Dear subscriber,
So I’m mindlessly scrolling through the bottomless pit of superficiality known as Instagram (I know, I know, I should know better), and I stubbed my eye on a post featuring a guy caressing a laydee’s chin like he’s auditioning for a romance novel cover.
The headline read:
Signs You’re Dating a High-Value Man.
By the way, here’s a quick copywriting lesson.
The above headline would have performed better if it had a number in front of it. For example, “9 Signs You’re Dating… ”
Headlines with numbers are like catnip for our minds.
Why is this?
Because we’re hardwired to crave structure and a clear path to follow. A number in a headline (often called a listicle) is like a juicy promise, a quantifiable guarantee of what’s coming your way. It’s the hook that reels us in. Yup, we love lessons that are broken down into bite-sized, quantifiable steps.
Quantifiable promises are far better than vague ones that cannot be quantified
The bottom line of it:
The Brain Loves Specificity Like Adam Sandler
Loves Sweatpants!
Alright.
Back to this “signs you’re dating a high-value man” Instasham post.
Now, would you like to see some of the pearls of wisdom this post had to offer?
Awrite.
Try these out for size:
(1) He listens to you and remembers what you say.
(2) He spends time with you without expecting anything in return.
(3) He makes sacrifices for you even if they’re small.
(4) He misses you when he’s not with you.
(5) He’s always there for you when you need him.
(6) He admires and respects you.
(7) He makes an effort to know your friends and family.
(8) He does thoughtful things for you.
(9) He keeps his promises.
***
Now, while I agree with most things on that list, I believe the person who wrote this post is overlooking one small issue:
That Man Does Not Exist!
When I was reading through this list, I kid you not, I was waiting for the punchline. I thought it was a joke.
Okay, Kelvin, then what advice would you give, huh?
Okay, sweetcakes, I’ll tell you what I tell my own two teenage daughters.
Focus on finding someone who’s kind, compatible, and makes you laugh instead of holding out for this mythical creature you’ve conjured up in your imagination.
Trust me, honey, a real person with imperfections can bring you a lot more joy than chasing after a mythical creature you dreamed up from a fictional checklist.
Unrealistic expectations are BAD news.
And in the copywriting game, I see it happen all the time. Greenhorn copywriters think that if they read enough copywriting books, if they write out the world’s best sales letters by hand, if they write copy every day, if they learn how to write killer headlines and bullets, then they’ll have great success as a copywriter.
I don’t mean to piss in your cornflakes, Freckles, but it simply ain’t true.
You can do all of the above, and still be penniless.
Listen, here’s the deal:
If you’ve got an audience or a list of qualified prospects who are genuinely qualified, and you’ve got products or services that they actually want, well, guess what? You’re sitting on a gold mine, my copywriting comrade.
You see, if you have these two crucial ingredients (a hungry market and a product they want), then you could be an average run-of-the-mill copywriter and still rake in more cash than some fancy-schmancy wordsmith who doesn’t have an audience or a product that people give a damn about.
You don’t need to be Shakespeare or Hemingway with a keyboard. You just need to know what your audience wants and deliver it to them.
Bottom line:
Without an audience and a product that people really want, copywriting is about as useless as a one-toothed beaver in a petrified forest.
So, where does copywriting sit in all this?
Ah, veddy good question, Igor.
Well, think of it this way:
Good copywriting serves as an enhancer.
It’s like strapping a turbocharger onto a car. It’s that extra kick that takes an already moving and functioning vehicle and propels it into warp speed.
For example, let’s say you have a product that’s a proven winner. Now, bring in the likes of Gary Bencivenga, a copywriting maestro, to work his magic on the sales pitch and watch the sales conversion rate explode. It’s like flipping a switch and watching your response go from a horse and buggy to a McLaren F1!
Ya follow?
Good.
So, if you’ve got a proven product on your hands, don’t skimp on the power of persuasive words. Get yourself a pro copywriter and watch that product take off like a bat out of hell.
Oh, if you’re outsourcing your copywriting, I’d get them to read this: https://kelvindorsey.com/the-black-bookcol/
If they’re a real go-getter, this may be one of the best investments you ever make.
Your friend,
Kelvin
Email Marketing Maverick
