Despite being a constant in my Netflix recommendations for some time, I finally got round to watching Mindhunter recently, and I’m glad I did.
The series, based on true events and set in the late 1970s, follows FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench on their groundbreaking journey to explore the minds of serial killers.
Through interviews with these violent offenders, they pioneer “criminal profiling”, a revolutionary technique that forever changed the way investigations are conducted.
At first glance, criminal profiling and copywriting might seem worlds apart. After all, one focuses on understanding ruthless convicts, while the other is about crafting engaging content.
Though, they do share a surprising connection, as both rely on the ability to understand a target (or, in this case, your audience) and figure out what drives them.
Continue reading to discover what Mindhunter can teach you about knowing your audience and tailoring content to their needs.
“Profiling” shares surprising similarities with understanding your readership
The aforementioned criminal profiling isn’t just a dramatic plot device – it’s a real investigative tool that emerged in the late 20th century.
The FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit (BSU), led by the legendary John E Douglas (who serves as inspiration for one of the series’ main characters, Holden Ford), was established to interrogate the minds of violent offenders.
They did so by building a detailed picture of a suspect’s personality, behavioural, and even physical characteristics, based on crime scene analysis and deductive reasoning.
By interviewing criminals, Douglas and his team identified recurring patterns and traits, which helped them form profiles that offered invaluable insights and clues. This ultimately allowed investigators to prevent and solve future crimes.
Much like criminal profiling, copywriting often requires you to understand your readership on a deeper level. By digging into your audience’s emotions, you could tailor your writing in a way that speaks directly to them and resonates with their aspirations.
Just like Douglas infiltrated the minds of criminals to predict their actions, you need to get into the minds of your readers to move them to action.
A little empathy can go a long way
In Mindhunter, the BSU’s success didn’t come from simply calculated analysis and data collection alone.
Similarly to the dramatisation of real events, John E Douglas and his colleagues actually interviewed a number of violent offenders – as many as 59 during the first year of the project – including infamous figures such as Ted Bundy and Charles Manson.
One of the more memorable cases in the series is Ed Kemper, a serial killer with a chilling history and a disarmingly affable demeanour. While Kemper’s crimes were monstrous, Douglas took an empathetic approach that allowed him to see past the violence and into Kemper’s mind.
By building a rapport with Kemper, Douglas was able to create invaluable insights about the psychology of violent criminals that would later shape the FBI’s approach to criminal profiling.
While the idea of empathising with violent criminals might seem unsettling, it allowed investigators to connect with subjects in a way that revealed vital information. It wasn’t about excusing or humanising their actions, but rather understanding their motivations to stop future crimes.
In copywriting, empathy also plays an important role. It often means you’re better able to understand your audience’s needs and desires.
By stepping into your ideal clients’ shoes and mindset, you could create content that speaks directly to their experiences and values. You don’t just want to write something that gets your point across, but ideally something that moves readers and leaves them thinking long after they’ve finished reading, often making your writing far more effective.
4 ways you can apply profiling techniques to your copywriting
Just as criminal profiling involves constructing a detailed picture of an offender, gaining a clear understanding of your audience could improve your copy – read on to find out how you can apply this to your own writing.
- Define your readership
In the same way a criminal profiler narrows down their focus to a specific type of offender, you also need to define your target audience. There’s no point writing about options for first-time buyers if most of your readers are approaching retirement, after all.
As such, it’s worth sitting down and thinking carefully about who will be reading your content, allowing you to more effectively address the needs of readers.
This is where our teams at The Yardstick Agency excel, as we’ll have a conversation with you to determine your ideal client and write the appropriate content.
- Research your audience
Once you’ve identified your audience, it’s wise to take some time to research their needs and desires.
In Mindhunter, FBI agents spent hundreds of hours interviewing criminals to research their behaviour patterns. Similarly, you need to put in the hours to understand the preferences of your readers.
A client survey could be a practical way to gather insights into what motivates them, and what they value about your service.
- Empathise with your readers
As mentioned, empathy is essential in both criminal profiling and copywriting. By understanding your audience’s emotions and desires, you could create content that speaks directly to them.
You might want to ask yourself questions such as:
- What are my readers struggling with?
- What are they looking for?
- What are their objectives?
When you understand this and write with empathy, your writing could resonate with your ideal clients on a far deeper level.
- Adjust your tone and language
When you understand your readers, you may want to tailor your tone and language to suit them, as various demographics respond differently to communication.
For instance, if you’re writing for a younger audience, your writing may benefit from a more casual tone. Adapting this language could help ensure that your message resonates with your intended audience.
Get in touch
While our team of writers aren’t exactly criminal profilers, they do have a wealth of experience when it comes to crafting expert copy with a specific audience in mind.
If you want your content to better appeal to your ideal client, email us at hi@theyardstickyagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300.
