I wasn’t going to publish this today. I actually had another entire post (almost) ready to go. But then I started asking myself what it is YOU guys really want to know.

And I was reminded of the answers on a survey I sent out into the universe a few months back that was all about your copy woes.

There were definitely some interesting results. But by far the most eyebrow-raising were the answers to the question about YOUR BIGGEST COPYWRITING FEAR.

Wanna know what it was?

Your #1 copywriting fear was sounding SLEAZY to your potential customers.

Yup.
Not totally missing the mark & launching to crickets. (Though that was a fear.) Not sounding like somebody else (That was, too).

You just really didn’t want your customers to think you were a slimy marketer!

Now. Don’t get me wrong: I get it. I work with so many just insanely talented lady entrepreneurs who are seriously repelled by the thought of marketing – and terrified to promote themselves in any way, shape or form.

No heart-centered entrepreneur wants to feel like a money-grubbing loser out to steal from people.

Well let me first address that by saying:

You are clearly NOT a money-grubbing loser out to steal people’s money so you can knock that off right now, young lady.

I (and you) both know you’re only selling to better the freaking world (and because ya gotta eat, and y’know, maybe take a vacation or ten).

Now, moving on. Today I want to challenge you to think about this marketing schtick a little differently. (You are an outside-the-box thinker, after all, aren’t you?)

Wanna know why there are hundreds of books out there on copywriting principles? List & lists of done-for-you headlines guaranteed to make customers click? And oodles of step-by-step instructions for writing sales letters that rake in the dough?

Because there are certain marketing principles that JUST WORK.

Humans (and our big ol’ brains) operate in pretty predictable ways, and the copywriting greats have discovered exactly what motivates people to buy – time & time again. Simple as that.

I know what you may be thinking. Well, I’m not a sucker for all that hype-y, sales-y, over-the-top market-y stuff – and neither are my customers.

And to that I say: Girl, I know you can’t tell me you’ve never wanted to buy something off an infomercial! *insert wink face here and actually I love my Nina blender, thank-you-very-much*

No but seriously. Just for a second I want you to reconsider the way you feel about using “generic” or “proven” marketing tactics in your copy.

What if you reframed it like this?

The marketing tactics grab their attention. But the value of your (heart-centered/world-changing/life-revamping) offering keeps it there.

I wholeheartedly believe that there are certain tactics that effortlessly turn words into dollars. In fact, I know there are.

So let me ask you: Does it make me a money-grubbing loser out to steal people’s money if I use said “tactics” in my copy – especially when my offering is something I find truly valuable & helpful to others?

Maybe you think it does. And that’s your prerogative. (Cue 80s song here & hat tip to Bobby Brown.)

I, for one, think there’s no way that spreading positivity, no matter how you do it, could be wrong.

‘Cause yanno what using proven, old school marketing tactics really means?
It means more eyes on your stuff.
Which means more money in your pocket, sure.
But the biggest benefit? It means you’re being helpful to a helluva lot more people

So my advice? Use all the tactics & templates & ‘tricks’ you want – because they work and no entrepreneur should have to reinvent the wheel every time they sit down to write sales copy. (I’m fairly sure nobody should ever have to reinvent the wheel. That’s some serious mind-bending shizz right there.)

Use them in a way that focuses on pleasure instead of pain.
Use them in a way that conveys that you’re adding value to the world, not taking it from other people.

But more importantly use them because the world needs what you got, girl. And the more attention you garner with your irresistible headlines and hypnotic writing? The better chance you have at reaching someone who can benefit from what you’re putting out there. #troof

P.S. If this all sounds like gibberish to you, I have two copywriting spots open for the rest of 2013. Let me take this off your plate & just do it for you. Sound like a plan, girlfran?

Your Turn! ♥

How do you feel about implementing proven marketing tactics into your copy? Are you terrified to use what you know about consumer psychology to spice up your sales pages, or are you totally down with peppering your prose with whatever works to make the sale because your offer is just that KICK ASS?
Tell us in the comments!