Lawrence Medina

What the Hell is Body Copy?

Technically speaking (and to be a bit of a redundant ass), this is Body Copy. Body Copy is what fills out the bulk of content. Generally, people will stop at the headline and decide if they want to read on… but, right before they look away… They’ll take a peek at the first sentence. From that peek, they’ll have fallen into your trap—your Body Copy will surely ensnare them.

                I would like to say that Body Copy is what generates sells and increases people’s connection to your brand voice. It’s what gets people to keep reading and learn more about you, your product, and—most importantly—your voice. It’s their first look into your long-form voice and tells them that if they keep reading your Body Copy, they’re sure to get something out of it. Ultimately, it is your storytelling ability on display. Don’t falter here—even after you have a killer headline.

                How do you start your Body Copy? What is it that you really want to say—what do you really want to convey to your audience? I know that the first sentence is damning and can often kill your writing spirit long before you even begin. But before we dive into the creation of the first sentence… let’s find out what you can do with the Body Copy.

Where do You Implement It?

              

               Everywhere and everything.

                No seriously. Once you need more than 10 words to explain or convey the idea or message you’ve entered Body Copy territory. It would, however, be easier to say where you use Body Copy, here is a small list of where it’s used:

• Brochures
• Blogs
• Advertisements
• Emails
• Newsletters
• Sales Letters
• Heartfelt Letters
• Scripts

                Just about everything that needs more than a sentence to pitch the full idea or story to the reader. Essentially, your Body Copy is the supporting story for your product. It is what will help you convey usefulness of your company to your audience. I am of the belief that Body Copy is a good place to start when it comes to writing in general—especially writing company stories.

                It will help you get a feel for where you should be going with the product/story for the company. Most importantly it will help you learn how to catch someone’s attention. As an additional added benefit, you might just end up writing your much needed headline somewhere among the sentences. Mastering Body Copy is an essential part to getting your writing skills up to snuff and ensuring that you can capture the story with an appropriate number of sentences.

                Remember one thing…

Body Copy is the Supporting Argument for your Headline/Product

                This might help you in learning how to structure your Body Copy—think of it an argument. The first sentence—kinda your headline—is your thesis statement. The following is the supporting arguments for your headline. Keep pushing the envelope and introducing things that support it and keep the reader’s attention. If you veer off course too much, you may lose the point. At which point, you’ll lose your reader.

                The moment you lose your reader, you’ve lost the potential for the sale, the conversion, but most importantly (to me) the chance to share your story properly. All Body Copy should have traces of your voice in there, after all, that’s what you’re going to use to whenever you create copy or content. Your voice is the lifeline of trust between you and your audience, so make sure you stay true to it.

                Beyond just staying true to it—make sure you write it well. The first sentence is key to keeping your audience reading. If you want to make sure that first sentence is good, then you might need to turn to the oldest tool in the kit.

Dig into the Examples of Copy You Like

                Check out all the other copy that exists—see what other people are doing to create their first sentence. Inspiration for your own work is out there. Copy a little bit—don’t plagiarize, but rather build your own version of the roman column (which was actually Greek, but even they based it off an older design). Find out what you like, but be sure to always put it in your voice.

                There is amazing Body Copy out there—check out some of the stuff that convinced you to purchase something or even brands that you like. Inspiration is sort of a key element to getting the creative juices flowing before you put thought to pen. Once you’ve got that idea though, the most taunting part is just around the bend.

How to Make That Dread First Sentence

                I’m going to share my favorite way of breaking down and creating Body Copy—it’s sort of elementary, but it’s what works for me, so it might work for you. All we’re doing it going by a simple paragraph structure.

                First sentence. We’re building this assuming you don’t have your headline yet. So, let’s think of something ensnaring—Perhaps a leading question? Maybe an interesting fact that people didn’t know. Depending on your voice, maybe you’ll be bombastic or matter-of-fact. But the important part if that you build off from it. It’s discerning if you place a nothing sentence, then lead into something that is way off from it.

                (It can be done, but let’s not focus on that for now).

                Right after your first sentence, build on it. What would the next natural line of thought be? At this point, if you’ve got someone reading the first sentence, you’re guiding them by the hand. The second sentence is gently bringing them home. Do that… like one more time…

                The third sentence you’re beginning to veer into a different tangential thought, you’re starting to pick up the pace. Then… Oh, then you hit them with the transitioning sentence!

                And you do it all again, until you hit that tagline—until you bring them right to the call to action.

                I want to thank you for reading—and I invite you to keep up with me! Or if you want to delve a little deeper—hit me up.