“I’ve hired other copywriters before, but they just didn’t get it,” my client said. “I feel like I ended up with something that doesn’t sound like me. My target audience isn’t responding at all, and now I’m stuck with something I paid thousands for that doesn’t even work.” 

If you’re a copywriter, pay attention. 

I’ve heard stories like this countless times, and they tell me one thing. If we’re only focusing on the words, we’re missing the very things that should be foundational to our calling.

This may be surprising to hear from someone who makes her living as a writer, but it’s not all about the words. In order to be good – really GOOD – at writing sales conversion copy, the work starts way before you ever open up that blank Google document and start writing headlines.

There are three things we must do for our clients in order to be able to write sales copy that will get them the results their offers deserve. These three things are the foundation of my business. Without these three things, I would not be the writer I am today, helping my clients serve (and generate!) millions. 

The crazy thing is, on the surface, these three things have nothing to do with writing.

First, You Need to Care

What your clients are offering their target audiences matters deeply to them. There’s a reason they’ve put their time, energy, and resources into creating the product or service they’re selling. 

To them, this is PERSONAL. Sometimes it’s so personal they struggle with what to say and how to communicate with the people who really need what they’re selling. They have a hard time being objective. That’s why they come to us.

They need us to see the importance of their offers. They’re trusting us to create something that supports them in their desire to serve their clients and customers, and that trust is a gift. If you don’t care – if you’re only doing this project for the money – it will show in the quality of your work.

But when you do care and can put heart and soul into their messaging? That’s when the magic happens. Audiences pick up on that. They feel seen and heard, and so will your clients.

Second, Ask The Right Questions

I consider it one of my main jobs to ask questions. It’s the best way to get down to the nitty gritty and get the answers I need so I can write copy that converts. In fact, I have a whole framework of questions I take new clients through so I can make sure I’m covering any objection, any false belief, and anything else the audience might be holding onto that might keep them from buying.

I ask tons of questions about their target markets and what they want and need and what they’re thinking, feeling, and  experiencing. I ask about their current campaigns and what types of results they’ve gotten in the past. I even ask about the client’s own goals and dreams for their offer.

Often, I ask questions even the client has never thought to ask themselves. Getting the answers to those kinds of questions can literally unlock the exact hook or angle an offer needs to get off the ground and get results.

Finally Research, Research, Research

The last thing copywriters need to do for their clients before they write is research. Research is the last brick in the foundation your sales copy will build on, and it’s SO important.

Once the client and I have gone over all the answers to my questions, I dive into the research phase. I study the target market. I study the industry the client is in. I study the offer and others like it. I look for what’s working and what’s not. I take note of cultural and societal factors and situational and circumstantial occurrences that can affect sales.

It all comes into play. It all matters. Then when I have a clear understanding of the entire picture, THAT’S when I start writing. If I missed even one of those three things, I’d be doing my client a disservice. 

• Writing without caring is cold and transactional and doesn’t serve. 

• Writing without asking questions lacks the psychological impact getting conversions requires.

• Writing without research can be full of inconsistencies and holes.

So before you sit down with a pen (or keyboard) at hand, build the foundation. Focus on caring, questions, and research. 

Steal My Questions

Want a jump on asking the right questions and diving into the research? Grab my FREE 8 Must-Ask Questions guide. This guide gives eight of the key questions I ask all my clients before I write and comes in a downloadable, fillable PDF you can save and fill out over and over again for different clients.

Want to learn more about me and what I do? Visit my website at https://go.christanicholsmessaging.com/home. To get your hands on the “8 Must-Ask Questions You Must Ask In Order To Write Copy That Connect & Converts” resource I mention in this article, click here and I’ll send it straight to your inbox!