Ep 192: The Missing Link to Great Copywriting
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The Missing Link to Great Copywriting
You can follow all the formulas. Learn the best hooks, CTAs, and templates. Tweak your headlines and swap your buttons. But if your copy still isn’t converting, chances are you're missing the most important piece:
You don’t know your people well enough.
I sat down with conversion copywriting expert, Sara Anna Powers. Here’s what she had to say.
Conversion copywriting isn’t just about words. It’s about listening. Understanding. Getting inside your customer’s head and heart.
Most business owners and copywriters skip this part. They rely on what they think their audience wants instead of what their audience is actually saying. And that disconnect is what kills conversions.
Copy That Converts Starts With Customer Conversations
Before you write a single word, ask yourself:
Have I interviewed 4 to 10 ideal clients?
Did I record those interviews and study the transcripts?
Am I using their exact language on my sales page?
If not, that’s your first step. Not a headline tweak. Not a better button.
When 4 out of 8 customers use the same phrase, that’s the gold. Drop those phrases into your copy. That’s what gets people to say: "It feels like you read my mind."
Go Beyond the Business Owner’s Voice
If you’re a copywriter, it’s not enough to capture the founder’s tone. You also need to interview your client’s customers. Ask deeper questions. Pull the actual voice of the customer straight from the source.
"You're not them. You can't remember exactly what it felt like before you got the result. You have to ask." —Sara Anna Powers
Ask Better Questions. Get Deeper Answers.
Every customer interview should dig into both the pain and the possibility.
Ask questions like:
How long has this been a problem?
What else have you tried?
Why hasn’t it worked?
How has it affected your business, life, or family?
What would change if this was solved?
Why now?
That last one is critical. Because it reveals their urgency—not just your timeline.
The Right Urgency
Forget fake urgency like "doors closing" or "limited spots."
Real urgency comes from inside the customer. It’s personal. It’s emotional. And it matters more than your countdown timer ever will.
Ask:
Why do you have to fix this now?
What’s changed that makes this finally matter enough to act?
Talk With People. Not at Them.
You can’t write great copy from your ivory tower.
Even big names like Pat Flynn take time to stay close to their audience. He set aside time every month just to talk to subscribers, even the ones who hadn’t bought yet.
If he can do that with millions in revenue, so can you.
Your Next Step
Stop tweaking. Start talking.
If your copy isn’t converting:
Book 4–10 customer interviews
Record and transcribe every one
Highlight common phrases
Drop those words directly into your next sales page
Retention starts with experience. Conversion starts with connection.
Stay Connected with Shana Lynn
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To learn more about how I can help you, tap here.