Worst of all, this copy is everywhere!
I hate it, so I banned it (instead, we write emails that are fun to read even if we're selling — here's how we do it).
See if you can spot these techniques when you read emails from other people.
Ramit's list of banned copy
I used to be a loser, but now I'm a winner
EXAMPLE COPY: "I used to be broke / homeless / on the verge of dying, but now I'm rich / living in a mansion / healthier than ever"
RAMIT'S COMMENT: Man, this is everywhere. You start talking about something you failed at and suddenly you get tons of comments like "I really needed to hear this today!!" and "Thanks for being so honest!" The only problem: The people who love to hear other stories about failures never turn into customers. They simply use your failure as their morning motivation. You've essentially turned yourself into the court jester.
Relatability is good and vulnerability can be good — if you've achieved something. But please, stop writing about how vulnerable you are.
Teasing without delivering the goods
EXAMPLE COPY: "I'm going to show you [HOW TO DO AMAZING THING], but first…"
RAMIT'S COMMENT: It goes like this: "Hey guys, I'm going to show you how to save 20 hours a day on anything you do, but first let me tell you a story about my pet ferret. (LONG STORY.) Anyway, click my link. Thanks!"
Better to be clear than clever.
False consensus
EXAMPLE COPY: "So many people have been asking me about my amazing fat-burning tool"
RAMIT'S COMMENT: You have 13 people on your email list. Nobody's asking you for anything. It's OK to be honest if you're starting out and don't have a lot of readers. It can be a strength!
False scarcity
EXAMPLE COPY: "While supplies last!" or "For a limited time"
RAMIT'S COMMENT: I have no problem with scarcity. But when you say "This course closes tonight!" and it magically stays open for months on end, that's a problem.
Unnecessary bonuses
EXAMPLE COPY: "But wait! There's more..."
RAMIT'S COMMENT: I love bonuses and they are highly effective at selling products. My only callout here is when the bonuses are totally incongruent with the offer. For example, "Buy my coaching program to develop your self-confidence and I'll teach you my ab workout routine!" What?
(Ironically, this tactic shows a complete lack of confidence in your product. If you have a great product for a great audience, be confident in your offer.)
Telling me who I am (but being wrong)
EXAMPLE COPY: "You're confident. You're bold. You want more out of life" or "You're a tired entrepreneur who just wants it to work"
RAMIT'S COMMENT: You see this type of breathless copy primarily in women's development and coaching. If executed right, it could be amazing — but it never is. Instead, they never quite nail the "you" part: Instead of being ultra-specific, they use Barnum statements like "You're bold," which are transparently vague and insulting to readers. Never do this.
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This is the internal list of "Banned copy" that I distributed at IWT.
2 questions for you:
- Have you ever seen these types of copy?
- What else should I add to the list?