discover how to maximize productivity and reach your goals faster using the “quadrant method”

The first example lists a specific technique covered in the course, whereas the second speaks to the dreams and aspirations of the reader.

It talks to the person they can become.

Of course, it’s important to list out technical details as well, but only after your reader is convinced your product will change their life in a positive way.

It’s the difference between explaining specific exercises you can do with a fitness machine and helping your reader imagine what it will feel like to get checked out on the beach when they take their shirt off.

Leverage the power of “linking”

Not all products or ideas are easy to understand.

Help your reader grasp new concepts by creating a bridge that links them to something they already know.

For example, copywriting legend Joseph Sugarman was once tasked with selling smoke detectors.

While other marketers used technical and boring approaches, he used linking to instantly help readers understand how a smoke detector worked and why it was important.

How did he do that? By comparing smoke detectors to a well-known and commonly used device known to all humans.

Sugarman titled his ad “The Nose”.

He went on to explain how the smoke detector is like a nose that sits on your ceiling and sniffs the air for smoke.

See how that’s much easier to grasp than rattling off details about the circuitry?

Or in the words of Mr. Sugarman himself:

“Relate the product or service you’re selling to something that is easy for your prospect to identify with so you bridge the mental gap in the mind of your prospect.”

Joseph Sugarman

That’s the power of linking.

Recap for memory

• Sell the sizzle, not the steak
• Avoid asking questions your reader can answer with a hard “no”
• Write headlines that are shorter, snappier and use power words to increase emotion and grab your reader’s attention
• Use stories to serve a double purpose: Keep the reader engaged and answer your reader’s underlying questions or doubts within the story
• Re-capture your reader’s attention every 200 words or 30 seconds with a striking image, bolded text, a quote, or with a memorable takeaway
• Give your reader validation with a guarantee, testimonials and reassurance before they walk away to seek it elsewhere
• Use “linking” to bridge the mental gap in your reader’s mind by relating your product or service to something they already know

Happy copywriting!

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Related Reading:

How to Bring Your Writing to Life With Metaphors

7 Copywriting Secrets You Can Steal to Write Better Headlines

The Top Five Tools and Resources I Use As a Professional Copywriter