We are surrounded by marketing messages every day.

You can’t hide from them. Whether it’s the TV, magazines, radio, buses, taxis, billboards etc. everywhere you look, everywhere you go, someone is trying to sell you something.

So, if you’re one of those companies, how do you get your message to stand out from everyone else’s?

Well, it has a lot to do with your information presentation.

As a copywriter, my focus is always on the message, but I am well aware that colour, graphics and layout play a big part in the way an advert or message is received (even though, ultimately, it’s the words that will do the convincing and selling).

When it comes down to it, if you want your message to be seen, think about how it is presented.

Information presentation

There are 5 very simple things you can do to make sure your message isn’t ignored. I’m sure there are other things too (if you can think of any, leave a comment and share them with us), but these are my top 5.

1. Verb

Don’t worry, I’m not about to launch into a grammar lesson. But starting your heading with a verb instead of a noun will help it pack more of a punch.

A verb is a ‘doing word’ making it active, and if it’s talking about something you like doing, you’ll be more inclined to read on.

2. Short and sweet

Nope, I’m not about to dive in to the ‘long copy verses short copy’ argument. In this case, short and sweet refers to your sentence structure. Keeping them short will aid readability. They get across ideas succinctly. They keep your reader interested.

3. Another short and sweet

Your paragraphs should also be – you guessed it – short and sweet.

A page with lots of white space and short chunks of text will look far more attractive than a page with solid text.

Psychologically, it makes the reader think the information will be easy to read.

4. Loud

Once you’ve written your copy, do you ever read it out loud?

If you don’t, you should. Reading out loud will give you a whole new perspective on it. Plus, it will help you spot areas that sound clumsy or repetitive.

5. Check-list

After writing and refining your copy, check to make sure it is:

•    Concise (think short sentences and paragraphs)
•    Informative (and relevant)
•    Attractive (lots of white space, readable font etc.)

If you can tick all 3, you’re well on your way to making your message stand out from the crowd.

Over to you

Can you think of any other ways to make sure your message stands out?

Leave a comment below and share them.

In A Copywriter Gives Power to the Words we looked at the power words that can help convey your message clearly and concisely to your reader.

But there is one very important word that I omitted to mention – “you”.

Why? Well believe it or not, freelance copywriters are actually human beings. We may well be shut away in our offices, sat in front of our computers being creative but we do also have lives and get to go out now and again.

Therefore it is important that copywriters use words to convey their humanness and the best one do that is you.

Writing using those three letters isn’t always easy though. If you have an academic background of any type (we all have) you would have been told time and time again not to address your reader directly.

Well, now you are writing sales material which is completely different and it is obligatory to use “you”, “yours” and “your”.

Everyone wants to be seen as an individual – and who is the person that people find more fascinating than anyone else? Themselves! Therefore always use “you” instead of “I”. So for example, instead of saying:

“Order now and I will send you a free gift”

Say

“Order now and you will receive a free gift.”

If you do have to write about yourself then “I” and “we” are better than your company name as it keeps it more personal and involving.

So remember – you are human, you exist, so talk to your reader conversationally – don’t talk at them from a distance.

Sally Ormond

Neil Stoneham of Voxtree has kindly agreed to allow me to re-post his blog The Importance of Good Copy

In it, he takes a good look at why good copy is so important for your business and why a professional copywriter is worth his or her weight in gold. Take it away Neil…

Here is a transcript of the forthcoming article I wrote for the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce magazine “Business Matters”:

Image, it seems, is everything in this day and age. Most of us go to some lengths to look good within a business environment, all with the express intention of dazzling our clients and creating a positive first impression. Same with the way our company is presented – we all want a good logo, flashy brochures and a smart-looking website.

So, what’s wrong with that? Nothing. Image is important, no doubt.

But it can all count for nothing if we neglect the necessity of good copy. As a copywriter myself, it pains me to see businesses splash out on a pristine, beautiful website, only for it to read like a third-rate student essay, replete with bad grammar, awful spelling and some unusual turns of phrase! It’s a waste and, at its worst, an insult to the intelligence of any prospective client.

Even less serious offenders can turn away potentially important sales by failing to write copy that is concise, persuasive and easy to read. After all, if you don’t sound professional, it may unintentionally suggest that your business is less than professional too.

A professional company cares about what it says as well as the way it looks. And it’s a proven fact that strong copy, written to draw people in and keep them hooked, is massively more effective than something bland or badly written.

Some of you may be worried now that your own copy is not very strong and that you ought to do something about it. Perhaps you’ve thought about it for a while but not got round to it. Well, here are a few pointers to help improve your copy so that it turns your core message into sales.

1. Make your text lively and persuasive
Many people feel the need to adopt a formal tone when describing their product or service. This can, however, fall flat and bore clients if you’re not careful. Today, most people accept a conversational tone as part of business patter and can be a boon if promoting something creative and quirky. If you are not sure, the best policy is to keep it neutral.

Remember, too, that you are selling. Clients are only really interested in how your product or service can be of benefit to them. Sounds obvious but it’s amazing how many businesses spend too much time ‘bigging themselves up’ at the expense of providing information that is actually useful.

2. Accuracy is key
We rarely pay attention to good grammar, spelling and punctuation. In some modern contexts (social media or texting, for example) it may even seem unnecessary. Bad grammar, spelling and punctuation, on the other hand, stand out a mile. It looks sloppy and unprofessional. Even with the best will in the world, a few demons regularly stalk our copy – “their” instead of “they’re” and “your” instead of “you’re” are some of the popular ones. Get your copy checked by someone with a good knowledge of these things before you put it online or, worse still, send it to the printers.

3.    Keep text concise
The phrase “Too much information” may have other connotations these days but is still relevant to sales material! When presenting the details of your product or service, tell us what we need to know and no more. Many technical aspects of your product, for instance, may seem important to you but can be tedious for all but the most tech-savvy geek to plough through. Also, get the point. Websites that spend the first two paragraphs detailing your company’s history could drive your potential client to the ‘back’ button and they’ll be away before you’ve told them a thing about what you do.

A word about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) here. Don’t buy the myth that reams of keyword-heavy content will bag you a high ranking. The next generation of Google will filter this out and reward good quality content that is actually read and shared.

4.    Avoid jargon and clichéd ‘marketing speak’
Unless you’re aiming your material at people solely within the same technical field, cut the jargon. Otherwise, it will alienate your clients and possibly lead to misunderstanding. Similarly, most smart people can see through ‘marketing speak’ these days, so treat people with respect and avoid phrases like this:

“When You succeed, we succeed with You. When you dazzle your CLIENTS, we dazzle ours.”

This was actually used by a company and guaranteed that a high percentage of potential clients were confused enough to go somewhere else!

There are, of course, many other issues that distinguish good from bad copy, so it’s worthwhile using a professional if you are serious about getting the words right. After all, it could make all the difference when generating that next big sale.

Over to you

Thanks Neil – so what do you think?

Can you come up with any other ideas why good copy is so important?

Perhaps you’ve seen some particularly good or bad examples?

Leave a comment below, we’d love to hear from  you.

Should your copy be humorous?

Is there a place for it?

Well, before you can answer that you really need to think about your brand.

You’ve worked long and hard to create a particular image, so before you decide to use a touch of humour in your next marketing campaign, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is it really funny?

Perfecting a humorous campaign takes time. But you do have to remember that not everyone finds the same stuff funny.

Just because you’re humour makes you roll on the floor laughing, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will have that effect on everyone.

2. Oops

Not only do you run the risk of creating something that, for many, is not funny, but you could also end up causing offence.

Poking fun at certain people could land you in an awful lot of hot water.

3. Kill not cure

As I mentioned earlier, you have taken a lot of time and energy getting your brand’s image just right. If you’ve spent time and money creating something that’s renowned for its quality, seriousness and soberness and then put out an ‘amusing’ marketing campaign, you could turn off a lot of people very quickly.

The moral is…

At the end of the day, it’s a brave marketer that goes for the humour angle on a whim.

Make sure you look at your brand, your product and your audience before you start thinking comedy. After all, you want your customers to be laughing with you, not at you.

Sally Ormond – freelance copywriter

• It’s full of we
• It’s a blatant sales pitch

The first point is covered in this very sanitary blog post, so this post will concentrate on the second.

How do you convince your reader to buy something without being blatant about it?

Before I answer that, let’s take a look at the problem itself. When you’re writing about your own business, you’re keen to get across every last detail to your reader.

You want to tell them all about the features (sadly forgetting the crucial benefits) and then you’ll proceed to tell them it’s amazing, brilliant, superb and fantastic in varying font sizes, colours and turns of phrase.

The problem with that is the reader will instantly recognise your sales pitch and if there’s one thing people don’t like, it’s being sold to.

So if you want to get them to buy from you, you’ve got to be a bit more cunning than that.

How to sell without selling

As a copywriter, I use 3 techniques to get around this particular problem. Each one will help you sell your products or services without the reader recognising an in-your-face sales pitch.

Let’s take a look at the first…

1. Storytelling

As kids, we’ve all grown up listening to stories. We naturally warm to them, listen to them and learn from them, which is why it’s such a powerful way to communicate the benefits of your products or services to your readers.

By reading about a situation and how your product helped someone, will sell the benefits to your reader without them realising they’ve just been sold to.

That’s because they have seen how your product/service works within a given scenario and how it benefits the user.

Placing it within a content they can relate to, is a powerful way of selling without obviously selling.

2. Testimonials and case studies

Whether you use a testimonial from a client, or use their story as part of a case study, because it is a real life story, your reader will read it and take more notice of it than anything you write.

After all, the authors of the testimonials have no incentive to lie about your service, so they are seen as trustworthy insights into your business.

Another powerful way to use testimonials is by video. There are a few people who take the view that testimonials can be written by anyone and where’s the proof that the person sighted is the person who wrote it. But if you have a video testimonial, it will tend to blow the sceptics out of the water.

3. Teaching

Does teaching really work?

Of course it does.

Whether you offer a free sample, video ‘how to’, or an offer, these all act as bait to get your reader hooked.

People love something for nothing, and if it means they get to see how great your product or service is first hand, they are more likely to buy from you.

Over to you

Do you use any other techniques to avoid the ‘hard sell’ approach?

Perhaps you’ve had particular success with one of the above. If so, leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you.

But one thing always makes me smile, and that’s when I get emails asking for my B2B (Business to Business selling) experience.

Why does that make me smile?

Mainly because, in my view, B2B and B2C (Business to consumer) copywriting is one and the same.

[Gasp!]

Why do I think that? Let me explain.

B2B and B2C are the same

The aim of copywriting, regardless of whether you are working in a B2B or B2C market, is the same – to sell.

So there is the first amazing revelation dealt with.

The next is that, even though you’re writing for a B2B market, you are still trying to sell to a person. Don’t believe me? OK, answer these questions:

• Can a company physically buy something from you?
• Can a company meet you for a coffee whilst you talk business?
• Can a company sign that all important contract to confirm your sale?

I think you’ll find the answer to all of those questions is a big fat, resounding NO.

It all boils down to the fact that your copy has to convince a person within the company; therefore you are selling to a person. And as such, the copy you write is no different to if you were selling direct to the public.

Granted, your benefits will be orientated towards what’s in it for the business as opposed to the person you’re speaking (mind you, assuming your product is going to make the business more profitable, he/she will have a vested interest as it may well lead to a whopping bonus for them).

So, just as if you were writing to a consumer audience, your copy should be:

1. Brief – you are writing to people at work so they will be time limited.
2. Human, because business people are – they also make decisions partially for personal reasons (as mentioned above) so tap into reason and emotion for the best results.
3. Full of benefits – buy this and you’ll save money, save time, make bigger profits, reduce staff turnover, and improve productivity…

In my humble opinion, all you have to do is keep it plain and simple, avoid clichés and, whatever you do, do not let any jargon slip into your copy.

Over to you

You’ve allowed me to rant on, but what do you think?

Do you agree that, essentially, copy should be the same regardless of whether it’s for a B2B or B2C market? Or do you think there are legitimate differences between the two?

Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear you take on this one.

As my mum always used to say to me…

“Treat others as you would like to be treated.”

And she wasn’t wrong (not with that piece of advice anyway).

Rather than go into reams of text arguing my point, below are a few simple things you can do to add value to your relationships with your clients:

1. Listen

Simple and yet often over looked.

The only way you will fully understand the project is by being attentive, taking notes and asking loads of questions to clarify precisely what is required.

Never try to guess at what your client wants. If you don’t understand or the brief is unclear, ask for clarification. They’d much rather you did that than submit work that is completely wrong.

2. Ask what they want

As a professional writer, never be tempted to take a brief and then write what you think they should have.

Ask what they are looking to achieve with the project and how they want to be perceived by their readers. If you can see an obvious disconnect, talk it through with them and suggest an alternative plan.

3. Promises, promises

Yes, you are going to want to promise your new client the earth. But promising unrealistic deadlines or outcomes will only lead to disappointment.

When agreeing a deadline, make sure it’s achievable.

4. Update regularly

Writing is a solitary profession, but that doesn’t mean you can cut yourself off completely.

Regular contact (email or phone) will keep your client in the loop so they know exactly what’s happening and what stage you are at with the project.

There’s nothing more frustrating than hiring someone to do a job for you who you then don’t hear from for weeks.

5. Contactability

Ok, that’s not actually a word, but it should be.

If your client can’t get hold of you easily, you are going to seriously hack them off.

Granted, you’re not going to be able to answer your phone every second of the day and you are allowed a few breaks, but if they leave a message, phone them back. If they send you an email, reply to them within an hour or two (if possible).

By giving them various contact options such as phone (landline and mobile), email and Skype, you are making yourself accessible.

6. It was me

Things do go wrong – yes, even to you.

No one is perfect, so if you make a mistake, own up to it. If you try to bluff your way out of a bad situation, you’ll only make it worse.

Your client will think more of you if you say “Yes, I made a mistake” and then put it right.

7. Thank you

They may be two small words, but they are very powerful.

It doesn’t take a lot to thank them for their business, so make sure you do.

Over to you

Do you have any little tricks you use to keep your clients happy?

Leave a comment below and let’s see how many different ways we can come up with.

Copy exists for one reason only – to sell. Whether it appears in a brochure, email, website, case study, white paper or newsletter, its primary function is to get the reader to take an action:

• To buy
• Get in touch
• Fill out a survey
• Complete an order form
• Sign up to your newsletter/offer

If you are in a face-to-face sales situation, you have the opportunity to persuade, cajole, counter objections and physically show your potential customer your product.

When writing copy, you don’t have any of those advantages, so your words have to do all the hard work for you.

4 things to remember about your sales copy

There are 4 things you should always bear in mind when thinking about your sales copy.

Actually there are loads of things, but these 4 will help you keep your feet on the ground and your focus on your reader.

1. Your readers really do WANT to buy from you

Let’s face it, today’s searching and shopping habits are rather like the prehistoric hunter/gatherer role.

Although today, we’re more focused on finding goods and services than tonight’s dinner. Our age of consumerism has shifted our buying behaviour towards making more discretionary purchases as opposed to necessity buys.

Our spare income today is spent on holidays, cars, designer clothes and other luxury items. So when a reader lands on a website or picks up a brochure, they’re already in the mind-set to buy. Your copy just has to convince them that yours is the product they want.

2. You can’t force a sale

As a copywriter, I hate to have to admit to this, but you can’t force someone to buy something through words.

You can make the product look mighty attractive and sought after, in the hope that it will be enough to clinch the sale. But, if your reader doesn’t want to buy it, your words are unlikely to change their mind.

But all is not lost. The art of copywriting is to build on the existing want or need within the reader. If they’re interested in your product, well written, benefits laden copy, will nudge them into buying it.

3. Your copy doesn’t have to brilliant

You have no idea how hard it was to write that.

But that doesn’t mean any old thing will do. You don’t need clever concepts to sell your products, but you do need copy that shows your product will solve the problems your readers are experiencing or make their lives better.

Writing copy for products that people already want or need, will lead to success.

4. Remove barriers

People are natural consumers, which is why, if you are selling a product they already have a need for, you are more likely to be successful.

But people are naturally suspicious, so you’re going to have to create copy that overcomes their buying objections even before they’ve made them.

Think about:

• What would prevent them from buying?
• Have you sold the benefits?
• Have you given testimonials?

Over to you

Copywriting that doesn’t sell is about as much use as a chocolate teapot.  Every piece of copy you write must exist for a purpose.

What steps do you take to make sure your copy works? Have you come up with any innovative techniques?

Leave a comment below and let’s see how many different ways we can come up with to make sure your copy sells.

You’ve probably read about the idea of keeping your copy ‘tight’.

But what exactly does that mean?

Well, when writing sales copy your message must be clear, punchy and to the point.

If you spend an age waffling around your subject, fill your copy with adjectives and finally, 1000 words later, get round to telling your reader what you’re actually selling, it won’t be very effective.

Before you start, you need a plan and you need to do some research. Think about:

• What you are selling (the emotional impact it will have as that is the way to a sale)
• To whom you are selling
• Why you are selling it (is the timing important?)
• What you want your reader to do (your call to action)

Then, and only then, can you start to write.

Tight copy

As you are crafting your copy, here are some things you should always bear in mind.

1. Cut the clutter

As you write, you will add words that aren’t essential. We all do it, but you won’t spot them until you read your copy back to yourself. Watch out for words such as:

• Great

I’m sure you can think of a few more, but these are all words that can be cut from sentences without having any effect on its overall meaning.

2. 3 part lists

These are useful when stressing a point. Remember Tony Blair’s “education, education, education”? The rhetorical effect of a 3 part list helps to drive home your point.

3. Second person

No, that’s not the forerunner of “The Third Man”, writing in the second person (i.e. you and your) makes your copy personal because it addresses the reader directly. This will help you build rapport and establish trust between you and your audience.

4. Distinguish between features and benefits

Anyone can write about the features of a product, but a copywriter will concentrate in their benefits. But not any old benefit; the benefit to the reader – saving them time, money, making them more successful, making them more attractive…

5. Bulleted lists and highlights

As well as adding interest to your page, bulleted lists and highlighted text will also draw the readers’ eye. So what better way to stress your key points than to list or highlight them?

6. Paragraphs

Most of us like to get our information in short chunks. Lengthy pages of text are a big turn-off, so use short paragraphs to get your information over succinctly.

7. Read aloud

The only way you will get a feel for your copy’s flow and rhythm is by reading it aloud.

Yes, you’ll feel ridiculous, but it will instantly identify where your copy works and where it falls short. Better to find out then than after it’s published.

Over to you

Great, readable copy is all about minimalism. That doesn’t mean all copy should be short, but it does mean that all copy should only use as many words as are absolutely necessary to get your point across.

How about you? Do you have any favourite methods you use to make sure your copy is as tight as a nut?

Leave a comment below and share them with us.

Sally Ormond

Freelance copywriter, blogger, social media addict and lover of rum butter toffees

Day after day, they sit in front of their computers writing amazing copy that compels even the most hardened cynic into buying products and services they didn’t realise they needed.

They must be truly inspiring individuals, creative geniuses, magical wordsmiths…or they could just be great researchers.

That’s burst the bubble, hasn’t it?

True, they are great writers, but their constant stream of inspiration doesn’t float down from the ether to them. They have to work at their art and that means researching.

Research, a copywriters’ best friend

Contrary to popular belief, when you send a brief to a copywriter, the first she doesn’t do is write.

Before any creativity can occur, your copywriter has to do some leg-work – i.e. research – and lots of it.

If you were commissioned to create a wedding cake, you wouldn’t just grab the deposit and start baking. No, you would sit down with your client and ask questions so you fully understood what they wanted, what their colour scheme was, whether they wanted plain sponge, chocolate or fruit cake…

In the same way, your copywriter has to research:

• You – to discover precisely what you want to achieve
• Your company – so they understand your ethos, brand and voice
• Your customers – after all, if they don’t know who they are writing to, how will they know what to say?
• Your product/service – they have to understand every aspect of it to discover its main benefits
• Your competition – they need to know what else is out there and what makes your product/service different

Only once they have done all that, can they sit down and start to craft their copy.

You see, creativity doesn’t come from thin air. It must have substance and be based on you, your company and, more importantly, your customers. Only once your copywriter has discovered who your audience is and what will make them buy, can they begin to write compelling and persuasive copy.

Guess work

What happens if they just guess?

Well, the copy won’t reflect your values or brand image. The benefits of your product or service won’t come across, so your customers won’t buy.

That’s why the research element of any copywriting project is so important.

The moral of this post is, if you want your copy to resonate with your customers and make them buy, you must allow your copywriter sufficient time to research your market fully.