What T&Cs Can Teach You About Compelling Copywriting -

Have you ever received one of those “You can stay at our property for a low rate…if you listen to our 90-minute presentation” letters?

I received one three weeks ago.

The “pitch” part of the letter was straightforward and perfect — I could stay at a Westin property in Maui for six days and five nights for only $698. I’d have to attend a “personalized tour” with my husband to score the deal.

But it wasn’t the letter that knocked me out. It was the terms and conditions (T&Cs) on the back that had me doing a double-take.

Why?

Typically, T&Cs are dull and full of legal jargon. Many people don’t bother reading them.

I do because I’m that kind of person. And what I read knocked me out.

Yes, the legal jargon was there. Westin did an excellent job covering their legal bases. But instead of a laundry list of rules, here’s what the T&Cs reinforced:

Exclusivity: The Westin made it clear that it wasn’t sending this letter to everyone. The T&Cs reinforced it was an exclusive offer for certain people who meet their strict requirements. Plus, just because I accept the offer doesn’t guarantee acceptance, which makes the offer feel even more exclusive. Ooh, don’t I feel special!

Limited-time offer: If I wanted to take advantage of the offer, I had about two weeks to make up my mind. Suddenly, I felt like the pressure was on!

Taking action was easy: I may have had only two weeks to make up my mind, but I only needed to pay $199 to reserve the package. Plus, I could travel within 15 months. So much for my objections of “I don’t know when I could take a vacation” and “I don’t want to pay $698 right now.”

I’d have an out: I’d get all my money back if I canceled within 15 days. Giving me two weeks to change my mind overcomes the objection of “What if I decide a timeshare presentation isn’t for me?”

In fact, it was the T&Cs that made me call my husband and say, “Do you want to go to Maui?” As I read him the requirements, he laughed and said, “They used all the copywriting techniques you teach. Exclusivity. Limited-time offer. They did a good job.”

And they did. A good enough job that the sales letter worked on me — and I’m a hard sell.

Did I sign up? No. Did I think about it? Yes. If I didn’t have a bunch of other stuff going on, I might have looked into the opportunity a bit more carefully.

But I did learn that T&Cs are a great place to slide benefit statements into your writing.

So today’s lesson is to look for hidden copywriting opportunities. Can you slide benefit statements into “boring” content — like FAQs, explainer content, and yes, even T&Cs?

Because when it works, it works well — and your previously “boring” document is transformed into a sales powerhouse.