Why your copy doesn't work reason #4: where’s the problem?

Everyone knows you've lost a sale if your ads try to be too clever. What seems like a witty play on words or a spin on your product fails regularly.

People are uninterested in you or what you do. They are only concerned about themselves.

But, the need to educate is where some marketers and entrepreneurs stumble. Copy that attempts to educate prospects so that they appreciate their need for you has no place in the sales.

Marketers are not in the business of educating people.

Marketers are in the business of selling.

You may believe that what you offer is even better than sliced bread, but trying to sell it to someone by educating them about your product or market knowledge level is not the way to go.

Your objective is not to identify a market and then teach them. Your purpose is to identify a market that is suffering a problem.

Either a problem that they already want to fix. Or a problem they aren't aware of yet.

Whatever the case, begin with the problem rather than your solution.

Prospects are only interested in meeting their own wants and needs. Not in being educated to the point where they are ready for what you're selling.

Writing copy like this can only lead to one thing: they've moved on to someone else who has demonstrated they understand their problem.

Direct response copy is not designed to inform prospects about the value of your solution. But to sell them a vision of the future where their problem doesn't exist anymore.

Inspiring them to believe that yes, this is worth my time to read and that they should consider buying your solution.

Because remember, reader, your ads aren't read in isolation. People are busy, moody, and don't care if your business survives or not.

So demonstrate to them that you care more about their problem than they do. Allow your prospect to see for themselves what you can achieve for them.

Show them it's immediate, quick, easy, convenient, and can guarantee their happiness.

Think your ad copy needs to be less preachy and more salesy? Talk to james@paperandpixels.co.uk, and we can show you.