Good copy and marketing is a mystery to most.
Should I sell more?
Should I focus more on brand personality?
What’s the optimal mix?
It’s not an easy question to answer. And many pull their hair out trying to figure it out.
But the truth is:
Both selling (i.e., direct-response copywriting) AND brand personality are important.
You need direct-response copy for getting that initial sell and quick wins.
But you need brand personality to create a long-term customer. After all, people want to do business with people (and people have personalities, which brands should have as well).
Yet, if all you do is sell to people (even with powerful direct-response copywriting), they won’t form a bond with you. In this case, you sacrifice your customer’s longevity.
(And possibly your business, too)
On the other hand, if your business has a “personality,” as in, something that feels human and has values and emotion, customers will be more likely to stay.
(Just like a person IRL. If they gel with your personality, you want to hang out more. It’s as simple as that)
But “hanging out” with a business doesn’t equal sales.
And consistent sales are the lifeblood of a business. Without it, it shrivels up and dies.
So what do you do?
Simple – combine direct-response copy (i.e., sales) with brand personality.
With both, you can get those quick, upfront wins in the form of clicks and sales. And also get a long-term customer who sticks around because they like your brand personality.
The question then, is a matter of ratio.
How much direct-response copy should I market with?
How much brand personality should I emphasize?
80/20? 50/50?
What’s the “optimal” ratio?
In truth, there’s no perfect number.
What matters is you try to implement both.
But we can break it down to two basic methods:
- Alternate between sales and brand content (as in, sell something in one piece of content, then maybe share tips in another), or:
- Blend sales with brand content (e.g., share tips in your content but logically link the tips to an offer of yours)
And of course, the secret 3rd option is to combine both methods.
Honestly, I’ve seen all three options work.
You could argue it boils down to the brand personality and just say, “well, let’s just say our brand sells like ‘this’ and call it a day.”
This approach wouldn’t be wrong.
Personally, I use the “blend” approach. It feels more natural and conforms to the direct-response copywriting concept of hiding your promotions as the medium it’s in.
(e.g., if you’re selling something in a newspaper, write the sales piece so it looks like a news article)
Not that the other option is wrong.
In fact, alternating between “sales piece” and “content piece” is convenient for simplicity and clarity. You may have an easier time mapping out your marketing strategy that way as well.
It’s up to you.
So, what’s the final verdict?
Well, I’d say…
Do both. Not just one or the other. Ultimately, as long as you hit both concepts in your marketing, you’ll be okay.
Now, let me show you how I use the “blend” approach.
Right now, I just shared some insight into how marketing can be executed. I’ve demonstrated proof and authority because of it.
This means I can reasonably and logically push my offer. This is how you blend copy with content. They support each other in the same piece, allowing you to “sell without selling.”
Make sense?
Now, let’s finish it off:
If you’d like help with marketing that blends sales-inducing direct-response copywriting with brand personality (especially in an email setting)…
Just hit me up and we’ll get things started asap.
-Ericson
