David Garfinkel is well-known as the “World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach.”
When I asked David if he would give us 10 copywriting tips, here’s what he told me:
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Write your headline from your prospect’s point of view, not your own.
It’s amazing how many business people forget to look at their products and services from the perspective of the people buying them. The sooner your prospects recognize themselves and their own wants and needs in the words in your headline, the more they will buy from you.
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Use the words “you,” “new” and/or “how to” in your headline.
These are proven words that rivet attention. Hook them up to a benefit your prospect wants, and your response will skyrocket!
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Make your opening sentence continue what you were talking about in the headline.
If you promised your prospect a new way to make money in your headline, say something in your opening sentence to get them even more excited about making money. If your headline promised relief from a problem, use your opening sentence to intensify their awareness of their problem.
Are you loving these brilliant and simple copywriting tips?
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Tell your whole story in miniature by the time the first paragraph is over.
People have a short attention span. If you can telescope your entire sales story down to a sound-bite-in-writing, far more people will read your copy, and your sales will increase dramatically. Think of how they do this on TV news. They give you the key points of a story and then say, “Film at 11.” Use the rest of your copy to retell your story in more detail.
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Use specific, powerful, and, most important of all, true testimonials.
No matter how honest or persuasive you are, people usually won’t believe your copy when they first read it. They need to get to know you and trust you, and that can take a while. Unfortunately, you don’t have a while; you must sell them right now. They will be much more likely to believe other people when those people are singing your praises. It’s just human nature. Get testimonials that give you high credibility.
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Make your copy so easy to read that the most irritable, distractable grouch can scan it and totally grasp what you’re saying in an instant.
Like it or not, busy people with money are often in that kind of mood when they read copy. If you want them to buy, you must lull them into madly, wantonly craving what you are selling.
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Use detailed, convincing case studies.
No matter what you’re selling, people always have the following question in the back of their minds: “How will this work for someone like me?” A detailed, in-depth case study of someone using your product or service will answer that question, and when you include a case study like that, far more people will buy from you.
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Use a powerful guarantee and draw attention to it.
You can’t sell on the Web or through mail-order without using a guarantee. If you must use one anyway, use a strong guarantee and highlight it to the max! Your increased sales will far outnumber any additional returns you might have, and you’ll come out way ahead.
8 copywriting tips and two more to go!
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Edit your copy ruthlessly.
If a word doesn’t hold the reader by making your writing more interesting or by making what you’re selling more appealing, cut it out. Copywriting is the art of doing more with fewer words. Every word must work hard, and your copy must be easy to read. The fewer words you have doing the same job, the more people will buy from you.
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Give one or more free bonuses, making it is easier to say “yes” than to say “no.”
Just look at what we did with my book Killer Copy Tactics. We offer three free bonuses, each of which is easily worth more than the price of the entire course! Every good direct marketer does the same. From free calculators with magazine subscriptions to a free American Express Platinum Card with a new Lexus, bonuses consistently improve response and end up making you more money.
Now you know 10 copywriting tips from the World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach.
Thanks, David Garfinkel. Why not subscribe to David Garfinkel’s Copywriter podcast?
Companies hire Patricia Fripp to help them drive sales by perfecting their important conversations and presentations.
On a personal note, for many years the genius copywriter David Garfinkel, comedy legend John Cantu, and charismatic speaker and speech coach Patricia Fripp, that’s me, collaborated on various projects. The photos you see here were taken at a live event where we reenacted how a conversation we had turned Cantu’s brush with death, into an entertaining keynote speech. We called our process impactification. Our word we made it up.
BONUS: David Garfinkel’s 11-Point Copy Effectiveness Checklist
1. “Grab-ability” of your copy – does your copy “grab” the reader’s/viewer’s attention from the start and hold on tight until the close?
2. Your claims: how unique and believable are your claims?
3. Proof of claims: how convincing is your proof?
4. Testimonials: how well can your target market relate to the people giving testimonials?
5. Objections: How well do you anticipate – and answer – objections?
6. Flow factor: How well do you develop and refresh curiosity; How effective are your subheads to keep the reader engaged; how smooth are your transitions; how well do you keep building anticipation, right up to the close?
7. Consistency: Are there logical and/or emotional inconsistencies that need to be fixed?
8. Rapport and empathy: How well do you make your prospect feel comfortable with the languaging and tone of your message?
9. Stories: How effective and intriguing are your stories?
10. Bullet points: How much sales power does each bullet point have?
11. Your close: How strong and appealing is your close?
Need help for you or your team on improving important conversations and presentations? The Fripp Customized Approach will work for you. Contact Fripp today!
