Your surveys and interviews are done and your VOC data is gathering and organized.
You know which copywriting formula your going to use (because copywriters never write from scratch.)
Now you’re ready to write…right?!
Just a hot second. You’re not quite there yet.
There’s one more thing you need.
You’ve no doubt read many marketing pieces that don’t feel quite right.
- Do you feel like you’re part of the conversation?
- Is it that they’re offering a whole bunch of products that you have to choose from?
- Do you even know what they’re asking you to do?
In many cases, the brand offers the solution before they’ve even recognized their reader’s problem or issue (how can you solve a problem when you’re not sure what it is.)
So what is this missing piece that will make your copywriting easier, more conversational and guide your reader to the solution?
This tip works for writing product descriptions, landing pages, emails…really, all of your copywriting.
The RULE of ONE
One Reader. One Big Idea. One Offer. One Call to Action
One Reader
How does it feel when you’re trying to have a conversation with someone and they keep scanning the room for people or paying attention to their phone more than you?
Do you feel like they’re paying attention to you…focusing on you? Frustrating isn’t it?
It can feel like this when you’re writing messages that are trying to speak to everyone in the room, you’ll lose your reader’s attention.
Speak to ONE person.
This is your ideal client. Imagine that you’re having a face-to-face conversation with her. You’re only paying attention to her. You understand HER needs. You’re addressing HER concerns.
Write for that ONE person and see how that changes your copy conversation.
One Big Idea
Having one idea, one BIG idea, that you will use as the theme for your message.
Now, the BIG idea is not your headline, it’s not your unique selling proposition, it’s not your hook.
The BIG idea stands out and grabs your reader by the jingle bells.
Let me give you a couple of examples…
This is NOT what a BIG idea is:
…100% Pure…
…Powerhouse organic skincare…
Or this backpack ad…
Not feeling it as a BIG idea (sorry Jansport.) It’s an idea, but it’s not really unique, fascinating or tells a story.
But this…is a BIG idea I can get my head around…
- It’s unique – it’s not a common message we’ve seen all across the internet.
- It’s fascinating – it gets my attention, it’s interesting, and hold my attention.
- It tells a story – how I can get all the crap out of my (dated) cargo pants and can carry everything I need.
I have to warn you though…BIG ideas are not easy to come by. It takes effort, a lot of brainstorming and may only come around once or twice in a lifetime.
These Jansport ads are a good example of that…one idea is just an idea…the other gleams of a BIG idea that can me memorable for some time.
One Promise
It’s easy to say your brand fulfills a laundry list of promises thinking that it will influence your reader to buy.
But, if there was ONE thing that your reader wanted most, that they could focus on and feel that if that problem was solved, they would feel a sense of transformation?
When you know and understand your ONE reader and their pains and issues, you can focus on the ONE promise they need most in order to choose your brand as a solution.
Can you find the ONE promise in this Bayer Aspirin ad? (trick question)
The one promise is pain relief for your headache.
Your promise is benefit-driven to answer any of the questions your reader has before they buy your offer.
One Offer
Each message you write needs its own offer!
Not 3 or 4 offers, JUST ONE.
Your brand may have several products that will help your reader with the issue or challenge they are facing right now, but too many options and too many offers will confuse your reader.
And a confused mind doesn’t buy.
Once you have defined your other ONES…One reader, One BIG idea, One Promise, it makes it easier to focus on the ONE product or service that you’re offering.
Your ONE offer is the solution to your one reader’s problem.
One call to action
This one is simple and straight forward.
Every offer needs a call to action.
Yes, we actually need to guide our reader to take an action so they know exactly how to proceed
…CLICK HERE….
…BUY NOW…
…SUBSCRIBE…
Knowing the RULE of ONE will help you craft more powerful, more compelling and more focused messaging because you’ll know exactly WHO you’re writing for, WHY you’re writing, and WHAT you are offering your reader.
Makes sense, doesn’t it?!