This Is What Boris Johnson Can Teach You About Writing Good Marketing Copy

There are gaping holes in Boris Johnson’s policies and his character. Yet, still he is a shoo-in for No. 10.

How does he do it?

I’ll tell you why – he’s got charm.

Love him, or loathe him, you can’t deny that. You may not like his brand of charm, you may not ‘fall for it’ – but it’s there.

And he knows it himself, which is what makes him such a clever operator. All the bluff and bluster, scarecrow hair, and flattery is done for a reason – to make people like him.

And that helps him overcome the many gaping flaws in his personality. Pretty much any other politician who, like Boris, was taped arranging to have a journalist beaten up would have been dead and buried long ago.

Not Boris. People just can’t quite believe it of him, so he skates through. The fact is that people want to vote for people they like.

And charm will get you a long way in your marketing copy as well. If you come across as likable, then people are far more prepared to buy from you.

So, you need to avoid the usual ‘we are passionate about delivering exceptional solutions’ school of copy, and write in a friendly and personal manner instead. That will make you stand out.

Boris does a similar thing. He avoids the very careful and studied manner of most politicians, in favour of a more chaotic - but undeniably entertaining - approach to public speaking that’s full of jokes and anecdotes.

And that has brought him huge popularity.   

But, of course, charm will only get you so far.

Being likable in your copy will undoubtedly attract customers, but you must deliver on what you promise. Something that may yet trip up Boris…

About the author: My name is Martin Sayers - I'm a UK copywriter and owner of copywriting agency MSCopy. Get my FREE copy guide - 5 Secrets To Writing Copy That Sells