COPYWRITING

THINK LIKE YOUR CUSTOMERS
The first thing you should consider is who you are writing for, as this should affect your writing style. Engineers for instance will require concise specification information, whereas fashionistas may appreciate more flowery language. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes, consider their motivations and the messages they will want to hear.

MAKE YOURSELF STAND OUT
Remember there may be a multitude of companies offering what you do – but what makes you different? What is it that motivates your existing customers to choose you over your competitors? Concentrate on these factors when formulating your copy.

BENEFITS NOT FEATURES
A classic tip but a good one. Concentrate on the benefits offered by your product rather than intricate technical detail – unless the detail is REALLY what turns your audience on! Don’t be afraid to list a “Primary 6-cell 58 WHr Lithium Ion battery” on your specification sheets, but in your sales literature concentrate on “2 hour battery life” instead.

THE SO-WHAT TEST
You may be interested in minutiae of your company history, but are your customers? Typical corporate spiel will open “Widget Industries was established in 1973 in our founder’s garage in Coventry”. Apply the “so what test”. Is that really the most important message for your customers? Shouldn’t you be hitting them from the start with the benefits you can offer them?

KEEP IT SHARP
Don’t write everything in long, rambling sentences. The odd longer sentence is fine, but intersperse them with short, punchy sentences every now and again to keep your readers’ attention. Aim not to exceed 25 words in a sentence.

BE ORIGINAL
Don’t fill your copy with clichés and the sort of dull language used by everyone else in your industry. Use language to keep your audience’s attention, and where appropriate, surprise them with the odd “wake up word”.  English is a bountiful language – use it to its full potential! Enjoy writing your copy and your audience will enjoy reading it.

BE PRECISE
Try to avoid generalisation. Where you have information, use it. For example, don’t say “a significant rise in revenue”, say “a 25% increase in sales”. Your messages will be all the more credible for it.

DON’T SPEAK YOUR OWN LANGUAGE
Remember that phrases you use every day around your business might not be commonly understood by your customers. If necessary, test your copy on a few willing customers to avoid the trap of writing in a language only your board will understand.

CUT THE JARGON
Don’t ever think you will impress your customers by peppering your copy with jargon, TLAs (three letter acronyms!) and management speak. You will alienate them. Where you must use technical terms, explain them clearly. Otherwise just communicate in language that is clear and understandable.

PROOFING, PROOFING, PROOFING
Always get at least one other person to read the copy before publication, preferably a professional. Even if you are the best copywriter in the world, there may be things that you have only explained clearly in your own head! And don’t underestimate the power of your spellchecker – make sure it is set to UK English and USE IT!!

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