Write to Sell

At my first job as a Communications Assistant, one of the first things asked from me was to read a Copywriting book called 'Write to Sell', written by Andy Maslen. It was my introduction to the world of copywriting, and unlike most textbooks, this book was precise, to the point, informative and extremely interesting. I also attended a Copywriting course by Andy, which further aided my learning.

Over the years I keep this two-page document which I make sure is in front of me whenever I deal with Content Marketing. I have now decided to impart this wisdom to you, although I strongly suggest you read this book.

Download the cheat sheet here: Write to Sell

Write Right

The style of all communications should represent confidence. Everything we write must include appeal, exclusivity, credibility – and specificity.

AIDCA

• Attention – grab your reader and don’t let them go
• Interest – what is your reader interested in?
• Desire – Make them want it. Make it sound irresistible
• Conviction – Can you allay their fears/overcome their doubt?
• Action – tell them what you want them to do

The Reader

• Write to an individual, not an audience
• Mention Benefits, not Features. E.g. “Tallest building in the world” vs “You’ll be able to see all of Delhi from up there” 
• Pre-empt objections with benefits over features
• “Yes, but…”
• “What if…?”
• “So what?”
• “What’s in it for me?”
• “You would say that"

Style

• Low register – use only words and sentence that add value. The Economist is one such example of how to use words sparingly. It is correct because only the right words are used.
• Contractions, e.g. “can’t” and “we’ll” – text becomes more conversational
• “You” is the magic word
• Always avoid writing in passive tense. E.g. Active: “We wrote a report” instead of “the report was written by us” – 50% decrease in words
• Cut down long word. E.g. “We specialize…” instead of “Our specialization…” and use one-syllable power words – “budget cuts” instead of “funding restrictions”

Editing

• Read copy aloud.
• Identify the first line that delivers a benefit, and hack everything away before it.
• Layout is one of the first things the reader will look at – make it look easy. Use subheadings to outline the story.
• Paragraphs should be broken in the ‘wrong’ place, to entice the reader to continue reading. End paragraphs with teasers, especially when text goes onto the next page.

Readability statistics targets

• Passive sentences – 0%
• Flesch Reading Ease – above 60 (plain English)
• Flesch – Kincaid Grade Level – add five to gain the reading age of your writing. Aim for 12 years (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of 7) or lower!

Download the free document here!