You’re not alone in that thinking, but the fact is, copywriting is more than just sales messages. In fact, as an online business owner, most of the content you produce could be called copywriting at least in some sense. After all, if you’re creating content with the ultimate goal of selling something, that is by definition copywriting.

Facebook

Sure we all like to hang out on Facebook and chat with friends, catch up on the latest funny videos, and enjoy a mindless “quiz” or two. But for coaches, Facebook is much more than that. It’s a place to connect with potential clients, and that means that when you’re sharing your latest blog post or program with your business friends, you have to keep good copywriting in mind.

LinkedIn Profile

What makes you stand out from the other coaches in your niche? Your LinkedIn profile is where you share what makes you the best person to solve your ideal client’s problems. It’s where you shout about your credentials and let your ego run the show. Think of your LinkedIn profile like a resume, and be sure to list your most impressive credentials.

About Page

Here’s your chance to have some fun while blowing your own horn. It’s important to know that the about page is often the most visited page on a website, so it’s a critical piece of your overall brand and message. The purpose of your about page is to entice people to want to learn more about your services, so be sure to include a call to action on the page.

Blog Posts

All blog posts have a job to do. Maybe they’re meant to lead your reader to a sales page. Perhaps you’re asking for readers to subscribe to your mailing list. Maybe your blog post is designed to start a conversation. Or maybe it’s just sharing great content and inviting readers to learn more by clicking on related posts. Whatever the job, it’s copywriting that entices your reader to take that next action.

Twitter

One hundred and forty characters is precious little space for creating compelling content, yet that’s exactly what you must do if you hope to use Twitter as part of your overall marketing strategy. Think of tweets like email subject lines, and craft them to convey as much information as possible while still enticing readers to take action.

Email

Whether you’re sending an email about a new product or service or simply letting readers know you have a new blog post up, your email definitely qualifies as copywriting. In fact, even the personal emails you send to prospective clients contain what we would call copywriting.

The fact is, copywriting is everywhere in your business, from your sales pages to your invoices. Whenever you ask a reader to take some action, you’re writing copy, and the more comfortable with the idea of it, the better (and more natural) you’ll become.

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• Your newest coaching program

• Your latest must-have tool discovery

• That epic blog post you just wrote

The trouble is, you only have about two seconds to entice a reader to open your email. Even worse, you have to do it in ten words or less.

Yikes! That’s a pretty tall order, even for seasoned copywriters. But there are some tricks you can use.

Be Ambiguous

If you’ve been on Facebook lately you’ve no doubt seen those “click bait” headlines that say things like, “She adds this to a box of Wheat Thins and I’m drooling!” The reason headlines like that work is because we can’t help but want to know what “this” is that she’s adding to her Wheat Thins. Is it sugar? Salt? Peanut butter? We imagine the possibilities, but in the end we have to find out, so we click.

You can employ the same technique in your email subject lines. Just substitute the word “this” for the actual thing you’re writing about, and you’ve got instant enticement.

Use Numbers

Here’s another strategy for creating must-read content: numbers.

“7 Hidden Benefits of Waking Up at 5am”

“3 Unlikely Ways to Close the Sale”

“5 Social Media Platforms You Shouldn’t Be Ignoring”

The reason numbers work so well in subject lines is because we are ego-centric and curious. We simply must know if we already use those three ways to close the sale. We will either walk away feeling good for being a marketing maven, or we will have learned something. Both are compelling reasons to open an email.

Use Power Words

Just as with all writing, choosing power words is far more effective than settling for their weaker counterparts. Imagine these two subject lines appear in your inbox. Which are you more likely to open:

“WordPress Makes Better Looking Websites for Non-Designers”

or

“Create a Gorgeous Website—Even if You’re Not a Designer”

While both subjects offer the same information, the first is weak, while the second is far more compelling.

When it comes to email subjects, there are a few more tips to keep in mind if you want to up your open rates:

• Keep it short – no more than 10 words at the very most, and fewer if you can.

• Test everything. Use your autoresponder’s split-testing functionality to see which subject line styles perform best in your market.

• Use personalization, but sparingly. Occasional use of your reader’s first name can be a powerful technique.

Here’s the bottom line: If your subscribers aren’t opening your email, they’re not buying. Paying closer attention to your subject lines is the single most important thing you can do for your email marketing campaigns.

The post Email Subject Lines That Increase Your Open Rates appeared first on ReviewsPop.

Now dig a little deeper into your research and determine how many of these coaches are in your specialty. Again, not to discourage you but to encourage you to set yourself apart, create a unique selling point that will attract your ideal clients.

When is Spying Unethical?

Smart business owners will always know what’s happening within their industry as well as locally with their competitors. In many instances, you and your competitors are vying for the same clients, so it’s smart to know who’s doing what to attract those clients.

Market research crosses the line, however, when you copy exactly what your competitors are doing. If Coach A sends out a direct mail postcard and you copy the text word for word but add your own name to it, that’s copyright infringement and unethical. Is sending out a direct mail postcard a good idea? Sure! But hire your own copywriter and graphic designer to make YOUR postcard unique.

The same is true when creating your website, sales pages, and signature classes. Always invest in your own business with your own professional copywriters and designers or you will be known as a copier. Not only does that tarnish your reputation but it can get your website shut down. Hosting companies do not have a tolerance for plagiarism and unethical behavior. Can you create a class based on the same topic as another coach? Of course you can. But put a twist on it by adding your own case studies, discuss the topic from a different perspective, or offer another feature that the first coach does not – such as a private Facebook Group – to make it more appealing and unique.

Want to use some photos in your advertising? Don’t just copy an image from Google Images! Either take your own photos, hire a photographer, or use royalty-free stock photos. Go one step further and check the licenses at stock photo houses to ensure that you’re using the photo correctly for advertising purposes. In general, stock photos with corporate logos or names are for editorial use only, which means they can be used in a blog post but not an advertisement or endorsement.

Pricing Research

Another very important reason to look at your competitors is to determine what price point your market can handle but this may require multiple steps. First, check their websites and sales pages. What prices are they charging? What are they offering for that price?

Next check their testimonials and social media profiles. What does their tribe have to say? How active are they on social media? A large number of followers doesn’t mean anything if they are not interacting with them.

Lastly, search for reviews. If people are unhappy with something, they will let the world know about it online, usually more frequently than if they had a wonderful experience.

Again, doing this type of pricing research is not to copy what a competitor is doing but to determine if what you have to offer is priced accordingly. You will likely have differing ideal clients which can impact price. If you’re looking for local clients, your location will play a part in determining price. Pricing in New York City, for example, would be much higher than in a smaller, more rural region of upstate New York.

Want the Secret to Finding Your Ideal Clients’ Struggles?

I’m spilling the beans on 5 easy ways to identifying your ideal client’s pain points in my next webinar. Join me live to have your questions answered and to discuss the topic more in-depth in the chat room. These steps are super easy to implement and you can even delegate some to your virtual assistant. Grab your seat today! [LINK]

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