Hypnotic Writing Continued…

“Hypnotic writing requires relentless fine-tuning. Fidget with words and phrases and sentences until each line kills. Every line has to work to keep the reader sucked in and reading on.”

– Joe Vitale, Hypnotic Writing, How to Seduce and Persuade Customers Using Only Your Words

I’ve said the above before in several different ways. But remember this: the fine-tuning begins after your first draft has been laid down. If you try to fine-tune as you go along (unless you’re already an ace copywriter) you’ll get mired in second-guessing yourself. Next thing you know, your Muse will have gone AWOL. You’ll stop listening for what’s vital because your brain will be married to the mundane.

So first–always–get your Ideal Client uppermost in mind. Know his or her specific problem, pain or predicament; the one that you know how to solve with your product, service, cause or wisdom.

Make a bullet list of what you need to say and what you want your Ideal Client to do when they’ve finished reading what you’re going to write.

Then…and only then…

Get in your wordsmith sandbox and play. Send your inner critic to Siberia. Your inner teacher knows the rules well enough already if you went through grade and middle school without crashing and burning.

(To be sure, your inner teacher might shriek when you start a sentence with and or but or so or because. Let her shriek–just ignore her. You know stuff about copy writing that she was never taught, if you’ve read any of the many copy writing books I’ve recommended along the way.)

Imagine you’re writing a letter to a dear friend whose problem you can solve. Write using the same words you’d use to speak to him or her.

Don’t write to impress; write to express. 

Don’t write to sell; write to compel.

Don’t write words that make you a pest; write words that invite your reader to manifest  (to cause to appear in visible form) what he or she wants or needs that you can provide!

If you do this right, your target audience will feel like you’re sitting across a table from them (one-to-one) with the intent to bless them.  They’ll feel understood, respected, beloved, and safe. They’ll feel like doing what you want them to do: trust you and work with you. They’ll want to answer your call to engage.

No one likes to be sold to, but everyone likes to buy solutions to their pains, problems and predicaments so they can get back on an even keel and enjoy life again.

And be sure to cast the spotlight on the benefits of what you offer, not the features.

“Pain-free living…”

“Stress-free vacation…”

“More time for family and friends…”

“Worry-free child care…”

You get the idea.

 

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