{"id":1023,"date":"2020-11-18T00:06:58","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T05:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.seankirbycopy.com\/?p=1023"},"modified":"2020-11-18T00:07:01","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T05:07:01","slug":"smart-copywriting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seankirbycopy.com\/smart-copywriting\/","title":{"rendered":"Increase conversions with SMART copywriting"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re familiar with SMART goals<\/a>, then you know that SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Bound. These attributes help ensure that the goals you set are meaningful and impactful.<\/p>\n

But did you know that these same attributes can help you craft better marketing messages, too? Let\u2019s look at each part of the SMART copywriting approach.<\/p>\n

\"SMART\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Specific<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Too much marketing is generic. How often have you seen lines like these?<\/p>\n

\u201cSave time and money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLose weight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGrow your business.\u201d<\/p>\n

These are all good benefits, but they don\u2019t have any real impact without context. If the savings is just one cent, who cares? And how are these claims different from anything your competitors could use?<\/p>\n

To be convincing, you need to paint a clear picture for your prospects. One of the best ways to do that is to use specifics. Look how much stronger these benefits become when you add specifics.<\/p>\n

Save three hours and $50 a day<\/p>\n

Lose 10 pounds your first week<\/p>\n

The easiest way to scale from 1,000 to 100,000 customers<\/p>\n

And this isn\u2019t limited to just benefits. Go through your copy and get rid of generic fluff words like \u201chigh quality,\u201d \u201cbest,\u201d and \u201crobust.\u201d Give specifics. What makes your solution quality high? How are you measuring best?<\/p>\n

Nobody believes marketers when they say how great their products are. So don\u2019t. Instead, convince the reader with specifics, so he can come to that conclusion on his own.<\/p>\n

Measurable<\/strong><\/h3>\n

All marketing offers cost something, whether it\u2019s money, time or effort. That\u2019s what people are going to measure the value of your offer against.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it\u2019s easy to quantify that value. This Geico tagline is a good example:<\/p>\n

\"Example<\/a>The cost of inquiring (15 minutes) and the potential value of the benefit (savings of 15% or more) are clearly spelled out. It\u2019s easy for the consumer to compare those and determine if that value outweighs the cost.<\/p>\n

Often, it\u2019s more difficult to quantify cost and value. Results for most products and services vary based on many factors. Fortunately, there are ways to measure it indirectly.<\/p>\n

Comparisons are probably the best of these. Comparing yourself to your competition gives readers a point of reference. For example, car companies can call out how they have the best gas mileage or resale value in their class.<\/p>\n

You can also compare the benefits of having your product to status quo. Focus on the reader\u2019s pain point and how your offer will make life better. The bigger the pain point, the more value your solution will have.<\/p>\n

And you can compare your offering to unrelated products or services. This can be especially useful when it comes to price. That\u2019s why many ads point out that a subscription costs less than a cup of coffee per day.<\/p>\n

Attainable<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Most people know how important it is to focus on benefits. You naturally want to make your offer sound like the best thing ever. But if readers don\u2019t think your promises are attainable, you aren\u2019t going to persuade anyone to take action.<\/p>\n

If you write a headline like \u201cLose 20 pounds overnight,\u201d most people will assume it\u2019s a scam, even if it\u2019s true. That\u2019s not something most people think is attainable.<\/p>\n

But claims don\u2019t have to be that outlandish to seem unattainable. For instance, claiming your product will \u201ckeep the weight off for good\u201d may seem unattainable to people who have tried different options and gained the weight back each time.<\/p>\n

The key is to know your target audience. Consider their experience, beliefs and pain points. And tailor your copy appeals to that.<\/p>\n

Relevant<\/strong><\/h3>\n

People don\u2019t buy the best solutions. If they did, every company would have a monopoly on their industry. Instead, people buy the best solutions for them<\/em>. That\u2019s what you need to convince your prospects you\u2019re offering.<\/p>\n

Personalizing your copy is a great way to do this. In direct mail, email campaigns and personalized URLs, you can include information such as the person\u2019s name, purchase history or other specific data points.<\/p>\n

But even when you don\u2019t have variable fields, you can still personalize copy for your specific target audience. For instance, you can call out who your offer is for with lines such as:<\/p>\n