A SIMPLE STRATEGY THAT’S A TOTAL GAME CHANGER…
PRODUCING CLEARER MESSAGING AND BETTER CONVERSIONS
We've been told for years that multitasking was a skill worth nurturing. And ladies, we were hailed as the sex that could do it best…
Well, as it turns out, multitasking is a myth. It’s not good for us after all.
In fact, it does more harm than good because it forces us to spread ourselves thin and...
as a result, depletes our efforts meaning we produce below-par work.
Instead, the brain performs better when we immerse ourselves in one task. When we go all in, giving it our undivided attention.
When we do this we:
Improve our memory
Get more done
Experience less stress
Are more present and attentive
So, what if I told you that you should apply a similar singular style focus when you write copy in your business.
If you wanna know how to simplify your message and speak to your target audience so they are:
Inspired and motivated enough to take action when they:
open your emails
visit your website
read your blogs
social media posts...
then today’s video is for you.
OK, so there’s a rule that every marketer worth their salt swears by…
It’s the rule of one.
Every time you create content in your business, whether it’s:
a video
podcast
blog post
sales copy
social media caption or
piece of website copy, remember this rule...
Speak to 1 reader… About 1 issue… Offering 1 solution
Let’s break down each one real quick ~
One Reader
Speak to one person - your dream customer. Now, if you have more than one ideal customer then be sure to call each one.
For example, if you are a tutor teaching GCSE English... Then your copy could target the students and parents.
When speaking to the student, you can:
Show you sympathise with the amount of pressure they might be feeling
Reassure them that with your help they can learn and have fun studying English.
You can share a personal story showing you can relate to them and
Express some personality so they can warm to you and see themselves learning from you.
When speaking to the parents, you’ll want to:
Share your qualifications and experience
Your process and teaching style
Show you understand their concerns and
Reassure them that their child will be in safe hands and see measurable results if tutored by you.
If you’re not sure who your target audience is then... Get your pretty little hands on this free workbook:
When you write copy, imagine that your dream customer is your best friend.
Speak to them with compassion and understanding.
Use their name - no sir or madam - that’s corporate and cold.
And I’m guessing... if you’re watching this that you are a creative or spiritual entrepreneur or business owner…
So, that means you can be 100% friendly, personable, conversational and professional.
Let me jump off for sec… At the risk of causing a tiny bit of confusion… Let me share this perspective with you...
If it’s easier for you to replace the word "reader" with "community", then go ahead.
A community is a group of different types of people with a shared goal or desire.
The word community might fit in your business model better , which is fine.
But here's something to remember ~
The people in your community need to be dealing with the same issue...
Which, leads us nicely into the second part of this rule.
One Issue
Clear and simple messaging is the name of the game. Every time you write a piece of copy, be it:
a social media caption
blog post
email
video
podcast script
website or sales page copy... make sure you are crystal clear on your message.
Ask yourself:
What problem or challenge is my dream customer facing?
This is the issue that your copy should address.
Don’t confuse your message by talking about different things.
Messy messaging is akin to multitasking... and we talked about that earlier!
Instead. Identify the problem in a clear and relatable way.
Here’s an example from The Gut Health Doctor.
When you land on her website she immediately addresses the issue her target audience is facing:
Concerns surrounding gut health.
She then offers a solution in the form of taking a quiz.
That’s what your website or blog posts need to do:
Address or highlight the 1 thing that's on your reader's mind - as it relates to your business or brand.
And that leads us to the third and final part of this rule:
Have One Solution
This is the CTA. Your 1 clear call to action that moves your reader a step closer to solving a problem or achieving a desire.
You want to have 1 CTA in your copy, such as in emails, blog posts, social media captions and sales pages.
Your call to action should provide a solution. It can be to:
read your blog post
watch your video
listen to your podcast
sign up for your newsletter
download your e-book
join your masterclass
buy your product or services
enrol in your program
Whatever it is you need to be clear that your solution will move your reader closer to their goal.
Here’s an example from my email library. I send an email to my lovely subscribers once a week and the format is the same.
Here’s The Rule Of One in action in an email:
Target Audience: small creative and spiritual businesses/entrepreneurs needing copywriting skills to start or grow their online businesses.
Issue: Standing out in a crowded market.
Solution: How to Increase Brand Awareness and Get their message in front of their dream customers
My email highlights their concerns and why resolving the issue is important. Then I offer a solution to the problem with clear links, highlighted in blue. All my CTAs take the reader to the same post.
The only place where this 1 singular rule doesn’t apply is on your website because you can have more than one.
But, the CTAs on your website should be:
clear
intentional and
positioned in right place for best conversion.
Here’s The Rule Of One in Action on a website:
When you land on the Freeletics website they immediately speak to the issues their target audience is facing and offer solutions:
Target audience: Real people wanting to take control of their health and fitness without needing a gym membership or expensive trainer
Issue: Not having enough time, money, knowledge or a proven plan
Solution: You can do it the Freeletics way;
Become strong and healthy without going to the gym
Belonging to a global community of likeminded people so they feel less alone
Nutritional support
Wellness and healthy lifestyle habits
And buy their gear so you look good while you do it
This is a great example of how to:
speak to your target audience
address their main issues and
offer strong solutions on your website
And there you have it: The Copywriting Rule of 1: 1 reader, 1 issue and 1 solution.
Most people don’t do this.
They are speaking to everyone, addressing many problems and a host of different solutions.
This creates confusion for the customer. And a confused brain doesn’t buy.
But when you apply this principle you will:
transform your copy
magnify your message and
produce purpose-driven content.
Creating content that triggers an emotion in your customers needs to be clear and simple.
And this copywriting rule requires you to strip things back and streamline your messaging but...
Less is more and it will pay off in the end.
For more on this idea of The Rule Of One check out The 1 Thing by Gary Keller. It’s a fantastic read on why focusing on 1 thing is a game changer in your business and life.
And now I would love to hear from you!
Did you like this video? Was it helpful in any way? What bit resonated with you the most?
I would love to know. Dive into the comments and share your thoughts there.
Love Nat x
Further reading, on the effects of multitasking: