So you think you can write copy? Copywriting isn’t as simple as putting pen to paper and transcribing your thoughts, it’s an art form that takes many years to learn and perfect. It has to engage your target audiences, position you against your competitors and ultimately get the reader to take action.

Time and time again I see the same mistakes. Here I share these with you so you can apply the ‘lessons learned’ to your copy and enhance your communications.

Write for the medium

Websites, direct mail, email marketing, brochures, social media, whitepapers, articles…they’re all different, so why would you write each one the same? Whenever you write, alter your tone and style accordingly to match the medium in order to fully engage your target audience.

Don’t write as you would speak

It’s tempting to dump all your thoughts down on paper but this leads to waffle, confusion and unnecessary tangents. Copywriting has one purpose, to engage your reader and make them take action. So keep your writing clear, concise and targeted.

Definitely don’t try to impress

Long words might impress you, but they don’t do you any favours. The second your reader stumbles on a word you’ve lost them, because they’re thinking about what that word means rather than the message you’re trying to convey. Simple English is the key to better conversion.

Give your story structure

Every piece of content you write needs flow in order to take your reader on a journey that starts with hooking their attention and ends with them choosing you over a competitor. Writing to a defined structure ensures your copy stays focussed and speaks directly to the reader.

Keep it factual

What sounds better: “Our product is the best,” or, “Independent research from ABC Company shows our product is 90% more efficient than the industry leader.” There’s no arguing with great data. To make your copy stand out, make your claims big, but make sure they’re substantiated.

Personalise it

Every company is special in its own way, but so what? All your audience cares about is themselves. Talk to them, not at them. Ask questions about their pain points rather than selling your products, and showcase your achievements in ways that matter to them, and interest them.

The CTA

The call-to-action (CTA) is possibly the most important aspect of any piece of copy. It’s where you ask your reader to do something; it’s the point at which you convert someone to a lead. All your hard work comes down to this moment so make it compelling, relevant and straight-forward.

Need some help?

Copywriting flows throughout your organisation and holds the key in helping you to achieve your business objectives. Hopefully these copywriting secrets will help you to enhance your communications and ensure your marketing delivers great results.

A great man once told me, “I tell my clients when they find a great copywriter to give them a big hug and pay them lots of money because they’re worth their weight in salt.”

So if you’d prefer to leave your copywriting to a professional, and spend your time doing what you do best, why not get in touch.

Photo by Lauren Mancke on Unsplash