How to sell anything with copy

Selling can be easy.

Yes, you read that right. Selling can be easy.

If you do not agree completely, let me show you why and how you can say the same with confidence – and make a killing in the process. At the end of this article, you will know how to sell anything with copy.

Why selling is considered hard

Selling, whether online or offline, is often seen as something hard to do. Yet, more products and services are being sold now than ever before.

Why is that?

Because human beings buy what they want. And we have never wanted things more than we do now.

Especially with social media. Influencers can create “wants” out of thin air by simply filming themselves at home with these awesome new limited edition Nikes.

But it’s not only about the influencers. People make a killing everyday from content and profitable ads, whether on Faceook, Google, Youtube, Quora, email marketing, your own blog or anywhere else peddling some “wants”.

So why is selling considered hard anyways? How can it possibly be even easier than a couple clicks from the comfort of your living room?

Because context. That’s why.

By creating a fertile context, you have the power to create a want even if no one knows who you are.

Like an influencer, there are levers that you can pull that will position you as an authority that people should listen to.

To figure out what creates this fertile context for sales and how you can use it even if no one knows you, let’s dig a bit deeper.

What makes people buy

People buy what they want. Period.

Even though you may want to sell useful things, the fact of the matter is that if the useful thing is not what your audience wants, it won’t sell.

Here are a couple of examples:

• You don’t buy a drill because you need it, you buy a drill because it can drill a hole, which will enable you to hang the family picture your significant other has been bothering you with for the past 6 months.
• You don’t buy a car because you need a car. You buy a car so you can get to your job reliably every morning on time, so you can get paid, not get yelled at by your boss for being late and afford that sweet vacation you are looking forward to with your SO.
• You don’t join an MLM because you need to sell supplements or soap to your familly. You join the damn thing because you want what they sell you: A dream of quick wealth and power.
• You don’t get a website done because you need to. You get one because you want to make more money by accessing web traffic – or maybe it’s simply to caress your ego – I’ve seen it done both ways. Both are legitimate wants.
• You don’t need Gucci shoes. You want em because you find them cool and it will open conversations with strangers, potential mates or other sneaker heads, thus increasing your social status.
• You don’t need a toaster. You want a toaster so you can get a tasty reliable breakfast every morning in 2 minutes flat without having to think about it.
• You dont need a new sick tattoo. You want a tattoo because it let’s you express your deepest thoughts and interests publicly to the world, fit in with your beliefs and connect with other tattoo lovers.
• You don’t need 18-inch arms and six pack abs. You want em because you will feel good about being dedicated to your image of what fitness and dedication is. It let’s you show the world how you think and fit in with other like-minded people and possibly attract a mate (or a one night).

And if you are like me and genuinely want to help people, please note that you have to sell people what they want. Never try to sell them what they need. You will however be able to include what they need in your solution.

Win-win.

How to sell anything

So if you want to be able to sell anything, you need to first dig deep on who your target person is.

In other words, what are his/her:

• Interests
• Desires
• Fears
• Frustrations
• Feelings
• Thoughts
• Experiences

By knowing these, you will then be able to know exactly what will turn this person on and get him or her in an excited mood. Or in other words, ready to buy.

Then, you will need to communicate this information to your prospect. This is copy’s job.

How to write copy that sells anything

Now, let’s put it into writing.

Good communication = sales.

[What makes people buy] + [pursuasion] + [distribution channel] = [effective selling]

The distribution channel can be seen as the medium of communication, like video or text. It doesn’t matter. This post is about writing it, so text in our case.

It’s what makes direct response marketing so effective.

Whatever the medium you are writing copy for, here are rules to follow to maximize your results.

• Mention the person targeted (ex. Are you a gamer in his 30s that’s been struggling with back pain for years? The goal here is for the person to be able to lift his/her hand up and say “Yes, that’s me!”.)
• Mention a problem including their deepest fears (ex. 75% of gamers in their 30s struggle with chronic back pain and never get rid of it. Even worse, the problem tends to worsen and in some cases forces the individual to be bed-bound when not addressed within the first year.)
• Propose an alternative that excludes their biggest fears (ex. Now, imagine if you could kiss back pain goodbye for good and live a fulfilled life without costly clinic visits and risky surgeries, without even leaving the room you are in right now.)
• Propose a solution that debunks their objections (ex. Fortunately, our super saiyan back pain exercises require no specific equipment and have been proven to decrease your back pain by over 80% in only 4 weeks with only 10 minutes a day! And it costs less than a McDonald’s meal, too.)

This method is called the Before-After-Bridge.

The gist of it is to connect to the conversation happening right now inside their head (before) and paint a vivid picture of what their life could be (after) with your unique solution (bridge).

Obviously, the structure of your text will vary based on your medium of communication, but the basics covered above will remain effective.

Conclusion

To write effective copy and be able to sell anything, sell what the person wants with pursuasive copy. This includes tuning into the conversation they currently have in their head. Connect with their pain points, paint a clear and compelling picture of what their situation could be with your solution and offer a solution that satisfies their objections.

Happy selling!