The secret words that keep readers hooked. Do you know what they are? Let’s jump right in! [Every Tuesday “Write with the Pen of the Masters”]
Can you imagine over 70,000 professionals reading your content every day?
Think about it…
It’s nerve-racking, right?
You have to keep the readers curious from start to end.
When readers actually get to the end, you’ve done it!
Here at Valens, that’s the number we deal with on a daily basis.
70,000+ professionals read our published articles on various channels
…and that’s exactly why we do our best to create content that’s interesting and insightful each week.
HOW do we achieve that goal?
Bucket Brigades.
You read that right.
“Bucket Brigades” is a copywriting term pertaining to words or phrases that make smooth transitions between paragraphs or sentences.
It keeps the flow going by adopting a conversational tone that makes the reader focused on the content and message you want to convey.
This transition analogy was made by Maxwell Ross, a well-known copywriter in the 60s and 70s.
Start with a question:
- Do you want to learn how to __?
- So you want to __?
- Want to know more about __?
Describe a moment of insight
- Wham!
- At this point you realize…
- I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read…
Offer a solution or revelation:
- So what’s the answer?
- Sometimes all you need to do is…
- Don’t worry. There’s a solution.
…and many more!
Back then, there were no fire trucks or engines used by firefighters to put out a fire.
When there was a fire, people would line up and pass buckets of water from one person to the next to extinguish the fire.
Firefighters would maintain a smooth flow and transition of passing buckets to make sure they reached their goal.
That’s what should happen to the content we’re writing… metaphorically speaking.
After each paragraph or sentence, we need to give readers something that will make them excited and curious about the next sentence.
For great copywriters, creating transitions should be done carefully. To do this, we need to establish a connection with our readers.
Good news: Last week’s tip, EMPATHY works hand in hand with this. You can create a perfect transition when you know your readers really well. When you know what they think. What they feel.
Wait, there’s more!
As we’ve mentioned before, Joanna Wiebe, copywriting guru and creator of Copy Hackers, is someone we trust and follow for tips on writing GREAT copy.
One of her secrets?
“…is NOT to tell the story, to do anything that’s above plotting or pulling. And let the bucket brigade move people to the next line…”
Here’s another thing.
You can use it as an opener, as a transition, or as a closer.
The best part?
It’s not only about people’s eyes being glued to what you’ve written, but it also has a good effect on readership stats or website traffic.
When your readers are hooked, it takes longer for them to leave the site. It’s a strong indication that you have interesting content. This will highly reflect on your website’s SEO rankings for search results too.
All you need to practice is making sure your readers keep reading by using Bucket Brigades.
Give it a try!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Tuesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
…to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or to avail your service.
And when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is great copy!
Every Tuesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu and Joel Litman
Head of Marketing & President and CEO
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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This content is used with permission from The I Institute and The Business Builder Daily.
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