Have you ever gone to a website, started reading, and realized your eyes are glazing over? You might even think, “Gee, I really ought to be reading this page. But…” And you’re gone before you can figure out what’s wrong.
The truth is, you’ve just been explored to an example of wimpy copy. Anybody can push it around.
Two reasons online business owners get stuck with wimpy copy
Reason #1: Service professionals often are reluctant to brag about themselves. They’re afraid they’ll sound sales-y. So they settle for blah cookie-cutter sites that tiptoe around the web, trying hard not to get noticed.
Reason #2: New or inexperienced copywriters sometimes apply the same standard phrases they’ve learned…over and over again. It’s like using paint right from the can in a standard color instead of blending to get just the right mix. The basics are okay but for a truly powerful effect, you need to take an extra step.
2 Techniques to Build Muscle
In the gym you’d try crunches and push-ups and weights. Here you’d use action verbs and stories.
Action verbs
Action verbs include “Create,” “Recognize,” and “Discover. But if you really want to involve your readers, look for even stronger verbs, like “Crush,” “Destroy,” and “Surprise.” One of the most powerful pieces of copy I’ve ever read uses “Slaughter,” “Decimate,” “Force,” and “Trigger.” Wow…don’t you feel energized just reading those verbs?
Stay away from the bland verbs “be” and “have.” Readers skim over sentences beginning “There are…” or “This is…” without even paying attention to what’s being said. “This tip works with any type of writing, from corporate reports to copywriting.
Tell Stories
Everybody pays attention when you say, “Here’s a good story to illustrate what I just said.” Include stories from your own experience. Share before-and-after tales from your clients.
Demonstrate vividly how your hero was suffering with an emphasis on emotion. You could say, “Helen was struggling to get a new job,” but you haven’t identified an emotional problem. Did she face significant financial pressures that led to fear? Did she feel unfulfilled because she didn’t have a meaningful career? Her emotion might be depression or frustration.
Get some feedback on your own content (and some muscle-building exercises, customized to you and your business) when you sign up for the Message Makeover Special. It’s cheap, easy and geared to getting results fast.
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Great post, Cathy. I would add that knowing your market is essential. For example my market is comprised mostly of women who are interested in personal growth and spiritual evolution. Using words like “Crush,” “Destroy,” “Slaughter,” and “Decimate,” would probably be a turn-off for them. So I would use other verbs to that are more suitable to my market. It’s the same techniques, using powerful action words and evoking strong emotions, but tailoring your words to suit your market can make all the difference.