How do you write the best copy? An Introduction to the Copywriter’s Pyramid

A quick and easy way to write the best copy

In this brief blog post, I’m going to introduce you to the Copywriter’s Pyramid. It’s a powerful visual technique to help you write the best copy for any situation, and it’s fundamental to my copywriting methodology.

So, how do you write the best copy possible? There must be a gazillion blogs, articles and books written on this, but for good reason. Writing good copy is so fundamental to our trade, it’s almost passé to bring it up.

But, bring it up I will, because I believe I can help you write the best copy for your customers and have them beating a path to your door for their next project. But, not by focusing on the copy. By focusing on something much more important – the person behind the copy. And, no, I don’t mean you.

I mean that crucial, all-important person who should be at the centre of everything we do – the prospect.

Meet the star of the show: Introducing the Copywriter’s Pyramid

To run a successful business you have to put your prospective customer at the heart of every decision. For us copywriter’s, that’s usually the end-user of our client. Our client’s client, if you will.

Take a look at the pyramid. The prospect is at the apex. They are the most elevated, the most important, the secret key to making your words translate into a big bottom-line for your client.

“The secret key?” you ask. “But surely everyone knows the customer is the most important person in the whole buying scenario.”

Yes, the most important person in the whole Copywriter’s Pyramid is the prospect, but you’d be surprised how many people forget this.

In fact, failing to listen to their customers is possibly THE biggest reason businesses fail.

For example, let’s say someone decides to go into business selling something they are passionate about. That sounds great, we’re all told to follow our passions in life.

Let’s say our fictional entrepreneur – Sidney – loves making handmade jewellery from river rocks.

Does Sidney ask if there is a market? A customer? Chances are they’ll assume there is because they want there to be. They may ask friends, family, or the River Rock Jewellery Forum they’re a member of, but that’s usually about it. It’s hard to do research and find out your passion is someone else’s don’t care.

Or maybe Sidney’s hobby/passion is also someone else’s. Why would the members of the River Rock Jewellery Forum buy Sidney’s pendants when they love making their own?

And of course, it’s not just Sidney. Take a look at some household names that are now cautionary tales to young students of the business world.

Lest you fall into the trap of thinking this is for nineties or noughties businesses only, take a moment to think about the most recent failure – Quibi.

This mobile-first streaming service for short-form video failed only this month (October 2020). The following statement was issued:

“Quibi is not succeeding. Likely for one of two reasons: because the idea itself wasn’t strong enough to justify a standalone streaming service or because of our timing,”

In other words, the customer didn’t exist. So why did they go ahead with an extravagant, star-studded launch? Because they hadn’t done their research properly and made sure the star of the show (not the celebs, but the customer) existed.

The moral of the story? Start with the prospect and work your way back. That is what the Copywriter’s Pyramid is all about. This is how it helps you write the best copy you can.

Make the prospect the priority

OK, so what does Sidney need to do now? Well, once we know there is a potential customer, we must turn our attention to the base of the Copywriter’s Pyramid. The base also has to be strong and resilient.

The Product

Now we know who the product is going to serve, the next questions are:

How does the product do this?
What problem does it solve?
How is it going to make the prospect’s life better?

Key question:

As a copywriter, you need to be crystal clear: How is the product you are going to sell help the prospect?

Will it help them:

Prepare healthy meals for their family quickly and easily?
Give them more confidence – flattering clothes, artfully applied make-up, help with posture, and so on?
Succeed in their chosen career?
Book a holiday with minimal hassle?
Enhance their reputation among family, friends, colleagues or peers?

You need to know the answers to the most critical questions.

The Business

The final step, and one most copywriter’s forget to look into:

Which business model is required to best serve the needs of the prospect?

What is the vision of the business?
What is the story?
What is their voice?

I’ve already gone on long enough for one day, but I’ll be posting a new article on business orientation that will really help out with this one. I’ll be sure to link when it’s done.

This is just a brief introduction to the Copywriter’s Pyramid. It’s going to be covered in much more detail in my first book, The Definitive Introduction to Classic Copywriting Secrets, so be sure to sign up for updates and sneak peeks.

The Definitive Introduction to Classic Copywriting Secrets will go over how to use the Copywriter’s Pyramid to help your clients provide the best service they can to their customers.

How to target key zones of relevance for a clear and complete brief
Identify the 6 basic human needs including love, belonging and significance
Discover how the Copywriter’s Pyramid feeds into those needs and fulfils them
The basic tenets of human psychology that are at the root of all persuasion
Why businesses fail – and how to use the Copywriter’s Pyramid to create a sustainable business model from the start
How to use the Copywriter’s Pyramid to build a strong copywriting workflow and satisfy your customers

The Definitive Introduction to Classic Copywriting Secrets will analyse 3 classic sales letters, virtually line-by-line to give you crucial insights into the timeless techniques and tricks of the masters.

Learn more about how CMarianne Ltd content and copywriting services can help your business.

Contact me for a free, no-obligation chat about my writing services.

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