What words you use for organic promotion and paid advertising will affect the results.
How can you decide the “right words?” “
Here is where direct response copywriting enters the picture.
This guide will describe what direct response copywriting is, how it works and where you can find it.
10 examples of direct-response copywriting will be presented, each with clear takeaways.
Let’s get started!
What’s direct response copywriting?
Marketing copywriting is copywriting that encourages readers and motivates them to take action now.
Compare TV commercials and Facebook ads.
TV commercials are designed to get you thinking about a product/service and increase brand awareness.
Here’s a list of some of the most memorable TV commercials ever created. You’ll be surprised at how few of them ask for anything.
They want to make sure you are paying attention for a while in order to learn more about their brand.
Many Facebook ads strategies aim to accomplish the opposite. This is known as direct response copywriting. They want you to take immediate action.
This is at the core of direct response copywriting.
This all began in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when legendary direct-response copywriters like…
- David Ogilvy
- Claude Hopkins
- Eugene Schwartz
- Gary Halbert
These men changed advertising forever by showing that you can send one piece of mail to anyone you don’t already know and get a check from them to cover your products or service.
Copywriting for direct response was similar to this back in
This…
As such…
These campaigns had a huge success rate and generated a lot of cash.
Over the years, direct response copywriting has undergone significant changes. It is now mostly done via landing pages or social media ads.
Let’s take a look at some examples of modern design and offer some suggestions.
Real-World Examples Of Direct Response Copywriting (with Takeaway Tip).
Let’s get down to the good stuff!
These 10 examples are direct-response copywriting taken from real life.
Each person has been given a takeaway tip based on their strengths. It’s a great way learn about direct response copywriting.
1. Make a promise
Copywriting excellence is built upon a promise.
A target market that is so difficult to understand, you should continue reading
Joe Sugarman (author of The Adweek Copywriting Handbook) explains that the headline is designed to get people to read your copy. The goal of the first line is to get them to continue reading the next line.
The ultimate goal of your is to get the reader to click on CTA and then to convert.
Without a compelling headline and a promise, you won’t be able to achieve your goals.
This is an example of a product called Checklist.
The product’s name and checkpoint summary make a powerful promise to the target audience. How to sell products with “viral potential”.
Every target market is affected.
The copy should inspire confidence in the reader to solve their problems.
This is a simple tip.
It’s an important one.
A bold, compelling promise should be the starting point of your landing page, advertisement, or sales funnel. It’s amazing how people will feel compelled by this promise.
Headlines don’t end there…read the complete formula for ad copy in PPC Copy: How to Write Ad Copy That Converts
2. Start with Emotion
Emotions influence human behavior.
Don’t believe my word?
Think back to the last time that you made a major purchase. A car, a house or expensive clothes. Or a console for playing video games.
It’s unlikely that you just looked at the specs and made a purchase without seeing it.
You took it out for a ride.
This principle is applicable to all practical purchases. This headline would not be suitable for an online course.
100 hours of detailed information on direct response copywriting
It’s dull.
A course to teach you how make money with direct response copywriting might be an option.
Get my PROVEN Method to Make More Than $100,000 as a Direct Response Copywriter (No Experience Required).
The content of the course can be similar, but the message is different.
The first triggers emotions. The second uses logic.
All of us are human, and we all feel the same way. We then use logic to justify the purchase.
Your copy should express emotion.
This is an example from Ramit Sethi’s landing pages
Later, we can discuss Ramit’s ethics regarding Ramit’s copy.
Ramit’s greatest achievement is his ability to address the emotional misperceptions that many people have regarding digital life. Others are more happy, more confident, and more successful than I am.
This question was asked by The target market for this product has repeatedly asked it and has not received a satisfactory response.
He will make them feel that way and promise to answer their long-standing queries.
It is also very powerful.
Show emotion, not logic, to grab people’s attention. Make them want to know more.
3. Use Logic to justify your
Every purchase is driven emotionally.
But logic is equally important.
Let’s say you’re going car shopping. First, you’ll browse cars according to their model, style and color. Then, you’ll take it for a test drive.
Your brain switches from an emotional to a logic focus after you make the purchase.
You may be asking yourself, unknowingly: “I want this…but how do I justify it logically?” “
Negotiating a lower price might be an option. Consider how practical and powerful the car might be.
You know you want it.
Include this important step in your decision-making process in your copy.
A sample from Ramit’s course (partway to the bottom of the page) where he helps you justify the purchase that you are considering.
4. Keep them engaged
Have you ever looked at long sales pages and wondered how anyone got to the end?
Each word is intended to grab the attention of the reader, keep them engaged, and keep them reading
This Bryan Ward sales page can be viewed at Third Way Man.
Crazy, right?
His copy is compelling and difficult to put down.
He tells stories, empathizes with others, and answers questions.
He never wastes a word, no matter how many words are on the page.
Some copywriters refer to this as a “slippery Slip”: people might want to stop reading, but they can’t because they’re too curious.
No matter the length of your sales page, it is important to keep people engaged with empathy, curiosity, and a story.
5. You have control over where they appear next
It may seem difficult to control where people are viewing your sales or advertisement pages.
Yes, you are right.
It is possible to predict their exact position.
It is actually very simple.
These are some examples…
Uncanny, right?
It’s easy: What grabs our attention first and last is bold and big.
This is the only thing we wanted to fix when working with CoachCare to redesign their landing page.
It was difficult to predict where a visitor would land on their previous landing pages.
If you don’t understand what they’re looking for, it’s impossible to give them the right information.
To make it easier to read, we added bullets and a title.
Each piece of information can be presented with maximum impact.
Big difference, right?
You don’t know.
Our designer’s work increased conversion rates by 327%, and decreased cost-per-acquisition by 81%
The design of your website is just as important as the words.
Design and copy work together to create compelling messaging and high conversion rates.
Want to know more about landing page copy that converts? Download our guide, How to Create Landing Page Copy From Scratch.
6. Create Curiosity
This is the best direct response copywriting example:
This is a joke for sunglasses.
Joseph Sugarman made the glasses magical, almost like magic.
The headline, subheading, and first paragraph of his article are meant to grab the attention of the reader so that they want more.
As we mentioned, emotion drives all human actions. But curiosity is the most motivating and powerful emotion.
You have to be curious.
You won’t stop watching your favorite TV shows, reading your favorite books and researching your favorite topics.
This is an example of curiosity-building taken from a Kissmetrics webinar.
If you’re part of their target audience, you’ll likely have the following thoughts:
- I am amazed at how quickly they can validate an idea for a company.
- If it works, I won’t miss out.
- How can I know if my business will succeed before it even starts?
These thoughts will inspire you to sign up to their webinar.
Because you want, nay, need — answers.
If you are curious, you’ll be amazed by the results of your copy.
7. Use social proof
Social proof is an important element in direct response copywriting. It is one of the most crucial, powerful, and often overlooked elements of direct response copywriting.
This section is where you demonstrate that your products or services are effective.
These methods can be used to show it:
- Testimonials
- Case Studies
- Awards
- Relevant Metrics
- Etc.
This is what Linear does in one of its sales pages.
Your promise to make promises can cause people to feel under pressure.
They might be interested in your products and services
But, can they trust that you will deliver?
Are they certain that your system will solve their problem?
How do they know that you are the right person for them?
Here is where social proof comes in to play.
Use it in your copy to prove you’re the real deal.
8. Tell Stories
Seth Godin once said, “Persistent, consistent stories delivered to an aligned crowd will earn attention and trust, and take action.” “
He’s right.
Stories are powerful.
Stories have inspired, motivated and empowered people since the inception of fireside chat.
Stories can be used in your copy as well to…
- Create rapport
- Create Curiosity
- Share your empathy
- Make Social Proof
- Create Urgency
There are many other.
Great stories are compelling.
Here’s a sample taken from Bryan Ward’s sales page:
Bryan Ward’s course shows people how to make money online without using traditional methods. This is an example of Bryan Ward’s ability to connect with his target audience. It also shows how his product relates to it.
You should tell your story.
Don’t tell the same story twice.
Tell the story about how you came up with your product/service. Share the story of someone else.
It’s possible to tell someone a story about their journey.
9. Urgency
Most people are procrastinators.
Despite your persuasive sales pitch, your prospects may not be convinced that they need your product.
They may not be able to, but they might because they think to themselves: “Eh. They’ll get it later.
It’s important to act quickly.
Direct Response copywriting is about making people feel like it’s now or not.
These two methods are most popular:
- Add a countdown and set a deadline
- Limiting stock creates scarcity
Here is an example of a landing page created by one of our clients. Take a look at the bottom.
We used a countdown clock in order to add urgency to the CTA: Extend Your Access.
Thank you page that converted 39.96% to Audible Genius’ paid subscription.
10. Anchor The Price
I’m trying to sell you your car.
Asking what it will cost you is important.
It’s $30,000. It’s $30,000. I will tell you right away.
You feel pain and decide that it’s too expensive.
“Oh no,” you say. “That’s all the cost.” We can set up a payment plan so that you pay $500 per month.
Our starting price was $30,000 so the $500 per-month seems more reasonable.
Price anchoring is also known as
This is because price perceptions can be partly relative. If you tell me something costs $10,000 but you want it to cost $3200, that seems like a great deal!
ClickFunnels uses this technique on many of its sales pages.
The $509.95 number can be seen as the first because it is red. It is possible to believe that this is the price.
Keep reading to learn more about shipping and handling.
This is an amazing deal.
It’s irresistible.
Anchor your price before you reveal it to increase sales and conversions
Final Thoughts on Copywriting For Direct Response
Legendary men started sending mailers to the masses with offers that no one thought would work in the early 1900s.
They did.
These guys are the ones that laid the foundations of direct response copywriting.
This discipline can be adapted online to digital ads, landing pages and sales funnels. But psychologically, it hasn’t changed much.
Direct response copywriters must still promise. Copywriters who are direct response must use emotion, create curiosity, and use social proof.
These tips will help you create engaging copy that converts, sells, and is easy to understand