Chapter 3. Strategy
It’s it
Strategy is figuring out what you’re going to do. And as the copywriter, developing the right strategy is the most necessary work you’ll perform.
“Come on!” someone declares. “Choosing which direction to go is more important than creating content?”
Yes, because your copy is an implementation of your strategy. If your strategy is good but your creative is inferior, you’ll probably succeed. However, if your creative is good but your strategy is inferior, you’ll probably fail.
Also, your strategizing never stops, even when you’re deciding how to arrange your final copy blocks. So, wherever you are in the process, understand that you can’t be a la-la copywriter who lets everyone else handle the strategy. You have to think...and think...all the way through.
Building the framework
The framework is at the core of your strategy. It’s a simple structure your whole team should agree to before going forward. It consists of five parts, and it forms the basic basicnesses of your campaign. Here they are:
We’ll learn about these parts starting in a few pages, but there’s some other stuff first. Afterwards, you’ll assemble a phenomenal framework.
No planning is wrong…
…and over-planning is wrong. It’s foolish to throw ads out there without putting lots of thought behind them. However, it’s also bad to waste valuable months erecting a giant plan that collapses under its own weight. You need to strike a balance. Immediately.
Out with the old
Some of the smart old methods have to be tossed away. For example, the old way is to put an ad through 15 revisions before putting it out there. Please reconsider doing this, because we’re in the digital communication world. It’s better to get the ad out there in 21 days, generate responses, and keep improving everything. Three points:
1. This is what your smartest competitors are doing.
2. Minor improvements probably won’t increase the response.
3. You can’t say, “I took the normal amount of time to create this ad,” when the feeling is, “We’re in the digital age. You can get a great ad done in a very short time.”
Be zippy
Here is the familiar (slow) game plan for resultful advertising:
The product gains awareness in the market…
...then the prospects begin thinking favorably about it…
...and the prospects respond.
This plan makes sense on paper, but it usually falls apart in the real world. It takes too long to get responses, and the advertiser runs out of money, time, and patience.
Here is the less familiar (speedy) way: Do everything at once. In one ad, tell prospects why they should be aware of the product, why they should use it, and why they should respond now. As a result, many prospects should reply now. A respondent will say afterwards, “I never heard of that product before. I still can’t remember the name. But I contacted them, and they’re sending me a sample.”
The point: You don’t have the funds or time to build awareness first. So, take the big leap and get responses now. The person who buys your product will be aware of you, and – given your circumstances – this is enough.
The vacuum
The vacuum is a place someone puts himself in when he can’t see the realities of the...
? Audience’s needs. “Vac, few people are going to accept this.”
? Competitive situation. “Vac, our product is getting killed out there!”
? Product’s limitations. “Vac, face it: Ours is slower.”
Vac needs to get out in the world and see that he is not the market’s dictator. He is another servant to it.