How to Make Your Message More Effective with Conversational Copy

Writing like you speak can get you more clicks

Copy is a lot less formal than it used to be.

Blame it on the web, which is social and interactive. And on texting, which is more stream of consciousness writing. And, of course, on fickle attention spans that click away at the first sign of boredom.

Nowadays, the most compelling copy is conversational — written with the same type of rhythm and intimacy that you would use while speaking aloud with a friend.

Imagine you are sitting across the table from each other over a cup of coffee. How would you both talk?

There probably won’t be a lot of SAT-type words spoken. Nor a lot of crisp sounding paragraphs with perfect grammar. The dialog will probably sound very casual.

That’s the kind of copy that gets the best response on the web — copy that sounds like a conversation.

According to Science, your Brain Prefers Conversational Copy

Brain Imaging studies of people reading copy tell us a lot. Turns out, reading pushy sales copy triggers the amygdala — the fight or flight center of your brain. But reading copy that is conversational triggers the prefrontal cortex — the decision-making center. This means that when you present material in a way that is more conversational, your audience is more apt to listen to you…and trust you.

And when they trust you, they are more likely to buy from you.

Guidelines for Conversational Copy

The best way to evolve to a writing style that is more conversational is to eavesdrop. Listen to how people talk with one another — especially the type of people you want to reach. Watch their vocabulary, their concerns, and the phrases they use.

You’ll probably notice the following:

Simple and Clear Sentences

Long, complex sentences don’t usually show up in conversation. People say a little at a time. They mostly use simple language.

Relaxed Grammar Rules 

Some of the writing rules you painstakingly learned in high school are not important on the web.

It’s now OK to begin a sentence with the words “and” or “but” — because that’s how people speak in real life. It’s also OK to include paragraphs that are very brief — one sentence long is fine. Or even one word long. Such as an interjection like “ouch” or “wow” that shows emotion.

“Yeah!”

(See what I mean?)

Questions that Engage Readers

Asking a question gives your reader the chance to be part of the conversation.

“Which do you prefer — complicated sentences with big words or simple sentences that sound like a conversation?”

Slick Replaced by Sincere

Manipulative sales talk doesn’t work in a medium where readers can easily click away. Authentic communication is “in” and is crucial to gain the trust of your audience.

Showing empathy is a great way to connect with your readers.

“I know this style of writing is very different… but do you see the benefits?”

Great Example of Conversational Copywriting 

To grasp the power of a piece masterfully written in a conversational tone, read “5 Psychological Master Keys that Will Open the Doors to More Sales” by Derek Halpern.

Right from the beginning, the article has a refreshing feeling of intimacy — it really does sound like he’s talking face-to-face to a friend.

Let’s take a close look.

First of all, he begins with an unusual opening. Instead of a paragraph introducing his topic, he writes a one-sentence question followed by an answer:

How great would it feel if you made one simple tweak to your business, and saw an immediate sales increase?

I know, silly question. It would feel great.

He then continues with two more sentence-long paragraphs followed by an interjection posed in the form of a question.

Right?

And then…

Right! Who doesn’t want more sales?

Now that his reader is both relaxed and intrigued, he gets to the meat of the article:

Question is what are those 5 simple tweaks? I call them the ‘psychological master keys.’

The rest of the article contains lots of one-sentence-paragraphs, questions, interjections, and colloquialisms. But he also presents fascinating information supported by research.

Because, despite his folksy tone, Derek really knows his stuff. His “five keys” boil down to action items that his readers can easily implement. When Derek finally offers his credentials, he seems almost embarrassed to talk about it. We can imagine him blushing as he modestly tells us:

I may be biased… after all, I run the #1 blog about online marketing and psychology, but that’s neither here nor there.

But this is part of his carefully planned courtship. He wants to make sure it doesn’t seem like he is talking down to his readers. If he proudly stated his accomplishments, he might lose some of the trust already won by his conversational tone.

Rather than constantly bugging his readers to buy from him, he gives out a lot of free information. He knows that this is the best way to firmly establish his expertise. Then, any reader who does want more will gladly buy from Derek.

Want More Info?

If you’d like a course on conversational copywriting, check out Nick Usborne’s website. He has a reasonably priced online class that will give you the basics and an active Facebook Group that reinforces the material and answers questions.