TEST: The Pen = THE Sword – RockStar Entrepreneur

This is perhaps the most important weapon of the modern entrepreneur, but nobody wants to talk about it. Why? Because there are definitely sexier and more provocative topics than “writing copy!”

What if we told you that this is, in fact, the sexiest topic when it comes to your success in business – and life? What if we made it simple? Would you be cool with a simple formula that allowed you to get what you want with ease?

When it comes to what marketing pros refer to as “copywriting,” there is lots of advice out there, so let’s simplify this.

What is good copy? Why Does it Matter?

If you want to get ahead, you must master the art (and science) of persuasion. It doesn’t matter if you are a consultant or own a junk yard. Odds are, for you to succeed, you must convince others to do that which makes your success possible. In your consulting business, that means communicating with your prospective clients what you can help them with and that YOU are the one to help them (for a nice amount of money, of course). In your junk yard business, you must be able to convey – as concisely as possible – that your junk is the junk they want. That’s all there is to it. The real trick; however, is clarity. The clearer the benefit to those you wish to persuade, the easier your influence. And how to communicate is accomplished with copy!

When to use the pen as your sword?

Let’s break it down into the 3 most common scenarios.

1) Email. You send out an email to your prospects to let them know about what you offer. More importantly – what HELL you will help deliver them from. Perhaps you are a financial consultant and you are emailing some cold prospective clients to help them with their taxes. You found a list of emails of plumber companies you can help. Now you want to send an email to drum up some business. Sounds simple. Yet, how often do you hear crickets?

Are you getting no reply because you suck? Is it because they suck? Or, is it because you failed to persuade? My money is on failure to persuade. Odds are, your attempt failed because of lack of copywriting ability. Good news is – this is an easily acquired skill. You can send out an email to complete strangers and get results. How? Keep reading – as we share the simple formula!

2) Sales Copy. This could be your brochure, your business, card, or your website. Let’s just say you have a website and you even have some traffic. Perhaps you have some Search Engine Traffic. Maybe you are running ads on Facebook? But… No one is jumping through hoops to contact you and throw buttloads of money at you? Why? Copy.

I am willing to bet, your website or page your prospects are going to is either unclear about what they are getting and why they need it – or there is no clear “next step” for them to take (no call to action). Stop thinking of what YOU want to say and start thinking of what THEY need to hear to make a decision. Then, tell them what they need to do with that decision.

What looks better? Your web page that has a fancy logo/graphic and a bunch of industry buzz words? Or, a headline that details the pain your prospect has and highlights how easily you remove that pain? Hopefully, the answer is obvious to you that the latter is correct. But that isn’t enough if you miss the opportunity to tell that prospect what they must do next. It can be as easy as: “click here to set up an appointment…”

3) Video. 90% of our own business is built on video communication. And while it is obviously not text-driven like a web page, email, or brochure – it is driven by copy. In any video you do, there must be a compelling reason someone would want to watch it. This is all done by outlining the message you want to get across and the outcome you (the video creator) wants to achieve from the viewer (the video watcher). This is copywriting – even though the delivery method might not be text.

Don’t forget. Even in video, you always want to tell the person you are reaching the “next step.” Let’s say you own a roofing company and you just did a video to help get more customers outlining the “3 biggest mistakes of hiring a cheap roofing company” – you want to tell them that next step. Perhaps the next step is a 21-point inspection that you offer for free. You’d want to tell your viewer how to set that up. For example: “call us at 555-5555 today and we will schedule a free 21-point inspection of your roof that will double the life of your roof…” Copy for video is no different and it makes the difference between just making yourself busy and getting your business busy!

The RockStar Formula.

So, how is good copy done? Simple. This is the easiest formula – and it is how you will start forming EVERYTHING you do in your business if you want to influence others to do what you want them to do. It boils down to 3 things:

1) Hell. What is the hell that people receiving your message may be in? People are much more motivated to avoid (or get out of hell) than they are to seek heaven. For the financial advisor looking for clients to hire her for tax services, perhaps that hell is “increased taxes are plaguing your business…” NOT: “Your business needs help with filing taxes.”

2) Delivery Out of Hell. Let them know that YOU are the SPECIALIST in getting people out of the hell they are in. Your message must not only get across the clear and measurable pain (or Hell) but must clearly state that you are in the business of removing that pain. In the same example of the financial consultant, this could be as easy as “Our clients used to lose sleep over the fear of losing their entire business over increased tax burdens until they called us to eradicate it once and for all.” NOT… “We can help you file your taxes!” See the difference?

3) Next Step. You have established the problem (Hell) and that you are the one who can solve their problem. NOW… Tell them what they must do to take advantage of what you can do for them. Do NOT underestimate this piece. After all, isn’t this the whole purpose of communicating and influencing. Failing to ask will not result in your desired outcome. Staying on the same example of the financial consultant, you may say “Call me today at 555-5555 and for a strategic plan to eliminate your tax problems in 30-days.”

That’s it! Take the time to communicate clearly and you will win!