I often get made fun of for this, but one of my favorite movies of all time is “Signs,” directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Why do I like it so much?

Probably because it shares many characteristics with Alfred Hitchcock films. (Hitchcock is my favorite director of all time.) But it’s also a bit funny, a bit scary, a bit emotional, and very suspenseful. The premise is an alien invasion, but the plot is really about a minister regaining his faith.

Talk about something for everyone!

That brings up a good question. How do you advertise a film that has something for everyone? Do you try to appeal to everyone? Or do you choose the most profitable segment of the market?

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The most important part of your copy is not your headline, not your offer and certainly not your benefits. The most important part is your customer.

In the last few weeks, I’ve been critiquing some pretty good copy. Very well-written and compelling. But if the conversion rate is low (hence, the reason why I was hired to conduct a critique consultation), it’s because these salesletters do not target the right audience for the offer, or the author and the copy fail to connect with their readers.

Researching your customer in depth is vital to the success of your copy. It’s not only an important component of targeting and qualifying the best prospect for your offer, but also an effective way to discover new ideas, different angles, captivating storylines, unsought benefits, and appropriate length and language of your copy that will convert more.

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