We offer (your product or service) which helps (your customer) do (what your customers want in their words).
Example
“We offer a monthly tea subscription which helps busy professionals create more moments that matter.”
Category: Templates
Template: Copywriting Story
Back when I was [self-deprecating incongruous phrase],
I desperately wanted to [do something clearly outrageous and unattainable]…
but I [was hobbled by something].
This provided the best possible lesson: [lesson, phrased as an idiot lucking out].
What does this mean for you? Simple: If a moron like me can succeed, then you can, too.
Example
Back when I was a worn-out road comic with no money and less business smarts, I desperately wanted to move to Hollywood and start earning big bucks writing sitcoms. The fact that I’d never written a script in my life made it a bit awkward when friends introduced me to agents who asked to “read my spec”. So I went out and bought the most lamely titled book on the subject: How To Write For Television by Madeline Dimaggio. It proved to be exactly what I needed. No complex psychology behind 4-dimensional character development. Just the facts, ma’am backed up with solid examples. Turned out I had a knack for sitcom writing. I borrowed a neighbor’s computer with scriptwriting software (comes free with a Los Angeles driver’s license) and single-finger typed my legal pad scribble into something that looked like a real pro piece of work. The jokes weren’t too bad either. I never did get the gig I wanted at the time, but I did get a lot of positive feedback from producers and most importantly, fell in love with writing… which proved prophetic in my second life as a copywriter.
What does this mean for you? Simple: If a broke-ass hippie comic like me can grow the seed of a new life after reading one boring book and jamming out a spec script, then you can do it, too.
Template: 7 Sentence Story
Complete each of the following sentences:
“Once upon a time …”
“And every day …”
“Then one day …”
“Because of this …”
“Because of this …”
“Until Finally … “
“And ever since that day …”
Template: Communicating for a Change
Plan Your Communication
Information
What does the audience need to know?
What’s the goal?
What’s the win?
What’s the point you are trying to make?
What’s the one thing I want my audience to know?
What is the question I am answering?
Motivation
Why does the audience need to know about it?
What is the tension that this communication will resolve?
What can I do to make my audience feel the tension?
What mystery does this communication solve?
Application
What do I want them to do about it?
What can I do to get the audience to know the answer to my question?
Inspiration
Why do they need to do it?
What can I do to make my audience want a solution?
Reiteration
How can I help them remember it?
Structure the Communication
Orient the communication
Identify with the audience
Illuminate the message
Provide an application
Inspire them to move forward
Template: Simple 90 Day Plan
A quick and dirty 90 Day Plan as outlined by Dan Sullivan in his talk about Moving the Future.
Template: OKR Planning Tool
OKR’s or objectives and key results is a method for defining and tracking goals and desired outcomes. Much has been written about OKR’s and it has been made popular recently by its use at Google and other technology companies. Ultimately objectives are traceable throughout an organization and tie back to the company mission and vision.
I’ve created an OKR template to use for personal goals and within the context of my team at work. The template was inspired by Christina Wodtke over at Eleganthack.