Business

Writing copy is something like printing money. The big di� erence? Unless you are doing so on behalf of the government, printing money is probably not a bright idea. That’s why the Secret Service was created back in 1865! (The Secret Service’s mission of protecting the U.S. presi-dent came later.)

But when you think about it, copywriting is a pretty close, legal second. When you write persuasive copy, you are performing a sales function: you are bringing a potential buyer ever closer to opening his/her billfold or pocketbook to give you money in exchange for what you are o� ering.

Essentially, copywriting is a highly leveraged form of selling. Because once you write the text, you can, as the expression goes, rinse, wash, and repeat. Time and time again you get the use of the copy that was writ-ten. It repeatedly does the magic of helping prequalify the buyer, leading them toward the close of the sale without demanding any more time and energy from you. Once it’s written and out there, it’s a workhorse, bring-ing in new client after new client.

Most businesses fail to understand just how important well-written copy is. While they may spend money on a fl ashy (oops, “sophisticated”) advertisement, do they really understand what motivates their potential client to take action and buy from them when inaction is so much simpler and costs less?

Your clients and potential clients have made many mistakes during their life-times. Their unspoken fear is, “Will taking this action be something I will regret in the future?” If you don’t answer that question for them satisfactorily and as soon as possi-ble, hesitancy will keep them from spending their money with you — even if it is to their tremendous benefi t to do so!

Here are fi ve steps you can take to improve your ability to close business with both potential and current clients:

1. CLONE YOUR CLIENTSRemember Dolly the sheep clone? While

you may not be able to clone your clients just that way, it’s important to remember that most of your clients share certain simi-larities. This means that they have the same issues, are probably of similar upbring-ing and/or are employed in a similar line of work. Writing with that client “sample” in mind will make your copy attractive to all the others who are looking for the solution to a similar problem.

2. DECIPHER THE TRWNThere are three main hesitations that stop your potential customer,

donor, supplier, or whomever else from dealing with you. What are the TRWN — the  Three  Reasons  Why  Not, that account for the majority of reasons people don’t buy from you? Getting those answers clear and attacking those objections before they even arise will enable you to close many more deals.

3. WRITE THE WAY YOU SPEAKThis column is written that way as well. It’s as if I’m speaking to you

directly. The words fl ow smoothly and are not edited in the way that may look better in writing but that tells the brain “you are now reading something in print.” Besides for seeing the words on the page, you can actually hear them. Writing this way engages the prospective clients. By involving more of their senses, you motivate them and give them a higher comfort level about working with you and your business.

4. GIVE THEM OWNERSHIP NOWEver wonder why car dealers sometimes o� er to let you “take the

car home for the night”? It’s because it gives you a sense of ownership of the new car, making you begin to see it as your own. People’s fear of

loss has more meaning to them then potential gain. Once you feel something is yours, it becomes much harder to “give it up”…

5. BUILD A STORYBuilding a story in which the prospective clients

see themselves using your product or service and showing them how doing so makes them better o� makes it di� cult for them to “part” with your prod-uct or service — even if they haven’t seen it yet!

There are many very talented writers in our com-munity, and many of them get plenty of accolades for their talent and skills — and yet they don’t eke out much of a parnassah. Learning the di� erence between writing and copywriting can make the dif-ference between being paid by the word and being paid by the profi ts that your words can bring to your employers.

Clip this column and use it as a checklist of sorts the next time you send out any piece of marketing material. Just a couple small changes and a greater awareness can lead to a much stronger response. Do your hishtadlus and give it a try. Here’s to your suc-cess. — Hatzlachah!

Copywriting and TRWNThe most important business formula you’ve never come across

WHERE’$ the Money?

BY RABBI ISSAMAR GINZBERG

FEATURES28 Elul, 5774 // September 23, 201438