They’re arguing again.
Two copywriters sit in the ‘Breakout Bar’ at a marketing event.
“Long-form copy is DEAD,” he declares. “No one reads an ad with more than a hundred words these days.”
She tosses her hands in the air. “Are you for real? Long-form sales pages are alive and well. Same goes for VSLs.”
“People don’t have time to read a whole letter dedicated to selling them something.”
He takes a sip of his drink.
“And video is different.”
“Whatever,” she says. “In my experience, long copy almost always wins in a split test against short copy.”
They go back and forth.
“Attention spans are shrinking…”
“You have to earn trust before the sale…”
“Not to mention, scroll fatigue…”
Nearby, a bartender starts pouring a pint. “Maybe you’re arguing about the wrong thing…”
The pair stop squabbling.
“I overheard a similar conversation, like 20 minutes ago.”
“One writer said it’s not about long copy over short copy or vice versa. It’s about the prospect’s state of awareness.”
That’s why the best copywriters start with the audience—they obsess over it.
Sure, the offer and medium matter. So do price and business objectives.
The people on the other end matter more. Because they influence your decisions about all of those things.
The bartender pushes the tap back and admires her pour. “Apparently, some old copywriter wrote about it in a book…”
“Breakthrough Advertising. Have you heard of it?”
~
Want words that matter to your market?
I’m Cory, copywriter and strategic storyteller for brands that put craft—and the human—first.
My calendar is now open. Let’s chat.
