Use THIS Secret Copywriting Technique to Get More Conversions

[Terence] (0:00 – 0:29)
In this episode, I want to share with you the secret copywriting technique that gets more conversions every single time. Hi, my name is Terence and I’m the founder of Radical Marketing. We’ve generated 1.5 million leads for webinars and seminars over the past 10 years and here I am to share our experience in this podcast. So what I’m about to share with you is a form of copywriting that is actually true storytelling, but it goes deeper.

[Debbie] (0:29 – 0:31)
I like to go deep. Tell me more, Terence.

[Terence] (0:31 – 0:59)
So Debbie, let’s go deep, if that’s what you want. And this technique is called identification. It’s a technique that was originally coined by legendary copywriter Eugene Schwartz and the whole purpose of it is to really identify with the prospect in terms of how he or she wants to express himself or herself and how he or she wants to be seen by the world.

[Debbie] (0:59 – 1:01)
Are you a fanboy of Eugene Schwartz?

[Terence] (1:01 – 2:49)
And yes, I am a fanboy of Eugene Schwartz. I don’t deny that. And I’m very proud of it too.

Most people will tell you, and I totally agree with this, that storytelling is a higher form of copywriting than just talking about the features and the benefits. And most people will tell you that storytelling is actually a higher form of copywriting than just talking about the features and benefits because copywriting in the form of storytelling is basically bypassing all the natural sales barriers that someone has, and it goes straight to the subconscious mind. So you don’t have to deal with stuff like the prospect thinking, oh, is this for real?

Or is this guy trying to make unrealistic claims and that kind of stuff? So that is why storytelling is super powerful. But the thing is, most people don’t do it in the right way.

They just think storytelling, just tell a story and bam, that’s it. But that’s not the case. So let me help you to refine storytelling so that you use this idea of identification in your copy, and you will get much better, more powerful results from your storytelling in your copy.

Alright, if we’re ready, let me explain. So let me give you a few examples to start off with. Why do people spend like double or triple to buy a Mercedes-Benz versus a Toyota?

I mean, essentially, both cars have the same features, right? So why is it that people spend double on buying a Mercedes? It’s because they want to be seen as of a higher status, that they are high achievers, or that they are actually rich.

It is a status thing completely. It is not because of the features or benefits of the car. And most people don’t care.

They just want to show off that they are actually richer and of a higher social status.

[Debbie] (2:49 – 2:51)
Yeah, I did that just because I wanted to show my neighbors I’m rich.

[Terence] (2:52 – 4:18)
Exactly my point, Debbie. Thank you for supporting that. Let me give you another example.

The iPhone versus like a Samsung phone, for example. Why do people queue up overnight, sometimes days for the latest iPhone model, whereas Samsung when it’s released is like, yeah, few things in the media, maybe some short queues for like half an hour, but nothing fantastic. And the iPhone usually costs like double the price, right?

So why is that? I mean, in terms of the features and benefits, they’re pretty much identical. In fact, some people would argue that the Samsung maybe has more features and benefits.

So why is the iPhone so popular? It is because people want to be seen as socially cool, that they have an iPhone, that I’m cool. I don’t use an Android phone.

So I’m pretty cool. I’m one of the cool gang. They want to identify with those people that they aspire to become.

Whether or not that is true, it doesn’t matter, right? Because the iPhone gives the person the power or the self-identification that they are cool, that they are tech savvy and innovative maybe, right? So that is the whole premise because people buy stuff to express themselves.

And it’s not always just about the features and benefits. So if you can tap into this desire with your copy, that is where you have a winner.

[Debbie] (4:19 – 4:23)
Yes, that is why I camped overnight to be in front of the queue, so I can be the coolest.

[Terence] (4:23 – 4:49)
And there you go, Debbie, because you camped and you’re social proof that it’s actually the case, even though you may not be aware why you were doing it in the first place, right? But now you’re aware that you want to be in the cool gang. And imagine when you’re a teenager, you wanted so much to be in the cool gang, but they won’t accept you.

But now you have the ability just to buy a phone and then you’re part of the gang. So hey, it’s worth queuing up for, right?

[Debbie] (4:49 – 4:51)
So tell me how do you practically do it when it comes to writing copy?

[Terence] (4:51 – 9:22)
Okay, I’m glad you asked that question, Debbie. So first of all, whatever product, whatever offer that you have, you have certain images that are naturally tied to that offer, right? So for example, if you are someone that teaches crypto trading, for example.

Now, as a crypto trader, people will tend to see you as maybe kind of tech savvy, maybe have a high risk tolerance. That’s how people see you, right? So any product or any service has a natural image that it projects when you have that product or service, right?

So keep that in mind. That is the first thing. Now, the second thing is where you need to think about your prospects.

What exactly is the expression or identity they want to express? In this case, let’s say, for example, you’re targeting high achievers, people who are high in the corporate ladder or business, and they are constantly striving to get more. So let’s call them high achievers, right?

So they want to be seen as this high achievers. So now there is a bit of a gap, right? Between you being very, say, a crypto trader being tech savvy, high risk tolerance versus being a high achiever.

It’s quite close, but it’s not exactly the same, right? So now what you need to do in third step is to bridge that gap between the image or the identity that your product or offer naturally emits versus the desired identity that your target audience wants to express, right? So how do you do that is through several things.

First of all, through your story. Tell your story about how you became a crypto trader and basically the type of lifestyle that you live that is congruent with being a high achiever. So say, for example, you are traveling first class and you work hard, stay at five-star resorts, that kind of stuff.

That is very important in your story, all right? If your story says that you are just like ordinary guy that likes to go fishing on the weekend, play golf, then that’s not congruent with the high achiever image that your target audience wants to achieve, okay? So the second thing is that you need to show images of maybe students and yourself, you know, wearing and being in places where high achievers are.

So maybe at fancy restaurants or, you know, wearing like Rolex watches, driving fast cars, that kind of stuff is congruent with what they see as a high achiever. And the third thing you can do is when you’re making your ads, make sure the backdrop of your ads are in this places where high achievers hang out, right? Maybe it’s a social setting where there’s this, you know, posh party happening in the background and you’re just filming yourself or, you know, you’re in Monte Carlo and you’re filming from the balcony of your hotel.

That kind of imagery will help project that high achiever status that you want to show to your prospects, right? So that is how you bridge that gap. I’m just using an example here, but your target market may not want to be seen as high achievers.

They might want to be seen as something else. So find those imageries and create that story around your life that is congruent with what they want in order to express their identity or themselves. And let me give you an example of how well this works.

For one of our clients, we actually, you know, talked about the lifestyle, the high achiever lifestyle and all that kind of stuff and actually used that term compared to another ad that was just talking about the benefits and the features. And let me tell you, the high achiever ad where we’re talking more about lifestyle and all that stuff is actually getting cost per lead at 50% of where we talk about benefits and features. That’s how powerful this type of ad is.

And in fact, in the past, we have run ads where we have created the stories, which are true by the way, and we have run those ads for months on end, and we haven’t been able to beat the control ad because the story was weaved so well that we just simply couldn’t beat it. And that’s how powerful this technique is in copywriting. So I hope you enjoyed this video and learn something from it.

[Debbie] (9:23 – 9:24)
That’s really cool. I like this technique.

[Terence] (9:24 – 9:30)
Well, thanks, Debbie. I really hope you enjoyed this episode like Debbie did. And I will see you in the next episode.

[Debbie] (9:30 – 9:32)
You keep forgetting to tell people to like and subscribe.

[Terence] (9:32 – 9:49)
Oh yes, of course, Debbie. Thanks for reminding me. So guys, I really hope you enjoyed this episode.

And if you did, make sure you hit the like and subscribe button. So that will help Debbie and me give us that encouragement to make more episodes like this for you in the future. Thank you so much.