Episode 161: 1 Copywriting Tactic You Should Avoid at All Costs

Nicki Krawczyk — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Whether it’s the email formula that will “10x your sales” or the subject line that will “double your open rates,” there’s–unfortunately–a copywriting template for pretty much anything these days.

But is pressing the easy button going to deliver excellent results for your client? Tune in as Nicki and Kate talk (ahem, rage) about why you shouldn’t undermine your own skills and the value of what you do by leaning on templates.

To read our full blog post on why copywriting formulas and templates are absurd, check it out here >>

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[2:19] Nicki and Kate introduce today’s topic: the concept of copywriting formulas (and what you should do instead!)

[3:32] No business can be successful without effective messaging, and so these templates are aimed at business owners who are intimidated by their own messaging. They prey upon a need in business owners, without actually fulfilling those needs.

[6:53] One of the dangerous things with formulas is that business owners (and even copywriters who are looking for an easy way out) are doing their clients a disservice. You should be digging into the customer’s particular needs and concerns before you even start writing.

[8:58] Templates don’t let you make sure that your writing actually resonates with your target audience or is written in line with the company’s brand voice.

[11:24] There are a lot of parallels with these formulas and the use of AI for copywriting. Ultimately, if you haven’t identified the right benefit for your audience, then the word choices don’t really matter because the message won’t resonate with potential customers.

[12:48] Kate gives an example of a formula she has seen for creating headlines. It shows that just putting words out there without purpose (the antithesis of everything that copywriting is about!) is completely ineffective.

[15:10] Nicki shares how she received three emails from different companies, all with the same subject line, and all following a similar template. It made those companies look lazy and showed they were not geared toward their target consumers.

[17:08] Don’t forget that when you pitch your services, you are helping business owners with something they are likely struggling with. They might otherwise end up opting for these templates, which put them further behind versus taking the time to really think through their messaging with a professional.

[18:30] As copywriters, it can be very tempting to opt into these templates, especially when they are marketed to us using specific metrics like how much it will increase your open rates. But digging into the deep benefits will be so much more effective than any formula.

[21:21] The easy way out is never the effective way. You want to stand out from anything that’s already been created and the whole fun of what we do is combining creativity with strategy. By relying on templates, you take that fun away.

Must-Hear Takeaways

As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:

“If there was a formula for copy that nailed it, that this is what you do and everyone just plugs and plays and does a mad lib and you have the perfect email or sales page or the perfect whatever… we would be out of work, we wouldn’t have jobs if that is how it worked.” – Kate

“I had 3 emails from 3 totally different companies, and they all had the same subject line. I opened it up and they all had roughly used the same template and just put in their pricing and their signature and that kind of thing. First, it was kind of validating but also how embarrassing for these companies? I certainly was not the only person to receive the exact same emails and it also makes these companies look lazy. You want my business but you’re not willing to put in the time to write your own email? You borrowed it from someone else who told you it would work.” – Nicki

“It’s putting words out there without purpose and that’s the antithesis of everything that copywriting is about.” – Nicki

“You want to stand out from anything that’s already being created and again that’s the whole point why AI isn’t going to work because they can just regurgitate what already exists. You want to do something new and different and grab attention and stand out in the space, and that’s never going to happen with any of this stuff that’s been done before.” – Kate

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About the Build Your Business Podcast

Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?

Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.

Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.

See Previous Episode

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