Copywriting Secrets My Puppy Can Teach You

“On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog!”

And what if they do. Dogs can teach you a few tricks, too. Like my puppy taught me about copywriting.

Meet Muffin, our Lhasa Apso/Terrier (even the vets can’t make up their mind which one she is!) Muffin entered my life as a frisky 1 month-old pup and in the year since, she has captured everyone’s heart while teaching some valuable life lessons – including many about copywriting.

Attention

It’s a dog’s life. Certainly not fun. Especially when you must rely upon one thing alone to grab your master’s attention – Bark! For her size, Muffin does it loudly. Wakes me up from even a sound nap – instantly.

Does your copy do that with your audience? Remember, most (if not all) prospects for your business are in a state of inertia and inattention. No one cares about you – only themselves. And when you try to hawk them your wares, you’re not likely to succeed… unless you first grab their attention.

But don’t bark! That’s a puppy’s way. Not a copywriter’s. You must be more subtle. And refined. Yet appeal to your intended audience in a way that makes you irresistible to them.

Starting from your captivating headline, to the story that ropes them in, to a list of benefits they’ll gain from following your advice, to social proof, risk reversal and a compelling offer, you’re in a constant, ongoing fight for their attention – and losing it at any point will sink your chance of closing the sale.

Persuasion

Puppies are masters at persuasion. Did your eyes rest a little longer on that picture up there? Imagine that impact multiplied many times over, and you’ll have an idea of what Muffin can achieve with her puppy-dog eyes! No one in the family can resist her hopeful, soulful look – and we invariably cave in to her demands.

Persuasion is an art form. For some, it comes naturally. For others, it takes intentional practice. We crave authority, credibility and trust for that specific purpose – to persuade and convince our prospects to do our bidding.

Good copy is about persuading readers or viewers. Maybe about a point of view. Or the merits of a product or service. Or the legitimacy of a candidate, the supremacy of a choice, the wisdom of a course of action.

And persuading through words takes special learning, hours and hours of practice, plus a special, magical something – the ‘puppy dog eyes’ of copywriting mastery!

Passion

Muffin loves to go on a drive. Watching her excitement peak when we promise her an outing is a treat. She works up to a frenzy, chasing around people and tearing along the short path to the car.

Passion is contagious. And it can be communicated through your copy. Be passionate about what you’re selling. Be it your product or service (or one you’re promoting on behalf of someone), if you aren’t ecstatic about it, why would anyone else be?

When you are, and can convey that energy through your words, then your audience responds in synchrony. Great copy gets a reader caught up in the thrill of a sale. It drives eager prospects to a feeding frenzy, convincing them step by step about the incredible satisfaction they’ll get from owning what you’re offering them.

When I open the car door, Muffin leaps onto the seat with a bound, and sits with her tongue hanging out in delight. Does your copy give your prospects the same sense of fulfillment and satisfaction when they get ready to click the order button? It should!

Targeting

Muffin doesn’t treat everyone equally. She has preferences. Those are guided by her desires of the moment. When she sees my wife dressing up to go for a walk, Muffin will ignore everyone else – and target her exclusively. That way, she knows her chance of going along for a walk are better than from sitting under my chair as I type this post!

Many copywriters forget the vital importance of targeting their audience. Look at just about any example of ‘killer copy’ and you’ll see how expert wordsmiths go about this fine art of selecting their ideal prospect – and ignoring everyone else. Even repelling them to the point they choose to walk away.

That’s growing ever more important in a fragmented online marketplace that’s spread out around the world, and is spoiled for choice. With so much competing for their attention, folks only have room for things that are specifically meant for them.

Does your copy match this reality? If not, what can you do about it?

Hard Sell

When she wants something badly enough, Muffin will start nibbling my toes. Just hard enough that I can’t ignore her, but not so hard that it hurts. She keeps at it until I give in and do what she wants.

There are points in your copy that need to push hard; to topple those hesitating prospects off the fence; drive them to take action. At those points, your copy has to nibble, chew, and rarely (depending upon how import your message is), even bite!

The idea isn’t to hurt your prospects – but to move them along the desired line of action. And sometimes, it does take hard selling to achieve that.

However, beware biting all the time! If Muffin did it too often or crossed a line, she’d get spanked. But of course, she knows that – and won’t cross the line. Will you?

If I were to measure and track Muffin’s results from her “selling process”, I’d guess her conversion rate is well over 20%… which, if you’re a copywriter, you’ll realize is pretty exceptional.

Try using some elements of her approach in your copywriting too – and see if your results can mirror my puppy’s.

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Guest blogger, Dr.Mani Sivasubramanian, is an Internet infopreneur who blogs about information marketing at http://www.InternetInfopreneur.com