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Persuasive copywriting is more than just putting words on a page! This week, I chat with Suzanne Reilley, a seasoned business coach and marketing strategist, to uncover the secrets of conversion copywriting. Suzanne shares her insights on how to write copy that actually gets results—whether it’s an opt-in, a sale, or anything in between
Boosting Sales Through Conversion Copywriting Summary
Key Takeaways
- Understanding Conversion Copywriting: Learn the difference between general writing and conversion-focused copy that drives actions like sales or sign-ups.
- Know Your Ideal Client: Discover techniques for gathering customer insights to craft messages that resonate.
- Authentic Copywriting: How to balance being conversational and real while maintaining a professional and persuasive tone.
- Channel-Specific Copy Approaches: Adjust your messaging to fit different channels and stages of the customer journey.
- Effective Calls to Action: Tips on when and how to use calls to action that are clear, compelling, and effective.
The Art of Persuasive Copy: How to Master Conversion Copywriting
In the world of digital marketing, your words are your most powerful tool. But not all writing is created equal—especially when it comes to driving action. This is where conversion copywriting comes in. Unlike general writing or even creative writing, conversion copywriting focuses on persuading your audience to take a specific action, whether that’s signing up for a newsletter, clicking a link, or making a purchase. Let’s dive into the key elements of persuasive copy and how you can master this essential skill.
What is Conversion Copywriting?
Think of conversion copywriting as the specialized training of writing. Just like athletes train differently for a marathon than for a 100-yard dash, writing copy that converts requires a unique set of skills. It’s not about fluff or filler; it’s about strategically engaging your audience and motivating them to take the next step with you.
The goal? Clear and measurable outcomes. Maybe it’s getting a sign-up, an opt-in, or closing a sale. Whatever the goal, conversion copywriting means moving your audience from a passive state to an active one.
Know Your Ideal Client
One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is assuming they know what their audience wants to hear. Effective copywriting starts with deep customer research. This means understanding their desires, pain points, and where they are in their customer journey.
How do you gather these insights? Here are a few methods:
- Amazon Reviews and Comments: Look at the feedback for products or books similar to yours to understand what your potential customers are saying.
- Social Media Monitoring: Pay attention to what people are discussing in the comments on social media—both on your channels and those of your competitors.
- Direct Client Feedback: Utilize feedback from past client communications to understand what truly matters to your audience.
These insights will help you create messaging that feels personal, resonates deeply, and connects with your audience on an emotional level.
Balancing Authenticity and Persuasion
People crave authenticity in marketing today. They want to engage with brands that feel real and relatable, not manipulative or overly salesy. But how do you balance being conversational and real with ensuring your copy is still persuasive?
Conversion copywriting exists on a continuum. On one end, you have content that’s overly polished and lacks any real connection. On the other end, there’s the “dark arts” of persuasion—content that manipulates or plays on insecurities just to get the sale. The sweet spot lies in the middle: creating engaging content that is respectful, authentic, and truly helpful.
Think of it like a conversation with a good friend. You listen to what matters to them, acknowledge their feelings, and offer a relevant solution. When done right, your audience feels heard, understood, and valued. This builds trust and encourages them to take action.
Tailoring Your Approach Across Different Channels
Not all digital platforms are the same. Each one comes with its own set of best practices, audiences, and expectations. So, does that mean you need a different approach for every single platform? Not necessarily.
While the core principles of conversion copywriting remain the same—know your audience, be authentic, and have a clear call to action—you do need to adapt your approach based on the platform. The key is understanding where your audience is in their journey when they encounter your message.
For example:
- On social media, you might be speaking to a cold audience who knows little about you, so the tone might be more introductory.
- On your website, you could be addressing a warmer audience who is exploring your services, requiring more detailed, value-driven content.
- In emails, you’re likely engaging with an even warmer audience who already knows you and might just need that final nudge to convert.
It’s all about meeting your audience where they are and guiding them naturally through their journey with you.
Mastering the Art of Calls to Action
A strong call to action (CTA) is where the rubber meets the road in conversion copywriting. It’s the point where you turn engagement into action. But how do you craft CTAs that truly work?
- Be Specific: Vague CTAs like “Click Here” or “Learn More” don’t cut it anymore. Make your CTA specific to what the audience will get, like “Download Your Free Guide” or “Get Your Discount Now.”
- Make It Relevant: Align your CTA with the stage of the customer journey. For instance, a first-time visitor to your site might respond better to “Subscribe to Our Newsletter” than “Buy Now.”
- Create Urgency: Urgency can be a powerful motivator, but it needs to feel genuine. Limited-time offers, countdowns, and exclusive deals can nudge users to act now rather than later.
Remember, a great CTA is like giving someone a gift. You’re not just asking for something; you’re offering something of value that the audience truly wants. And when you’ve done your homework on your ideal client, this becomes a natural and seamless part of your messaging.
Final Thoughts
Mastering conversion copywriting is about more than just crafting clever sentences—it’s about truly understanding your audience and meeting them where they are. Whether it’s through thorough customer research, balancing authenticity with persuasion, or crafting the perfect call to action, effective copywriting can make all the difference in driving results for your business. So, sharpen those pencils (or keyboards), and start writing copy that converts.
Ready to transform your copywriting skills? Dive deeper into these strategies and start seeing real results today.
By focusing on these elements, you can optimize your content for maximum conversions and drive tangible business growth. After all, it’s not just what you say—it’s how you say it.
Boosting Sales Through Conversion Copywriting Episode Transcript
Rich: My next guest is a business coach, marketing strategist, and copy advisor for professional service businesses and online course creators who are passionate about helping others. Her work has been featured in Yahoo Finance, CMS Wire, Voyage LA, and more.
Today, we’re going to look at how you can create copy of the generous conversions, sales, and business with Suzanne Reilley. Suzanne, welcome to the podcast.
Suzanne: Thank you so much for having me.
Rich: Suzanne, what defines conversion copywriting, and how does it differ from other types of writing that business owners or marketers might be more familiar with?
Suzanne: Definitely. And it’s a great question because I think, first and foremost, a lot of business owners at all stages of business think that writing is all the same thing, including just basic writing we might do, writing an email to friends or just writing anything throughout our day. And so they say, “Oh, I’ve been writing since like third grade. I can write this email. I can write this sales page.” But it’s a little bit different.
Conversion copywriting is not fiction writing. It’s not creative writing. It’s not what you would use to write a novel, though I’m sure maybe some of the elements can be similar. It’s really the art and the science of engaging with your audience and then inviting them to take the next step with you in your business. And so that’s where the conversion comes in. It’s really meant to get the opt in or get the sale or get the… conversion can be any number of things, invite their attention for a webinar or anything like that.
Rich: We just, as we’re recording this, we just finished up with the Olympics, and it’s something where it’s like, there’s running, but then there’s also specialized running. So you might train to run a marathon, or you might train to run the 100-yard dash to be the fastest man or woman on the planet. Very different skills, and you rarely see the same runners in both of those extremes. So there’s a different style of writing, and I think you have to work towards it.
This is a skill that you’ve developed, and other copywriters have developed over the years. Would you agree?
Suzanne: Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yes.
Rich: Now, what advice would you give to business owners who want to write their own copy versus those who might prefer to hire a professional copywriter?
Suzanne: Definitely. And I think whether you are doing your own writing or hiring a professional copywriter, it’s so smart to learn the professional skill set of conversion copywriting. Because if you’re hiring someone to do it, then you can talk shop with them about what they’re doing, what their approach is, the different sensibilities you might like to take.
So even if you’re hiring other people, I think it’s really valuable because a lot of people are really just at zero. Like they know nothing about it, even really established business owners. And then when they hire a copywriter, it becomes a little trickier because they’re trying to connect on this thing that one person is very experienced in and the other person is very passionate about but has no training in, and there can be a disconnect.
So I do think it’s really great if people have the ability to write in an engaging way, write in a seamless real way, write in a clear way to develop their skill in this. Because it is a really high value skill set and it can be quite an investment to write this stuff all across your funnel and across your website. Whereas me with this skill set, I can turn around to my own website or my own stuff in a week or a day or a weekend, or if something needs to be done, I can just do it. And that’s amazing.
So it is something you need training in. And there are a couple of different places that I have learned or places that I know of that people can go to that I believe are solid. And before I share those, I just want to caveat this with, I’m someone who’s really focused in my learning, so I don’t want to just be learning and never getting anything out there. So I’m selective in who I choose to learn from. And I’m also selective in what I learn because it does take time away from publishing things. So I have stayed very focused and there could very well be other great people out there to learn from, I just haven’t come across them myself.
The place I learned to write conversion copy, I would say the main place is through Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula. And of course that is focused on launches, it’s going to be in the context of launches. But he really goes very deep into how to define your ideal client, how to do competitor research, how to funnel strategy, all of that stuff, and how to write conversion copy all across the funnel.
Another resource I love is anything by Joanna Wiebe at Copyhackers. And her stuff can be a little bit more advanced, but it’s always solid. It’s always on point. Anything you get from her is just really good stuff.
And the other place that I haven’t learned from, but when people come to me and they have learned from it, I can really help them refine their craft, there’s a lot of synergy, Story Brand, Donald Miller’s approach. And so that seems to be another customer focused one, another really good one.
And basically anywhere you’re learning from, I recommend it be something that is customer focused, voice of customer research focused, and something that is respectful of an audience and also focused on results. So I would say those are the things to look for in case you’re looking for someone outside of that realm.
Rich: Awesome. Suzanne, how important is it to understand your ideal client before crafting your message? And what are some of the ways that you gather that type of insight?
Suzanne: I think it’s absolutely imperative, because again, I find that many business owners of all experience levels, sizes of business, it’s really easy for us to think. But this is what I want to tell people this is what will make an impact for them, this is what’s important. But your customers may be in a really different place than you. They may be in a really different mindset than you. They might be 10 years behind in your process. Even if they’re advanced, even if you think they’re advanced. And so it’s really important to do that customer research to uncover what it is they really want, what outcomes they’re really going for. Just what it is, what’s going on in their lives right now that’s causing them to reach out to you. So that you can meet them exactly where they are and make the most meaningful connection.
So there are a couple different ways I go about this. One is Amazon reviews. I’m looking in the comments section of books or resources. Usually it’s books that are similar to what you offer and looking at the conversation going on in the comments section. Also, the comments section of competitors, social media posts, just understanding the overall vibe of what an audience is. Their hopes, dreams, fears and aspirations, and really pulling out some of those specific phrases and desires elements of story from that conversation.
If you have an established social media yourself, you can also do this within the comment section of your own posts, as well as past client communication. If even if people have been in business for a short time, there’s always communications of people reaching out, wanting some help, saying this is where I’m at can you help me? Or just conversations from clients that you’ve had going forward. It’s better if you can draw from things that are written down rather than your own memory, because it really keeps things very tangible and focused.
But yeah, so those are the top three that I go to. And it’s great because you can get really on point information from those sources. Again, if you have to turn something around quickly, you can go look for some information in an afternoon or in a couple of days.
Rich: Okay. Now one of the things that a lot of people are talking about today is how to be authentic in your marketing and your copy. How do you balance being conversational and real with ensuring that the copy is still persuasive and perhaps professional?
Suzanne: That’s a fantastic question. I think there’s one thing that I always like to mention about conversion copy, and that it’s a continuum. So on one side of it, there’s like it’s being poorly done. Maybe it’s not really doesn’t have any conversion elements. It’s just nice words on a page talking about the weather. And that’s typically not very engaging at all.
There’s the other side of conversion copy where some people in the industry will get very into the dark arts of manipulation and persuasion manipulation, and they will just wrangle people’s insecurities to get the sale at all costs. And I really recommend, you know, I’m passionate about working really in that middle space. And I recommend that other people do as well, because it can be engaging while being real and being respectful. And creating that connection in a way that really respects both sides. So that’s like the high-level piece of it.
And I think one way to think about this is, for the coaches out there, or even if we’re having a conversation with a good friend we’re listening for what matters to them. And then either acknowledging the place that they’re in, or if it’s appropriate, offering a solution or a piece of advice or something like that. And so it really ends up looking and feeling a lot like that. And so people typically in that space will end with the feeling of wow, this person really understands me. And they really heard me, and they really know where I’m at, and my experience matters to them. And I think usually they can feel when you genuinely care.
So I think a lot of it is really hearing and understanding a person and offering them a solution that actually matters to them. It goes a huge way towards making that connection and quote unquote, “driving the conversion”. But it’s really a matter of there are people who need your product or service. You have this project service, and you’re just making a meaningful connection rather than talking out in left field on something that they don’t really care about.
Rich: All right. Now, it seems these days, even within the realm of digital marketing, that there are so many channels that we might engage people with. We’re talking about websites, landing pages, social media, email marketing. Do you need to have a different approach to each one of those channels or is it more of a one size fits all?
Suzanne: It’s a great question. And I think the approach in general, the approach is similar with all of them. It does vary a little bit in terms of the place your audience is coming from. Of course, if they’re coming to a website or social media, however you have your marketing plan set up, they may be hearing about you for the first time, or they might know you a little bit and they’re learning more. Or if they’ve been with you for a long time and you’re sending an email about a product or service to purchase, that it’s a different type of message because you know them better.
So I think going back to just the idea of a friend or someone, it’s like, what kind of conversation are you having when you’ve just met them, versus if you’ve known them for three years and they’re helping you move or something like that so the essence of the conversation changes. But I do find that the concepts of conversion copywriting that I do highly recommend people learn, they tend to be somewhat similar across channels.
Rich: Yeah, it almost sounds like it’s more about where they are in their customer journey or where they are in the sales funnel, depending on your metaphor, that actually might dictate more of how you’re speaking to them rather than the channel. Although the channels may be relevant to where they are still, it’s more about how deep is that relationship. And that’s how you might speak to them.
Suzanne: Absolutely. And also sometimes, or I’m always learning, but even earlier on in the process when I didn’t know as many channels as well it would be a matter of okay, let me get to know this channel. What’s the fabric of the channel? What’s the vibe of the channel? What’s the format of the channel? What are the best practices of the channel? And then, I can format conversion copy principles to work with that.
So I think, yes, in addition to what we were just saying is very true about the stage of awareness. But also just like, how does this particular channel work? That it’s great to just get a quick download on that and then format the conversation for that space.
Rich: Awesome. We’ve touched on it a little bit, calls to action, where the rubber hits the road. What are some of your best practices when it comes to calls to action, and how do you know when it’s time for that call to action within your persuasive copy?
Suzanne: Let me think about that a second. The best practices for calls to action. I will say all across my, I’ve been learning about digital marketing for about 10 years and doing professional work in this space for about eight. And especially early on, I just made so many big mistakes. Usually in my own space, not with clients. I made sure I knew what I was doing before I worked with clients. But I just have such a personal understanding of what works and what doesn’t, and it’s just those mistakes are so big and so expensive and so they really stick with you.
And so I think with the call to action, it really does come back to your ideal client, your audience, when you’re writing conversion copy or crafting anything for your funnel. It’s so important to think of that one person that this is for. And when I’m writing anything, I just immerse myself in their experience. I’m just soaking in what’s happening in their world, all the nuances, everything about it. And then the start of the message meets them at the conversation going on in their mind at that time, and respectfully channels their desires onto your product. And so sometimes the copy is short, sometimes the copy is longer, depending on what needs to be said, what’s important to them at that time. And then from there, the call to action is very seamless.
So it’s easy to get jumbled in this. When it comes to business, people are like, how do I do it? Going back to analogies, it’s like giving someone a gift. You were telling me such and such, and I know you like this. And so I knew it was your birthday and so I got you this. And so that’s the call to action. And that is how effortless the message can be and how genuinely helpful the message can be. And then when it’s time to give them the gift or make them the offer, it should be something that they would absolutely adore anyway. I think it’s really important to have product market fit. And then with those two things in place, the call to action becomes pretty seamless.
Rich: All right. Now I’ve been in the marketing industry for 27 something years, and I’ve worked with a lot of businesses. And some of them love the idea of bringing in a copywriter. And other ones are like, “I’ve worked with copywriters before and they can never write in the right style for our industry. There’s too much jargon”, whatever it is. What do you feel are some common misconceptions that business owners have about working with copywriters, and what advice might you give them so they can get better outcomes when they are working with copywriters?
Suzanne: Yeah, it’s an important question. I think one of the misconceptions that business owners have is that copywriters need to know your industry exactly. Like they need to specialize in your industry. They need to know what your audience wants to hear. They need to be that specialized in what you do.
And I think what’s more beneficial is actually when a business has a very clearly established brand guideline. Not one that you shove in the drawer, like a really usable brand guideline of what are your business goals? What are you looking to do? Who’s your ideal client? Like the voice of customer research about that ideal client. Not just they’re married, they’re 27 or whatever, but what are the emotional drivers? What are their hopes, dreams, fears, and aspirations? The competitor research, your tested and proven offers if you have them, or to know that if they’re new and you’re testing them out. So to have all of that in a document is just beautiful. I think that is really an ideal world that not everyone’s going to have, and that’s okay. But that is really what helps a copywriter understand how to just jump right in and know your audience.
Because even if I know an audience, when I was writing a lot of copy, I want to know about that specific business. Even if they’re in an industry, they have a different landscape, they have a different history, they have a different relationship with their audience than maybe a different business in the exact same industry. And so they might have a different ideal client, a different angle they’re approaching things from. And so I always want to know that business uniquely anyway.
So I’ve worked with a lot of industries that I’d known nothing about, and I was very clear with that going in with the business owner. And they were like, “Oh, that’s okay. We’ll teach you.” And I was able to, I can just soak in information pretty well, so I was able to turn that back around, and I believe do some solid work. And so I think it doesn’t always have to be as specialized as they think, especially if it’s a copywriter who’s working from voice of customer research.
There are a lot of copywriters that’ll say, “Oh, I just want to interview because I’ve hired copywriters as well. So I know the insanity of this process. A lot of copywriters will say, “Oh, I just interviewed the business owner and help them say what they want to say.” And that’s not really conversion copywriting. That’s not we want to connect with the customer, not necessarily only the business owner. And so yeah, those are important things to keep in mind.
Rich: For people who are interested in what you have to say, want to learn more about what you’re doing, who may be looking to bring on an external copywriter, where can we send them?
Suzanne: Absolutely. So most of the work I’m doing these days in the copy advising space, though I do take on select copy projects at my website, SuzanneReilley.com. I have a free email opt in, it’s called, Content Calendar Mastery Map 90 Minutes or Less. And this seamless proven approach gets right to the heart of what your customers want most.
Rich: Awesome. Sounds great. Definitely recommend people check it out, download it. We’ll have those links in the show notes. Suzanne, thank you so much. Really appreciate your expertise.
Suzanne: Rich, thanks so much for having me.
Show Notes:
Suzanne Reilley helps her clients take the guessing out of what works in copywriting and gives them the tools and skills they need to tap into how to be strategic when talking to their business customers with authenticity in a voice that resonates. Be sure to grab her FREE Content Calendar download.
Rich Brooks is the President of flyte new media, a web design & digital marketing agency in Portland, Maine, and founder of the Agents of Change. He’s passionate about helping small businesses grow online and has put his 25+ years of experience into the book, The Lead Machine: The Small Business Guide to Digital Marketing.