9/21/22, 1:40 AM Copywriting Research Shortcut: The 80/20 Research Method For Writing High-Converting Sales Copy - Miguel

Miguel Campaner, Copyw…

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Copywriting Research Shortcut: The

80/20 Research Method For Writing
High-Converting Sales Copy
by Miguel Campaner | Feb 13, 2018 | All Posts, Marketing & Copywriting

“80% of the research was already done for you.”

When I heard this, I was so relieved. I didn’t have to put THAT much effort to write
high-converting sales copy. My competitors already did ALL the heavy-
lifting for me.

The highest converting emails, sales letters, and VSLs (those that make $1M in net
sales) are obviously well-researched. Most of the time, there’s a team of highly
dedicated researchers behind each campaign. I even heard copywriters from
Natural Health Sherpa would read 200-pages of pure research before writing any
copy. To me, that’s amazing

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9/21/22, 1:40 AM Copywriting Research Shortcut: The 80/20 Research Method For Writing High-Converting Sales Copy - Miguel Campaner, Copyw…

Now, if you’re a solo-preneur (and you don’t have the budget to build a research
team yet), you need to do the research yourself. The good news is you don’t
have to start from scratch.

What’ I’m going to show you is a Copywriting Research Process that helps me find
80% of the data I need to write high-converting email sequences, sales letters, and
VSL scripts. The process is simple: all you need to do now is study your
competitors’ sales messages, break them down, copy what they’re doing right, put
your own spin to it, and then use it in your promotions.

Contents [hide]

The Three-Step Copywriting Research Method

Phase I – Product
Phase II – Market Research
Phase III – Copywriting
So….Are You Ready?

The Three-Step Copywriting Research

Method
This is a Three-Step process that has worked time and time again. I recently used
this research process to help a client make $21,648 in 10 days. The entire
process was inspired by what I learned from Copy Monk and Copy Hour. If you see
familiar elements, that’s probably because you’ve seen it on those sites. 

Now, I divided the research process into Three Phases. If you don’t know yet, sales
copy is not the most important element in a promotion. According to Mark Ford
(the person behind the meteoric rise of Agora), two things come before copy.

Here they are, in order of importance:

1. The List (customer)

2. Your Offer (product)
3. Copy (sales letters, emails, VSLs)

Your customer always comes first. Once you identify your target customer, you need
to create offers your customer wants.
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9/21/22, 1:40 AM Copywriting Research Shortcut: The 80/20 Research Method For Writing High-Converting Sales Copy - Miguel Campaner, Copyw…

Since I’m a copywriter, the client’s needs come first. So whenever I start my
research, first start with the product. I want to know the offer inside-and-out so I
can effectively sell it. 

Phase I – Product
1. Hop on discovery call with the client. 
2. Write down what the product is and what it’s not. Who is it for?  Who is it NOT
for?
3. Do they have a bonus? Does the bonus compliment the product?
4. Where is the traffic coming from? (Email list, FB ads, Google Ads, affiliates, JV
partners, etc.)
5. Do they have a Unique Selling Proposition?
6. Develop the One Big Idea. (Remember you’re selling a concept. Not a product or
service.)
7. Write your best guess for Market Sophistication and Awareness Level of
prospects
8. Write down desired medium (emails, sales letters, VSLs, banner ads)
9. Ask clients for existing marketing materials and existing market research (if they
have them)
10. Write down product’s features and benefits in bullets

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11. Write down product’s “Dimensionalized” Benefits and its 5-foot & 5-mile
benefits.

Phase II – Market Research

1. List the top 15 competitors in your niche
2. Collect their ads, sign up for their newsletters, follow them on social media, go
through their funnel, find their banner ads — find ALL their marketing materials.
The more, the better.
3. Eliminate the competitors that don’t serve you well. For example, if you’re
targeting 40-50 year old, eliminate competitors that target 25-35 year olds.
4. You should have a list of at least 5 direct competitors and 5 indirect competitors.
Direct competitors are businesses that sell to the same target market using the same
medium as yours. Indirect competitors are businesses that sell different products to
the same target market.
5. Find and begin consuming your direct competitors’ sales materials. I use Copy
Monk’s “Centerline Method” to break down down their sales messages.
6. Find and begin consuming your indirect competitors’ sales materials. Again, I
still use Copy Monk’s “Centerline Method” to break down their sales messages.
7. Write competitors’ (direct and indirect) headlines and subheadlines down in one
place.
8. Read through your breakdowns and go through the headlines and subheadlines.
9. Bonus Step: while going through your notes, scratch your chin and go
“hmmmmm…” (This is what Gary Halbert tells his son to do in the Boron Letters).

Phase III – Copywriting

1. Create Personas, determine their Worldview and complete your Empathy Map
2. List down the top 5 pains and top 5 gains the customer will get once he/she
purchases the product
3. Determine your Marketing Story.
4. What’s your One Dominant Emotion?
5. What is the transformation they will go through?
6. What is the #1 thing they should believe first before they buy?

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7. List down the terms, phrases, and languages they often use in their day-to-day
life.
8. List down the 10 “Power Words” and 10 “Emotional Words” you can use in your
sales copy
9. Collect all the proof you can get: anecdotes, testimonials, social proof, scientific
research, etc.
10. Write your sales copy:
11. *Word Vomit* the first draft in 2-3 days. Ask feedback from other copywriters.
12. Edit copy using Bond Halbert’s book as a reference (highly recommended)
13. See if copy completely satisfies the Hierarchy of Copy by CopyGrad.
14. Edit again. And then submit to client
15. Revise until copy converts.

I know, this looks tiring. And it is. But research is one of those things that you only
do once. If you do them right, you won’t have to do them ever again. Plus, the
backbone of everyone successful email, VSL, or sales letter has always (and always
will be) research.

Now, I mentioned earlier that this research is only 80% of data you need.

What’s the other 20%? Interviews.

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You need to speak to your target market. Ask them what they want. Schedule Skype
video calls or simple Facebook messenger chats. You’d be surprised what you’ll
learn from speaking to an actual person you’re trying to sell to.

That’s it. This is my entire Copywriting Research process laid in front of you. You
can do this if you want. Or, you can let me do it for you. It’s easy. Just send me a
message. 

Following the Pareto Principle, I know that only 20% of readers will use this
process. And I’m sure they’ll be the ones getting 80% of the results.

So….Are You Ready?

Research can be hard if you don’t know what you’re doing. It can be like playing
basketball without a basket. You know you’re playing, but how do you know if
you’re winning if no one keeps score? With this, you don’t have to guess. There’s a
defined outline. You have a start and an end. Plus, it can be fun to dissect and break
down high-converting sales messages.

Hi, my name is Miguel Campaner…

I help high-end coaches, consultants, and experts sell their coaching programs and
products…

…by writing disruptive, attention-grabbing, high-converting sales copy.

For the past few years, I’ve developed copywriting systems, frameworks, and
methods that allowed me to generate 7-figures in sales for my clients.
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If you want to work with me, simply fill up this form. 

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