The HIGH-PERFORMANCE Copywriting checklist that
never, EVER LETS UP!
FACTS ON PRODUCT OR SERVICE
Is there any previous information on this product/service? If so,
review:
Tear sheets of previous ads __________________________
Brochures
___________________________________________
Catalogs _____________________________________________
Article Reprints _____________________________________
Technical papers _____________________________________
Copies of speeches ___________________________________
Audio/visual scripts _________________________________
Press Kits ___________________________________________
Swipe files of competitor’s ads ______________________
______________________________________________________
Website addresses selling similar products/services
___________________________________________________
o
______________________________________________
o
______________________________________________
o
______________________________________________
Market/RESEARCH Questions
1. Who in the heck am I writing to?
Occupation _________________________________________
Age range __________________________________________
Sex ________________________________________________
Personality aspects ________________________________
____________________________________________________
Political views ____________________________________
Location ___________________________________________
Beliefs about themselves ___________________________
____________________________________________________
Problems they face _________________________________
____________________________________________________
2.
What do I want them to do as a result of reading the copy?
3. What is it about this product/service that the market is invested
in emotionally?
4. What emotional benefit will they experience as a result of using
this product/service?
Satisfy curiosity
Save time
Avoid effort
Gain pleasure.
Enhance
how?
enjoyment
Be in style
Be successful
Make work easier
Protect your
Renew vigor and
family
energy
Get rid of aches
Be liked
Be loved
Satisfy their ego
Win affection and
and pains
admiration
Feel important
Improve sex
Be recognized
Enahnce leisure
Overcome
appeal
obstacles
Gain social
Be proud of your
Resist being
Gain self-respect
Be among the elite
acceptance
“stuff”
dominated
Stop worrying
Work less
Escape shame
Live better
Protect reputation
Avoid criticism
5.
One-up others
Avoid money
troubles
Add fun to life
Avoid trouble
What problem am I solving for them?
6. What are they most worried about? What’s the dominating thought
in their mind that keeps them up at night? (imagine them NOT sleeping…)
7. What problem are they attempting to solve? (is it a health related problem? a
money problem? a relationship problem?)
8. What do they complain about?
too much of?)
(what do they not have enough of? What do they have
9. What trends are occurring in their lives and businesses? (in their
industry, is there more money than there was a few years ago? What’s my source? Are people losing
jobs and their livelihood?)
10. Are they angry about something? Are they pissed at themselves
for NOT doing something? Are they pissed at someone else for what
they did, or DIDN’T do to/for them?
11. What kind of mistakes are they making right now that the
product/service can help them with?
12.
Aside from the product, what is REALLY
being sold here?
13. What emotional triggers could be used to sell this product?
(other websites/media selling similar product/service)
(vanity, curiosity, anger, guilt, sadness, pride, wit, happiness, exhaustion, desperation, envy, lust, fear
,stupidity, insecurity, revenge, loneliness, sympathy, embarrassment,, confidence…)
14. What are the features/FACTS of your product/service?
leave anything out…)
15.
(don’t
Now, what do each of these features do for someone?
16. Now, what emotional need the market has do these benefits
satisfy?
Satisfy curiosity
Save time
Avoid effort
Gain pleasure.
Enhance
how?
enjoyment
Be in style
Be successful
Make work easier
Protect your
Renew vigor and
family
energy
Get rid of aches
Be liked
Be loved
Satisfy their ego
Win affection and
and pains
admiration
Feel important
Improve sex
Be recognized
Enahnce leisure
Overcome
appeal
obstacles
Gain social
Be proud of your
Resist being
Gain self-respect
Be among the elite
acceptance
“stuff”
dominated
Stop worrying
Work less
Escape shame
Live better
Protect reputation
Avoid criticism
One-up others
Avoid money
troubles
Add fun to life
Avoid trouble
17. What methods, approaches, and sales techniques is the competition
using successfully? (get amazon.com and clickbank.com top sellers for this…)
18. Can I tie the copy into some news event?
headlines, etc.)
19.
(Yahoo headlines, MSNBC.com
Can I tie my copy to some holiday or seasonal event?
20. How can I make readers “experience” the benefits of the
product/service? (tune in the five senses – seeing, hearing, smelling, taste, or feeling…)
HEADLINE
21.
What can I say here to immediately get the market’s attention?
22.
What are their biggest problems?
23.
How can I focus my efforts 100% on my customer’s wants?
24.
What is their biggest negative feeling they want to change
25.
What do they REALLY want and how can I help them?
And how can I solve it?
26. Write at least 25 headlines for the product:
(utilize templates, “swipe” file)
BODY COPY
OPENING
27. What’s the story behind the product or seller?
here?
Can that be used
28. How can I establish “empathy” right from the get-go? How can I
show, not tell, that I know what my prospects are feeling and going
through?
29.
What style of writing/copy formula could be used here?
Problem-Agitation-Solution
Fortunetelling – (predicting bad time if you DON’T buy the
product)
Winners and Losers
Portrayed as an expert/better positioning in the market/high
prestige
30. Have a created a picture/atmosphere of the prospect enjoying the
benefits of the product/service AFTER they’ve bought it?
31. What are the “hidden benefits” of the product? How can I address
them that really grabs the prospect’s attention and imagination?
32.
What is the interesting “hook” or story here?
33.
Do the subheads support the main idea/headline?
34. Have I created a clear “voice” intended to connect with my
specific audience? (Ex.-If I’m writing to women, writing in a man’s “macho” tone won’t
work…)
Credibility
35.
Have I included results-based testimonials (if applicable?)
36. Are there enough proof elements to prove I am credible to my
prospects?
37.
Is there anything in the copy that DOES NOT add credibility?
38. For each testimonial have I included the person’s picture, full
name, city/state of residence, phone number or website if available?
39. If I’ve included specific results via testimonials, have I also
included the typical results a customer should expect? (IAW the FTC
results effective Dec 1, 2009)
40. What can be used near the top of the copy to generate interest
and readership? (grabber, picture, video, etc.)
41. Have I included visual elements (arrows, pointers, copydoodles)
to drive my reader to take action?
42. Do I have enough proof elements (testimonials, news findings,
factoids, third-party quotes, screen shots, case studies, interviews,
videos, etc.?)
43. What is my damaging admission? (What does the prospect need to
know about me/the seller to feel more at ease with buying?)
44. How is my double readership path – have I emphasized benefits in
the subheads and bold type throughout the copy?
45. Have I included “trust seals” (such as the Hacker Safe logo, HONESTeOnline, the
BBB seal, etc.?) to add more credibility for the internet?
46.
Is the transition to talking about my product smooth and easy?
47.
Am I using an easy to use font (Trebuchet MS, Courier New, Georgia,
Times New Roman, Verdana, or Arial Unicode MS/)
Bullets
48. Ensure the bullets create curiousity and AMPLIFY the benefits of
using the product/service.
Who’s it’s for/who it’s not for
49. Make sure I don’t sell the wrong thing to the wrong people.
make sure I’m attracting the people I WANT to attract.
And
50. Give them an opportunity to look inside themselves, re-validate
why and what they’re buying.
51.
Eliminate competition if necessary.
Making/closing the sale/the offer
52. REMEMBER - Focus on what I’m “giving” my prospect. And if
they’ve made it this far, they want what I’m offering and have made up
in their minds that I can provide it for them. So, it’s better I give
them what they WANT, not what they think they need.
53. What is the asking price of the product?
in the copy?
54.
What type of positioning tactic can I use here?
Limited-number available/ raise price after certain number sold
Premium(s) (bonus for buying)
Deadline (must by before _____)
Discount for fast response
You can only buy if…
Most will buy (bandwagon effect)
Sell money at a discount
55. Web copy:
order button?
56.
Is it explained early
Have I given the prospect minimum 3 times to press the
How can I make the price “sweeter”?
Compare apples to oranges (promote value of unrelated
service/product)
Sell bulk
Make the parts worth more than the whole
Conceal the actual price (split up payments)
Sell the price up front (ego appeal/positioning)
57. Have I included Paypal and credit card logos near the primary
call to action so my prospects know what forms of payment I accept?
58. If I’m selling a money-making product or business opportunity, do
I have the appropriate income earning disclaimers present?
GUARANTEE
59.
Do I offer a guarantee? Can I make it stronger?
Basic money-bank guarantee
Refund, but keep the premium
FREE trial offer/ $1 dollar offer
Make the GUARANTEE the primary focus of the letter
60.
Does my guarantee support my offer?
Do they conflict?
61. Also, how can I make the guarantee more VALUABLE to the prospect?
They need to understand they’re making a mistake if they don’t buy
from me.
P.S.
62. What could I add based on the benefits of the product to sweeten
the pot?
63.
Is there an ego element I can emphasize here?
Final pre-launch checklist
64.
READ COPY OUT LOUD.
Headline: Clear, concise, benefit-oriented
Sub head: Clear, benefits oriented and expands on headline
First paragraph: Does it tell the prospect from the beginning
“What’s in it for me?”
Body copy: Good flow, subheads, testimonials, graphics with captions)
Close: Is it clear and specific on how to order? Does it give clear
instructions on what to do next?
Guarantee: Review to ensure all risk is removed from the prospect
P.S. – Does it re-emphasize the offer? Does it include another call-toaction?