So, I’m in my Week 2 diving into CXL Institute’s Conversion Rate Optimization Program. Last week, I got into the foundations of CRO and Conversion Copywriting.
This week I got more into the nitty-gritty with Product Messaging and Persuasion.
And I think these are some of the most exciting copywriting lessons I’ve ever learned in copywriting.
Shall we start?
Product Messaging
Momoko Price, an established conversion copywriter, was my instructor for this course.
As an ecom copywriter, I find her course so informative and super organized. I mean, she has these detailed spreadsheets that would be a lifesaver when you’re crunching for time.
How to Conduct A Copy “Teardown”
This is when you dissect your sales page copy to see if they follow certain elements.
In this copy teardown, Momoko uses three (3) teardown elements to help you to increase conversions.
MecLab’s Heuristic Formula
First, we have MecLab’s Conversion Sequence Heuristic Formula which goes:
C = 4M + 3V + 2(I-F) – 2A
This formula shows that the probability of conversion (C) depends on the site visitor’s motivation (M), strength of the value proposition (V), friction (F) and anxiety(A) preventing them from taking action and the incentive(I) to counteract these negative factors.
Motivation, which is the factor you can’t control, focuses on desired outcomes, pain points/ problems, and purchase prompts.
Next, we have the value proposition which means your product’s unique benefits and attractive features. Then incentives are those things you offer to sweeten the deal like free shipping or bonuses while friction is how hard it is to get where you want to get.
Lastly, anxiety are the visitor’s objections, risks, and uncertainties.
Cialdini’s 7 Principles of Influence
Next, she applies Cialdini’s 7 principles of influence.
- Social proof
Your reviews and testimonials matter for people to trust your products
- Authority
When people see your brand as an authority, they will trust you. So make sure to highlight celebrities or specific experts to support your brand
- Liking
When your brand is likable, people will keep going back.
- Scarcity
When something is scarce, the more people want it. It’s because they don’t want to lose the chance to change their lives.
- Reciprocity
When you do something for your customer, they have a tendency to give something back. So if you give something of value, they’re likely to respond when you ask them to take action.
- Unity
This is the “us against them” where you make the customer feel like you’re rallying against something together. It can be anything from climate change to fast food to stigmas.
Claude Hopkin’s Scientific Advertising
Lastly, we have a pioneer in advertising, Claude Hopkins. He has 4 rules:
- Be specific
Persuasive is clear and explicit. You can’t sell products if people don’t understand what it is and what it can do for them. Also, with any claims, you need to tell them the details or else you’d sound like any other product out there.
2. Offer service
The best-performing ads are those that don’t ask people to buy but offer something like useful information or a sample for users to consume.
3. Tell the full story
Don’t worry about the length. Tell them what happens after. Counteract risks with guarantees if needed. Don’t leave your customers nurturing their anxieties and doubts about your products.
4. Be a sales(wo)man
Ask yourself, “Will this ad help me sell more of my products?”
Message Mining
Another important process to nail your product messaging is mining messages from your customers.
Use surveys/poll, one-on-one interviews, and remote user tests to make more compelling and persuasive sales copy.
I think my best takeaway from this lesson is to make sure to make 2 different questions for different audiences.
This means that you need to have a separate set of questions for those who are checking out your site (site visitors) and those who are already paying customers.
Make sure though that the pop-up survey for site visitors appears not immediately as they land on your site but about 5-9 secs.
What are the surveys for?
Well, the site visitor’s survey can show pain points, purchase prompts, and anxieties. On the other hand, the customer poll can show some ‘aha’ moments, desirable outcomes, and unique benefits they got from the product.
Unique Value Proposition
Your product/brand’s UVP answers the question “ Why should I buy from you and not anybody else?” Essentially, it’s giving people a reason to buy from you instead of your competitors.
What makes you different?
Think of your prospective customer as a skeptical person asking, “So what?” and then “Okay prove it.”
To do this you need to understand which specific product features either addresses a pain point or leads to a desirable outcome for your customer.
Message Hierarchies
This lesson emphasizes how stories are vital to selling. Your sales copy needs to have a story-based framework.
First, there’s the setting or context. You do this by letting the people know who, what, and why (UVP).
Next, the rising action or intensity. Here you share the features, benefits, proof, and how it works. Let them try.
Also part of this would be to address their uncertainties and perceived objections to buying
Then, we have the call-to-action (CTA) at the peak. Be sure to give the payoff.
Lastly, there’s the falling action. Here the customer completes the transaction and you need to take care of them post-conversion.
Now, another relevant question is “ How does your customer’s level of awareness” impact the length of your story or copy?”
I learned that the more aware your audience is about your product, the shorter the copy needs to be. In short, get out of their way.
But if your audience is not yet aware of your products, then you need to use a longer story or copy to reel them in and get them to buy.
Week 2 Final thoughts
What did I love about the lessons this week? I enjoyed Momoko’s practical copywriting insights, templates, and worksheets.
I think this is a must-have course for anybody who wants to go into copywriting. Next week, I’ll probably be sharing about People and Psychology, Social Proof, and Neuromarketing.
Stay tuned!
