Little Phrases - Big Results

For many copywriters, there comes a point where you know you have the basics covered. It’s always good to review them regularly, but what you’re looking for really is an edge here and an edge there. Stuff that gives you an advantage when you use it. These aren’t always big things. Sometimes a strategic word or phrase can give you a bump in conversion or average order value, all by itself. I’m not recommending you depend on these little things to make a big difference for you, without also covering the basics, like good headlines, stories, hooks, offers and things like that. But experienced people know: Sometimes to get a prospect off the fence and into the “customer” column, all it takes is one or two emotion-charged moments during the course of otherwise very good copy. We’ve got a grab-bag of stuff for you today. The main thing they have in common is they are all designed to keep your prospect’s curiosity and engagement high, from the first word of your copy to your final call to action. I call our first section “similes that sparkle, similes that sputter.” You can think of similes like adjectives on steroids. They usually have the word “as” in them. They’re not always adjectives, but they’re usually descriptive and they do it by making a comparison. You could say something is “beautiful,” or you could enhance it by saying something is “beautiful as a sunset.” That phrase is a simile. Our second part is two short quotes about planning and preparation. I think you’ll find you’re taking a new look at these activities after you hear what I have to say. And our third part is 10 magic words. These word work wonder in headlines, stories and offers. They’re all battle tested and just one of them may give you the edge you need in the next copy you write. Here’s a link to the book I used to find the good and not-so-good examples in the first section of the podcast: Happy As A Clam, and 9999 Other Similes, by Larry Wright https://www.amazon.com/dp/0671874748Download.