How to use:

Instead of hard-selling, teach them how to do something using your product.

Example product:

Exercise program

Example copy:

How to use:

An easy way to stand out and grab attention is to say the exact OPPOSITE of what your reader is expecting. You better have an air-tight argument, though, or it’ll get torn to shreds.

Example product:

New diet

Example copy:

How to use:

Take an objection or pain-point related to your product, and write an entire ad focused on destroying it. If you’re in a saturated market, this can be a great way to set yourself apart from your competitors.

Example product:

Fertilizer

Example copy:

How to use:

This is one of the most common copywriting lenses in the book. Call out a problem that drives your market crazy, agitate it, then offer a solution.

Example product:

Language-learning course

Example copy:

How to use:

What unknown problem is your market prone to if they don’t use your product? This is slightly different from the Problem Solver lens because it involves a danger that your market didn’t even know existed. Start by introducing the problem and proving why it’s a legit concern. Then offer your product as the solution.

Example product:

Nutrition book

Example copy:

How to use:

Focus your entire ad on how little effort your product requires. Show how it’s foolproof.

Example product:

Yoga program

Example copy:

Note: Nowadays you have to be able to back up your claims (especially regarding health).

How to use:

Focus your ad on the long-term benefits of your product.

Example product:

Diet & Exercise Program

Example copy:

How to use:

Nobody likes being left in the dark. How can you “turn on the lights” and solve a problem your audience may not even have known there was a solution to?

Example product:

TV Owners Guide

Example copy:

How to use:

Your ad is inspired by a new discovery that changes the game (new technique, invention, ingredient, strategy, etc.)

Example product:

Fishing lure

Example copy:

How to use:

Think about valuable information you can give away for free that will move cold leads towards your product.

Example product:

Newsletter subscription

Example copy:

How to use:

How can you position your product so that it’s the X-factor in achieving your market’s desire?

This is common with beauty products, but it can be used for any desire...

• Having more energy
• Learning a language
• Building a successful blog
• Getting kids to obey
• Etc.

Example product:

Skin cream

Example copy:

How to use:

Does your product involve an ingredient or story from another country? If so, you can make it the highlight of your ad. This “foreign factor” makes people curious, wondering if the secret to solving their problems has already been discovered in a faraway land.

Example product:

Skin cream

Example copy:

How to use:

Investigate the claims your competitors are making. Then “one-up” them, and make it the foundation of your ad.

Example product:

Diet plan

Example copy:

How to use:

Instead of waiting till the end of your ad to explain your risk-free guarantee, tie it right into your headline. Then, weave the “zero risk” idea throughout your entire ad.

Example product:

Book that teaches learning hacks

Example copy:

How to use:

Think of an analogy that represents what your product does. Use the analogy throughout the entire ad. This is especially helpful when complicated processes are involved (e.g. health, tech, etc).

Example product:

DIY skincare home remedies

Example copy:

How to use:

Instead of focusing your ad around the positives that buyers will gain from your product, try flipping it around and highlighting the BAD things your product helps them avoid.

Example product:

Training on how to handle legal matters without paying steep lawyer fees

Example copy:

How to use:

Not all products solve huge, life-changing problems...and your ad doesn’t need to either! There’s probably a portion of your market that is already mostly satisfied with a certain area of their life, but they know it could be better. This is a great angle to build your ad on.

Example product:

Cookbook

Example copy:

How to use:

Have any of your customers seen big results thanks to your product? Write an entire ad telling their story. You might even be able to use a piece of their testimonial as your headline.

Example product:

Weight loss plan

Example copy:

How to use:

Choose a narrow audience and call them out in the headline. Build your arguments around the issues specific to this audience. Then explain why your product is perfect for them (vs. similar products targeting the masses).

Example product:

Exercise program

Example copy:

How to use:

Call the reader out and ask them what their problem is worth right in the headline. The cheaper your price (and the more desperate they are to solve the problem), the better this will work. Spend the rest of the ad explaining how your solution works and why other expensive solutions aren’t necessary.

Example product:

Cellulite elimination program

Example copy:

How to use:

If you offer an indestructible product or lifetime warranty, this copywriting lens is for you. Create an entire ad emphasizing how your product will last them the rest of their life.

Example product:

Socks

Example copy:

How to use:

Write an ad explaining why your market’s problem is caused by outside forces. It’s not their fault. Give evidence showing why the problem is outside their control...unless they use your product.

Example product:

Weight control program

Example copy:

How to use:

This indirect copywriting lens works great when your market is burnt out from seeing too many offers. Instead of a salesy headline, your ad is disguised as a helpful piece of content. Teach valuable information without any mention of your product—all the while secretly building the reader’s interest in the topic. Then, once they’re excited, introduce your product.

Example product:

Program teaching children how to get better grades

Example copy:

How to use:

Personalize your ad by writing a sales letter to one specific person (using their name). People are more likely to pay attention if they feel like the message was written just for them.

Example product:

Bodybuilding pheromone

Example copy:

How to use:

Create an ad that revolves around your product creation story. Try to pick out and highlight unique details from the story that will capture attention and give the story a “twist” (even if the twist has nothing to do with the product or the story). This can be as simple as describing a weird characteristic of the founder.

Example product:

Golf lessons

Example copy:

How to use:

Base your entire ad on a comparison between products. You could compare…

Old technology vs. new technology (i.e. CD player vs. iPod)

Old version of your product vs. the new-and-improved version

Your product vs. your top competitor

Example Product:

Bounty paper towel

Example Copy: