Do you know that nowadays, the online attention span of ordinary people is just 8 seconds, less than that of a goldfish? (Source: TIME)
In today’s fast-moving world, people are bombarded with huge amounts of content, and it’s becoming harder to grab the attention of the target audience because your copy has only 5 to 6 seconds to deliver your complete message, from grabbing attention to encouraging your audience to take action.
Numerous brands lose potential customers because of poor copywriting and lose millions of dollars in revenue.
If you want to avoid losing money just because of poor copywriting, this guide is for you. Whether you are a marketer, business owner, struggling copywriter, or anyone who wants to convert your reader into a buyer, this guide is for you.
Today, I am going to share with you a proven copywriting formula, SLAP, that helps you craft copy that effortlessly holds interest, grabs attention, and drives sales.
So, are you ready to learn how to convert your casual scroller into a loyal buyer using the SLAP copywriting formula?
If Yes!
So, let’s begin.
What is the SLAP Copywriting Formula?
The SLAP copywriting formula is a step-by-step framework for crafting persuasive copy designed to convert. This formula is specifically effective in today’s fast-paced digital world, where you have just a few seconds to make an impression.
The word SLAP stands for:
- S (Stop): grab the attention of your target audience.
- L (Look): Engage and build interest.
- A (Act): encourage them to Act
- P (Purchase): Remove objections or build trust for future conversion.
Why SALP Formula works: The Psychology Behind Conversion
SLAP is designed according to the psychology of humans that taps humans into logical buyer journeys with the help of utilizing behavioral triggers to drive action.
Attention is Finite
As I have discussed, the human attention span is less than 8 seconds nowadays. In this condition, stopping people from scrolling is difficult. SLAP comes to help because it leverages headlines that surprise and evoke curiosity to win that brief window.
The Power Of Value Proposition And Curiosity
Once you stop scrolling, it is very important to grab attention and engage your target audience by building curiosity with questions or intriguing statements that compel the reader to continue.
Action is Triggered by Reassurance and Urgency
When people feel a sense of urgency (such as a Limited Offer or Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)), the odds are high that they will take action. In this condition, SLAP is helpful because it also recognizes the significance of reassurance in the decision-making process.
Step By Step Break Down OF SLAP Copywriting Formula
In this section, I will discuss each step of SLAP in detail and how you can use this formula to craft your copy.
So, let’s start!
Stop
The first step of the SLAP formula is focused on stopping your target audience from scrolling by grabbing attention immediately. This is done by creating an irresistible opening or headline with the STOP trigger, building curiosity, and creating a sense of urgency.
How do you craft a “STOP” trigger?
- Surprise your reader by incorporating unexpected statements and statistics that jolt your reader out of autopilot.
- Tap your target audience into emotions with the help of pain points and or desires they want to fulfill.
- Build curiosity by asking questions or cliffhanger statements that compel your reader to learn more.
Look
Once you have stopped your target audience, you must keep them engaged long enough to deliver your main message. In this stage, techniques such as storytelling, presenting values, and establishing credibility help you.
How do you craft a look stage?
- Use storytelling to hold the attention of your reader. Shape your story in a problem-solution format. Begin with a common pain or problem that they are facing and introduce your solution (service or product) as a hero. Example: “After trying every diet under the sun, I finally found [Product Name] and lost 15 pounds in just 3 months!”
- Incorporate social proof, such as testimonials of happy customers, before-and-after visuals, and review scores on credible resources like trustpiolot.com.
ACT
At this stage, you need to craft CTAs to bridge the gap between engagement and action. Here, you have to tell the reader what they have to do next.
How to craft ACT?
- Create a sense of urgency to encourage your reader to take immediate action.
- Incorporate only one CTA; don’t confuse your reader by mentioning multiple CTAs.
- Ensure that your CTA aligns with your objective.
Purchase
At this stage, you have to make your customers believe that they made the right choice, close the sale, or build trust for future conversion.
How do you craft a purchase?
- Give them a reward or discount on the next purchase.
- Offer Guarantee: if customers are unsatisfied, they can return within X number of days.
- Send a follow-up email to know your customer’s satisfaction level.
How to use SLAP For Different Marketing Channels
SLAP copywriting formula you can apply in multiple marketing channels. This psychology-driven approach can help you structure and tailor persuasive social media ads, attention-grabbing emails, and engaging landing pages.
In this section, i am going to discuss with you leverage SLAP to craft:
- Landing Pages.
- Social Media Ads.
- Emails.
So, let’s begin!
Landing Pages
It is important that your landing page copy converts your visitor into a customer. With SLAP, you can ensure that every element of your ad copy complements each other and gradually drives your potential audience to take action.
Let’s understand how each step of SLAP works on the landing page:
- STOP: Craft attention-grabbing headlines that build curiosity or build emotions.
- LOOK: After grabbing attention and building interest by mentioning the key benefits of your product or service, keep it relatable with storytelling and incorporate social proof to build trust.
- ACT: Once you have nurtured your audience’s interest at this stage, incorporate the irresistible Call to Action (CTA).
- Purchase: Finally, close the sales and eliminate all the risk factors by mentioning Guarantee ratings, etc.
Social Media Ads
Social media is a fast-moving digital world where capturing the attention of your audience isn’t easy. With the help of SALP, you can create a tight, laser-focused ad structure that drives clicks and captures the attention of your audience.
Here is the breakdown of each step of SLAP in the context of social media ads:
- STOP: use attention-grabbing headlines that build curiosity in the reader’s mind.
- Look: Build interest by mentioning benefits (what your potential customer will gain ), mentioning statistics to enhance engagement, and incorporating social proof to build credibility.
- ACT: Incorporate CTA that creates a sense of urgency and should align with your objective.
- Purchase: Eliminate the risk factor of decision change by incorporating guarantees and discount offers.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is all about making relationships and driving action. The SLAP formula helps in crafting everything from the Subject line to the CTA that drives engagement and encourages action.
Let’s discuss how each step of SLAP works in Email Marketing:
- STOP: Focus on the subject line. Make it engaging and curiosity-driven, which will encourage recipients to open the email. You can ask questions, use shocking statements, and create a sense of urgency.
- LOOK: To build more interest, begin with the story, share a success story or quick anecdote, and mention the key benefit.
- ACT: After building interest, tell your recipient what to do next by mentioning irresistible CTA.
- Purchase: To ensure a seamless experience and reduce the risk of not buying, offer a money-back guarantee or after-sales support.
Conclusion
SALP copywriting formula is one of the best formulas of copywriting that can help you craft persuasive, highly converting copy across every marketing channel.
By executing the SLAP you learned in this guide, you are now able to tailor the copy to STOP scrolling, LOOK with engaging content, ACT with compiling and clear CTA, and Purchase by building trust.
So, now it’s your turn to apply the knowledge you have learned to craft your landing page, email copy, and social media ads.
Moreover, if you have any questions, you can ask me in the comments or send me an email.