October is here, which means I get to force the annual viewing of Hocus Pocus upon the people around me.

This year, I thought I’d take some tips from our leading witches and apply it to copywriting. Because, you know, seasonal content sells.

So, if you feel like transporting yourself to Salem and getting some loosely-related copywriting tips along the way, form a circle of salt to protect yourself from high bounce rates, and let’s open up the big spell book of copywriting.*

* Trigger warning: Blog contains far too many dodgy Hocus Pocus references.

Winifred Sanderson: Choose your lead wisely

Every story needs a leading old hag, and your brand’s story is no different. Winifred “Winnie” Sanderson is in charge of her two sisters, because she’s intelligent, driven and knows what she wants (to suck the souls out of little children).

Good copywriting has a lead that people are drawn to. Whether it’s an email, a sales letter or a blog, your lead or your “hook” has to keep the reader engaged. 

As copywriters, we’re in the business of attention and retention, and a good hook means the difference between a piece that converts and one that flops.

There are a few ways you can lead with value (without the clickbait).

1. Start with a mild threat

We as humans will go to further lengths to avoid pain than we will to gain pleasure. Addressing what could go wrong is an old-school approach that still works to this day, when in the right hands. Try not to go all fear-mongering at this point, but consider a problem that resonates, and lead prospects towards your solution.

The fear factor in advertising goes way back. In the 1920’s, Listerine rolled out campaigns for their new anti-bad breath mouthwash, suggesting that women would struggle to get married without it.

Today, I recommend being a bit more subtle. You don’t want to take a high-pressure approach, but you do want prospects to know which real problems you’re solving. That means injecting just a small bit of fear, not I-lit-the-blue-flame-candle levels of fear.

Basecamp does it well. They start with the problem, twist the proverbial knife to add more emotion, and finish off with a solution. It’s a simple, classic formula that is as effective as ever - as long as it doesn’t feel like bullying.

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2. FOMO

Winnie felt like she was missing out on the benefits that being young and beautiful can offer, hence the lengths she went to in order to get there. (Torture, cannibalism, kidnapping, etc.)

While I don’t recommend you drive your audience to any of the above, fear of missing out is a proven way to ignite action, with 60% of millennials making reactive purchases due to FOMO. When you blend scarcity with social proof (i.e. the amount of people already benefiting from your product or service), readers feel a sense of urgency.

Again, keep it subtle and authentic. Show readers how popular your product is, so they want a piece, too.

Mary Sanderson: Keep it ugly & honest

In HubSpot’s Not Another State of Marketing 2021 Report, we learned that this is “the year of brand authenticity”. Customers can see right through advertising trickery attempts nowadays, so we’re meeting them on their level and optimising for the user experience to build relationships.

Okay, Mary might have been too honest. People get scared off when you tell them you’re going to eat them, so we’re not doing that.

We are, however, bringing an essence of rawness to our copywriting. Authenticity breeds connections; it’s one reason Instagram Stories and Facebook Live are so popular right now.

Here are some ways you can write with authenticity:

• Put the thesaurus away. Write in a way that sounds natural, skipping the overly complex lingo. Remember that “utilise” and “use” mean the same thing; so do “commence” and “start”. Using bigger words can actually kill your copy, and doesn’t make you sound astute.
• Read your words back to yourself. This feels weird at first, but you’ll get used to it. See if your copy flows like a natural conversation, or if it feels like you’re trying to sell something.
• Humanise your copy. People buy from people, not brands. Share a few extra details about yourself to make your audience laugh, make them comfortable, or make them feel like you’re one of them.
  

The attributes that most drive perceptions of brand humanity are responsiveness and friendliness. These are traits that any brand can absorb - there’s no need to be super creative or hilarious.

So why should you care about authenticity? 76% of consumers say they would prefer to buy from a brand they feel connected to. They trust them more and they want to give them their business.

Sarah Sanderson: All singing, all dancing

A surprised reader is an engaged reader. The third sister, Sarah, reminds us of the importance of fun and spontaneity. Gobbling down live spiders and requesting to hang kidnapped teens on a hook so she can play with them shocks viewers and, guess what - people remember the things that surprise them. 

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Here, I’m talking about the things that make your brand different to the rest. Are you able to tilt consumer perspectives? How can you demonstrate creativity that wows? Can you curate a tone-of-voice so distinct that everyone wants to copy you? (Check out innocent drinks and Nando’s for a clue.)

Side note: If you want to dig deeper into innocent’s juicy brand, treat yourself to this blog on a lesson in copywriting from innocent.

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Let’s take a look at a couple of brands that just bring that extra flavour - even beauty - to the table. Get it right and customers won’t be able to resist your land of enchantment - as long as you don a broomstick and sing sweetly enough.

1. Nike - find the reason

Good copywriting asks “why”. Then it asks it again, and again. Rather than taking a benefit at face value, go deeper until you get to the core of a product. In the case of trainers, it’s easy to tell users that they’ll look cool - maybe even as cool as Michael Jordan, the sports brand’s biggest ambassador.

Nike has done its research. They’ve nailed what matters to a runner - solitude, peace and escape from everyday stresses. The copy in this ad reflects that escapism, while the design mirrors the sound that trainers make as they hit the pavement.

2. Burger King - take a new approach

In 2020, Burger King caught the attention of fast food lovers with mouldy burgers. While the ad was met with a mixed response and BK was accused of shock tactics (cue entertaining LinkedIn arguments), it’s safe to say it achieved what it set out to.

Following on from their famous rivalry with McDonald’s, Burger King demonstrated how their burgers go bad over time. This was in contrast to McDonald’s, who came under fire when YouTubers left burgers and fries out for 10 weeks and didn’t see any mould. BK, on the other hand, wanted to show that they use real ingredients. Ones that look pretty grim over time.

The juxtaposition of the glamorous music and romantic slo-mo with a mouldy burger is one that leaves an impact.

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Copywriting and branding isn’t just a bunch of hocus pocus. If you want to bewitch your audience with content that turns them into a black cat - I mean, a customer - then get in touch with me.