Here’s an acronym I came up with for the word ‘copywriting’. It helps to break down some of the aspects on what copywriting can do for your business – to improve your marketing ROI and help it become more successful – and how to write good copy:
Content
Opportunities
Promote
Your business
Words
Respect
Inspiration
Tantalise
Intrigue
Newsletters
Getting started
Content
The term ‘content’ normally refers to copy that’s written for sharing online. But of course, copywriting is far more than ‘just’ blogs and social media. Copywriting skills are needed to write marketing materials, ads, newsletters, case studies and white papers. And they all need their different approaches.
Opportunities
Copywriting skills provide you with virtually infinite opportunities to successfully promote your business. The advent of social media also makes that so much easier – and it's generally free! As well as writing for your own social media platforms, you may be invited to write an article for an industry specific magazine. Or guest-blog for a well-known organisation who will share it to a different or wider audience. Opportunities are not to be missed!
Promote
Obviously, you’ll want to promote your business wherever and whenever you can; copywriting helps you to do that through many mediums. For instance, advertising on TV, radio or in publications. Writing the words for your printed material, such as brochures, posters, and stands for exhibitions or conferences, or your own showrooms. Even writing posts for social media sites like LinkedIn will promote your business – the better the writing, the more impact you’ll create.
Your business
Writing about your own business can be hard sometimes. You know your products, you understand how your service works and how it can help your customers. But when you’re so close to it, writing in a way to make your customers feel that they need you isn’t always easy. Try to look at your product with an outsider’s perspective. Ask yourself why you should part with your hard-earned cash to buy it. What are its benefits? How does it help?
Words
Words can be powerful. Choosing the right words to attract your audience is almost a dark art. Almost … but not quite! Using the right words at the right time for the right audience is important. Use words wisely. For instance, never say your product is unique unless you are 100% sure it really is.
Respect
When you’re writing your copy or content, remember to respect your target audience. Try not to use condescending language, or assume they don’t know anything about your business. Respect goes a long way! It’s all part of that ‘using words wisely’ thing.
Inspiration
People like to feel inspired, so keep that in mind when writing copy for your prospective customers. Continue to inspire them as they become regular, faithful customers. Write about interesting ideas to help them in your blogs and newsletters … inspire them with special offers!
Tantalise
If your product or service allows you to tantalise in some way – to be a little bit cheeky, a little bit sexy – you're more likely to capture people's attention. You may be surprised at how you can use a little cheekiness in the most staid of products – even insurance! Adverts, marketing messages and social media content can be full of tasteful yet amusing messages to tempt new and existing customers into contacting you. Especially when you're launching a new product.
Impact
Writing copy that has impact helps to engage and influence your target audience. Keeping your words to the bare minimum creates the best impact. Too much waffle loses them.
Newsletter
Newsletters are where your copywriting skills will be put to good use, and possibly even tested. In electronic form, newsletters are so easily deleted. Even when printed and posted, they can be binned! So it’s important to keep your subscribers’ attention. Use catchy headlines (no need to worry about SEO here!). Short punchy paragraphs. Witticisms! Keep them entertained. And don’t forget your links to your website. Not too much selling, though!
Getting started
Off you go, then! Get writing! … Oh, you don’t know what to write about? It can be tricky, finding that opening sentence; something powerful that will hook your customers in and make them keep reading. Sometimes I just start writing any old nonsense – as I’m writing, things will start to take shape and I can go back and cut out all the fluff.
If inspiration seems to be illusive, give this blog a read – it should help.
After all this, if the idea of copywriting your own marketing materials and online content is still daunting, you can always ask for help. That’s what I’m here for – to help you write the words that work for you. Ping an email to jen@jennyhaken.co.uk or give me a call on 07799 648321.