Ah, so we’re browsing for some advanced communication tips, are we? You want to know the secret to slaying the game of sales pages and copy with conversion rates so high, they make your competition cry?

Well, get your swimming suit on, because we’re about to dive into the deep sea of neuroscience, and it’s a game changer for realz. (Don’t worry, we’ll stay in the shallows.)

First off, you’ve heard of Andrew Huberman, the Stanford neuroscientist doing groundbreaking research on dopamine, yes?

When a release of dopamine — the pleasure chemical that makes us feel good — is triggered in our brains, we perk up and give our full attention to whatever is causing it.

This is of course what social media companies like Meta and TikTok have been using to their advantage for years. Using algorithms that feed you content they know you’ll enjoy based on your past behavior, dopamine is triggered in your brain, making you want more.

It’s literally digital crack.

Being equally spellbinding in text is difficult, because you don’t have the advantages of tickling your audience’s senses with visuals and sounds. The mind-blowing thing though, is that you can appeal to all senses by tapping into your readers’ imagination.

Don’t just tell them “there’s no coffee left” – help them feel what it’s like: “You rub your sleepy eyes and take in a deep breath, eagerly anticipating the rich aroma of ground coffee beans as you open the tin. But to your horror — it’s empty! A pressure that pushes outwards from your brain starts to form, and your mind contracts with irritation at the thought of starting your morning without your caffeine fix…”.

When we tell stories this way, we create a steady flow of dopamine.

We are wired for stories. When we hear one, the language processing areas of our brains light up, but it also triggers the regions that are associated with experiencing the emotions being conveyed in that story. That’s why you bawled your eyes out at the end of The Notebook (come on, you did!) or feel inspired after watching Rocky.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “What does this have to do with writing copy that sells?”

Well, everything! Because once you master the skill of emotionally connecting with your audience and providing them with recurring hits of dopamine, you can count on them returning for more (provided that your product or service is as brilliant as your communication 😉).

Here are some tips to leverage the neuroscience of storytelling for your copywriting sales game:

1. Hook your audience in right off the bat. Think shock and awe. A bold statement, a hard-hitting question, that skill they’re missing, secret they don’t know, or a relatable anecdote that makes them want to read on.
2. Use sensory language to transport your reader into the world you’re creating. Make them feel it, smell it, see it. You want them to feel like they’re right there with you.
3. Make it personal. People connect with stories about other people. Use real-life examples and experiences to demonstrate the benefits of your product or service. But also make darn sure your brand has personality!
4. Create a narrative arc. Your copy should take your reader on a journey, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. It could be a problem-solution format or a before-and-after story.
5. Use social proof to your advantage. Testimonials, case studies, or statistics to show that other people have had success with your product or service. And if you are your business (like a coach or creative), also use social proof to give your audience a clear idea of what it’s like to work with you!

Now, go forth and create epic copy that triggers dopamine in your audience’s brains like clockwork. Tell great stories that make them feel something, and watch your conversion rates shoot through the roof.

The short version: Science says good communication is like crack to our brains, and storytelling is one of the most effective ways to achieve it. So, tell a bloody good story, and you’ll have your audience begging for more.