Written by Michel Fortin
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Remember These 5 Copywriting Formulas

MnemonicsI used to teach marketing and selling at a local college here in Ottawa. And one of the things I used to teach with (I also use them all the time when I want to learn and remember new things, too) were mnemonics.

Mnemonics are tools or devices that aid retention. My best form of mnemonic are acronyms.

Do you remember the little ditty to remember all the planets taught mostly in kindergarten? It goes, "My very eager mother just served us nine pizzas," where the first letter of each word represents the name of each planet in our solar system (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto).

Similarly, I use acronyms to teach about copywriting. I do this to help you remember, appreciate, and understand the process I go through when I write copy. Here they are, with their meaning (they are also linked to their respective articles covering the formula in detail):

1. UPWORDS Formula

"Universal picture words or relatable, descriptive sentences."

"Up words" are picture words, mental imagery, metaphors, analogies, examples, etc so that all people in a given target market can easily relate to and understand, in their minds, your message and its meaning.

2. QUEST Formula

Qualify, Understand, Educate, Stimulate, and Transition.

This is the process prospects go through when they are reading your sales copy. In addition to the AIDA formula (attention, interest, desire, then action), it guides people, as if going "on a quest," so to speak, as they progress through your copy until they take the prescribed action.

3. FAB Formula

Features, Advantages, and Benefits.

Simply, this one is to not only help remember but also understand what true benefits are. Features are what products have. Advantages (what people often mistakenly think are benefits) are what those features do. But benefits are what they mean — at a personal, intimate level. They are real benefits. You can also call them "end-results."

4. OATH Formula

Oblivious, Apathetic, Thinking, or Hurting.

"Are your prospects ready to take an oath?" These are the four stages of your market’s awareness. From not knowing they have a problem to desperately seeking a solution, your market falls in either one of these. Knowing this helps to determine not only how to write your copy but also how much is warranted.

5. FORCEPS Formula

Factual, Optical, Reversal, Credential, Evidential, Perceptual, and Social proof.

Finally, these represent the various proof elements you can include in your copy. This is particularly helpful when your product is new or unheard of. Proof is the single greatest requirement in all sales copy, especially online — and the lack thereof is the biggest killer of sales, too.

Do you have any formulas or acronyms you refer to to help you write your copy? I’d love to hear about them, and why you use them.

Last 5 Posts by Michel Fortin

About the Author

Michel Fortin is a direct response copywriter, author, speaker, and consultant. Visit his blog and signup free to get tested conversion strategies and response-boosting tips by email, along with blog updates, news, and more! Go now to http://www.michelfortin.com. While you're at it, follow him on Twitter.

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Category: Copywriting / Selling / Tips
Tags: acronym, Copywriting, fab, forcep, formula, Marketing, mnemonic, oath, quest, salesletter, Selling, upwords
This post was written on Tuesday, May 8th, 2007. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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  • Michel,

    Outstanding post.

    I've seen you address most of those by themselves at one time or another, but seeing them all together like that is fantastic.

    I smell another Webinar coming! (Just kidding... Or am I?)

    Take care,
    Eric
  • Robert Lehrer
    Those were f#@**g brilliant, Michel.
    Acronyms make it so much easier to learn.
    My thanks to you.

    Rob
  • Great post Michel, that wasn't the usual, I like the way you put it in acronyms.

    Terrance Charles
    http://www.terrancecharles.com
  • Raj
    Dear Michel,

    Bravo! One more time...Short and Sweet...A Big Copywriting Manual in just 5 Simple short words!....it's Like Pond in Pot.

    Five Hundred Thanks...

    Raj.
  • Hi Michel,

    Nice post on the use of mnemonics. They are indeed a powerful yet suprisingly simple way to remember things like the key points to copywriting.

    If you can create mnemonic words that themselves relate to the topic then they become even more powerful.

    To take your mnemonics onto an even higher plane, you could create a little story or sentence (the more bizarre and outrageous the better) so that you link the memory aids you have already created.

    For example you could have:

    "UPWORDS in his QUEST to create a FAB OATH he avoided the FORCEPS".

    Of course there is a little liberty in the spelling of "UPWARDS" but I hope you see the point that this way you can remember what all of the mnemonics are.

    To really ingrain what they mean, it is also useful to review them a few times and what they mean so that in 2 months time you don't have to try and remember what your memory aid was trying to help you remember :-)

    Thanks for sharing this and for not only helping people with copywriting, but also how to remember what they have learnt. If only all teachers would do that....

    Regards

    Michael

    PS I'd also recommend Mind Mapping for any copywriter. Not only is it an effective memory aid, it is also an extremely powerful thinking process and an amazing creative tool. I believe that Yanik, Jeff Walker and You (?) use it and if that isn't a good endorsement of it, then I don't know what is:-)
  • There IS another easy way to remember these five acronyms.

    Using your recommendations and re-ordering the bullets:

    3 - 1 - 2 - 4 - 5.

    :-)
  • Thanks for the great post! There is a lot of information in it and I know I will be going over it a few times. Bullet 4, "Oath," is the hardest to wrap your mind around.

    You asked for other formulas. The one I use in sales copy is "one problem story." This means:
    1) One. Speak one-on-one with the reader.
    2) Problem. Discuss one problem.
    3) Story. Tell a true story.

    This formula is simple, but it gets me started writing - and is easy to remember.
  • That's a great one, Siriol! I love the power of "one." I also offer this forumula:

    1) One audience
    2) One message
    3) One outcome

    One audience means, speak to one audience only. Try to get your copy to cover so many variances in your audience dilutes the power of speaking one-on-one with your reader. Make your copy intimate, personal, conversational.

    One message means, don't try to tell different messages in your copy. Focus on only one key/core message, and drive that message home. Try not to go on tangents and stick with what's relevant. Be simple!

    One outcome means, ask them to do one thing. You may have two options for the same thing (offer), but don't make several offers on the same copy. If you must, offer them to go somewhere else, likely after they've responded, for another offer. But don't confuse them with multiple calls to action.

    Bottom line, avoid confusion. Be simple, focused, and straight to the point.
  • Looks like I have some new ideas to incorporate into my marketing efforts and sales pages. Thanks!

    -Jim
  • Excellent Michel, I will send this to my list. I don't know for others, but for me, it is worth thousands, and it just became a part of my swipe file.
  • Michel, if you don't mind, I would like just a word on my first and brand new sales letter (with the $7 script):

    I think I need some tweaks, but it's better than nothing, and I already made some sales. so I think I did something good...

    I followed the 12 point sales copy formula, and from now, I will improve it with all the above.

    I think this one will become one of the most popular articles, let see...
  • Wonderful information and expertly stated. My copywriting professor would be very proud! Thanks for sharing.

    Ed
    http://www.CarolinaEventPlanning.com
  • Bonjour Mon Ami! It's been awhile, hasn't it? Orlando at Frankie Kern's deal 18 months ago I believe....hope all is well.

    I wanted to add to your post a real life example. I take jui-jitsu and my coach taught me an auditory formula to get an attacker off of me when he's sitting on my chest in half guard.

    Shin-Chin-Elevator!

    You post your shin in his crotch, grab them by the chin, then push your leg up in an elevator-motion while twisting their head backwards with your chin grip.

    Works about 90% of the time. So the next time someone sits on your chest, just remember Shin-Chin-Elevator!

    Awesome blog Michel!
  • Hey, David! Long time, no type! How is your wife? We're doing fantastic, as usual. Hope to see you real soon. (Maybe when we're in town, we should hook up. Let us know.)
  • I was taught to remember the planets with this mnemonic:

    Many Very Early Men Jumped Sideways Up Nine Poles

    A long was from "My very eager mother just served us nine pizzas"

    I wonder how many other versions of this there are, and what will be used now that Pluto is no longer recognised as a planet? Maybe we can run a competiton, Michael? :-) Some astute copywriter could make his / her name by delivering a rememberable classic?
  • Writing a sales letter for a product is one thing, but many of use do affiliate marketing and it would be nice if you would discuss the differences between a sales and a pre-sales page. The intent of the sales page is rather straight forward, but a pre-sales page is illusive. What are the differences? Do you write differently for a pre-sales page? How do you approach writing a pre-sales page vs a sales page?

    These five tips are great and I'm wondering how to incorporate this info into my pre-sales pages?
  • Neerja
    Hi Michel...These are great, easy-to-remember copywriting formulas.

    Even I use a mnemonic when writing business or marketing content...SIMPLIFY. This sums up eight useful tips for good content.

    Sort info in chunks.

    Include only essential info.

    Make it concise and to-the-point.

    Put it in a logical flow.

    Let it be clearly worded.

    Inform about all important facts (about the product/service).

    Focus on the benefits (of your product/service.

    Yet keep it real!
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