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It’s called the 1-2-3 copywriting newsletter, where every week you’ll get:

1 Copywriting Tip

2 Examples

3 Tactics on how to use it for your business.

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Best part? You’ll get all the good stuff by investing less than 5 minutes weekly.

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1 Copywriting Tip

Tip: Focus on connotations

Let me drop a controversial opinion.

Not every copy needs to be direct.

Some words and sentences just flow better when they are indirect.

And no, I'm not talking about letting grammar die a slow and painful death while you call yourself a "writer."

But what if I told you that people take some words not just at face value but also on what they mean non-literally?

Enter connotations aka the "behind the back" meanings of words.

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Let me explain...

If you tell one of your loved ones, "you feel like "home" to me."

I'm pretty sure you're not picturing them as a human that has cement and bricks layed on top of them, right? Hopefully...

If you got what I'm trying to say—means you get connotations.

Because home is not just a place or a brick & mortar setup.

It also means love, support, and feeling personal.

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It's simple...

The Oxford Dictionary has 600,000 words right now.

But because you understand connotations now, you have much more literary real estate to play with.

Now onto 2 great examples...

2 Examples

1. Chivas Regal

I love how this ad reframes the empty bottle into a great thing.

Alcohol or drinking has connotations related to good times, happy moments and starting conversations.

So this means an empty bottle of Chivas at least made you some new friends.

Your bottle's empty but your heart's full. And you cannot put a price on that experience.

In this ad, the connotation is the insight.

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2. Grit City Breakfast

Size does matter has a sexual connotation related to women prioritizing big dick energy.

In this case, it grabs attention and then you get to see that the size being talked about here is the size of their breakfast sandwich.

Sex sells. Period.

3 Tactics for You

1. Pick better synonyms

Choose words with stronger connotations over generic ones to intensify emotional impact.

For example, use "luxurious" instead of "nice when talking about an experience.

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2. Use Literary Devices

People are already familiar with metaphors, similes and analogies so it's easier to create connotations around these.

For example, "This software is the Swiss Army knife of productivity tools."

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3. Use Word Families

Expand your connotations by using synonyms and related words that support your main message.

For example, describing a service as "dependable," "reliable," and "trustworthy" maintains a specific sort of messaging.

Well, that’s all I have for you today🤝

What do you think about connotations in copy and today’s newsletter?

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