In an era where every click is a battle and every impression counts, the quest for the elusive edge in the market feels like searching for a needle in a digital haystack. For centuries, one secret weapon has consistently outperformed the rest: the mighty pen—or, in today’s terms, the keyboard.
That’s the power of copy, the art of selecting not just the right words but arranging them in an order that turns browsers into buyers, sceptics into evangelists, and numbers into positive narratives for your finance director.
But what is the alchemy behind crafting copy that captivates, convinces, and converts? What are the tips and tricks that can start you getting results immediately? And how can you leverage AI to speed things up, spark ideas and take away the drudgery?
For more than a quarter of a century, I’ve been lucky enough to write for some world’s best known retail brands, spanning a range as broad and diverse as Canon cameras, The Royal Mint, Hammerite Paint, Interflora, Typhoo Tea, and the magical universe of Harry Potter. Much of this copy was split tested, so I saw for myself the true impact of the words. Conversion rates don’t lie.
A few years back I wrote the book ‘Flicks and Clicks’ a comprehensive guide to the art of copywriting for websites and catalogues, and I also practice what I preach. Together with my husband, I run a small Amazon pureplay business, specialising in pet products, called Pet Trading Post.
My journey into the depths of persuasive language and compelling storytelling was first sparked by the legendary Drayton Bird, one of the globe’s foremost direct marketing copywriting gurus, who in turn trained under the late great Rosser Reeves. David Ogilvy, no less, said “Drayton Bird knows more about direct marketing than anyone in the world”.
I’m delighted to be bringing you this new series to pass on practical insights, hard won over decades of copywriting. Whether you’re a seasoned marketeer, or an apprentice just starting out, I hope to equip you with solid techniques and strategies to help you write copy that not only grabs attention but converts interest into enduring sales.
It’s also about having more fun and developing judgement, so you can evaluate copy written by someone else, or by a one of the many new tools that write for you. As amazing as AI is for churning out certain types of copy quickly, it’s not perfect. The real trick is knowing how to spot whether the AI’s work really hits the mark for what you need.
So to kick off, I’m going to give you three simple magic tips, that you can start applying right now to give your copy a boost.
Start with an active word
A sure sign that copy has been written by an amateur rather than a pro is that lots of sentences start with dull words like ‘The’, ‘This’, and ‘A’ – a conversion killer. It’s such an easy trick to swop out that first word for something more engaging that grabs people and makes them want to read on.
Without: These long handled nail scissors let you easily reach to cut your toes in comfort
With: Cut your toenails in comfort with long handled scissors that let you easily reach your toes
Why it works: As soon as the brain reads the first words it’s hooked in, whether your reader knows it or not, so this approach gets them reading and compels them to continue. That’s why great catalogues are always filled with problem-solving headlines like ‘End the chore of’, ‘Discover the joy of’ and ‘Enjoy the sound of’
Use Second Person Singular
This is the fancy technical term for writing ‘from me to you’. It makes your copy sound like you’re sitting down for a one-on-one chat with your reader. This personal, conversational approach does more than just share information; it forges a real connection.
When your copy list littered with ‘you’ or ‘your,’ it instantly becomes more engaging because people are always more interested in themselves than you or your product or service. Writing with a ‘me to you’ mindset transforms your message into a personal conversation rather than a broadcast to a faceless crowd.
Without: We offer the biggest range of handmade soaps and lotions – discover our favourites here
With: You’ve got the best choice of handmade soaps and lotions – discover your favourites here
Bonus tip: Simply go through your copy and count the number of times you use the word ‘You’ or ‘Your’ and the same for ‘We’ or ‘Our’. Aim for a ratio of at least 3:1 – the higher the better, and the more likely you are to up your conversion rate.
Present Continuous Tense
Another technical sounding phrase that simply means writing in a way as if something is happening right now. This adds a sense of immediacy copy, making the reader feel like they’re in the midst of something going on.
Neuroscientists will tell you that the part of the brain that makes decisions – the limbic brain – is very visual and writing in this way paints a picture as if it’s really happening. Once your prospect has imagined using the product, it’s just a much shorter step for them to buy it.
It’s the written version of going into a jewellery shop. If the assistant manages to put that bracelet on your wrist it’s then so much harder to walk out of the shop without buying.
I often tell the story of when I was in a shop about to buy an ice cream scoop . The lady mimicked scooping and said, “This metal part here really cuts through the ice cream”.
She didn’t say “When you have purchased this fine implement, and have it at home and in your own kitchen and then got the ice cream out of the freezer then it will cut through the ice cream”. Her method worked and I did buy it!
Here’s another example
Without: These warm white lamps will not only look fabulous strung in a tree, around a gazebo or even along a fence, but they use energy saving LEDs too. Party on
With: Warm white lamps not only look fabulous strung in a tree, around a gazebo or even along a fence, but they use energy saving LEDs too. Party on!
These three simple tips are just the start and I hope they give you a taster of what’s to come. Over the coming months, we’ll be doing deep dives into some of the core principles of copywriting.
The aim is to be practical, giving you worthwhile guides that you can put into action right away. Please let DCA know if you have any specific copy questions, any topics you’d like me to cover, or if you’d like me to review your catalogue or website copy and critique it here. I look forward to sharing more copywriting insights with you soon.
To connect with me on LinkedIn, click here
Share