Copywriting: Why does everyone sound the same?
Before I get to showing you an $85,000 example of writing great copy, I want to tell you about a great quote I once heard:
“You never hear anybody yelling in a Mercedes commercial.”
Just close your eyes and think about two different car commercials.
First, a used-car commercial. What do you see? What are they wearing? Are they YELLING HOW YOU NEED TO BUY RIGHT NOW!!!!??
Now think about the slow, thick, husky voice of a Mercedes commercial.
Calm. Totally confident.
Both are selling cars. But one does it in a totally different way than the other.
“Fine, Ramit…I get it. Sound confident. Don’t yell. Be different and stand out.”
We all nod and smile.
So how come we constantly see copy like this?
Ugh. Who wants to buy from these people?
Who even wants to read this?
I want to take a shower with a steel wire brush.
Guys, copy matters.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re selling a product, inviting people to your birthday party, or crafting your Tinder profile. If you’re on Tinder and you write:
“I love to go out, but I’m also just as comfortable staying in to watch a movie”
…then you are effectively the screaming used-car salesman. You are the same as everyone else. And that means you are invisible.
You can write about the same exact topic as someone else — but if you write in an engaging way — a way that draws people in and makes it irresistible to stop reading — you stand out and win.
Doesn’t matter how many other people are writing about the same topic. Nobody has the same experiences, the same ideas, the same drive…as you.
That’s why I’ve written for some of the most competitive markets in the world (personal finance, careers, entrepreneurship), and my material stands out.
And you can do the same, too.
The best part: Writing great copy is not some magical ability you’re born with. It’s a skill you can learn.
Copywriting example: Dating and charisma
Remember those terrible examples of “GET OUT OF THE FRIEND ZONE” copy above?
There’s another way to write tight, compelling copy that actually reaches people.
One of my students, Sarah, did exactly this. She’s a men’s dating coach at introvertedalpha.com, which means she’s competing against the overly aggressive, hyperbolic copy shown above.
We taught her about doing research and writing great copy that stands out from the hype-y, noisy promises in her crowded market.
Here’s some of the copy on her website. Note how different the tone is from the examples above:
Totally natural. Best of all, her approachable copy helped grow her business dramatically:
- 0-6 months: $33,000
- 1 year: $85,000
Outstanding work, Sarah. You see the same warm, friendly tone in all her copy. From her website to her emails.
Now, let’s dig a little deeper. Look beneath the words you see.
In that simple example of BAD COPY vs. GOOD COPY, there is so much going on beneath the surface. Let’s assume you’re a guy who wants to improve his dating skills.
- Which one appeals more to you?
- Now, what if I told you that the above “bad” examples get way more traffic and newsletter subscribers? How do you explain that?
- Finally, what if I told you that, even though the “bad” copy has more traffic and subscribers…Sarah’s “good” business actually generates way more revenue?
How can you explain that?
I’ll tell you.
Most people look at copywriting on the surface. They look at the words and say, “Ugh! That feels so scammy” or “She seems nice.”
That’s like a toddler evaluating a 5-course meal at Per Se.
Real copy is strategic. It determines exactly who you’re targeting, it qualifies them, and it directly leads to business results.
HINT: I JUST DID IT IN THE ABOVE SENTENCE! Do you think some scammy idiot who wants to make money quick is going to keep reading when he sees a sentence like “real copy is strategic”?
No, of course not. That moron just closed this window, deleted all my emails, and went back to his corner of the internet where he can learn about “15 headline examples” and “How to write an ebook on copywriting by writing an ebook on copywriting for people who want to write an ebook on copywriting.” Please die.
In the examples of “bad” vs. “good” copy, think about how her copy attracts/repels certain audiences. Think about the quality of those audiences (very important). Try to trace how that affects business factors like conversion rate and LTV.
If you don’t know what any of this means, I will teach you.
Copy is so much deeper and beautiful than people think. They see the surface. I’ll show you what’s beneath it — and how to write copy so irresistible, people will not be able to stop reading.
It will help you grow your business. It will help bring more people to your birthday party, your dating profile, your proposal at work. Use it as you want — and know that the skill of writing great copy is so powerful, no one can ever take it away from you.
Come learn with me. On Monday, I’m launching a free Copywriting Boot Camp, where I’ll show you how to write amazing copy — even if you’re not a writer. We’ll go behind the scenes of million-dollar-copy and I’ll show you how it was created. And how you can do it, too.
I’d love to see you there.
P.S. As always, our goal is to make our free material better than everyone else’s paid stuff
