The 4 P S of Personality-Packed

THE 4 P’S OF
PERSONALITY-PACKED
COPY
(aka the magic filter to run your copy through before
you send it out into the big, wide world…)
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Hello! ............................................................................................................................................... 3
The 4 P’s in a nutshell ....................................................................................................... 4
§ Person ....................................................................................................................................... 5
§ Promise .................................................................................................................................... 10
§ Picture ....................................................................................................................................... 15
§ Party ............................................................................................................................................ 18
Further e.g.s ............................................................................................................................... 22
My Story ........................................................................................................................................ 23
The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

© GroWrite Creative LLC
https://growrite.co | PAGE 2
HELLO!
Hi, I’m Suzy! I believe that words matter, and I’m here to help you use them in a way that makes an impact.
Because the right words can have an electrifying effect on your business growth.
BUT it’s not always easy to find them.
That’s why you signed up for this cheat sheet, right? To find your voice and start communicating in a way that turbocharges your
sales and earnings.
Well, congrats – you’re in the right place.
If you’re ready to speak to your target audience’s needs with words that have them whipping out their wallets, read on...

THE 4 P’S IN A NUTSHELL
Read over your copy and ask yourself:
1. Does this read like it’s directed at a PERSON? If so, whom?

2. Am I offering a specific PROMISE (or tapping into pain points) here?
3. What PICTURE is this copy painting? Can I visualize it clearly?
4. Would I say this out loud to people I know at a PARTY?

PERSON?
First things first: read over your copy and ask yourself – who does it sound like I’m talking to here?
The answer to this question matters because you want your copy to read as if it’s been written for an actual person who really
exists, not just some vague, imaginary audience.
And note that I say person, not people here – because you also want to write as if you’re chatting one-on-one with your reader,
rather than giving a big speech to an anonymous crowd. (It’s all about the personal touch...!)
Ideally, even if readers know nothing whatsoever about your services or products when they start reading your copy, your
writing should instantly help them learn both what you do AND who you do it for.
TAKE ACTION: Read over the examples on the next page and see if you can guess who that copy is aimed at.

PERSON?
#1 Rock that bikini and actually enjoy your beach vacation this summer. (Because hiding under a towel got real old, real quick
last year…)
Probably aimed at:________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
#2 Science + simplicity = a workout routine you can FINALLY stick to
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
#3 Boost your body confidence and achieve your dream fitness level
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Print this page out, fill it in, and then check out my answers overleaf!

PERSON?
My answers:
#1 Rock that bikini and actually enjoy your beach vacation this summer. (Because hiding under a towel got real old, real quick last
year…)
Probably aimed at: Women feeling insecure about their bodies, who are affluent enough to take vacations and who care strongly
about their appearance and fitness levels. They want to enjoy the summery weather with their friends and family, without
constantly stressing about what they look like (and yes, they know on a rational level that it’s what’s inside that counts, but that
doesn’t stop them from dreading bikini season...)
#2 Science + simplicity = a workout routine you can FINALLY stick to
Probably aimed at: Someone who’s been hopping around between workouts and trying out the latest fitness fads, but who’s never
managed to commit to anything for long enough to see big results. They want a workout that’s easy-to-follow, scientifically-
backed, and that will actually work for them and their busy schedule.

PERSON?
#3 Boost your body confidence and achieve your dream fitness level
Probably aimed at: Someone wanting to improve their fitness level and feel more confident in their own skin.
➜ Now you might have noticed that my answer to #3 was vaguer and shorter than my answers to the other two prompts.
That’s because – while it’s not necessarily bad copy – it doesn’t get super specific in targeting a particular type of person.
As a result, it falls back on using generic language and kinda jargony statements that a lot of other people in the health and
wellness industry might also be using.
Basically, copy #3 doesn’t stand out.
And as a result, its offer isn’t as appetizing.

PERSON?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Anyone who reads your copy should be able to describe in some detail the kind of person you’re writing it for (even if you
don’t explicitly name that person...)
• By keeping the focus trained on your ideal customer’s specific struggles, hopes and emotions, you can avoid using the
industry jargon that everyone else is relying on and write in a way that’s guaranteed to set you apart.
• You’ll also show your target audience that you understand where they’re coming from and reassure them that they’re in the
right place to get the help or outstanding results they’re looking for. That’s because you’ll have made it clear that working
with people just like them is exactly what you specialize in.

PROMISE?
Critical pages and parts of your website should point to specific results and tantalize your readers by promising them an
experience of transformation.
To create a sense of promise in your copy, you basically have two options. You can:
§ Go the aspirational route, where you highlight how you can help readers get something they really want.
§ Delve into their pain points and emphasize how you can help them overcome whatever they’re frustrated by.
Either way, your copy should strike a strong chord with readers and bring them to the point where they’re ready to say “YES, I need
this in my life right now!”
(And obviously, you shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep… But you know that already !)
TAKE ACTION: Have a look at the 3 examples overleaf and see if you can describe in a clear way what’s being promised by each.

PROMISE?
#1 Master all the tools you need to land the job of your dreams in 4 weeks flat (even if you’re switching careers)
Concrete results/problems solved:____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
#2 Job search boot camp
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
#3 Say goodbye to your sobbing Sunday night blues and land a job you actually LOVE
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Again, print out this sheet, complete the sentences above, and then hop over to the next page to see my answers!

PROMISE?
My answers:
#1 Master all the tools you need to land the job of your dreams in 4 weeks flat, even if you’re switching careers
Concrete results/problems solved: That within the space of one month, you’ll have the skills and know-how you need to
successfully get “the job of your dreams,” even if you have no previous experience in that industry. The verb “master” implies that
you’ll be learning and becoming an expert in new things, and “tools” implies that you’ll be concentrating on concrete practicalities –
maybe interview techniques, networking, LinkedIn etc.
#2 Job search boot camp
Concrete results/problems solved: You’ll be in some kind of group program (?) that will help you in your job search and train you
in some way so that you can be more successful in your search. The focus is on the process (rather than the result or benefit) and
there’s no definite timeline.

PROMISE?
#3 Say goodbye to your sobbing Sunday night blues and land a job you actually LOVE
Concrete results/problems solved: This is the most emotion-based copy, promising that you can stop feeling miserable about
going to work and dreading the end of each weekend. No timeline’s specified, but the problem’s framed as urgent (you feel like
you’re going to burst into tears every Sunday? That’s terrible!) and it sets up the promise that you’ll soon be able to move into a job
that gives you more meaning and joy.
➜ My verdict? I’d say that out of the three headlines, #2 is the least inspiring, because it doesn’t address the problem that readers
have or mention something concrete they can aspire to.
Also, while someone might actually say to themselves, “YES, in 4 weeks flat I want to master all the tools I need to land the job of
my dreams!” or “YES, I want to stop being so depressed every Sunday evening!”, it’s much less likely that anyone would say, “YES, I
want a job search bootcamp!”...

PROMISE?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
§ Try to imagine your ideal customer actually saying some of the phrases in your copy out loud. If there’s no way that anyone
would ever say, “YES, I can finally [your copy and its promise here]!”, you may need to do more editing.
§ Aim to incorporate specificity and/or a sense of urgency into your headlines and titles.
§ Research data shows that benefits-driven headlines work best at driving successful conversions on sales pages, especially
when accompanied by a paragraph or two of copy that also delves into the reader’s pain points.

PICTURE?
The next question is, when you read your copy, does it paint a vivid picture in your head?
Let’s test this out with the following three examples –
#1 Negative emotions and energy are holding you back and you feel stuck. You’re lost and totally overwhelmed.
#2 You’re exhausted from lying awake worrying at 4AM (and also sick of those huge dark circles under your eyes...)
#3 You’ve got notebooks piled up by your bed, full of exciting ideas that you’ve never had the confidence to act on – and you’re
worried that you’re never going to bring a single one of those ideas to life.
TAKE ACTION: Which example(s) paint the most vivid image for you? And why?
Copy #________ paints the most vivid picture for me, because ______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PICTURE?
➜ Personally, I find #2 and #3 to be the most powerful when it comes to painting a picture.
That’s because both statements evoke concrete objects that I can easily visualize (e.g. tired eyes, a person lying awake staring at
their alarm clock, heaps of dusty notepads by a bed…)
Even though #1 refers most explicitly to particular emotional states, #2 and #3 go a step further in highlighting why those
emotional states should be dealt with urgently, by relating them to distressing situations in everyday life that are easy for readers
to imagine.
So whether or not readers have notebooks full of ideas that they’ve never acted on stacked by their bed, they can picture what
that situation might look and feel like because of the image’s specific details.
This enables them to empathize with the situation being described by the copy, and makes them more emotionally invested and
interested in your solution to it.

PICTURE?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
§ The exact words you use in your copy will ultimately fade from your readers’ minds, but the memorable pictures painted by
your words will stick with them and continue to trigger emotions even after they’ve left your website.
§ Be as concrete as you can in your copy, by linking emotions and feelings to specific objects and/or everyday situations that
readers can project themselves into.

PARTY?
Some people say that the best way to create natural-sounding copy is to run your writing through “the best friend filter,” where you
imagine that you’re reading your copy out loud to a treasured friend.
But personally, I prefer the idea of the party filter.
You know, one of those parties where you’re feeling on form and witty, you’ve had some excellent food and a glass or two of wine
(or whatever your tipple of choice), you’re enjoying being in an awesome atmosphere with great people, and you’re confidently
chatting to a friend or acquaintance who’s engaged in your stories and laughing at your jokes.
In other words, you’re at your conversational, sociable best and people are really connecting with what you’re saying.
TAKE ACTION: So tell me, which of the phrases on the next page would you be most likely to say at that party?

PARTY?
Which of these phrases would you be most likely to say in a conversation at a party about job satisfaction?
#1 What if you could earn a 6-figure salary that gives you the freedom and flexibility you’ve always wanted?
#2 I get it. You want to be able to work from your couch - and to be able to afford a nicer, comfier couch to boot!
#3 Nobody deserves to spend three-quarters of their waking hours in a job that gives them stress-knots in their stomach,
right?
#4 You want to move from a place of dissatisfaction to a place of security, happiness and fulfilment, and I’m here to tell you
that you deserve that.

PARTY?
My answers:
This is probably the trickiest part of the 4 P’s filter, as so much of it depends on your personal communication preferences. But
for me, #2 and #3 are the phrases that I’d be most comfortable saying at a party.
That’s because the tone there is conversational, the language doesn’t fall into salesiness or vagueness, and both examples
include some specific, engaging details that I can visualize clearly.
Plus, neither statement sounds as the speaker is taking themselves too seriously, and – in a world where seemingly every
other Facebook ad talks about using an online business to earn a six-figure salary – they also stand out from the crowd.
And while #3 refers to some negative emotions, it says nothing that I’d be hesitant to express (albeit perhaps in a more
confessional tone...) in a social situation.

PARTY?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
§ Write as closely as you can to how you’d actually speak (and not in a style that you’d be embarrassed to communicate in in
public!)
§ Bring your conversational A-game to the table in your copy, so you can write in a way that sounds like you at your witty,
spectacular best.
§ Avoid using the same salesy language/making the same promises as everyone else!

FURTHER E.G.S
Want more examples of personality-packed, conversational copy in action?
Here’s how some of the big brands do it. (And they do it because they know that it WORKS...)
§ Acuity (online scheduling)
§ Betterment (investing service)
§ MeUndies (underwear via online subscription)
§ Wistia (video hosting)
§ MeetEdgar (social media management)

MY STORY
Hi, I’m Suzy Cater, the founder of GroWrite Creative.
I’m a copywriter and communications strategist who helps entrepreneurs use creative, personality-packed
prose to up-level their businesses and make the spectacular impact and income they deserve.
I’m also a Welsh gal from the UK who’s been living in NYC since 2010, a linguist and bookworm who speaks 4
languages, and an award-winning writer and educator from my days as a Ph.D. researcher and professor at
New York University.
Over the past ten years, I’ve written for everyone from startups to newspapers to top-ranked academic
journals, and I’ve helped hundreds of people all around the world find the powerful words they need to
express the value of what they do and believe in.

MY STORY
I now live in Brooklyn with my New Yorker husband, but I grew up helping out in my family’s business in North Wales, and have a
major soft spot for working with entrepreneurs!
I love taking business owners to a place of total brand communication confidence, and getting them excited to share their
compelling messages and visions with the world. (Even if they don’t initially believe that they have a compelling message or vision
when we start working together...!)
My approach to writing isn’t about following cookie-cutter templates or the latest “hot-for-a-hot-minute” digital marketing trends.
Instead, it’s about crafting bold, meaningful conversion copy with ongoing appeal, which massively increases sales and also
nurtures my clients’ relationships with the people they most want to serve.
Want to know how I could help you? Here’s the skinny on my services and packages. I’ll also be in touch with more copywriting
tips and pointers over the next few days – look out for those, and chat more soon!
Suzy xo


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THE 4 P’S OF

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

BUT it’s not always easy to find them.

Well, congrats – you’re in the right place.

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

Read over your copy and ask yourself:

1. Does this read like it’s directed at a PERSON? If so, whom?

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

#2 Science + simplicity = a workout routine you can FINALLY stick to

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

Basically, copy #3 doesn’t stand out.

And as a result, its offer isn’t as appetizing.

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

#2 Job search boot camp

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

Let’s test this out with the following three examples –

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

But personally, I prefer the idea of the party filter.

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

Want more examples of personality-packed, conversational copy in action?

§ Acuity (online scheduling)

§ Betterment (investing service)

§ MeUndies (underwear via online subscription)

§ Wistia (video hosting)

§ MeetEdgar (social media management)

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

Hi, I’m Suzy Cater, the founder of GroWrite Creative.

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

The 4 P’s of Personality-Packed Copy

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