In the movie "Case Study: LSD," a hot dog turns into an angry troll. Now that's an arc.

I’ve been wondering this for years, because as I explained to a client recently, while I think case studies are valuable, I think the case study format is tired. And I see a lot of tired writing plugged into case studies.

I like Jack Price‘s answer to this question on Quora. He writes:

“A common mistake is to describe the benefit in such glowing terms that it strains credibility. A better strategy is to describe the arc.

Definition: The arc is the range of change from beginning to end.

How much did the hero (client) change from the beginning of the story (before engagement) to the end of the story (after engagement)? That’s the arc.

Rule: It’s not the size of the arc that matters, it’s the amount of change that creates the emotional impact.

For example: you figure out a way for Bill Gates to earn a million dollars. It’s a lot of money, but he already has billions. Not so impressive. If you figure out a way for an unemployed factory worker to make a million, that’s impressive. There’s a big arc to talk about.

Rule: The greater the arc (amount of change) the greater the emotional impact.

The mistake writers make when they try to maximize the size of the arc is to concentrate on how impressive the benefit is at the end. It tends to sound like an exaggeration.

A better strategy is to concentrate on the beginning. What weakness was the client experiencing? What was the depth of the need? What did the client desperately want? What naive plans had they pursued and abandoned?

You can go just about as deeply as you wish in dramatizing the “before”, and it doesn’t sound exaggerated. In fact, it sounds empathetic.

Then when you describe the “after” picture, the reader perceives a greater arc and experiences a greater depth of emotional engagement.”

The problem I see here, however, is that not everyone has a case study story with a big enough amount of change to be, er, game-changing. Sure, the client may have suffered some unmet need, some strategic problem that they really had to overcome in their business. But all too often, the case studies I see out there show a result that is similar in nature to results achieved by competitors serving similar clients.

That said, considering the arc and degree of change is a very good idea. But I’d like to see clients invest in case studies that go beyond copywriting and a few screen shots. I’d like to see interviews in video, animation, motion graphics. You know, the kind of stuff we’re readily using these days to create dynamic and superior content. Those would be case studies worth engaging with.

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It’s a perennial discussion because people continue to get it wrong: Marketing gurus and sales geniuses (and even some DM copywriters) continue to promote features and ignore benefits as if hubcaps or a QWERTY keyboard would convince someone to buy.

So let’s end this now, shall we? It’s easy. Here’s how.

The simple addition of two little words can force you into thinking about benefits. Just by adding the words “which means” after every feature, you’ll push yourself out of “what” and into “why”.

“This car comes with hubcaps, which means your car will look better.”

“This computer comes with a QWERTY keyboard, which means you don’t need to learn a new keyboard configuration.”

Simple! By adding “which means” to your features, you force yourself to consider why it really matters to your customers and you’ll be able to communicate it more effectively. This works if you’re writing marketing copy or if you’re in a face-to-face selling situation.

But it doesn’t stop there. Adding “which means” just once might not be enough. In fact, as you prepare your marketing or sales presentation, add “which means” until you run out of things to say. Then you’ll have discovered the real reasons that people buy your product or service:

“This orange juice is loaded with vitamin C, which means you’ll get your daily requirement of vitamin c in just one glass of orange juice, which means you’ll be healthier without having to eat a whole bunch of other things that contain vitamin C, which means you’ll feel great and look great but save time, which means you’ll enjoy a longer, healthier, and more fruitful life doing the things you like to do.” Ergo, Vitamin C helps you enjoy a long and healthier life.

See how easy it is? Adding “which means” to your features will create powerful benefits statements, which means you’ll close more deals, which means you’ll earn more money, which means you’ll have money to spend on the things you like and you can retire sooner, which means you can move to Bermuda sooner than you thought possible. Ergo, adding “which means” can help you retire to Bermuda faster.

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Instead, I’m going to give you a quick peek into the (potentially alarming) psyche of your DM copywriter:

1. We study you. Constantly. Always. Looking for what makes you tick, what it takes to get you to do what “we” (aka, our clients) want. In the nicest possible, most constructive way, of course. And you means you. Because everyone is our target audience, some way, somehow. Including you.
2. We crave offers. Not just those you make to us (although those are fantastic), but those we can make to your audience. Because a good offer makes it about 80 trillion times easier to get them to take the action you want them to take. Which makes our job 80 trillion times easier. Period.
3. We’re always selling. Selling is in a DM copywriter’s blood. We’re always looking at the angles, figuring out the opportunities. In every brainstorm session, every meeting, on the phone, and in day-to-day life. Doesn’t matter where or when. In fact, if I truly billed you for all the time I think about your business, you wouldn’t be able to afford me. Because I’m always thinking about your business, and how to get you more. A DM copywriter can’t help it.
4. We can be pushy. I recently wrote a direct email for a client that got a 6% open rate (hooray!) but a .2% conversion (sadness!). The client asked me for a rewrite and I wrote not one, not two, but three distinctly new drafts, then pushed them to test at least two, which they’re doing. We will push you to test. Why? See #5.
5. We see it all as a game. Which is a good thing, because people who like to play games like to win. Any DM copywriter worth her salt wants to get or beat the metrics you set. We want to win. Which means you win.

If you’re looking for a DM copywriter and can live with these peculiarities, you’ll find yourself in good company. Or at least, in the company of someone who can help you get success.

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So, if you really want to know how to handle headlines, when to use bullet points and how to improve your punctuation, leave this page immediately and go type “copywriting tips” into your favorite search engine.

If you want to know what to write, read on.

First, who are you writing for? Since I’m a marketing copywriter, most of my clients have me writing for consumers (B2C) or businesspeople (B2B). So that’s who I’m going to talk about by way of example.

One of my current clients is an online bookkeeping agency. Their goal is to sell their software services, which allow you to do your business invoicing and billing online. We have one project going on right now that involves offering a free special report with tips for doing bookkeeping the way professional accountants do it. As we were brainstorming the direction, my first questions were about who we were writing for—not only the types of customers but who accounted for the most revenue. While it turns out that 20% of their customers are small businesses and 80% are individuals, that 20% accounts for the highest number of customers who upgrade to the client’s higher-value premium account. This insight led us to tailor our messaging and offer. Rather than offering generalized tips on bookkeeping, we’re making the whole campaign around bookkeeping tips for small businesses. So now I, the copywriter, know exactly what to write.

When you know who you’re writing for, you know what to write.

Even if you’ve got a product or service that could have a very wide audience, never assume that it’s “for everyone”. Clients who tell me that their product is for everyone simply need guidance on how to determine who their product is really for.

For example, I recently spoke with a client who is developing a biodegradable maxi pad. She said the product is for any female from age 14 to late 50s (puberty to menopause, obviously). Not true. Sure, any girl or woman who has a period could use the product, but that doesn’t mean she will. First, there are plenty of women who just don’t like pads. Doesn’t matter whether the pad is biodegradable, has wings, or comes with a jetpack. They’re not going to use it. Second, there are women who don’t care about biodegradability, the pad’s main feature. So that major selling point isn’t going to interest them. Third, there are women who are loyal to other brands, as there are competitive biodegradable pads out there.

I could go on. But the point is, a good copywriter never settles for the claim that the product is for everyone. Air is for everyone, and to date, you don’t need to buy it.

I’ll say it again. When you know who you’re writing for, you know what to write.

You also know immediately how to craft a better story, one with more meat on it. You don’t have to do as much song-and-dance to disguise the fact that what you’re writing is non-specific. You can have a real conversation with the person on the other end of your words. Which, incidentally, is very Web 2.0 and social networking-friendly.

So get to know your audience intimately first. Then you’ll know exactly what to write.

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