At the highest levels of copywriting, big financial publishers ask copywriters to do a “re-lead” when they want to increase conversion on a proven offer.

What’s that?

A re-lead is basically a reframing of the intro to a sales letter, in the hopes that the reframing will spur greater sales.

And it’s probably no coincidence that when my mentoring clients show me copy they’re having trouble with, the first thing I look at is the headline and lead.

A revamping of those two things — the beginning of the sales letter — will fix a conversion problem more often than any other fix.

Today, we’re going to take a systematic look at three ways to reframe your headline and lead, in search of greater conversions.

It’s a great way to start the New Year!

Just as this is a great way to start copywriters podcast:

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You could say the purpose of a sales funnel is to create desire that leads up to a sale, but these days, if that’s what you say, you’ve left out an important part.

A part that very well could make the difference between a sale and no sale.

With trust in general at such an all-time low and the feeling of isolation so rampant, people want a little more.

They want to feel like you, as a business or a businessperson, care. Both about them personally, and the things they care about.

You don’t need to be the personal Oprah of their very being. You’re not granting them wishes or completely improving every aspect of their lives.

But if you’ve got a good offer, you’re improving some aspect of their lives. And if you can create a relationship in your messaging that includes the spirit of caring, your sales will do much, much better.

Here’s a recap of what we’ll cover on this episode:

-First Contact: Making the Right First Impression

How to identify and speak to your prospect's immediate pain point

Creating an irresistible entry-level offer that proves your value

Writing headlines and leads that filter for qualified prospects

-Trust Building: Using Proof Effectively

Structuring testimonials for maximum believability

Demonstrating authority without bragging

Using specific numbers and results to overcome skepticism

-After The Sale-Keeping The Customers Happy

Writing follow-up sequences that reinforce buying decisions

Creating quick wins to build momentum and satisfaction

Setting expectations for the next offer in the sequence

-Moving Customers Up Your Price Ladder

Timing and positioning your next offer

Using past purchase history to personalize future pitches

Building exclusivity and status into higher-tier offerings

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Our returning champion is Brenna McGowan, the master of the pre-launch.

Today she’s going to tell us about a special pre-launch technique called Anticipation Marketing™.

Perhaps the best advantage it gives you is it puts you front and center in your prospects’ minds, and at the same time gets them eagerly looking forward to getting the full details about what you’re going to launch.

Maybe even more important is that it revolves around one word: Trust. As we’ve talked about here before, and as you know, right now trust is at an all-time low.

Lots of reasons for this, but you don’t want low trust to interfere with your launch.

Anticipation Marketing helps you build trust by gradually getting them familiar with your new offer, in an unobtrusive and exciting way so they just can’t wait for the launch itself!

Your free personalized launch calendar from Brenna:

https://brennamcgowan.co/launchcalendar

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It’s the day before the day of the night before Christmas

as we put this on the air, and a very unknown year

looms ahead.

One thing for sure, no matter what happens:

The market will be more unforgiving in 2025 than it was in 2024. Why?

It’s simple. Competition keeps growing. So does impatience among almost all consumers, and mistrust among many of them.

What this means to you, as a copywriter, is now more than ever, you can’t afford to do a half-assed job on your copy.

Sounds pretty bleak and terrifying, I know.

But wait? What’s that whooshing sound?

It’s Copywriters Podcast to the rescue!

You see, we’ve put together 10 absolute “musts” for your copy to give it the tippy-top chance of converting to a sale.

And we’re going to share all of them today on the show, and even in the show notes so you won’t forget anything.

Here are the 10 MUSTS:

1. Remember your copy is about your prospect and how your product will improve their life. It’s not about you, your business, or your product.

2. Make a list of the biggest objections, starting with the strongest and most common. Make sure your copy answers every one of the objections.

3. Write drunk, edit sober. Don’t literally get drunk. Just go wild when you write. Put all your passion and intensity into it, and dial it back when you edit.

4. Sell results, not the process it takes to get the results. You can explain the process briefly later on, but focus on the results for the prospect. That’s what they’re buying.

5. Use the word “you” and at least twice as much as the words “me,” “my” “us” “ours” and your company and product name. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

6. Close all your loops. If you mention a problem, solve it. If you make a claim, prove it. Loose ends that don’t get tied up lead to sales that don’t get closed.

7. Use people in your copy. Don’t say, “helps build muscle.” say, “Helped Bob pack on 10 pounds of muscle.”

8. Use proof early and often. Right away if you can. People are skeptical and proof helps them relax so they can feel good about buying.

9. Use lots of white space. One sentence paragraphs sometimes. Maybe all the time. Make it easy to read.

10. Write your headline last. Sometimes you don’t really know what your copy’s about until you’ve written it. You’ll have a better headline if you know what it’s leading to before you write it.

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So, we’re right in the middle of the Christmas shopping season as we come to you this week, and I’m wondering:

Have you figured out how to delight your customers and fatten up your bank account?

If you haven’t you’re not alone.

Many copywriters and businesses don’t know exactly what to do to join in the holiday buying and selling fun… so they don’t do anything.

Which is a shame, because there’s a ton of people out there just looking for a good excuse to buy something.

So this podcast is my gift to you. It has enough practical how-to content to be a paid product, but since you are loyal Copywriters Podcast listener or viewer, we’re going to give it to you so you can join in the fun for the next few weeks… if you want to.

Now, one word of warning. We’re going to give you 11 last-minute ideas. Some of these are as easy as pie to implement.

Other ones require a lot of fine-tuned skill and the ability to handle some high-precision operations all at once. I’ll warn you about which ones are not for the faint of heart, or for beginners.

But one thing I can promise you before we start. There’s something for everyone on today’s show, and it could lead to a little holiday bonus for your business in the next few days, if you do it right.

Here’s a recap of what we covered. Details in the show itself:

1 The 24-Hour Flash Sale: Create urgency with a one-day 30% discount, supported by three perfectly timed emails.

2 Smart Bundles: Combine multiple offerings at a 20% discount to increase average order value while delivering high perceived value.

3 For The Last-Minute Buyer: Target procrastinators with premium-priced, instantly deliverable solutions during the final pre-Christmas rush.

4 Christmas Countdown Special: Transform the final week before Christmas into a series of daily changing offers that build anticipation and repeat visits.

5 Holiday Delivery Guarantee: Turn shipping anxiety into a competitive advantage by offering guaranteed Christmas delivery.

6 Give Yourself A Gift: Capitalize on the December 26-31 period by targeting self-purchasers with gift money and cards.

7 Gift Card Bonus: Offer gift cards with bonus value that drives January visits and increases total spending.

8 For A Good Cause: Link purchases to charitable giving to tap into holiday generosity while building brand loyalty.

9 Don’t Leave Yourself Out: Legitimize self-purchasing during holiday shopping with "one for them, one for you" promotions.

10 New Year, New You: Bridge holiday spending with New Year's planning by offering Christmas buyers exclusive January access to a special self-development program.

11 Peace In The Family: Address holiday stress by packaging gifts with stress-management solutions in a sensitive, solution-focused way.

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For the copywriting word of the year, I’d like to nominate the word “authenticity.”

It’s a big deal right now.

People talk about it a lot. I will give you an example on today’s show of how an accidental Facebook ad created more engagement than anything else I’ve ever seen.

I went over the ad with my clients and we figured out that it was the way they used authenticity in the writing of it that touched so many people and inspired so much response.

These days, slick marketing is on a steep decline when it comes to effectiveness.

People are wary of high-powered pitches and over-the-top promises, more than ever before.

Remember the old Who song, which is now the intro to CSI Vegas, “Who Are You?”

In part, it goes:

Well, who are you?

I really wanna know

Tell me, who are you?

'Cause I really wanna know

I think they were decades ahead of their time when they released this song in 1978.

Because it seems every prospect has this question on their mind before they will consider buying from you.

And authenticity will get you a long way to a satisfactory answer and help them become a customer.

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Have you ever heard a song and thought,

“Dang! How did they do that? I wish my copy was that catchy!”

Well, Nathan and I have thought the same thing and in fact pondered the similarities between writing a song and writing copy.

You see, we’re both songwriters. We stoutly assert that we are both amateurs at this.

At one point, music was Nathan’s business.

I never got that far. It’s always been just a hobby for me.

But I have studied and tried intently. Just turned out that wasn’t my path.

However, once you start with music, you can’t leave it.

Or, it never leaves you. So we both live with music inside us, all the time.

And today, we thought we’d talk about what we learned from songwriting and how a great song compares to a great piece of copy.

The Persuasion Story Code: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFD2KXNQ

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Ever wonder why some copywriters consistently crush it while others struggle to get conversions?

This episode dives deep into the Five Stages of Copywriter Awareness—a transformative framework that shows the path from instinctive, mediocre copy to breakthrough results. If you’ve ever felt like your copy was missing something, this episode will pinpoint exactly where you’re stuck and how to advance.

Starting at Stage One, you’ll learn why writing based solely on your own perspective often falls flat and how the shift to understanding your audience begins at Stage Two. But even surface-level audience insights won’t cut it if you want to create reliable winners. That’s why we explore the leap to Stage Three, where systematic research transforms your understanding of what your prospects truly want.

In Stages Four and Five, the game changes. Here, it’s not just about gathering data but analyzing it for hidden patterns and emotional drivers that resonate deeply with your audience. You’ll discover how advanced copywriters use strategic testing and ethical swiping of structures—not words—to craft high-converting campaigns backed by data, not guesses.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a roadmap to move beyond your current plateau, sharpen your skills, and write copy that performs at the highest level. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to join the ranks of elite copywriters, this episode promises to give you the tools to elevate your craft and your results. Listen now to unlock the next stage of your copywriting journey.
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Once you’ve finished your copy, the anxiety begins.

And it almost always boils down to the answer to this question:

How good is this copy–really?

When people ask me to critique their copy, they’re often amazed at how quickly I can get to the heart of things.

Once I have an overall opinion, I’ll drill down to a lot of specifics.

But I think it’s important today not to talk about those specifics, but instead to talk about that quick take.

How do you know if it’s any good to begin with?

I’m going to give you useful answers to three questions today:

1. How can you get a quick sense of whether copy will convert or fall flat?

2. What mistakes do newbie copywriters make that immediately signal they still have a lot to learn?

3. How do you develop the ability to have a gut feeling on whether copy will work or not?

Link to AI Copywriting Mastermind: https://vip.getmynovus.ai

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Today we’re going to do another episode of “Just because it’s a story, it’s not a hero’s journey story.”

What I mean by that is, many people have been misleading copywriters and salespeople for a while now. Saying, if you’re going to tell a story, it’s got to be a hero’s journey story.

As you may know, in my book The Persuasion Story Code, I show 25 types of stories that are decidedly NOT hero’s journeys. That actually come from successful sales letters and other direct response copy.

That you can adapt and use in your own copy.

Today I want to focus in on stories where you walk a mile in your prospect’s shoes. These are from Chapter 4 and the shorthand name for these stories is “empathy stories.”

They’re tremendously useful in gaining trust and connection with your prospects. Which is very important in these extremely low-trust times.

Not only that. I’ve added a fifth kind of story which is not even in the book! So we’ve got a lot to cover today.

Here’s what we cover in some useful detail:

STORY TYPE 1: I KNOW YOUR PAIN This is an empathy story that describes your prospect’s pain or problem.

STORY TYPE 2: I CAN SEE WHAT YOU SEE This is when you tell a story about a top of mind topic and how it affects your prospect.

STORY TYPE 3: I FEEL YOUR PAIN What you’re doing here is revealing an experience of your own that will ring a bell with your prospect and their experience.

STORY TYPE 4: THEY’RE INFLICTING PAIN ON YOU This is the opposite of a personal story involving you. It’s a social story where you are not personally involved.

STORY TYPE 5: LOOK! SOMEONE ELSE IS IN PAIN! In this kind of story, the writer and the reader are actually distanced, as observers.

The Persuasion Story Code: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFD2KXNQ

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