Do you know their 2nd-layer motivators?

Welcome to the 32nd issue of Write On!

The newsletter that eats an apple a day to keep the spammers away… or something like that.

Estimated read time: 2 minutes 20 seconds

This is why we beta test!

Finished up a few rounds of 1-on-1 calls earlier this week from students who had a chance to go through the beta version of my upcoming course.

I’m not shy about sharing progress and setbacks. So here’s the scoop:

What was awesome:

• “I learned something new from every section.”

• “The order of content made it feel accessible, even for a beginner.”

• “I’ve taken a few writing courses. This one was unique - in a good way.”

• “The audience transformation table was helpful. I love to learn by doing.”

Updates I need to make:

• Need to tighten up a few sections that could be clearer.

• Need to incorporate more “learn by doing” exercises. There are already some in there, but there’s potential to add more.

• Need to create a guide for continued practice beyond the course so the learning doesn’t stop, and you have clear next steps.

I’ll be making these final upgrades over the next weeks and plan to launch towards the end of September.

425+ Write On readers are on the waitlist to become a better storyteller so they can sell more online. Consider joining them because you’ll get:

• Early access to the course launch

• Sneak peeks into the course

• Exclusive pricing

Just click the button below 👇

Write copy like Ritz crackers:

I discovered this great commercial from Ritz the other week, and it convinced me you can write a story about any product or service:

2nd layer motivations:

This commercial is so great because it goes beyond the surface-level reasons why someone would buy Ritz crackers.

Surface-level motivators:

• Hungry

• Goes well with cheese

• Convenient snack to have in the house

All legitimate reasons to buy some Ritz crackers. But are they compelling? Ehhh. Maybe.

But the genius in this commercial is Ritz touches on 2nd-layer motivators:

• The stress of hosting

• The prep that goes into hosting

• The satisfaction of being a great host

They finish it off by positioning Ritz crackers as the solution.

Selling with storytelling 101.

How to replicate this in your copy:

Let’s walk through a hypothetical example for copywriting.

What we’re selling: sleeping pills

Surface-level motivators:

• Better sleep

• No tossing and turning

• Predictable sleep schedule

2nd-layer motivators:

• More energy to crush it at work

• More energy to play with your kids

• More energy to exercise and get fit

Which line of copy sounds more compelling to you?

1. “Our sleeping pills will help you sleep well every night.”

2. “Our sleeping pills will help you sleep well every night so you can wake up fresh the next morning and actually get that run in.”

You’ll have a much better shot at getting a “hell yeah!” from your prospect after they read option #2.

Because they’re not in it for better sleep. They’re in it for the 2nd-layer benefits.

Top Finds This Week:

📖 Storytelling: 7 story structures you need to know: (link)

🧠 Psychology: 9 psychology principles to market smarter: (link)

✍️ Write On: A storytelling joke that always lands: (link)

That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading.

See you next Wednesday!

Joe

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’re three ways I can help you:

1. Facts tell. Stories Sell. Use storytelling in your copywriting to grow your business. Get early access to my new course: The Storywriting Playbook (👉Add me to the waitlist!)

2. Write On ad slots open back up in October. Lock in a discounted ad slot now while the newsletter continues to grow ~1,000+ subs per week (👉Grab an ad slot)

3. Keep your writing sharp all year round and enjoy free lifetime access to my collection of Write On copywriting guides (👉View all guides)

P.P.S. If you've got a moment, I'd love to get your feedback:

A WRITE ON REVIEW:

Bonus: The most useless (but hilarious) video you’ll discover today: Every Owen Wilson Wow In Chronological Order