Copywriting Tutorial Part 1: What is Copywriting and Why Do You Need It? (What You Need to Know!)

Been hearing this wacky term “copywriting” being thrown around and not really sure what the heck it means?

Don’t worry because we’re going to clear up all the confusion right now. How’s that sound?

Because the truth is…within this online marketing world you’re constantly given all these blueprints on a lot of the mechanics for getting leads and sales.

You know you need to build a brand and get leads.

And of course, to get leads you need:

• • A capture page
  • A traffic source (social media, YouTube, SEO, etc.)
  • Content
  • And you need an offer that people can buy so you can make money.

But that’s just the map.

Now you’ve got the map, heck you may have the vehicle…but without copywriting you’ve got no gas in the car.

So now you have to get out and push that vehicle, which may get you somewhere…but won’t get you far fast (and it takes a lot longer to get there!)

With what you’ll learn in this series starting today in Part 1… YOU can go out there and begin to actually add fuel into your marketing and use copywriting in your business to build a brand that people want to follow (because you’re pushing all the right buttons.)

Which will in turn… increase your lead flow, boost your sales, and help you create the business of your dreams.

Now you can hit the gas pedal, and get there faster!

So let’s just cut right to the chase here.

What Is Copywriting?

The simplest (and probably most accurate) definition of copywriting is salesmanship in print.

It’s the words you use, in text (online or in print) that do the job that a salesperson would do with their words face to face with a prospect.

While true, that’s boring. Because here’s the definition that’s important to YOU…

I like to think of copywriting as the words you use to steer a person from where they’re at, to where you want them to go, or the action you want them to take. To get them to become a lead, to open an email, to click a link, to BUY your stuff, or join your business opportunity.

Better right?

It’s influence and persuasion in print. And even if you’ve just got a grip on the basics of copywriting, you can watch your results increase in big ways. (but we’re gonna give you more than just a grip!)

So Where Does Copywriting Come Into Play with YOUR Marketing?

Basically everywhere you write a word. An email, a Facebook post, a Tweet, etc.

Here’s the cool part…

When you understand influence and persuasion through copywriting, it can help you in all areas of your life. It can help you persuade someone in a personal letter. It can help you get a job by creating a better resume and cover letter.

It can make things happen in your community or beyond if you have a cause that you want to generate action on. (fundraisers, political campaigns, letters to the neighbor who keeps letting his dog ? on your nice green lawn!)

At times, understanding how to use copywriting can make you feel like a superhero because it can stir action in people that otherwise wouldn’t get stirred. Pretty cool right?

Where Will You Use Copywriting for Your Business?

Here are just a few of the areas that you’ll be able to use copywriting in your business online…

• • Social Media posts
  • Emails
  • Online Ads
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Capture Pages
  • Sales Pages
  • Blog Posts (yup!)
  • Articles (yup!)
  • Wherever you write a dang word! (sorry!)

The Biggest Misconception About Copywriting…

Of course, most people learn about copywriting and the first thing they hear about is features and benefits.

“Don’t tell them what it is, tell them what it will do for them.”

Yeah yeah, we get it.

And to be fair… yes…that’s important.

But what most people don’t realize is that features and benefits only scratch the surface if you want to truly create effective copy to take your business to the next level.

It’s merely the drywall of your home. But without an understanding of the framework, it’ll do you little good. You’ll be shooting in the dark over and over again.

It’s a tiny microelement of copywriting.

You must understand the macro first (the big picture), because by itself features and benefits don’t mean a whole lot. Unless your prospect already has awareness of your product or opportunity. And even then…well…you’re shooting in the dark.

When you understand the big picture of copywriting… you can create entire funnels that grab attention, build interest, create immense desire, and get people to take just about any action you steer them toward!

How’s that sound?

What do you say we talk about the foundation and framework of copywriting?

Let’s Talk About AIDA!

There’s an age-old formula that still holds true… and will never not hold true… when it comes to copywriting (and sales in general).

No matter what other copywriting formulas you may come across, they’re all based on — or fit in with this one formula called A.I.D.A.

• • A = Attention
  • I = Interest
  • D = Desire
  • A = Action

You’ve probably heard it. But it’s likely you’ve never really dug into why it’s important.

It's the stackable formula starting with ATTENTION and ending with ACTION. And in essence… none of the other elements can be effective without the other.

Hmmm, looks a bit like a sales funnel huh??

It all starts with ATTENTION.

Grabbing a prospect’s attention is your first order of business. Because without getting attention…none of the rest means a darned thing.

Men can think of it like this. Imagine sneaking up on your wife out of nowhere, getting on one knee, and asking someone to marry you! (unless you look that dude from Aquaman probably ain’t gonna happen!)

Women can think of it like this: Imagine a guy sneaks up on you, out of nowhere, gets on one knee, and asks you to marry him. (Probably wouldn’t go to far…unless, of course, he looks like that dude from Aquaman!)

How Do We Grab Attention Online?

It could mean a headline, a subject line, a video title (and/or thumbnail), or even an image on social media that stops people in their tracks, and gets them to well…stop and pay attention.

ONLY after you get your prospect’s attention can you start building interest.

In other words…

• • If they don’t stop at your headline…
  • If they don’t open your email because of your subject line…
  • Or if they don’t stop scrolling through their Facebook feed because of your image…

Then you have no chance to start building their interest.

The INTEREST stage is the part that hooks them in and educates them on why they need what you’re offering.

This is usually the opening of a sales page, the first words in your video, or the first few words in an email.

This may be where you may start introducing pain points (will dive more into that later in the series!) The interest stage is to simply pull them into your copy and want to know MORE!

You’re not trying to sell them here on your offer…you’re simply trying to sell them on continuing to read!

Once you start getting them interested and wanting to keep moving through your copy (the words on the page) you can then get them to start DESIRING whatever the end result is (your offer).

Of course, they won’t take ACTION (become a lead, join your opportunity, or buy your product ), without you first desiring the end result that the product will give them.

And that is where the importance of benefits comes into play. (See…told you it was important!)

People will take action on the things they want or need. The benefit is the reward…and more importantly the feeling they’ll get once they receive those rewards.

And here’s a little secret that will carry you a long way on your journey. They will take even greater and faster action to avoid the pain that not having those things will cause.

Here’s What It Might Look Like Through Copywriting or Sales…

Let’s say you want someone to buy your course on how to get traffic. The truth is it’s not the traffic that they want. It’s the benefits of that traffic.

Leads, sales, and a feeling of accomplishment are the reward (the benefit.)

Or more effectively, it may be finally being able to tell the annoying brother-in-law who always goads them about their business where to stick it…because it’s working and they’re now making more in a month than the brother-in-law earns all year. ?

Even more powerful, is the fact that never being able to tell the brother-in-law where to stick it is a massive loss that this person will have to face if they don’t get that benefit.

And that fear of loss is harder to deal with…and more motivating than the joy of being able on many occasions.

Sure that might have gotten dark and sinister quickly there…but these are the underlying benefits that people are really after!

We’ll get more into that later in the series. The important thing is…

Everything above leads up to your prospect (reader) taking ACTION!

This is the end result that we started this whole journey for in the first place. Getting your reader to say YES to your offer.

That offer could be to click a link (an email or social media post), become a lead (a capture page), or become a customer (sales page!)

Now that you’ve got a grip on the foundation and framework of copywriting (AIDA), we’ll be able to dig deeper into how to start effectively using this solid formula…and start adding the elements that turn your words into ‘grab em by the throat’ copy!

Keep an eye out for Part 2! “Secrets to Write ‘Grab Em by the Throat’ Copy That Almost Force People Into Buying!”

What did you think of this blog post? Did you get value? Leave me a comment below and let me know.

You rock,

PS: Want to work directly with me? Click Here

PS: If You Want to Dive Deeper On Copy Writing I Suggest You Check Out This Course By My Buddy Brian Fanale – Click Here