Why Copywriting is the Least Effective Lever You Can Pull

[Black_Dragon43]

Many people here grossly overestimate the impact of copywriting skills when it comes to business success.

As one of the world’s greatest copywriters in my previous life, I will tell you the truth: it’s the least effective lever you can use!

Here’s why:

Getting people to buy something is identical to getting someone to change their behavior.

When it comes to behavior change, there are three factors involved:
1) Triggers
2) Ability
3) Desire

In other words, to do a behavior, something must trigger you to do it. If the trigger occurs when your combination of desire + ability to do the behavior exceeds a certain level, then you’ll take action.

Out of all those factors, the most important one is the trigger. Make the trigger obsessively present in someone’s life, and, given sufficient time, they will succumb to it.

So the long term effect of repeated advertisments — that has a tremendous impact, in fact, the most powerful impact of all other factors.

And that’s not a matter of copy. It’s a matter of distribution.

The second most important factor is ability. If something is very easy (no effort, little money, no time required) and the rewards massive, then you don’t need much desire to do it.

A powerful business focuses on helping people do what they already want to do and then reinforces that by making them feel successful easily.

Example: people want to look good in front of others and share their experiences. Instagram makes it easy… just a few clicks and a few filters and you can look gorgeous AF and share it with your girlfriends.

And what does copywriting do?

For the most part, copywriting is about motivating people… building up their desire and redirecting it. And that’s pretty much the hardest thing you can do.

It’s much easier to help people do what they already want to do, make it easy for them, and help them feel successful along the way than it is to convince them that they should want to do something different.

Therefore the dream that many copywriters have that they can walk into any business and make a ton of money for them is retarded.

Businesses that really need copywriters are businesses that haven’t solved for ability. Expensive products, unnecessary products, hard to use products, scams and so on. They need to ramp up that desire as high as possible, because guess what, if they don’t people won’t buy! That’s why the direct response world is largely about financial products (ie, scams), unnecessary supplements, expensive toys, etc.

A solid business rarely needs a copywriter, because they’re using much more powerful levers… working on triggers, usually in the form of thought leadership, content, outreach + simple AF service/product that delivers a clear reward with minimal effort, pain, time investment or discomfort.

In other words, they help people do what they already want to do, they make it easy for them, and they keep putting an opportunity to get started in front of them.

 

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[Saad Khan]

Many people here grossly overestimate the impact of copywriting skills when it comes to business success.

As one of the world’s greatest copywriters in my previous life, I will tell you the truth: it’s the least effective lever you can use!

Here’s why:

Getting people to buy something is identical to getting someone to change their behavior.

When it comes to behavior change, there are three factors involved:
1) Triggers
2) Ability
3) Desire

In other words, to do a behavior, something must trigger you to do it. If the trigger occurs when your combination of desire + ability to do the behavior exceeds a certain level, then you’ll take action.

Out of all those factors, the most important one is the trigger. Make the trigger obsessively present in someone’s life, and, given sufficient time, they will succumb to it.

So the long term effect of repeated advertisments — that has a tremendous impact, in fact, the most powerful impact of all other factors.

And that’s not a matter of copy. It’s a matter of distribution.

The second most important factor is ability. If something is very easy (no effort, little money, no time required) and the rewards massive, then you don’t need much desire to do it.

A powerful business focuses on helping people do what they already want to do and then reinforces that by making them feel successful easily.

Example: people want to look good in front of others and share their experiences. Instagram makes it easy… just a few clicks and a few filters and you can look gorgeous AF and share it with your girlfriends.

And what does copywriting do?

For the most part, copywriting is about motivating people… building up their desire and redirecting it. And that’s pretty much the hardest thing you can do.

It’s much easier to help people do what they already want to do, make it easy for them, and help them feel successful along the way than it is to convince them that they should want to do something different.

Therefore the dream that many copywriters have that they can walk into any business and make a ton of money for them is retarded.

Businesses that really need copywriters are businesses that haven’t solved for ability. Expensive products, unnecessary products, hard to use products, scams and so on. They need to ramp up that desire as high as possible, because guess what, if they don’t people won’t buy! That’s why the direct response world is largely about financial products (ie, scams), unnecessary supplements, expensive toys, etc.

A solid business rarely needs a copywriter, because they’re using much more powerful levers… working on triggers, usually in the form of thought leadership, content, outreach + simple AF service/product that delivers a clear reward with minimal effort, pain, time investment or discomfort.

In other words, they help people do what they already want to do, they make it easy for them, and they keep putting an opportunity to get started in front of them.

Simply put

Crafting a good offer >>> Crafting good copy

 

[Saad Khan]

Many people here grossly overestimate the impact of copywriting skills when it comes to business success.

As one of the world’s greatest copywriters in my previous life, I will tell you the truth: it’s the least effective lever you can use!

Here’s why:

Getting people to buy something is identical to getting someone to change their behavior.

When it comes to behavior change, there are three factors involved:
1) Triggers
2) Ability
3) Desire

In other words, to do a behavior, something must trigger you to do it. If the trigger occurs when your combination of desire + ability to do the behavior exceeds a certain level, then you’ll take action.

Out of all those factors, the most important one is the trigger. Make the trigger obsessively present in someone’s life, and, given sufficient time, they will succumb to it.

So the long term effect of repeated advertisments — that has a tremendous impact, in fact, the most powerful impact of all other factors.

And that’s not a matter of copy. It’s a matter of distribution.

The second most important factor is ability. If something is very easy (no effort, little money, no time required) and the rewards massive, then you don’t need much desire to do it.

A powerful business focuses on helping people do what they already want to do and then reinforces that by making them feel successful easily.

Example: people want to look good in front of others and share their experiences. Instagram makes it easy… just a few clicks and a few filters and you can look gorgeous AF and share it with your girlfriends.

And what does copywriting do?

For the most part, copywriting is about motivating people… building up their desire and redirecting it. And that’s pretty much the hardest thing you can do.

It’s much easier to help people do what they already want to do, make it easy for them, and help them feel successful along the way than it is to convince them that they should want to do something different.

Therefore the dream that many copywriters have that they can walk into any business and make a ton of money for them is retarded.

Businesses that really need copywriters are businesses that haven’t solved for ability. Expensive products, unnecessary products, hard to use products, scams and so on. They need to ramp up that desire as high as possible, because guess what, if they don’t people won’t buy! That’s why the direct response world is largely about financial products (ie, scams), unnecessary supplements, expensive toys, etc.

A solid business rarely needs a copywriter, because they’re using much more powerful levers… working on triggers, usually in the form of thought leadership, content, outreach + simple AF service/product that delivers a clear reward with minimal effort, pain, time investment or discomfort.

In other words, they help people do what they already want to do, they make it easy for them, and they keep putting an opportunity to get started in front of them.

Can I post this on my LinkedIn and Facebook?

 

[BizyDad]

building up their desire and redirecting it.

If this is your definition of what a copywriter does, then everything you say is true. And you make some really good points about how hard it is to change a habit or a mindset.

It's often practically a waste of time.

As a search engine marketer, I don't need copywriters who do this.

As a search engine marketer I'm focused on this...

...help people do what they already want to do, they make it easy for them, and they keep putting an opportunity to get started in front of them.

And in my world, a top-notch copywriter is still a fantastic resource.

Too many graphic designers think they can do copy well.

Crafting a good offer

You know who helps me do this?

Good copywriters.

That’s why the direct response world is largely about financial products (ie, scams), unnecessary supplements, expensive toys, etc.

What business doesn't have an email list? Isn't that direct response? What about direct mail?

I think by direct response world, you're referring to gurus.

Direct response principles are applied all over. I've used it in real estate, e-commerce, roofing, lending, consulting, banking, subscription/membership clubs, auto repair, and numerous B2B businesses.

For the most part, copywriting is about motivating people… building up their desire and redirecting it.

So going back to this, and given your background, it makes total sense that this is how you would view most copywriters.

But I only know of two copywriters who live in this world. To me, they're the exception.

They are both wildly more wealthy than a "typical" copywriter.

But most of the copywriters I know deal with traditional businesses.

I think copywriting is the least effective lever to pull when it is being pulled in a vacuum.

That's why when a business just hires a copywriter and then doesn't give the copywriter any real direction or expects the copywriter to just "know their job", the results fall flat.

Copywriting to a persona, in other words, copywriting that is actually integrated with a solid marketing plan, is a powerful accelerant.

 

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[Xeon]

Very unpopular opinion from BlackDragon and probably not going to be well-received here, since the forum seems obsessed with copywriting for some reason. There was a period on this forum where everyone and his dog wants to learn copywriting and get in on the action ("The Halbert Letters" lol), before the agency/lawn care/window cleaning bros took over. People have this idea that copywriting is some magic that will auto-unlock $$$ if the combination of words is correct.

But I love the post. Copywriting is overrated and overhyped by books like Cashvertising, where they sell you the idea that, as long as you write well, you can sell ice to eskimos and choose the color of your lambo next. Truth is, if I don't want to buy a dress, no amount of copywriting is going to make me. ZF Lee is right : it's the offer, not the writing. If the offer is good, even if you write in broken english in incoherent sentences, I'll be sold.

 

[BizyDad]

ZF Lee

ZF Lee? Do you mean...

Crafting a good offer >>> Crafting good copy

Saad Khan?

I bet a great copywriter could keep you from making that mistake. Copywriters can walk on water too.

Joke. It's a total joke. I HAD to. Lol.

People have this idea that copywriting is some magic that will auto-unlock $$$ if the combination of words is correct.

Jokes aside, I've seen good copywriters redo a website copy and improve conversion rate 30%.

I'm the only one defending it in this thread. I'm far from obsessed. I'm not saying copywriting is everything. I'm also not saying people should be trashing it as much as they do either.

I don't understand why everybody lately has been speaking in such extreme terms. It's like context doesn't even matter to anyone. Things are either totally awesome or totally suck.

How is this good business advice?

If the offer is good, even if you write in broken english in incoherent sentences, I'll be sold.

I'll wager most Americans won't agree. The broken English and incoherent sentences would kill the credibility. They would assume the offer is too good to be true.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

they sell you the idea that, as long as you write well, you can sell ice to eskimos and choose the color of your lambo next.

Disgusting. You have to choose the color of your lambo FIRST!

 

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[ZF Lee]

Very unpopular opinion from BlackDragon and probably not going to be well-received here, since the forum seems obsessed with copywriting for some reason. There was a period on this forum where everyone and his dog wants to learn copywriting and get in on the action ("The Halbert Letters" lol), before the agency/lawn care/window cleaning bros took over. People have this idea that copywriting is some magic that will auto-unlock $$$ if the combination of words is correct.

But I love the post. Copywriting is overrated and overhyped by books like Cashvertising, where they sell you the idea that, as long as you write well, you can sell ice to eskimos and choose the color of your lambo next. Truth is, if I don't want to buy a dress, no amount of copywriting is going to make me. ZF Lee is right : it's the offer, not the writing. If the offer is good, even if you write in broken english in incoherent sentences, I'll be sold.

Haha I wouldn't say Cashvertising overhyped copywriting for me...it's just a starter book to get the ball rolling.
Different ads mediums will demand a rather different way of writing copy.

For example, if I wrote a sales email as long as a Gary Halbert letter, everybody would be bored to death and opt-out (unless if its one heck of a good story).

But these days, you might not even need an entire sales letter to make sales, if you have talked lots about your offer across many emails already. Just an order form with some bullets will do.

I don't understand why everybody lately has been speaking in such extreme terms. It's like context doesn't even matter to anyone. Things are either totally awesome or totally suck.

Newcomers to copywriting might see it as just a magic combo of words that sell, as @Xeon said...as they haven't seen the research and editing that goes behind the scenes.

Even with ChatGPT around, we'd still have to read the copy to chop out the robo-speak.

The research processes for copywriters can be used even into Fastlane entrepreneurship though, so it's good to have some skills that carry on over to the next venture.

 

[Kybalion]

If you reduce copywriting to the persuasiveness of the writing, then yes, it doesn't matter that much.

But there are other aspects of copywriting that make it a super effective lever.

Gary Halbert has said in one of his sales letters:

When it comes to writing copy, far too much attention is paid to the actual writing and far too little is paid to ferreting out facts about that which the copywriter is trying to sell!​

In my experience the actual work happens before writing - finding angles that the client hasn't considered, sharpening the value proposition, strategizing the layout of the campaign/funnel, and finding cool stories that resonate with the audience.

For example, the client can be selling a course about becoming a hairstylist and really emphasize the hairstyling part of his offer. Listing out all the different braiding and shaving methods and so on.

Then the copywriter comes in - does some research - finds out that the hairstylists care more about the money and freedom of the hairstylist lifestyle (rather than the hairstyling part).

Then the copywriter emphasizes the money-making part of the same offer - and boom the sales go up.

So, I don't see how it's the least effective lever you can pull if we consider copywriting more than just the process of writing but crafting offers, research, strategizing, being aware of positioning and market awareness, etc.

 

[Subsonic]

before the agency/lawn care/window cleaning bros took over.

Ay mate, I feel offended. At least we are making some money unlike basically all of the copywriting bros.

 

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[BizyDad]

Ay mate, I feel offended. At least we are making some money unlike basically all of the copywriting bros.

1. He said that you're taking over
2. You're insulted by the idea that someone said you're taking over
3. And then you insult another group of people

Screw your feelings. Learn to look at the world clearly. And learn how to act accordingly.

 

[Black_Dragon43]

When it comes to writing copy, far too much attention is paid to the actual writing and far too little is paid to ferreting out facts about that which the copywriter is trying to sell!

I agree with old Gary, but this isn’t contradictory to what I said.

Old Gary is simply making the point that desire is magnified much more by the facts you present than by the way you communicate those facts (ie, the words you use).

But… why is ferreting out facts such an important job in the first place?

Look at my case. I brought in an extra $15K MRR last month. My business is simple. I post amazing content, I have a fantastic reputation and track record, and I deliver great results.

None of it is about copywriting. I approach people in the most basic, stupid, even retarded way — “do you want to grow using LinkedIn?”

There are a thousands doing what I’m doing. Those who are amazing copywriters are rich scammers, and those who are neither experts nor good copywriters are usually broke.

The reason why I’m successful and they’re not isn’t about copy, because my copy is as basic as it gets. If they use the same copy I use, they will fail.

The reason is mainly time & experience. I’ve spent over 12 years in online marketing, sales, lead generation, growing an agency.

Someone checks my history, they see I have a 43 hour course on growing an agency, thousands of pieces of content which present new information they don’t know, etc. So they trust me, even if my copy is basic.

I know these fields like the back of my palm. Producing new content for me is easy — I wake up, and I think what would it be cool to share with people? When I speak with a customer it’s easy — they cannot NOT think that I’m an expert as soon as they speak to me, because I ooze knowledge.

So what’s the reason behind my success? Great copy, OR building a great brand?

Look around yourself… 99% of legit businesses do not need copywriting. If you’re @Johnny boy and you cut lawns, do you need to “ferret out the facts”? No… just find people who want someone to cut their lawn lol.

A legit business will not be trying to motivate people to do something… they are already motivated, if the product is good. It just needs to be clearly explained to them, made easy to get started, and invited to do it.

Scams though, do need great copywriting. They have neither made it easy for people NOR are they selling something people are inherently motivated to get. In fact, scams will often make it extremely laborious to get results, because they need to leave the gate open to blame their customers for failure. “You were just not good enough!”

So great motivation is their only hope. 90% of the businesses relying on direct response copywriting are scams. They will never call themselves scams, but I’ve worked for some of the biggest players, and I know the truth.

The copywriter is basically the inhouse expert advising them how to better trick customers and make the scam even bigger. Take financial companies… they sell an investment scheme. They go after rich lawyers. They buy lists of lawyers who have already bought into similar schemes. Then they mail them. The list is most important.

This is classic scammer playbook — look for the mooches. Who are the marks? Who are the idiots who will bite our bait?

Finance and health/wellness are the two most popular direct response niches. Both are largely scams. Someone sells a turmeric supplement to desperate old people claiming it may have properties to combat cancer, bla bla. They do it by “ferreting out the facts”, which really means what can we tell these mooches to make them buy so long as we have some legal cover?

We can’t tell them outright lies, but we can certainly get them to believe lies out of their own accord. Michael Masterson calls this false logic. For example, we have a testimonial given by a customer. The testimonial is long but the customer has given his approval for the provider to edit and present only part of it. The customer says “Before we joined we grew by 300% in 1-year.” The copywriter says, let’s just quote the end bit of the testimonial, we have his permission to edit it as we wish right? There goes a testimonial that says “we grew by 300% in 1-year!” If anyone complains, we'll claim that all we meant is that we work with people who are successful, ie, they grew by 300% in 1-year.

And that’s what it is. It is the science of tricking people. If you have a legit business, you don’t need to trick anyone. Just communicate clearly and concisely to people who already want what you have… here's what I have. Do you want it? It's that easy.

Gary Halbert's first big hit was the family coat of arms business. Does anyone need a family coat of arms, or is that a trick to get people to give you money? Go door to door to people and ask "do you want a family crest with your name?" and they'll say "no". But send them a letter with a made up story about how you've spent ages doing research for some of your friends with the same family name, bla bla, and now you're getting the mooches to send you money.

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Another interesting point about this: Halbert was never able to build a sustainable business. Why do you think Andrew Tate isn't paying real experts $1M each to create the best courses for TRW? Because he knows it won't be around in 10 years. According to his numbers, he has 200K students... that would mean $10M/mo revenue. It should be easy to pay 10 experts $1M in 1-month and have them produce the best courses and training materials that ever existed. But he's not interested... guess why? First of all because the number of students is most likely fake, and second of all because he doesn't think it will be sustainable.

When you're dealing with products of that sort... copywriting is the only way. But when you move into the world of reputable business, copywriting hardly matters. Most entrepreneurs know nothing about writing copy, and that's a fact. Most businesses don't rely on great copy to make sales.

 

[Subsonic]

1. He said that you're taking over
2. You're insulted by the idea that someone said you're taking over
3. And then you insult another group of people

Screw your feelings. Learn to look at the world clearly. And learn how to act accordingly.

I was actually meaning to be sarcastic. I need to get better at portraying that.

My bad

 

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[Roli]

The reason copywriting is so popular here is because @Lex DeVille is a legend in the business and had many gold threads which inspired many people to go and make money.

Overall I think the message was "you can put lipstick on a big, but it will still be a pig" and there probably isn't a great resell market for pigs with lipstick.

On reflection I think I disagree with the title and possibly the ethos of the post, especially when I consider the Coca-Cola company are still among the biggest advertisers on the planet, even though they are number one in the tooth rot in a can business. Sure a lot of their advertising is on TV, however someone still had to write their copy and you can bet it wasn't Fred in accounting or Sheila in the post room. Instead they paid an ad agency a few gazzilion dollars to come up with phrases like "I'm loving it" or "Coke is it!"

Also good copy sells bad scams (which you alluded to), but that just proves the point of copy being perhaps not the most important lever, but pretty high up there. Because what scams do people fall for? Is it ones that say, "give me money"? No it's the cleverly worded subterfuge that parts people from their money. Which is the same reason why Coca-Cola, Nike, Toyota or any other big advertiser don't just come up with poorly worded ads which amount to "buy our stuff, it's great."

Words are our primary method of communication, we have to learn to read, however we are born with the language instinct, thus well ordered, perfectly weighted sentences, will always grab our attention. Hence, regardless of what's on offer, good copy is in fact very important.

 

[Kybalion]

I agree with old Gary, but this isn’t contradictory to what I said.

Old Gary is simply making the point that desire is magnified much more by the facts you present than by the way you communicate those facts (ie, the words you use).

But… why is ferreting out facts such an important job in the first place?

Look at my case. I brought in an extra $15K MRR last month. My business is simple. I post amazing content, I have a fantastic reputation and track record, and I deliver great results.

None of it is about copywriting. I approach people in the most basic, stupid, even retarded way — “do you want to grow using LinkedIn?”

Sounds to me like good old copywriting distributed through a multitude of channels and mediums rather than a single sales page. A lot of good sales letters (or any other copy) start with a simple question and then go into more specific stuff. Similarly, the beginning of your sales funnel is comparable to offer lead (instead of some mysterious 360 no-scope secret lead) delivered through a DM on linkedin.

And what is content? Isn't content facts? And you may call it content writing, but if it eventually leads to sale it has a significant overlap with copywriting, doesn't it (in the sense that it involves similar skills)

Look around yourself… 99% of legit businesses do not need copywriting. If you’re @Johnny boy and you cut lawns, do you need to “ferret out the facts”? No… just find people who want someone to cut their lawn lol.

A legit business will not be trying to motivate people to do something… they are already motivated, if the product is good. It just needs to be clearly explained to them, made easy to get started, and invited to do it.

As far as I know @Johnny boy runs FB ads and local service ads - so he needs copy (although as he admits it's basic). Plus I don't get why you define copywriting as something different than having the product clearly explained to the customer.

That is it, so just by admitting this your argument starts showing cracks.

Because not everyone knows how to clearly explain their products/offers.

This becomes especially noticeable when you start considering Saas, tech and coaching products that are completely legit but the owners are so far the rabbit hole they can't effectively communicate to end users.