How to Start Your Copy When You Don't Know Where to Start

The empty page mocks.

The thoughts of rejection loom.

The pain of failure envelopes.

And even though you know your product and you know your client…

The fear that you will get the copy wrong, sending the wrong message to the reader, having them, then, decide not to take the action you want them to take grips your heart.

So nothing comes.

No words.

Definitely no emotions.

And guess what…

Neither can any sale at all.

Copy feels more difficult than it is because it is an art form all its own.

And just like standing in the craft store, trying to find the right brushes for a painting, you stare blankly at a wall of choices that feels about 10 feet taller than you are, making no choice at all.

Part of that might be because we know if we don’t choose the right brush, the painting we want to create won’t look the way we want it to.

Another part of it could be that we are such perfectionists that if we believe we might not get it totally right, then we might as well not attempt it at all.

While copy is art, it’s also VERY forgiving.

As long as you tap into the right emotions, you can get the words “wrong”.

What does your reader want to feel? What emotions drive them to say yes? As long as you know those, you can write the emotions with a lot less frustration.

But you can’t guess.

You have to really know, from data (if not your own, your competitions!), if they are motivated to read and take action through fear or hope.

Through joy or sorrow.

Everyone is different.

Everyone has their own buttons...their own combination to unlock the emotions they are looking for.

And once you uncover that, that’s how you start.

That’s how you keep the page from being blank. From your fears keeping you from writing something...anything.

Yes, there are components and formulas that make copy work for just about anyone or any product.

But before any of that, you have to have the right emotions. If you can put those down, the rest is forgivable.

KEY EMOTIONS

Belonging
Will they be a part of something bigger than they are? Are there others who are doing the same thing? Think grassroots movements, activism, country clubs, exclusive memberships

Status
Will people look at them and wish they were them? Will people automatically assume they are elite or part of a prestigious organization? While this emotion does share some ties with “Belonging”, they are not fully the same. Think “only members will…”, fashion labels, high end cars, exclusive boutiques, etc.

Joy
Do they only invest in products and services that will bring them true happiness? What does bring them joy? Their families? Travel? Having the corner office?

Fear/Pain
”If you don’t buy this now, your life will be in ruin.” “Without this in your life, your spouse will never find you attractive again.” Etc. You get the idea. Fear is a very effective way to sell. But you have to use it wisely.

Hope
What are their dreams? What do they want for themselves? For their family? Most service-based businesses, especially coaching, do really well with “Hope” as a driving emotion…but it should be coupled with the next bullet to be effective.

Safe
”Money-back guarantee.” “Customer service is standing by to help you 24/7.” “Not sure it’s right for you? Take it for a 24 hour test-drive.” Sometimes all people need to feel is safe in order to say yes.

New
If you have a brand new process (and you should, if you don’t), this is often a great way to get the attention of your ideal client. Coupled with “Safe”? You’ll tap into excitement that will help them say yes quickly.

Ease of Use
Is the program hard? How are you going to help them remove obstacles? What are the obstacles that will make them say no?? Think: “So easy, a 6-year old can do it”, “No equipment to buy”, “No expensive membership fees to pay”.

These are just a few of the most prominent ways you can get your reader’s attention so you can pour your conviction into your copy. So if you’re finding yourself stuck for words, tap into the ones that you know will resonate and hit the ground, running. You’re going to edit it, so don’t sweat the details until you need to. Because effective copy is not written, it’s crafted.

Examples:

***“New”, “the only equipment you need - is you” - speaks to the emotions of new and ease of use.***

***“Find your Centr with Chris Hemsworth”, “celebrity chefs” speak to status. belonging.***

As you can tell in these two examples, rarely does copy ever speak to ONE emotion. Every phrase elicits it’s own, so you’ll craft new emotions as your readers read. But the main one(s) your reader needs to read are the ones you want to focus on.

So, when you find yourself at that point where you don’t know how to start or what to say, recall your reader and their triggering emotions. Start there. Allow your heart to intermingle with theirs.

Then edit the fuck out of whatever you’ve put on the page.

If you can’t have your copy crafted for you or you can’t be a part of a critique service that will point out what needs to be fixed in the copy, then you can start with the foundation of connection and allow your conviction to speak for itself until you’re ready for help optimizing for maximum sales.

And, hey, if you want to just come out and chat up copy to learn as we have trainings and conversations about copy, come hang out in the Copy Arena with us!