copywriting mistakes, advertising copywriting, how to avoid copywriting mistakes, common copywriting mistakes, effective copywriting, direct response copywriting

5 Copywriting Mistakes That Are Killing Your Conversions (And How To Avoid Them)

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Copywriting is a crucial skill all marketers need to possess. Naturally, not everyone is born with a talent for it, so copywriting mistakes are bound to happen, even to seasoned copywriters.

But, there’s an obvious problem with this. Poorly written copy will do you more harm than good.

It will turn visitors off, instead of convincing them to buy your stuff.

However, there’s no reason to be alarmed.

Although mistakes will inevitably happen, you can always learn from them and gradually hone your copywriting skills.

In turn, you’ll see your conversion rates steadily increasing.

In this article, I want to talk abut 5 common copywriting mistakes and how to avoid them.

Chances are, you might not even be aware that you’re making some of them.

Still, ignorance is never a solid excuse.

So, read about these 5 copywriting mistakes, and try to spot & correct these conversion killers in your copy:

1. You’re Writing To The Wrong Person

This is one of the classics. And it’s also fairly difficult to spot, from the writer’s standpoint.

It usually happens when you write copy without enough information on your ideal customers.

Unless you’ve done comprehensive audience research, you’re essentially just speculating who’s interested in your offers.

And, this may come as a surprise… Those speculations are usually way off.

You might have a completely skewed perception of your target audience. In that case, the copy won’t resonate with the person reading it.

For example, let’s say you’re writing a sales page for a weightless product. And, you assume most of your target audience are women between 20-35.

You’d probably focus on benefits of having more energy, reducing stress, and getting a fit, beach-ready body.

If, in reality, the bulk of your audience are women over 45, the message you’re sending won’t hit home.

The reason is simple – these women are primarily concerned with their health and overall well-being.

Another way you can write to the wrong person is when you mistake who the decision maker is. This often happens in the B2B environment.

For instance, you’re writing to a person on a certain position, while someone else in the company has the final say whether or not to buy the product.

The point remains the same. You copy won’t be good and your conversions will suffer, if you’re writing to the wrong person.

How To Avoid This

The solution to this mistake is quite obvious, really. You need to research your target audience before you start writing.

But, don’t just stop at learning who the person you’re writing for is. Create a buyer persona, and get to know your ideal customer.

2. You’re Focusing On The Wrong Question

This one’s pretty common, even among copywriters. So, don’t beat yourself up if you’re making this copywriting mistake.

Of course, the question I’m referring to is how you’re going to craft a specific piece of copy.

Most people believe that, if their show off their writing skills, their copy will look more impressive.

Needless to say, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Nobody’s going to buy from you because you seem smart and eloquent.

They’re going to buy because they want what you have to offer. Hence, the how isn’t as important as what you’re saying.

The copy you write might be Nobel prize-worthy… But, if it’s sending the wrong message, it won’t get you any sales.

How To Avoid This

Before you sit down to write, ask yourself what it is that you need to say. What message should your copy convey?

Remember, in order to convince someone to buy, you need to tell them what they want to hear.

Hence, you should focus on their wants, needs, problems, and goals.

The copy needs to be about the prospect, more so than about the product itself.

It needs to tell them what the product can do for them. 

Use this as a starting point to craft persuasive sales arguments.

Then, and only then, start thinking about how you’re going to put it all together into a well-written sales page.

As you can see, knowing your audience the leitmotiv of compelling copywriting.

3. You List Way Too Many Benefits

This might sound a bit counter-intuitive, since everyone tells you to focus on benefits, not features.

And that’s a rule you should abide by. Nobody wants to hear about every single feature of your amazing software…

They want to know how it can help them streamline processes, and save time & money.

However, there’s a small catch here… Copywriting mistakes aren’t always easy to spot at a first glance.

You might not realize it, but you can very easily go overboard with the benefits.

There are two main reasons for this. First, if you try to cover everything, your list will be enormous.

Instead of having a positive effect on the reader, it will seem like a drag.

Lists are boring by nature. And if yours has 20+ items on it, chances are they won’t even bother reading all the benefits.

Secondly, your sales page will sound too generic. Way too many marketers follow this approach.

Therefore, all sales pages promoting similar products look & sound pretty much the same.

And finally, if you’re listing over a dozen benefits, it might sound a bit too good to be true.

If the prospects reaction to reading the list is “How did I even live without this?”, they’ll likely come to the conclusion that something does add up.

And people are fed up with false advertising. If you give them a reason to doubt the integrity of your product, they’ll be gone for good.

How To Avoid This

Put the spotlight on the few biggest benefits the customers will receive.

Craft your message around them. If something else seems equally as important, you can always include it in the body of the copy.

This way, you won’t have a boring list, and you’ll stand out from everyone else.

4. You Fade Out Before You’re Done

Another one of the common copywriting mistakes is “fading out” too early.

This tends to happen often, among rookies and veteran copywriters alike.

They start off strong, with a powerful headline. Then, they hook the prospect in with a great opening and engaging story.

The prospect is “on it’s toes” throughout the whole body of the copy.

And then, towards the end, it just kind of flops…

Towards the end, you just want to be done with it and call it a day. Hence, people often rush it.

The result is a mild, bland close, with a weak CTA.

And the thing is – this is the most important part. It should be the strongest.

It’s your final chance to convince the reader to click that “Buy Now” button!

It’s what helps you seal the deal and close the sale. And if you lose focus, pace, and urgency by this point in your copy… it’s all for naught.

How To Avoid This

The obvious answer is to review your copy before you publish it/send it to a client.

Slowly and carefully read through the close. Then, be honest with yourself. Did it manage to convince you?

Are you hyped about the product and eager to whip out your credit card? Not really? Then, neither will you prospects be…

If you can’t be objective with your own copy, ask a friend or colleague to help you out. Have them read the page, and give you their impressions.

So, always read through the last few paragraphs of your copy. If it doesn’t have the desired effect, rewrite it.

Spend as much time as you need to ensure it’s compelling and convincing.

It’s best to spend the extra time now, than spend the same amount of time later, once you’ve figured out the copy isn’t producing the results you’re hoping for (and you’ve already missed out on a decent number of customers).

5. You Sound Like A Car Dealer

You know what I mean… Those people who are borderline forcing you to buy a new car.

Even if you’ve explicitly said that you’re not interested. Multiple times.

These pushy types are the worst. Nobody likes to feel like they were forced into making a buying decision.

They want every purchase to be their conscious choice.

Therefore, when someone runs into sales-y copy that’s too pushy, the red light suddenly goes off.

Our internal alarms start ringing, signaling that we’re “in danger”. That something’s not right.

And these aren’t just my impressions, mind you. There’s a ton of data to back this claim.

It’s been proven time and again that conversational style of copywriting has a much better effect on prospects.

Your conversions will soar if your copy gives persuasive arguments and explains how someone would benefit from the offer, rather than trying to shove the product down their throat with an aggressive approach.

Bottom line is – your copy needs to be persuasive. However, persuasive and pushy are two completely different categories.

How To Avoid This

Simply by ensuring that you refrain from being pushy or manipulating your customers.

Don’t tell them their life will fall apart if they don’t buy your product. Tell them how much easier it will be if they do.

Treat your audience with respect. Use conversational language, as if you were simply recommending a product to a friend.

And, position yourself as someone who’s genuinely trying to help the customers, rather than as a business owner looking to make a ton of money off of them.

Conclusion

If you’re making all of these copywriting mistakes, you’re probably thinking:

“Well, I clearly suck at copywriting. It’s no surprise I can’t sell anything to anyone.”

In reality, the situation isn’t so grim. Most copywriters make these mistakes, all the time.

The difference is, they’re aware of the fact that they’re making them.

And they take the necessary time to review their copy and correct the mistake.

You should do the same. Don’t consider your sales page finished when you’re done writing.

It’s ready to be published once you’re finished editing it. 

So, don’t be too  hard on yourself. Simply review all your drafts and correct these copywriting mistakes before you hit that “publish” button.

Which of these copywriting mistakes was the most eye-opening, or the biggest shock to you?

Are there any other copywriting mistakes you know you’re frequently making in your copy?

Let me know in the comment section below!

And, if you want to learn more about persuasive copywriting and hone your skills to boost your sales and conversions…

Then I invite you to join the Wealth Academy Direct Copywriting Specialist Certification Program.

Here, you’ll learn proven formulas 7-figure earners use to write compelling copy that sells.

By the time you’ve acquired your certification, you’ll have complete mastery over the art & science of direct copywriting.

Ready to scale your profits and take your business to the next level?

Then enroll TODAY and launch yourself as a Wealth Academy Certified Direct Copywriting Specialist!

Shaqir Hussyin 😉

About The Author

Your Millionaire Mentor
Shaqir Hussyin

copywriting mistakes, advertising copywriting, how to avoid copywriting mistakes, common copywriting mistakes, effective copywriting, direct response copywriting

Shaqir Hussyin is the founder and CEO of WealthAcademy.com & Funnels.com. Nicknamed the “Backpack Millionaire”, he’s invested $350,000 into his own education and training. Whilst traveling to 100+ countries, Shaqir has built over 10+ million dollar brands and attracted over 500,000+ subscribers.

His signature program is now available: Max Income System; 14 Simple Steps To Making Your First $120K

Shaqir is also a highly sought-after speaker and direct response “Sales Funnels” global leader. Shaqir’s work has impacted over 100,000 businesses in 65 different countries. Connect with Shaqir on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & FB Group.

 

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