“Okay boys, what do we have?” says Don.
​
​“We are looking for new worlds and with that search comes any number of new gadgets.. I’t not just some random association.
​
This thing is shiny. It’s Explosive.
​
It’s from the future, a place so close to us now filled with wonder and ease” the copywriter explains..
​
This is a scene from Mad Men where Don, the creative director, has assigned his team to create an ad for a new spray deodorant.

The guys had come up with a strange design of an astronaut flying upside down in space, with the deodorant can on the side.
​
​“Except some people will think of the future and it upsets them. They see a rocket and start to build a bomb shelter…” Don replies.
​
​“What?? How did you get there?” says the copywriter.
​
​“I don’t think it is ridiculous to assume we’re looking at other planets because this one will end…” says Don
​
​“I thought we had something here..” The guy points at the ad.
​
​“Who’s this moron flying around the space?!! Don asks.. I mean.. He pees in his pants.."​
​
Then Don goes on to make a point..
​
​“Brass Tacks, who buys this? Some women. Your mom and your girl will pick this up from the store…
​
We should be asking ourselves: “What do women want?”” ​
​​
One of the biggest mistakes you can make for your brand is writing copy without doing a dime of market research beforehand…

It’s the cause of death for many “potentially” good campaigns.

A lot of people get lost in marketing hacks promising 10x results within 30 days, guaranteed…

Or obsess to make their marketing look so premium and emotional because that’s what they think will make someone buy…

Then they wonder why their campaigns don't make any sales...

But what separates successful marketing from average marketing is one principle:

Know your market better than everyone else.

“Always enter the conversation already taking place in the customer’s mind,” said Robert Collier.

Which is why before I write for any client, I understand their product inside and out and deep dive into the market they operate in.

This helps me understand the market, what are their desires, pain points, dreams, how they speak, and how my client's product can fill the gap...
​
And once that's clear for me I can then be able to write pieces of copy that resonates with people...

Here’s how you can do it too:

1. Know your market

Start by understanding:

1. Their identities
2. Mass desires
3. Problems
4. Fears
5. Obstacles
6. The voice of the market (what they actually say)

Where do you find these?

Customer reviews (Trustpilot, Judge.me, or whatever you use), YouTube comments, Reddit, Quora, and other forums where people openly talk about their problems.

You want to immerse yourself in the market’s voice and understand how they express themselves.

2. Collect their exact words

Don't just write down what you think your market is feeling.

Collect the exact words they use.

The phrases they repeat.

The problems they complain about.

The things they want.

The things they're afraid of.

Because these are the words you want to use when writing your copy.

3. Create your buyer avatar

Now create a buyer avatar with their demographics, struggles, desires, dreams, pain points, and where they hang out.

Give this person a name if it helps.

Now when you write copy, you have this exact person in mind.

4. Ask AI to do the heavy lifting

Ask AI to do all the scrubbing for you to save time...

...and then ask it to organize everything into a table.

Separate the information into things like:

• Problems
• Desires
• Fears
• Obstacles
• Dreams
• Exact words they use

5. Create your Will & Won’t table

Then ask AI to create a Will & Won’t table.

The Will column shows what your market will openly say about their problems, desires, fears, and struggles.

The Won’t column shows what they might think or feel but wouldn't openly admit.

This is where you start seeing what your market really wants.

6. Turn the research into copy

Once you have all this information, you know exactly what they want, what they struggle with, and how your product can solve or fulfill those desires.

Now you can write a copy that actually sells.

So…

"What would make a woman see this deodorant and say “I want that”.. Says Don.
​
​“Well, I’ve stopped trying to figure out what they think,” says the copywriter.

Guys laughing.

“Maybe I should stop paying you..”

Silence…
​
—

​
​
​