7 genius copy writing tips · attention-grabbing headlines provide social proof urgency and...

7 genius copy writing tips

with

T O B O O S T Y O U R 2 0 1 6 F U N D R A I S I N G

MANDY O’NEILL

here’s what you’ll leave with today

The one copy writing sentence that will change your copy writing forever

The EXACT emotions that work best in your copy

Free and super-easy tools to make your life easier

How to write more powerful subject lines with just one tool

How pivotal social proof is… and examples you can use

The one single thing to avoid in your copy

How to be persuasive without being sales, pushy, or sounding desperate

The single best advice I ever received about copy writing

“THE FIRST DRAFT OF ANYTHING IS SHIT.”

E R N E S T H E M I N G W A Y

It’s all about the reader 01 N U M B E R

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN YOUR READERS MIND

Best advice I ever got

Who your audience trusts

Primary emotion they associate with your event or mission

Sit down for 30 minutes and “experience” those emotions, then write

KNOW

Who is most likely to register for your event?

Why?

Who do you want to sign up? (who is most likely to fundraise?)

WHO

“YOU”

“ R E C O G N I T I O N A N D G R A T I T U D E ”

”EASY BUTTON”

Stir emotion 02 N U M B E R

03 “If you can give voice to what

I privately believe or fear in

my heart but won’t say, I’ll

trust you forever.”

- Declan O’Flaherty

P h o t o : w w a r b y

What is your primary emotion? 02 N U M B E R

What inspired your supporters to first donate? 02 N U M B E R

02 N U M B E R

“A NEW LEAS H ON LI F E”

“WHATEVER IT TAKES”

“EXCLUSIVITY” AND “SCARCITY”

LOSS AVERSION

THIS IS LOGIC NOT EMOTION

We are persuaded by benefits not features

We care most about Love, Money, Acceptance (Admiration), and Free Time

We wish for less: Stress, Conflict, Hassle, and Uncertainty

Benefits and Features

“People don’t buy a mattress. They buy a good night’s sleep.”

Benefits and Features

Feature Benefit

Benefits and Features

Attention grabbing headlines 03 N U M B E R

8 OUT OF 10 READERS WILL READ YOUR HEADLINE

Only 20% will read beyond that

Use the same language as your target audience 03 N U M B E R

Core formula is Benefit + Curiosity = Interest 03 N U M B E R

Focus on Your Reader

Here’s how to spend New Year’s Day

You look great in lycra shorts. No, really, you do.

Buy one get one free, today only

SWIPE THESE…

03 N U M B E R

Make it about the benefits

This is your moment

Make your kids proud of you

Girls night out

Remember your mom

SWIPE THESE…

03 N U M B E R

Make it a cliffhanger

The course is simply breathtaking

Remember that time you felt most proud?

SWIPE THESE…

03 N U M B E R

Make it a challenge

Only the brave need apply

Compete against yourself

Rise to the Dirty Challenge

SWIPE THESE…

03 N U M B E R

Use numbers (they catch the eye)

7 Reasons You’ll Be Sorry You Missed This Event

SWIPE THESE…

03 N U M B E R

Ask Questions

Are you crazy enough?

Are you coming to the biggest party?

Are you ready to try the newest run on the block?

SWIPE THESE…

03 N U M B E R

FREE TOOL www.aminstitute.com/headline

ARE YOU COMING TO

THE BIGGEST PARTY

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

C O M P L E M E N T A R Y R E G I S T R A T I O N

T O R O C K ’ N ’ R O L L M O N T R E A L

T H E R E ’ S M O R E

"Exclusive [EVENT] Discount" scores about 80% “[EVENT] Discount" scores about 75% “[EVENT] Coupon Code" also scored about 75% "Time is running out to save $25 on [EVENT]" scores 45.45% "Run with [NONPROFIT] in the [EVENT]" scores 44.44% "$25 off your [EVENT] registration" scores 33.33% "Crowds are cheering and you're saving lives" only scores 28.57%

03 N U M B E R

Spend time writing killer captions too

Captions under images are read on average 300%

more than the body copy itself

Social proof 04 N U M B E R

Trust logos

Testimonials

“As seen in”

Everyone else is doing it

Star Ratings & Ratings (Amazon)

TRUST LOGOS 67% cart abandon rate (ouch)

TRUST LOGOS

http://monetizepros.com/ecommerce/5-trust-badges-that-can-increase-your-conversion-rate/

TESTIMONIAL

AS SEEN IN

EVERYBODY ELSE

IS DOING IT

Urgency and scarcity 05 N U M B E R

WE ALL WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE

H U M A N N A T U R E

URGENCY “Registration Ends Tonight”

SCARCITY

EXAMPLES

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS …

ALMOST SOLD OUT

ONLY 50 SPACES LEFT

FREE REGISTRATION ENDS …

TEAM DISCOUNT

BOGO

50% OFF

PRICES INCREASES ON…

Reduce friction 06 N U M B E R

Overcome objections

Edit non-essential copy

Make it easy to scan (headlines, images, captions)

Easy Button

EXAMPLE

Worried About the Fundraising Minimum?

Even if you’ve never fundraised before, we can help you hit your goal Using our tools and coaching, our 2014 runners, on average, raised $1,900 each, almost double the required $1,000 minimum

We give you a fundraising calendar, a personal fundraising page, email copy, and social media posts that are tested winners

EXAMPLE

What if I’ve never run a marathon before?

Our coach gives you a training calendar, running tips, injury prevention tips, and nutrition guidance from day one to marathon day! We meet with you the day before your marathon to give you step-by-step advice on how to have your best marathon When you stand in your start corral the crisp morning of your marathon, you’ll have your marathon plan memorized so there will be no surprises, no fear, and you’ll have enough energy to cross that finish line to the cheer of crowds 42 km later.

Active call-to-action 07 N U M B E R

THE DAYS OF “REGISTER” AND “SUBMIT” ARE GONE

I ' M S A Y I N G

“THE ONLY WAY IN”

USE A VERB TO GET

MORE CLICKS

Check it out

Make your friends jealous

Reserve your spot today

Come hang with us

Join now

Discover yourself

Write to an 8th grade level 08

N U M B E R

Research out of Princeton

Using big “high-falutin” words actually hurts your credibility

There’s more…

08 N U M B E R

Big complex copy hurts your conversion rates too

Be sure to test your landing page

Big words slow readers down and make them pause…

You can grade your copy…

08 N U M B E R

W W W . P E R R Y M A R S H A L . C O M / G R A D E

W W W . P E R R Y M A R S H A L . C O M / G R A D E

The one sentence that will change your fundraising forever

09 N U M B E R

Your participants will love you (and be better fundraisers)

09 N U M B E R

IT IS

We *donor and organization together* help *beneficiary* + *benefit*

YOU MIGHT NEED A FEATURE

We *donor and organization together* help *beneficiary* + *benefit*

+ *feature*

EXAMPLE

Your generous support helps low income children get into

college because they have access to personal tutoring

EXAMPLE

Together we make sure that a loving couple actually get the chance to be

parents with infertility treatments and support.

EXAMPLE

Because of your support we help at-risk kids have fun, get better grades, and stay

out of trouble by connecting kids with pre-screened adult mentors that are a positive role model at a pivotal time in their lives.

Make your copy about your reader

Use emotion

Attention-grabbing headlines

Provide social proof

Urgency and scarcity

Reduce friction communicating an “easy button” approach

Active calls-to-action

Write to an 8th grade level

One sentence will change your fundraising forever

Your Genius Copy Writing Check List

Emotional Value Analyzer

The Science of Social Proof

Perry Marshall Readability

Viral Emotions Study

One sentence that will change your fundraising forever

genius tools

genius tools

Questions and Answers

www.MandyONeill.net