Copywriting Checklist For High ROI Sales Copy

You put your hands on the keyboard and you’re about to write…

But nothing happens. 😱

It’s that pesky writer’s block!

Unfortunately, it delays projects, pushes back other tasks, and reduces morale.

It doesn’t have to be that way though. There is a quick fix.

And, it’s called a checklist.

Great sales copy is emotional but that doesn’t mean you can’t be organized.

Templates, checklists, and similar resources help writers zip through projects without sacrificing quality.

I mean, who doesn’t want to save time and energy?

That’s why I enjoy using copywriting checklists every time I begin a new product and you should, too.

They contain all of the most important information to add to make copy pop. 💥

Use this seven-point copywriting checklist to see the results yourself:

1. Clearly define the audience

Who are you selling to?

And no, “35 year old males in the United States” doesn’t fly.

That’s a guaranteed way to produce generic copy and campaigns.

You need to zoom in a small hyper-segment of customers like using a telescope.

As a matter of fact, companies that dedicated 81.6% of marketing budgets to personalization receive a 2x ROI or greater!

Unfortunately, marketers are guilty of aiming at large crowds and taking a shotgun approach.

On the flipside, copywriters need to place small segments under a microscope to understand their feelings, pain points, questions, and values.

Campaigns can be engineered around these elements to resonate with customers on a deep level and increase engagement.

But, you’re probably thinking “How do I do that?”

Firstly, I love leveraging market and industry reports.

These contain all of the latest data, trends, and opportunities within your market.

And no, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on Ibis reports.

Search for “keyword + free industry report” on Google to see what I mean.

There will be endless resources for you to study customers through like this:

Use these to understand who the customers are, why they purchase products, and what they look for in brands.

Better yet, study competitor reviews to directly see what customers are saying.

These can be found on Google, Yelp, TrustPilot, and any major review website.

Reviews and testimonials directly mention the customer’s problem, how it was solved, and what they enjoyed about the overall process.

Use this data to create the most persuasive sales copy possible.

2. Define the problem you’re solving

What does a product do?

It solves a problem!

But, it’s not always the problem you’re thinking of.

For instance, what does a t-shirt do?

It keeps customers clothed, right?

Not really.

It gives them confidence, self-esteem, easily matches with other attire, and gives them a certain image. (Professional, young, etc.)

Clearly mentioning the problem a customer is experiencing will get them glued to the page.

Check out the sales pages for this weight loss product, for example:

It clearly states losing weight in both the headline, popup, and video sales letter.

This works because—as I mentioned before—it resonates with the reader.

They’ll think “Ah, yes! Finally, a business that gets me.” on a conscious or subconscious level.

This is also what’s called priming in neuro-linguistic programming.

It foreshadows what the rest of the material and interaction with a business will entail. Learn more in my NLP copywriting article.

And remember, think emotionally.

Think deep.

What primal things are you solving?

Keep in the mind the seven deadly sins, as they are often why someone is buying something:

1. Lust: “Get your ex-boyfriend back with this secret texting strategy”
2. Gluttony: “Make so much cash with affiliate marketing you can make a money bed”
3. Greed: “Lambo’s and private jets await you”
4. Sloth: “Make $10,000/month with 5 minutes of effort”
5. Wrath: “Show your bullies who’s tough with our 3-month muscle program”
6. Envy: “Don’t you wish you looked as good as him?”
7. Pride: “Everyone will be drooling over your new body”

3. What are the features and benefits?

Features = factual.

Benefits = emotional.

And, if there’s one thing I’d hope you learned so far, is that sales copy is heavily emotional.

Yeah, customers need to know what specs and features a product has.

But, it’s not truly why they’re buying it.

They’re purchasing it for the experiences and emotions it creates.

For example, is someone buying a gaming computer because of the insane graphics card and power supply?

Partly. However, it’s mostly because those components allow them to play their favorite games non-stop at high FPS (frames per-second) with friends.

They don’t get slowed down. They don’t get interrupted. They can enjoy their hobby.

This Amazon listing nails this strategy perfectly:

Some of the best lines include:

• “Up to 30x Faster Than Traditional HDD”
• “Capable of running all your favorite games … at High to Ultra settings, crisp 1080p Full HD resolution and smooth 60+ FPS gameplay.”
• “Get amazing performance and image quality while livestreaming to Twitch or YouTube.”

Next time you’re writing sales copy, clearly state the features followed by what benefit it creates for the customer.

4. What is the unique selling proposition?

What makes your product unique?

Does it blend into everything else on the market?

Displaying a unique value proposition communicates to customers why they should purchase from you and not a competitor.

Unfortunately, so many companies don’t mention a UVP and look basic.

UVP’s come in all shapes and sizes, too.

It doesn’t have to be a new technology that’s going to take us to Venus. It can be related to:

• Materials
• Craftsmanship
• Quality control
• Customer service
• Features
• Technology
• Content
• Branding
• Pricing
• Return and refund policies
• Personalization
• Etc.

Explain why any of these stand out from what’s on the market.

After all, customers want something new and fresh.—not what they’ve seen a million times before.

We love the latest and greatest. Look at iPhones and similar products.

People line up all over the world because there’s a new product. Even if they don’t need it!

5. Overcome objections

As nice as it would be for customers to read our copy and whip out their credit card, it doesn’t always happen that easy.

The higher the price is, the more objections they will have.

They want to ensure their hard-earned money is in goods hands.

So, you have to earn it.

This goes back to my first point about understanding your customers.

They will object to things like pricing, features, benefits, etc.

And, you have to be ready with sword and shield to deflect them.

This plays into user experience, too.

Improving the customer experience and reducing churn are the two biggest priorities for companies right now.

If readers can flow through the material with few questions and concerns, they’ll get to the point of sale faster.

Look at this landing page for John Crestani’s webinar:

A user might ask themselves “Is this legit or worth it?” and its overcome in a few ways:

• Using a logo bar as social proof. If those brands trusted them, why shouldn’t the customer?
• Real-life examples will be included as proof the system works.
• Names of successful customers are used.
• It’s a live presentation and not recorded.
• It’s 100% free to attend.

As you’re writing copy, consider where customers will stop and demand more information. Provide it and you will gain their valuable trust.

6. Answer every question customers have

Think about the last time you bought something.

You probably wanted to know every little detail about the item.

This is especially true for larger purchases.

It’s critical to answer every possible question a customer would have for this reason.

They may include:

1. What are the features?
2. How much does it cost?
3. How much does it cost to maintain?
4. What are the shipping options?
5. How long does shipping take?
6. What are your return and refund policies?
7. How can I contact your customer service team?
8. Is the product safe?
9. Who is the product for?
10. Are there any discounts or coupon codes?
11. What payment methods you offer?
12. How do I use the product?

Some companies opt for an FAQ page to neatly summarize answers like Browns Shoes does here:

7. Calls to action

Last but not least, the call to action.

This is a staple copywriting technique that needs to be used as much as possible.

They are simply words or phrases that tell the customer what to do next.

They include:

• Click here
• Buy now
• Buy today
• Sign up
• Register
• Reserve your spot
• Don’t wait
• Get it now
• Get it today
• Shop
• Check out
• Etc.

Calls to action can range from a single word to an entire sentence, as well.

SEMrush uses the “Register” CTA on this page for a webinar:

A call to action should be found approximately above every fold, too.

As you can see on the Moz homepage, there’s a clear CTA and then the fold is at the bottom:

When the user scrolls, they will see new content and another fold.

Having a call to action above every fold ensures the maximum amount of action can be taken on any given page.

Wrapping up this copywriting checklist

Copywriting is difficult.

There’s no shortage of steps, processes, and material you have to analyze.

But, you can make it easier on yourself by using a checklist.

This makes sure that everything you write includes the most important information.

Here’s a summary of the checklist I covered today: