Use this Four-Step Formula to create Higher-Converting Copy with Jennifer Turner
Episode 529: Show Notes
Today our guest is Jennifer Turner, the founder of Gemini where she helps online business owners improve their copywriting and design to create higher conversion rates. Gemini is an online branding and education platform and Jennifer is the rare combination of a trained copywriter and designer! Their MO is unifying a business' voice in the copy and design to tell a stronger story. We love it! Today we will be focusing solely on the copy side of things and how to get your up to scratch!
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We are super excited for Jennifer to dive into her four-step formula for high converting copy and it is honestly one of the best formulas we have found in a long time! These kinds of frameworks can sometimes put you in a box or make you sound a bit robotic and this one is a really cool way to insert your story and your audience's story while coming up with something that gets your conversion rate all the way up! This can be used for freebies, opt-ins or paid services and programs, it can be applied in those areas just as effectively, that's how versatile it is, so get your notes ready and let's get into some strategy!
What is High-Converting Copy?
Jennifer believes anyone can write copy and that you do not have to be a serious writer, it is all about the tools, strategies, and techniques you use. This formula can do exactly that and help guide your writing and is pretty much foolproof for getting the job done! To be clear, conversion is just another word for a sale and in order to make sales, you need to optimize your copy, not just throw up whatever feels right at the time! There are different tweaks and tools you have to use and persuasive copy is very important in your toolbox. The idea is to use psychology to connect with your audience and make the transaction happen. It is a craft like anything and you do have to put in the effort in order to learn the varying degree and levels that come with a skill!
Getting Started with the Four-step Formula
Whether you are a qualified writer or not, you probably have to write sometimes and one of the common issues that Jennifer sees is that we often write for ourselves instead of our audience! The point of the formula is to connect with the audience, not appeal to our own ideals or satisfy the owner of the business. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is the customer for who you are writing. It is essential to do homework on who that audience is before you start writing because when we start trying to appeal to everyone we sound 'salesy' and none of us want that! The way that we make sales is through connections with people who actually want what we are selling. In order to do this, Jennifer lays out the four-step process of empathy, reassurance, credibility and a call to action!
Explaining the Four Steps and How They Work
The first step is empathy, which is just a deeper form of sympathy and means describing a person's situation with understanding and sensitivity. Show your customers that you know who they are, how they feel and the problem they are facing. You want to let them know that you see what they are going through and the best way is to 'show and don't tell', which means illustrating with examples. Making a connection with an audience is not something you can fake, it is real and authentic and requires proper listening. Remember it is all about them and not about you! Jennifer's next step is about reassurance. This is the part where you tell them that it is going to be okay and that you are in this struggle together! Offer hope and show them how things could be different. This is also the best lens for presenting your product or service. Speak to the benefits of its features and drill down to the essence. The third step in the formula is credibility and it is at this point that you can show your customers why they should believe and trust you. Jennifer sees that too often we start with this step but it is way more important to connect first. If you start with your credibility first you can lose people! The last link in the chain is the call to action and there are two types, direct and indirect. Direct CTA's are more common and are often things like 'buy now' or sign up', while indirect CTA's can be to do with freebies, trials and other ways to get people down your sales funnel initially. Neither one is necessarily better and typically it is a good idea to have both. Jennifer implores us to never leave a visitor stranded without a call to action or somewhere to go!
Following Up on Different Types of Calls to Action
The formula is designed for conversion, so use it on the appropriate pages. That does not mean you cannot implement it in choice posts on Instagram and other platforms, but think about it and where it makes sense. The best thing to do is to use it as a means to have frank communication with your audience. Authenticity is the whole point so connect with customers and clients, use what feels right and adjust it to suit your needs; it is a narrative formula so it is adaptable! One of the great features of this sort of strategy is that it can attract and repel people in equal measure, which is what you want. You need to attract your audience and repel those who are not suited to what you are selling. This does not mean you cannot have multiple audiences but you really want to zero in on the people who want to buy from you. Jennifer reminds us that it is a constant process to find out who you speaking to and because business is always evolving you will constantly be learning. You do not have to have it all figured out before you start. It is vital to listen to yourself and as much as you take courses, lessons and employ formulas, find your own answers and internal guidance. This amazing formula is flexible and offers a great foundation to find your best path to more sales!
Quote This
One of the most common issues I see is that we write for ourselves.
Highlights
What is High-Converting Copy? [0:03:33.4]
Getting Started with the Four-step Formula! [0:06:45.7]
Explaining the Four Steps and How They Work. [0:12:28.2]
Following Up on Different Types of Calls to Action. [0:36:05.8]
#TalkStrategyToMe [0:45:03.2]
Remember the four steps.
Reframe your sales perspective.
Think about your audience first.
Write first, design second.
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Jennifer Turner
Gemini
Jennifer is the founder of Gemini, which is an online branding studio and educational platform. She’s both a trained copywriter and designer, a rare combination, so her MO is all about unifying voice and visuals for stronger storytelling and more memorable brands. She’s written the copy for over 150 websites and collaborated on more than 200 brands, from as far as Tanzania and the Caribbean to her own backyard on the West Coast of Canada. She’s an advocate of women in business, and since starting Gemini almost two years ago, she’s been serving female entrepreneurs with branding services and resources, helping them build brands, businesses and lives they love.
KEY TOPICS
Copywriting, Branding, Persuasion, Psychology, Connection, Empathy, Credibility, Call to action
