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Copywriting is not about you

 Talk to your readers as if they're  facing you on the other side of a table. 

The way to ensure your reader feels you are talking to them is to use one simple little word, over and over. That word is “you.” So in answer to the question that heads this idea, it is about you, if by you we mean the reader not the writer.
 
Here’s a great press ad for Magnet that begins by talking to the reader and never lets up . . . It’s only by getting to know you, your wants, needs, and desires that Magnet can create kitchens that are as individual
as you are.
 
In 87 words of body copy, “you” or “your” appears eight times. There are just three references to Magnet. In fact that’s just about the perfect ratio of reader:writer at 2.7:1.
 
Why this works is because from the reader’s perspective, the copy is all about them: their concerns, their motivations, their problems. 
 
It’s like talking to someone at a party who asks you lots of questions about yourself. We always warm to people like that because they give us a chance to talk about ourselves.

Conversely, if you keep using “I” and “we,” your copy starts to sound remote and boring. After all, they didn’t ask you to write a mailshot or email to them, so you’d better make it relevant to them.
 
They may have stopped turning the page or clicking away because your headline was compelling enough to make them want to know more. But the moment you start banging on about yourself, you lose them.
 
In the practicing of profession:

• When you’re writing copy, try to imagine a single reader sitting in front of you. That’s who you’re writing to. Not your “audience,” your “target market,” or your “visitors.” Just this one individual with whom you hope to establish a relationship that will lead to a sale.
 
• Aim for two to three “you”s to every “I.” This magic ratio guarantees that your copy will be more about your reader than it is about you. And that will keep them interested.


But if you are having issues with your use of language, you may consider English language Proficiency test. Follow this to Ransford. Ransford has launched an English Language proficiency Test to help you assess your language performance.


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