Seriously — What Does “Copy” Mean in Marketing?

Tuesday, 4:05pm
Reno, NV
“How does copy fit into my biz?”

Howdy.

I get a TON of questions about how copy “fits” into marketing these days.

Especially now, with Artificial Intelligence spitting out emails and content and social media slop like it’s giving away candy.

And it’s not rocket science. (Or even AI science.)

Copy, or copywriting, or anything done by a writer (or even someone trying to write for the first time)…

… is simply a kind of “translation” of a sales pitch. Think of an ad — your ad, your competition’s ad, or just any ad you see in any kind of media — as a tiny little salesman, wandering through the digital and physical marketing worlds eagerly spreading the message that the writer created. Buy this, sample that, go check this site out, come see what all the fuss is about over here.

It’s a very precise form of persuasion. You take your average warm-to-hot prospect — a person who would probably buy what you’re selling, if only they knew it existed — and you present your message to them in the most friendly, informative, persuasive way. So that, no matter how bored, or skeptical, or fearful of being taken advantage they are… and the average prospect is all of these things, all the time… your message nevertheless breaks through the “noise” out there (from all the distractions of modern life) and gives them an opportunity to make their life a little (or a lot) better by knowing about what you offer. And that opportunity includes the option to buy now, and have that wondrous goodie in their hands very, very soon.

And that’s all I’ve been trying to teach entrepreneurs and freelancers and biz owners: It’s not difficult to take a good sales message, and write it out as an ad, or letter, or social media post, or video, or whatever…

… in a way that convinces your prospect to at least think seriously about buying in.

And, depending on how skeptical or suspicious or stubborn your prospect is… you also have a very deep “tool kit” to use to increase the odds they will actually pay attention…

… or even buy now.

Tools (and tactics and secrets and strategies) like helping them realize what a bargain this offer is. Or how limited the supply is, for real, and how sad they’ll be if they miss out on this special deal. Or what an awesome bonus comes along with the purchase… oh! And how there’s absolutely zero risk on their part, cuz you’re guaranteeing the purchase 100%… and look here at all the other people who bought earlier, and how happy and pleased they are that they paid attention and acted right away to get this deal. And…

Oh, there’s a lot more to this tool kit that all top copywriters possess.

And they possess it because they learn all about it from mentors like me. This very blog is crammed with tools, and tactics, and secrets, and strategies that will boost your ability to write sales messages that get attention, and persuade, and get your best possible prospects to become paying customers. And there’s over 20 years of FREE posts here going deep into the magic of making sales and bringing home the Big Bucks.

Over and over and over again.

Once you’ve written out your sales message, you can send it out like a little salesman everywhere you believe those hot prospects are hiding.

And that’s how direct response advertising works.

It really is just this simple.

So, while AI can help you with SOME of this…

… the truth is, all markets still require a human being to keep your sales message on target. And full of the human-to-human stuff that separates a damn good sales expert from a machine.

You have to know what great copy looks like (and feels like when you’re devouring it) before you can run off and start letting robots handle the most important part of your biz — getting sales. (And making them stick, and having back ends to double the profit, and knowing how to nurture prospects so they become eager repeat buyers and happily spread the word to their friends and colleagues about your awesome stuff.)

Copy is the lifeblood of great marketing. Without it, the sales message doesn’t go out to anyone.

So, yes — it’s very strange that biz owners and entrepreneurs and freelancers still have to ask “How does copy fit into marketing?”

Just be happy you’ll never have to ask that question ever again. Cuz now you know.

So go out and make some sales, okay?

Stay frosty,

John