Copywriting is one of, if not the best skill, you can master to market for your practice. I can talk all day long about the importance of a strong visual brand, consistent video content, and professional images, graphics, lead generation when it comes to reaching your ideal patients — but the reality is — without strategic copywriting, nothing will truly stick. Your audience needs to fully understand who you are, what you offer, how you will change their lives, and how to take action. Your messaging matters!
Whether you’re writing social content, email campaigns, blogs/articles, website copy, and more, I want to break down the 5 essential steps to writing messaging that sells. Before we dive in, I want to highlight a few important reminders about copy:
#1. You must have your ideal patient & niche narrowed down to the finest detail so there is zero confusion about who you are speaking to when writing. Knowing this, you must write in their language.
#2. You must have your “transformation” — your biggest selling point — down to a single, clear sentence. This way, no matter the product, service, or program you’re offering you can always relate it back to that! You want to make your reader aware of the cost of indecision. If they don’t take action today, they miss out on the transformation you’re offering.
#3. Make the copy crystal clear, leaving no room for interpretation. You can’t make an impact if your writing is confusing or too high level for the general public to relate to and understand. 5th grade English is your goal!
5 Steps to Writing Copy That Sells
Lead with Your Strongest Benefit: Who You Are Helping and What Problem Are You Solving
Always start with your most vital benefit of whatever it is you are selling. We’ve already established you are speaking to your ideal patients, make sure your writing reflects that. Do not write as if you were talking to a colleague, because your ideal patient won’t understand you and you will lose the sale. Think of the language, phrases, and words they would use to describe their problems (which they do on a regular basis to you) and use that in your copy.
Remember, you want to highlight the benefits that are the most valuable to them, what problem is it that you are solving and how is it going to change their life. The more accurately you can describe your ideal patient’s problem in terms they relate to, the more they instinctively feel that you must have an answer to that problem. You have to join the conversation that is already taking place in their minds every day. They’re suffering and when they stumble across your copy you want them to have that “Omg this is exactly what I’m going through!” feeling. The main goal here is to empathize with your patients and show them you understand the feelings and struggles they are experiencing.
Amplify & Inspire
The second portion of your copy is where you are going to strongly emphasize the positive impact your care will have on their life and how not accepting your offer will leave them negative consequences.
For example, you’re offering a 6-week weight loss program that is going to set them up to live a healthier lifestyle and not just a quick fix solution. This is where you show them that if they invest in your program it will be the last time they attempt to break the cycle of yo-yo dieting and genuinely learn to lose weight at a healthy rate and once and for all build a foundational, better relationship with their body and food.
Just as you are relating to their problem, you also must emphasize what it would cost them physically, mentally, and emotionally if they don’t invest in your care and current offer. You want them not to be able to ignore your solution. Show them how if they don’t make changes, their problems won’t go away. Then, inspire them with enthusiasm and excitement because you know the problem can be solved with your care!
Example: “Get to the root cause of your weight loss resistance once and for all and build a better relationship with your body and food so you never have to “diet” ever again. My 6-week program will teach you all the tools to lose weight at a healthy rate, but more importantly, properly nourish and care for your body and overall health so you can live your healthiest and happiest life!”.
Solution: Explain In Detail What Your Patient Will Get & How It Solves Their Problem
Following step number two, you are going to describe in detail what you’re offering. People need to know upfront what exactly it is they are investing in so break that down for them in detail. If we use the example of a 6-week weight loss program explain the details of what is included. Are you going to offer access to speak with you or a health coach weekly, grocery lists, meal plans, workout routines, weekly weigh-ins, Facebook group support, accountability calls/meetings, etc. Describe the details of the offer and relate to how your approach to this issue is going to solve the problem they’ve never been able to solve on their own. This is your breakdown of the tangible things included in your offer but remember to bring it back to why your offer (your transformation) and you specifically can solve their biggest problem. Explain why your method works best.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of the Well World app as an additional part of your offer “ get exclusive access to our health app where you can track your daily habits, access your food plan with shopping lists and recipes etc…
Transformation and Testimony: Back Up Your Offer With Proof
Testimonials and social proof of how you have transformed your patients’ lives are going to be the biggest selling point of your copy. Whatever you’re selling, whether it’s supplements, DIY programs, health products, virtual or in-person care, your audience is not buying the actual product or service but rather investing in you and the transformation you’re offering.
Incorporate real-life testimonials and stories of people who have successfully transformed under your care. At this point your audience is invested so providing proof, especially from those who have previously invested in you is the best way to do it. This will build credibility for your patients to know, like, and trust you. This is another reminder to always make it personal and emotional for your ideal patients, and relate it back to who they are and their lifestyle.
Example: If you are writing an email campaign or social post about the 6-week weight loss program but have a variety of testimonials of patients who have already undergone the program, and have had amazing success, are posted on your website, direct your reader to visit your website. For example, “Head to my website and read how 20+ patients have lost 15-20 lbs by joining my program ”. You can direct them to a link in your bio or in an email simply add in a testimonial and link to your website for them to read more. You can get creative with how to incorporate your proof but make it extremely easy to access because they are going to want to see it.
Offer & Call To Action
Always end with your offer and make a very clear call to action so your patients know exactly how to follow up with you and get in touch. Tell your patients exactly what to do in order to get your offer and book a discovery call or an appointment. Be sure to remind them why it’s so important to do so.
Your offer should consist of a summary of:
- The benefit of what you’re selling (the transformation)
- The vehicle or medium that delivers the transformation
- The cost and payment terms
If you aren’t specific and ask for the sale at the end of your offer you may as well have not written anything in the first place. Remember, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for a sale because that’s why you do what you do. You want to help people and the only way to do that is to put yourself out there and sell what it is you have to offer. You want to ensure your call to action is clear and direct so your patients don’t even need to think about what they need to do.
You want to add in something that prompts them to act now, you want to remind them of what they will lose if they don’t take you up on your offer today. Summarize all of the benefits of your transformation that you’ve already laid out for them and remind them why they need to pull the trigger. It’s your final chance to show them your value.
Example: “Ready to ditch dieting for good? Ready to stop feeling insecure and tired all of the time? Ready to get the support and accountability you always needed? Ready to learn the tools to get the body you always wanted and live your healthiest, most confident life? Join my 6-week weight loss program for only (insert price here) if you sign up today! Payment plans are available. Head to the link in my bio to book a discovery call with me and join now!” (You can also insert the link in the actual copy and also your email).
Get Writing
Now that you have the 5 must-have steps to writing stand-out copy that sells, it’s time to get writing! These steps are a great system to come back to no matter the length of copy or medium it’s going to be on. Each step should always be incorporated to ensure you are going to convert your ideal patients and help them solve their biggest issues through your care. I’m positive you’re already doing this in some way or another and hopefully, this layout can help you succeed even more!
Brandy Kinnear
Founder- Your Ideal Patients