I Could Tell You the Secret to Writing Great Ad Copy That Sells…
But Then I’d Have to Kill You!

Well, maybe just maim you.

Bust a leg or something. Nothing life threatening.

You say you don’t care?

Just give it to you?

Ok, here it is.

Wait for it.

Wait for it.

There, you just experienced the number one secret to writing good copy.

The job of the headline is to get you to read the sub headline. The job of the sub headline is to get you to read the first sentence. The job of the first sentence is to get you to read the second sentence. Repeat until done.

In short, every sentence in your copy needs to work its butt off to get you to read the next one. That’s it. That’s their job. And that’s the secret.

Here’s an example:

I Woke Up This Morning and Noticed
My Ass Was Missing!

Not my “ass-ass” I mean my donkey.
But who would steal a donkey?

It wasn’t always this way. There was a time when a man could park his donkey and not have to worry about some punk taking it for a joyride and crashing it into a fence. Sadly, those days are gone. That’s why I invented the DonkeyLock.

I could string you along forever if I just kept baiting you. Bet you’re wonder how the DonkeyLock works right now.

So why did this work? Let’s break it down.

HEADLINE: I Woke Up This Morning and Noticed My Ass Was Missing

This is a startling opening line. How could your ass be missing? There is no way I’m going to stop reading now. Please tell me more!

SUBHEAD: Not my “ass-ass” I mean my donkey. But who would steal a donkey?

Ahhh, now I get it. Funny! But wait, it still want to know more. Why do you have a donkey and who would steal it? Now I’m really interested.

FIRST SENTENCE: It wasn’t always this way.

Ahhh, a broad statement that allows me to project my own memories into the story. Yes, I agree, it wasn’t always this way. But what has changed?

SECOND SENTENCE: There was a time when a man could park his donkey and not have to worry about some punk taking it for a joyride and crashing it into a fence.

True that! I can totally relate to what you are saying and it validates my own feelings and anxiety about a world that is constantly changing.

THIRD SENTENCE: Sadly, those days are gone.

Boy, I miss those days. Sigh.

FOURTH SENTENCE: That’s why I invented the DonkeyLock.

Wow! The DonkeyLock! There is hope after all. I don’t have to be a victim and just accept things the way they are. But how does it work?

Good copy takes you on a journey. Every sentence sets up the next. You evoke a memory, a question or an opinion in the reader and then you answer it. It should be pleasurable to read. If it’s a chore, it’s time for a rewrite. It may only be one sentence that brings the ad to a halt or an entire paragraph. Either way it must go.

Good Copy Earns Its Keep

When copy is good it does two things:

1. It quickly prescreens you customers.

Someone should not have to trudge through a thousand words of prose to figure out if what you’re offering is right for them. They should figure it out in the first couple of sentences.

2. It elicits a response.

Could be picking up the phone and calling 1-800- blah, blah, blah, right now. Maybe it’s filling out a form or “clicking here” for more information. Sometimes you’re just looking for a good laugh or a spark of recognition. That ah-ha moment.

The Parallel Story is The Key

Good ad copy engages the reader’s internal dialog. When they read it they will be creating a parallel story in their mind. We experience this daily. When we hear a particularly galling speech by a clueless politician we create a parallel story in our minds as we listen; “I can’t believe he just said… that’s not true..has he no shame?” When we read an informative article that interests us we do the same; “wow, I didn’t know that…perhaps I should try that as well…what a clever idea!”

And if I just did my job, you’re probably reflecting on your own behavior right now, finding that what I just wrote resonates with your own personal experience, and are now eager to read a bit more.

But unfortunately we are done. I could go on, but I think you got it.

So go forth and engage your readers, make every sentence justify its existence, and then sell a bunch of stuff. Yipeee!

File Under: How to Write Great Ad Copy – Copywriting Tips - Writing Killer Ad Copy - Copy that Sells – Writing for the Web