You go on a first date and the guy (or gal) proceeds to show and tell you about all of his insecurities. He talks about his struggles with money and past relationships. He can't speak up for himself when he gets the wrong entrée. He is shy and apprehensive beyond any endearing quality and he doesn't show that he's interesting in engaging you. As it turns out he is a genius when it comes to electronics and computers and although you're in need of someone to help you set up your new blu-ray, wi-fi 5-piece entertainment system you would rather pay a stranger than ask him for guidance.
What a dud. It brings back memories of the Hefty bag commercials... Wimpy, Wimpy, Wimpy.
The opposite is also true. Who wants to be on a first date with a guy (or gal) who is obnoxiously cocky and pushy? Although there's more energy to that date than wimpy guy, it can be offensive and a turn-off.
Being too wimpy or too oppressive are not attractive features in a person and it certainly doesn't make you want to spend time with him. The same is true when we present ourselves online through our website, email broadcasts and other marketing collateral. If we want to attract people to us we need to deliver our message with conviction, passion and enthusiasm. People want to be around people who give them good energy.
When writing your marketing copy, you don't have to reinvent the wheel and try to come up with a completely different way of describing your offering or your benefits than anyone else. For instance if you listen to or read content from various motivational speakers you will notice that they are usually saying very similar things to help their audience but it sounds difference because they are doing it from their heart and with conviction. It's not that the words they are saying are that different, it is their passion that comes through. This makes it unique to them and very engaging.
Tips for Creating Attractive Copy
- Give your reader direction. Rather than write something like this, You may want to check this out... Be assertive with, Here's what you can do to help you transform....
- Tie your message to what you're all about. If you are in the spiritual field demonstrate how you can help people live a happier life in the present and with gratitude. For instance, you can encourage engagement with, "Here's one thing you can do right now that will bring you more happiness and enrichment in your relationships AND it's something you can do in two minutes..." That would be difficult to pass up.
- Look at any site that is doing well on the internet. The Huffington Post started out with a mission of bringing informative and timely content by various expert contributors. They have built it into one of the most popular online newspapers today. There is a reason for it. They set their standards very high and they didn't settle for mediocre. People are not attracted to "less than," they are attracted to quality and confidence.
- Illustrate the benefits. Write your copy in a way that helps your customer/visitor understand what it is you are suggesting they do and how they will benefit from it.
- Share yourself. Share the reason why you decided to bring your product or message to the marketplace. People will love to know what motivates you and why they should jump on your train and take the journey with you. It doesn't have to be a long story it could be as simple as a paragraph. You can talk about your desire to bring your content to others, the benefits you've experienced from following your process and how much you want others to learn what has made a significant difference in your life.
- Exude confidence. Don't look for validation from your reader. If you are feeling insecure and it shows up in your copy no one will want to take a risk with you, even if you start out with free content.