The Copywriting Questionnaire Extraordinaire!

I originally got this questionnaire from Pete Godfrey – who in turn probably got it from Dan Kennedy – who in turn probably got it from GOD!!

Okay, let’s get cracking…

I’m going to cut straight to the chase.

To write a kick ass sales letter you have to know your ideal client “intimately” – meaning you almost have to know what kind of ‘pillow talk’ is happening!

Don’t take that the wrong way, but if you can really understand what makes your prospect tick… as closely as you do your own partner… then your copy will make an instant emotional connection!

This may sound weird – but I try and “become my client” – walk in their shoes – think like they think – feel like they feel.

And that’s where this questionnaire comes in. It’s your ticket to what’s going on in their mind.

Right, so what you need to do now is read through the questionnaire below and then use it for your own research.

For bonus points see if you can pick up on the psychology that underlines this questionnaire!

I’ve made comments for you in red – my prospects obviously wouldn’t be seeing the red comments. They are just for you, okay?

I won’t keep you hanging any longer. Here it is…

Note: If you want to print off your own version then click here

If you want to see a real ‘filled out’ and completed version then click here

Bret’s Copywriting Questionnaire:

Who is your main prospect? (Men? Women? Ages? Career? And so on…)

Bret’s note in red: I always try and picture a real person that I actually know as the ideal prospect. This makes it easier for me to understand how they think and how they’ll react to certain things. It’s a very, very powerful advanced technique (and easy to do!).

For me to get to know your prospects inside out so I can motivate them to take action now, I really need to be able to see them. Below are eleven profiling questions… just do your best on these remembering the more info I’ve got the better (and please don’t just guess).

1) What keeps them awake at night?

2) What are they afraid of?

3) What are they angry about? Who are they angry at?

4) What are their top 3 daily frustrations?

5) What trends are occurring and will occur in their businesses or lives?

6) What do they secretly, ardently desire most?

7) Is there a built in bias to the way they make decisions? (Example: engineers = analytical)

8) Do they have their own language? If so give examples of words and phrases they use.

9) Who else is selling them something similar and how?

10) What magazines do they read?

11) What websites do they visit?

The list above is the backbone for connecting with your prospect on an emotional level. Especially the first 4 questions.

Who are the secondary prospects? Are there enough prospects in the secondary niche to create special target copy versions that appeal directly to them? (Please apply the eleven profiling questions above to these secondary prospects.)
What is your goal for this project?
What other goals would you like to achieve with this project?
Is there anything about your product or company that will lend credibility to your sales pitch? This might include awards you’ve won, how long you have been in business, testimonials, how many locations you have, etc. (Please supply testimonials.)

This is important to weave into your copy as it increases believability and trust.

What product or service will you be selling? If possible please send me your product for evaluation.
What are all the features of your product/ service? Don’t leave anything out… put down everything that you can. This may take some time though it will be well worth it.
What relevant facts or figures have been gathered about your product? Have any studies been made that provide facts and figures that will substantiate your claims? Is there any industry trade council that can give you meaningful facts, graphs, charts and statistics about your products? How does it compare to your competitors product?
What are the major benefits that your customer gets from your product or service? The difference between a fact/feature and a benefit is this: A fact/feature is something your product/service DOES…whereas the benefit is something it DOES FOR your customer.

If you want to take it one step further, then turn the benefits into feelings. That’s worth repeating: turn the benefits into the feelings they will experience! Got it? Good!

What makes your product/service unique? Why should your prospect choose your business over any other? (N.B This question is very important… from it, we will be able to position your business in the market place… we can then develop our U.S.P.- Unique Selling Proposition)
What type of guarantee do you offer?

The scarier the guarantee the better! For example: 200% double your money back guarantee!

What level of service and support do you offer?
Please send me copies of any previous and current marketing pieces including: sales letters, advertisements, brochures and testimonials from satisfied customers; along with any articles on your business, such as marketing plans, etc.

Find out what has worked and what hasn’t in the past.

I want you to sell me on your product/service. Pretend I am sitting across from you… now sell me!

It always pays to interview them for this question and record the dialog!

Have you got a list of feedback questions about your product? This way I can build a FAQ sheet in with your sales document. I’ve proved it many times that by including a FAQ sheet you get more sales.
What’s the price of your product?
How will you take orders? Please give details and phone numbers if required.
What magazines or publications are you going to advertise in? Please send me samples of such magazines.

Then you can see how to make your advertising stand out from the crowd!

What’s my brief? What do you want me to create? A lead generation ad? Complete sales letter? Please be clear on this point.
What’s your offer? What are you going to offer as an incentive to your prospects?
If web copy is required, what are your keywords?
What is your current sales process? Please explain how you get prospects and also how you close the sale. (For example: newspaper ads that send prospects to your store; lead generating followed up with sales pack that sells the product.)
This is a big one: in your opinion why would your prospects NOT buy what you’re offering? List as many of these reasons as you can. Is it the price? That they don’t trust you? List them all, what reasons are there NOT to buy?

This is critically important to weed out every single objection

If you are in a mature market such as weight loss, what changes (if any) have occurred in this industry in the last few years?
What is your marketing budget?

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Think big. Be different…

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