>> The Secret of Success is Sincerity
Do you think that sounds disgustingly cynical?
But cynicism is much under-rated.
Did you know that Jesus Christ was a great cynic?
If you haven’t heard the story here it is.
He was brought a woman “caught in adultery”.
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law of Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. What do you say?”
When they continued to ask him he said “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”
When you try to persuade people to do what you want, they are ALL cynics.
Every day they are bombarded with selling messages. Online. On posters. In commercials. Slogans. Never ending. Many plain flat-out lies.
And they become immensely cynical
How, then, do you convince people you’re sincere? You must.
If people don’t believe you they won’t trust you, and if they don’t trust you they won’t do what you want them to.
The secret is empathy. You must imagine you are the person you’re writing to. And if so how would you feel?
(I’m assuming you’re writing on behalf of a client and not yourself – I guess you know how credible you are!)
Before you write a word think carefully about who you’re supposed to be and if you sound genuine or not.
Whenever a thought jumps out of the treasury that is my subconscious I dictate it immediately into my phone, as I did with this, walking down Cotham Brow in Bristol.
Then Kelly, my manager, transcribes my mumblings and sends them back to me.
(I always ask if she thinks what I’ve come up with is any good.)
Then I edit what I’ve pumped out into a rough draft. And I usually re-edit at least three times.
I particularly focus on four parts of the copy.
1. The start, especially the heading. If you don’t seize attention, you’re dead.
2. The end – and the urge to action. That is what you want. Forget all the content bilge about not trying to get a reply.
(Never write without asking people to do something. It’s like travelling with no destination).
3. Whether it seems to flow logically without straying and losing readers.
4. Does it sound like someone talking to you? Does it seem real and authentic?
If you look at most of the messages you get of one kind or another – they lack authenticity. Authentic means credible. And credibility is the heart of persuasion.
Copy fails because not enough thought has been put into it. No consideration of who the writer is supposed to be or who they are addressing.
If you’re not getting the results you want then perhaps this is one thing that’s at fault.
Who is signing your messages? Is the person appropriate to the situation? Is it someone the prospects will listen to and believe? I am currently trying to persuade a client their signatory should be a woman, not a man.
All of these things are vital when writing your copy.
If you want clear and precise instructions on how to do this well you can’t go wrong with “How to Write Sales Letters that Sell”.
Why don’t you grab a copy? Choose the PDF, or the limited edition, signed paperback.
Best,
Drayton
