What a 4 Year Old Can Teach You About Copywriting

Hey hey!

Most of you don’t know this about me, but for the past year I’ve been a youth soccer coach.

I grew up playing soccer my entire life, so I’d like to think I know a thing or two about the game.

Anyways, every Sunday morning for the past few weeks I’ve been coaching 4 and 5 year olds in what we call “micro-academy.” And if I’m being honest… it’s an absolute blast!

Pretending to be animals, using fun analogies, plain ole’ goofing around.

It’s not only fun, though. As strange as it sounds, they’ve taught me a couple things about copywriting. And after getting into the minds of these kids and understanding how they think, I want to share with you how a 4-year-old can make you a better copywriter.

Here’s what you’ll learn today:

• What a 4-year-old can teach you about copywriting

• Why it works so well

• How to use it

So sit back, get comfy, and let me bring you back to what it was like to be a kid.

📝 What a 4-Year-Old Can Teach You About Copywriting

If I’m being honest, I don’t need to do a whole lot of coaching when it comes to these younger kids (it’s more like babysitting lol).

They don’t care about tactics or how to work as a team or even how to kick a soccer ball.

If I tried to teach them any of those things, it would all just go over their head. They wouldn’t understand a word I would be saying.

Why?

Because they’re kids! They don’t know what dropping the ball means or why you should switch the field or when you should pass to a teammate. And even if they did, they wouldn’t care about any of that.

All they care about is having fun.

So what do I do during these sessions?

I pretend I’m a kid myself. I have fun with them, I explain things as simply as possible, I use analogies I know they’ll understand.

And that’s just the thing, I know who my target audience is.

They still don’t understand much about soccer, so I know I can’t use the same coaching style I would if I was coaching an older team.

After going back to my youthful years and entering the mind of a 4-year-old, here’s exactly what I realize coaching and copywriting have in common:

If you want to write words that turn readers into buyers, attract a loyal audience, or educate others on a specific topic, you must know who you’re writing to.

Get in the mind of your reader and ask yourself…

• What are the they looking for?

• What do they already understand?

• What is it that they’re hoping to learn?

Remember, most people read at a fifth grade level. If your audience is new to a topic, you’ll have to break it down more than you would for someone who already knows a lot about the subject.

The point is, in order to write words that convert, you must first get into the mind of your reader. Put yourself in their shoes. Understand them better than they understand themselves. And then start to write.

After all, copywriting is 90% research and 10% writing.

🤔 Why It Works So Well

If you’re trying to write to everyone, you end up writing to no one.

Like I said above, I have to have a different coaching style for these younger kids than I would if I was coaching my older team.

If I tried to use the same drills and explanations for everyone I coached? Well, let’s just say it would be a disaster.

Your writing should be no different.

Before you even think about putting any words down on the page, you must first get into the mind of your reader.

So why exactly does it work so well? Why should you research your target audience before writing?

It sounds cliché, but it’s because everyone is different. Everyone is at a different level of understanding. A different chapter of their journey.

What’s obvious to you may not be obvious to someone else.

The three most important things to consider are:

1. What does my reader already know?

2. What does my reader want to know?

3. What does my reader want to do with this information?

If you can answer all three of those questions, only then should you start writing. And trust me, your writing will flow effortlessly because you already know the exact person you’re writing to.

❓ How to Use It

So, now you understand why it’s so important to know who your audience is. You know what questions you should ask yourself before starting to write.

All that’s left to do is put it into action!

Now, while I used copywriting as the example here, this same principle can be applied to any skill or service.

Whether you’re writing tweets, filming TikTok videos, or producing a podcast, it’s absolutely essential that you understand the type of audience you want to attract.

Before you begin doing anything, you must first understand a few things:

• Find and leverage the pain points your audience is facing

• Write or speak to only one person (based on your research)

• Not everyone will like your content, and that’s okay. It’s not meant for everyone.

Remember, everyone is always at a different stage in their own journey.

There are brands who have been in the business for years and those who are just starting. There are writers who have been working professionally for years and those who are trying to figure out how to even begin.

Think back to where you were two years ago. You probably didn't know nearly as much about online business and marketing as you do now (I know I didn't). 

Do your research. Know your audience. Understand who you’re writing to.

And bada-bing bada-boom, you’re off to the races.

Your pal,

Connor “Still a kid at heart” Flynn

P.S. If you want to learn how to conduct better market research for your brand, reply to this email with “Let’s go!” and I’ll send you a surprise gift :)