Pushing Your Prospects’ Buttons:
A 5-Step Copywriting Formula for
Writing Captivating Content that
Converts Prospects into Loyal,
Raving Fans
by Debra Jason
Marketing & writing with heart,
not hype
© 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved.
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
Pushing Your Prospects Buttons:
A 5-Step Copywriting Formula for Writing Captivating
Content that Converts Prospects into Loyal, Raving Fans
by Debra Jason
As entrepreneurs one of the most important tools we have in offering our
programs and services is the content (known as “copy” in the
marketing/advertising industry) we use to communicate our messages.
If I’m correct, you want to help others and I’m here to help you by delivering a 5step copywriting formula that is designed to help your ideal clients connect with
your message – one that reaches out to them and gets results.
Do You Know About The Magic Bullet?
You see, there is really only ONE magic bullet for
communicating your passion, attracting more clients and
making a difference in their lives. And, I just mentioned it
above.
That bullet is COPY. After all, you can’t have marketing
materials – whether it’s a video sales letter, Web sales page,
direct mail piece or brochure – without the words, can you?
I want to assist you in making your business more
successful.
So as you read on, we’re going to explore how you can communicate your passion
in a way that transforms your words into gold so that you convert your prospects
into loyal, raving fans.
By the end of this report, you’ll understand how you can reach out and:
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Grab your prospects attention.
Make them feel you understand their needs.
Keep them reading and wanting more.
Get them to click on the “buy now” button or pick up the phone and call
you (and, give them the phone number - by the way, if you have a toll free
# be sure you mention that too)
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
Compel Prospects to Purchase
Whether you’re writing direct mail piece, video sales letter or an online sales page,
your content has to compel prospects to purchase. Think about it.
When you get an offer in the mail, what makes the difference between you
throwing it in the circular pile such as the trash or shredder, and opening it?
If you click on a web page, what makes the difference between you reading it or
clicking onto another site? What makes the difference is whether the content
speaks to you.
Write Content That Speaks TO Your Prospects
You want to write web content that speaks TO your prospects, not AT them.
That’s what makes the difference about whether or not the content is something
that they’ll continue to read. Is it content that grabs them? Makes them feel
understood? Keeps them reading?
As they read, your ideal clients should be thinking, “That’s me” or “Yes, yes, this
person understands my dilemma. Yes, I need to call her, email her, purchase her
program, product or service.”
Some people call this “tapping into prospects pain”, but I call it “pushing their
buttons.” Tap into what’s going on in their lives, connect with them, build rapport
and increase your KLT factor – that’s “know, like and trust.”
People want to do business with those professionals they know, like and trust.
Think about the people you work most closely with. Most likely they choose to
work with you because they know, like & trust you and vice versa.
When you demonstrate that you understand what your audience is struggling
with, you’ll find your message jumps off the page, touches their emotions and
increases your response rate.
Remember, you want them to click on that “buy now” button or call you on the
phone. But how do you do that? You do it by following this simple 5-step
copywriting formula . . .
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
A Simple, 5-Step Copywriting Success Formula
Step #1: Determine the problem.
There are 2 powerful triggers – tied closely together - that
grab your prospects' attention:
#1 Curiosity
#2 Touching their emotions.
This first step - determine the problem - is where it’s
important to touch on and awaken the emotions your
prospects might be dealing with daily. They may be:
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Stressed out about past due bills.
Frustrated with their jobs.
Frightened because they lost a job and can’t find a new one.
Experiencing physical pain such as chronic back pain or arthritis.
Afraid of losing a loved one – either one who is sick & suffering or perhaps
their relationship is tenuous and on the rocks and they’re contemplating
separation or divorce.
Use these triggers in your headlines, bullet points, or in the names of your free
reports, etc. Doing so, keeps people coming back because they want help.
What’s the issue facing your prospects? What’s the problem that you have a
solution for? Determine that first.
Step #2: Push your prospects’ buttons.
As you address the problems, pushing buttons
comes along naturally. It’s in this step, that you let
your prospects know you:
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Understand their feelings
You can relate to their stress, pain, anger,
overwhelm, etc.
Whatever their problem is, you want them to know that you understand them.
While I’m guessing you don’t want to make anyone feel absolutely miserable, you
can push their buttons enough to demonstrate that you’re compassionate and get
where they’re coming from and that therefore, you can help them.
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
Here’s a simple template to help you gain clarity. Filling in the blanks below helps
you define who you are and how you can help others.
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I help (insert target audience)
Do, get or gain (insert a benefit)
Even if (insert an objection or barrier)
You’ve probably heard the term “elevator pitch” or 30-second commercial (I like
to call it the 30-second elevator spiel) and this template can help you with that. In
addition, it can later be fine-tune and used as your headline or in your copy to
push buttons.
EXAMPLE #1:
“I help heart-centered coaches, business owners and service-based solopreneurs
communicate their message in a way that captivates & converts their prospects
into loyal, raving fans – even if they have struggled with how to put their ideas
into words in the past.”
EXAMPLE #2:
Two well known colleagues of mine Lewis Howes & Sean Malarkey - who were
promoting an info-product that I helped them with - used this:
“We help entrepreneurs who have Internet access, tap into countless business
opportunities even if they have only 10 minutes a day and aren’t “techno-savvy.’
And we do so with proven social media strategies”
A 4th step that you might add to this formula for a little "extra
oomph," is to say “So that ______”
For instance:
“I help heart-centered coaches, business owners, and service-based
entrepreneurs communicate their message in a way that captivates and
converts their prospects into loyal, paying customers even if they have been
struggling with how to put their ideas into words in the past SO THAT they
can attract clients, SO THAT they can have a better income, SO THAT they
can have the lifestyle they've been dreaming of, SO THAT they can work less
hours and make more money. And that’s why they got into their own business to
begin with, isn’t it?
As you can see, the 'SO THAT ' can go on ad infinitum, but these are the kinds of
things that will start to push people's buttons and get them to take action.
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
Think about the template for yourself and how you’ll fill in the blanks.
OK. So far you’ve determined the problem and started pushing buttons. Now,
onto step #3.
Step # 3: Create that AHA moment.
This is the moment when, while they’re reading your content, your
prospects are thinking:
“Yes, this company gets me.”
“Yes, they understand my feelings . . . my fears . . . my anxiety.”
“Yes, they can relate to what I’m going through. Therefore, I want what
they have.”
EXAMPLE #1 –
Do you feel like you’re wasting hours trying to create content to
promote your service and coming up blank?
Are you burned out by trying to write everything on your own?
Or you’re worried that prospects won’t respond to your offer and you’ll be left
hanging in the dark - no clients, no sales?
After pushing their buttons & creating that AHA moment, you want to move onto
Step #4.
Step #4: Offer the solution to your prospects’ problem!
Prospects buy for one of 2 reasons and these reasons are affected by one of 3
influencers.
As direct marketing pro Bob Stone wrote . . . people respond to any given
proposition for one of two reasons:
1. To gain something they do not have.
2. To avoid losing something they now possess.
And, either reason is usually motivated by 1 of 3 influencers – MONEY, HEALTH
or RELATIONSHIPS.
For instance, your prospects may want to:
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Make money, save money or avoid losing it.
Save time.
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
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Achieve comfort
Gain beautiful possessions or avoid losing those possessions.
Enjoy great health or avoid getting sick or being in physical pain.
To be popular, visible or avoid losing their reputation
Find that special, loving partner they can spend the rest of their lives with
(or avoid losing a loved one).
Let prospects know how your product or service will affect them personally. Tell
them how you can help alleviate their problem.
Remember, prospects and customers want to know “what’s in it for me?”
(WIIFM) – “ME” being your prospect – so give them benefits, benefits and more
benefits of how you can help them.
Keep in mind that features are different than benefits. Here’s an exercise for you.
It’s called The Pencil Test. Find a pencil, look at it and make a list of features.
Then, as you go down that list of features, see how many you can convert into
benefits.
For instance, an eraser is the feature, the ability to make &
correct mistakes so you can start all over again – that’s the
benefit.
In EXAMPLE #1 mentioned under “push their buttons,”
the solution would read:
Save yourself hours of frustration trying to struggle through writing it yourself.
A fresh perspective – written by an experienced professional – can be the
breakthrough that delivers the results you’ve been waiting for – prospects who
click on that “sign up” or “buy now” button and turn into customers.
So I hope you see where we’re going with this. Are you already writing down ideas
that you can implement? The best way to get going is to implement fast – when
you’re done reading this report, take action on at least one AHA moment you got
out of this call.
But we’re not done yet. So far we’ve gone through steps 1-4 - determining the
problem . . . pushing buttons . . . creating the AHA moment . . . offering the
solution. Step # 5 is one you should always remember (and many people tend to
forget).
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
Step #5: Get your prospects to respond.
This is your call to action and it’s vital. Don’t forget
to tell your prospects what you want them to do.
I can’t tell you how many times I've received an email or my phone rings and the person on the other end is asking me if I’d review
their Web site. He/she says something like, “I paid a lot of money to have a Web
site created & I loved the design. However, time has gone by and I haven’t had
any inquiries . . . responses . . . sales.”
As a copywriter, I go to their site and am surprised by what I see or I should say,
what I don’t see. One major aspect that is missing is the CALL TO ACTION. And,
I don’t mean on one page. I mean a call to action on all the pages.
It may sound obvious, but it’s really important to do this. For instance, let
prospects know if they should:
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Complete & return the sign up or registration form.
Dial a toll free number and call you.
Click on the “buy now” button?
I reveal 9 tips on my blog post about this topic at
http://www.writedirection.com/call-to-action
And here's another post on how to make your call-to-action more compelling
with one simple word at http://www.writedirection.com/does-your-call-toaction-put-readers-to-sleep
5 Steps to Writing Captivating Content
So there you have it, five steps to writing captivating and compelling content – be
it for an online sales page, video sales letter, brochure or other marketing
materials. Content that helps you convert your prospects into loyal, paying
customers by:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Determining the problem.
Pushing their buttons.
Creating the “AHA” moment.
Offering a solution to their problem.
Getting your prospects to respond.
Go Back & Review Your Copy
Now that you know the five steps, go back and review your copy.
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
Are you pushing prospects’ or customers’ buttons? Are you letting them know
how you can help them “see the light of day?”
I’d love it if you’d go to my video on this topic and post your comments there
http://youtu.be/-a2hHUwLH7Y I know my viewers would appreciate reading
your perspective as well.
Remember this, people want what you have to offer them. They want to
transform their lives and you can help them. Do so by touching on their problems,
creating an AHA moment and offering them a solution. You CAN make a
difference! I know you can.
Here’s to your sweet writing success!
Debra
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
About the author:
A recipient of the Rocky Mountain Direct Marketing Association's
(RMDMA) "Creative Person of the Year Award," Debra Jason
started The Write Direction in 1989. Past President of the
RMDMA, she is a seasoned copywriter with more than 25 years of
experience in the field of direct marketing.
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When other writers have researched books on freelance writing
and direct mail copy, they’ve turned to Debra for her input. She
has been quoted in:
• The Complete Guide to Writing Web-Based Advertising
Copy to Get the Sale by Vickie Taylor
Second Lives: Becoming a Freelance Writer by Bill Harris
Modern Media Writing by Rick Wilber & Randy Miller
Smart Business Solutions: Direct Marketing & Customer Management by
Douglas Gantenbein
Copywriting Success by Darren Andrews
She is a co-author along with NY Times best-selling author, Joel Comm, and 40+
colleagues in So What Do You Do? Discovering the Genius Next Door with One Simple
Question (available on Amazon.com).
In 2012, after 10 years living in paradise on the Garden Island of Kaua`i, Hawaii, Debra
returned to Boulder, Colorado where she first started her business. In addition to being a
featured guest on online programs she has presented numerous live workshops on
marketing, social media and copywriting.
As a multi-faceted marketing muse, Debra educates and inspires creative solopreneurs,
heart-centered business owners and entrepreneurs to create a lifestyle business that
provides them with the flexibility, fun and freedom to do what they love and live their
dream!
She also empowers you to communicate your message in a way that captivates and
converts your prospects into loyal customers - even if you have been struggling with how
to transform your ideas into words in the past. This way you reach a broader audience
and generate more income so that you can live the lifestyle you’ve dreamed about,
which is why you went into business for yourself to begin with - isn’t it?
Marketing and writing with heart, not hype.
Debra offers one-on-one consulting and group
trainings in marketing, copywriting, and social media
as well done-for-you copywriting services specializing
in content for brochures, catalogs, direct mail
packages, sales pages, Web sites and more.
When you’re seeking a dynamic and energetic
speaker for your organization or event, Debra speaks on the topics of copywriting,
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.
marketing, networking, and social media marketing. You may reach Debra at
[email protected]. Or online at http://writedirection.com.
Please follow her on:
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/debrajason
Facebook http://facebook.com/writedirection
Google+: http://google.com/+DebraAJason
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/debrajason
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/debrajason1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mktgcopywriter
YouTube: http://youtube.com/mktgcopywriter
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© Copyright 2010-2014 Debra Jason dba The Write Direction. All rights reserved. No portion of this paper
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or using any information storage/retrieval system now known or to be invented,
without written permission from the author.