10 Secrets to More Magnetic Copy

10 Secrets to More Magnetic Copy

Hey there. Sorry it took so long to get back to the blog.

I've been busy.

I'm going to talk about magnetic copy or writing today.

You may not like to write, but if you're going to be more
successful, you're either going to get me to do it, or you're
going to do it yourself.

Before you forget that, you'd better make up your mind.

Whether it’s a sales pitch to a patient for continuing their care, a blog post, a Twitter tweet (which I don't have an account), or an internal business proposal between two D.C.'s, you need to write in a way that draws the reader closer to you.

Again I don't care what business your in, you have to do marketing that lets' the people know you CARE and you are there for them.

You need writing and copy that’s compelling, interesting, and unique.

If it's boring you might as well forget it.

You need writing that’s magnetic.

Some think that magnetic writing is all about talent.

But a few simple techniques can make any piece of writing
more compelling. I'm going to give you some real secrets today.

Let's find out if you can utilize them.

Here they are.

The ten ways that can help you write copy that draws the reader closer:

1. Don’t hedge

They may get deep, but it's up to you to change that so everyone involved
can actually understand what you're saying.

“Hedging” is when you go out of your way to cover every contingency in an argument.

BAD Example: “Nowadays many middle-school girls have at least some affinity for vampires.” The hedges are “almost all” and “at least some affinity.” These may be strictly true, but it’s soft, pudgy wording that lacks punch.

Instead: “Nowadays middle-school girls love vampires.”

BAD Example: Chiropractic is an art. You cannot believe the difference this will make in how you feel, how your body responds to disease, how it can affect your nervous system, and what kind of results you can expect.

Instead: Chiropractic works! It seems simple but it works and it saves lives.

2. Repeat a phrase

Repetition establishes structure and rhythm.

Repetition taps into the old part of our brain that loves rhyme and meter.

Repetition pulls the reader into the flow of your writing.

Repetition isn’t difficult to use.

Repetition is your friend.

Repetition is annoying if overused.

3. No passive voice

Passive voice is when you switch the positions of the subject and object of a sentence.

For example: “The boy hit the ball” is in active voice; passive voice is: “The ball is hit by the boy.”

Notice how passive voice uses MORE words without adding information — usually a warning sign of flabby writing.

The wrongness of passive voice isn’t universal, but wouldn’t it have been clearer if I had said that passive voice isn’t always wrong?

4. Brevity!

I don’t care how good your writing is, most people won’t read more than a few sentences.

Why is that?

Any more and they’ll start scanning.

I mean it really has to be good.

You probably aren’t reading this Blog exactly from top to bottom are you? Very few will. In fact, you’re probably not even reading this sentence.

Man, for a discussion about brevity this sure is dragging on.

You can fight it by being more entertaining, but the best policy is to just write less.

I read this the other day and I'm going to sneak it in for the people that really read my blogs. Here it is. When you're writing, think of a woman's skirt.

You want it short enough to get someone's attention, but long enough to cover the details. Now how cool is that. When I read that I knew it was something I'd never forget.

5. Use short sentences.

Short sentences are easy to read.

They’re easy to digest.

It’s easier to follow each point of an argument.

Sometimes longer sentences — especially if divided up with dashes — are an appropriate tool, especially mixed in with shorter sentences to break things up.

If you think short sentences are incompatible with excellent writing, read Stephen King. Or Hemingway. Or Basho.

6. Provoke, don’t solve

If you’re writing a report that is supposed to cover all the bases, this tip doesn’t apply. But if you’re trying to be persuasive (particularly if you’re creating a content net), don’t try to handle every objection in one sitting.

Your goal is to get the other person to respond: To ask you about a feature of your product, to challenge your assumptions about a competitor, to double-check something before scheduling an interview. Don’t solve every problem, leaving no stone unturned; leave them wanting more!

7. Eliminate trash adjectives

Most adjectives and adverbs don’t add information; they just take up space and dull your message.

Example: “I’m very interested in quickly scheduling an new patient interview.”

Remove the adjectives and you get the same message, but sharper:

“I’m interested in scheduling an interview.”

8. Be direct

Pardon me, dear reader, but if it wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience for you, could I trouble you to do me the favor of applying your obvious considerable facility with the English language to just get to the damn point?

Flowery, respectful and qualified wording is appropriate when you’re asking a waiter to do you a favor without spitting in your food. But it has no place in magnetically persuasive writing like this. It's boring! Don't do it.

9. Tell a story

This is huge. Make a note of #9.

I knew a guy named Chris who couldn’t figure out why people couldn’t understand the benefits of his posture software. He had feature and benefit bullet points - but they just weren’t sinking in.

One day George changed his tactics completely.

He wrote up a one-paragraph story about how one of his patients saved $125k by using his software. After that, sales were a lot easier. Now think about that story. All in one paragraph. Yes, I know, it's hard to believe, but it can be done.

I was seeing a patient the other day and she'd never seen a doctor like me before. Well once I did the exam, found that she had some problems, did the x-rays, showed her the real hidden problem, she was on board.


10. Write informally

Sure, informal writing isn’t “professional.”

And yeah, using phrases like and yeah violates the brevity rule, but it’s usually smart to write like you talk. Being informal helps you come off as a real person, not a stodgy, robotic copy writer.

I've tried to do this for years, and finally my brain has shifted over and I'm writing more like I talk. I've even bought software so I can record myself and have it typed for me via the internet and this software.

EXAMPLES: ‘course, it can git to be too durned much, s’don’t go ’round makin’ it hard to just plain understand what in blazes yur talking ’bout.

They say first impressions are most important, and often your written word will be the first impression someone has of you! So take the time and care to make it magnetic.

Make the first sentence count. Then the second sentence. Then the first paragraph. Everything means a lot in a salesletter.

What tips do you have for more magnetic writing?

Share them in the comments and we’ll all improve.

Have a great weekend.

Dr. Carney

P.S. Let me know if any of this helps because I want you to have as many good resources as possible.