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The 2nd Biggest Myth About Writing Copy That Delivers Sales
My client, “Brunhilde,” wanted a sales letter. She was a marketer herself, so she was very clear about what she wanted.
“Please include this paragraph,” she said firmly. “I used it in another sales letter and it works! I wrote it myself.”
When I finished the first draft, Brunhilde liked everything … except that one paragraph. “It doesn’t sound like me at all,” she said. “I’d never use those words. Why would you include them?”
Brunhilde is a good client so I removed the offending paragraph — written by her — and said nothing. I just smiled quietly and realized Brunhilde had just confirmed what I tell my clients.
Myth #1: To sound authentic you have to use your own words and write your own content. That’s why you can’t hire a copywriter.
What really happens?
Words look different on paper, compared to when we’re speaking. And our own writing looks different in a different context. Every so often I go back and read my own blog posts, surprised that I really wrote that!
