A reader asks:
“How to go from dry to wow? More than just informative… but compelling?”
I answer:
Depth of understanding, empathy, and specificity.
More…
‘WOW’ copy is copy that speaks to the heart.
It feels like it was written by someone who’s been watching your life from hidden cameras for the past 6-12 months. Because somehow, they know all about you. And what you really want. And why you want it. And what you’re scared of. And what your daily routine looks like. And so they must have been spying on you, and for a while.
…and from this place of deep familiarity with *you*, they speak to your heart. They cut straight to what you care about it. And talk about it in a way that instantly & deeply engages you, and makes you want(or more like need) to keep on reading. THAT’S ‘wow’ copy.
But how do you make your copy like that?
(1) Depth of understanding. You have to acquire an *deep* understanding of who your reader is, long before you start writing. Ultimately the reason why ‘wow’ copy SEEMS like it was written by someone who’s been spying on you… is because it was written by someone who WAS INDEED spying on you! Just not through hidden cameras, but through their research. This is where ‘wow’ copy begins. In a deep, deep familiarity with your reader. So that you “know your reader better than they know themselves.”
This takes asking & answering probing questions about your reader’s psychology & motivations… which lead to ‘aha’ moments in your understanding of her.
(2) Empathy. In order to truly speak to your reader’s heart… you have to feel what they feel. You have to understand their frustration so well that YOU start to feel frustrated. And the same with their fear, worry, hope, longing, etc. Until you step “inside” their emotional experience… and start actually feeling what they’re feeling… your copy will be more dry than ‘wow.’ Listening to emotional music while writing (that matches the tone of your writing) can help you get in the right emotional state.
The most compelling, ‘wow’ copy that I’ve written… I wrote while I was in a peak emotional state myself. Which I had arrived at through my research, through familiarizing myself with the stories of people in my audience, and through my attempts at imagining what it would “feel like” to be my reader… and to have their particular problems and desires.
(3) Specificity. You have to be *specific* in your copy. And I think this is the biggest reason why dry copy seems dry: it’s generic. It never touches on the specific questions, the specific desires, the specific circumstances that are *unique* to your reader – but only spouts general platitudes, asks general questions, and speaks in general terms.
Instead of asking…
“Feeling frustrated?” (too broad)
Ask…
“Frustrated that every attempt you’ve made to start a coaching business has fallen flat on its face… because you can’t get more than 2 clients?” (better)
Instead of saying…
“It’s hard being you!” (too broad)
Say…
“It’s hard changing diapers, running to the store to buy more dishwashing soap, and driving your kid to ballet practice… all while trying to start a coaching business!”
See what I mean?
No “WOW” copy is generic. It’s all eerily specific.
