Copywriting 101: You and Your Sells More than We or Me

When it comes to writing your advertisements, nothing will give you a bigger boost in sales than speaking to your audience directly.

What’s in it or me?

That’s the one question that rolls around every person’s head at least one to two hundred times a day! We are all selfish in some way, and that’s fine, but when it comes to making a purchase, the first thing we all think about before swiping our debit card, or filling out the online order form, is how our new purchase is going to affect our lives. We are searching for a thread of justification for the money we just spent.

Now that the truth has been revealed, it makes perfect sense for the advertiser to speak directly to the individual reading the ad, rather than exploiting the facts that make us, we, or me so awesome!

The old 80/20 rule once again applies to this sales practice of efficient copy-writing. Eighty percent of the time, I want you to tell the reader how your product or service will make their life easier. The remaining twenty percent can be used to tote your own self accomplishments or victories.

For example, which one of these statements is more appealing to the buyer?

“We have a no questions asked return policy” or

“If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return the item, and you’ll receive a 100% refund of your item’s purchase price. No questions asked!”

The second option really speaks to the customer! It offers peace of mind that even if they succumb to buyer’s remorse, there are no underlying issues that will prevent them from receiving a full refund for their purchase.

Here’s another example.

“We have been in business for over twenty years!” or

“With over twenty years experience, the staff at Bob’s Mechanic Shop is fully equipped to service your vehicle’s every need, and provide you with a rapid diagnosis in half the time of our competitors!”

Compared to the first sentence, the level of expertise was more evident as a result of their over twenty years of experience. The vehicle owner leaves the shop knowing that their car, truck or van is in excellent hands, and is anticipating a rapid fix action.

That warm fuzzy feeling will make spending the money on repairs a little easier.

If you can answer the looming question of, “what’s in it for me,” you’ll be well on your way to experiencing massive profit boosts, and increased sales as a result of your advertising.

It’s amazing how a simple change in the verbiage of an ad can yield an influx of cash money!

Here’s some more information on how to write in the second person.

Related content: Yale’s Wiz Kids Come Up With 12 Most Persuasive Words

P.S. You can learn how to write insanely profitable ads on your own, but if you don’t have the time to put this information to use, be sure to call Bent Business Marketing at 815.441.2219, and we’ll put a piece of sales copy together that will blow your mind! ~Andy #themarketingguy