Copywriting can be a difficult task for most business owners. It involves writing clear and concise content that has an underlying marketing message.
Simply put, most people don’t get it right and either produce ineffective and confusing copy or over-salesy language when they try the DIY approach. While you can always consider hiring a professional copywriter, you’ll still need to communicate your needs and contribute some of your own ideas which require additional time, effort, and money.
If you’re on a budget, why not write your own copy for your business? Here are some tips to help you become a better copywriter.
Pretend You’re Talking to a Friend
No one wants to feel like they’re being sold to. This is why your marketing copy should be very casual and take on the tone of a conversation you’d have with a friend.
Be direct, pose questions, and share examples without sounding too authoritative. Also, be sure to make it about them. If you always mention yourself and your needs when talking with friends, they will quickly get bored and the same goes for marketing copy.
Keep the attention on the potential customer and address their interests, needs, and concerns.
Use Active Voice
The use of active voice is super important when you’re writing marketing copy. You want to use a strong headline that captures the reader’s interest followed by copy that prompts them to take action.
Instead of saying: “The video was posted on Facebook by Alex”, you want to say: “Alex posted the video on Facebook and THIS is what happened”.
Be Concise
Using active voice will also help you keep your copy concise and avoid extra and unnecessary words and phrases. Keep in mind that most people will skim your copy, and get overwhelmed if they see huge blobs of text.
Even if the writing is amazing, people won’t take the team to read and digest it unless you keep it concise, to the point, and break up paragraphs every 1-3 sentences. Also, use big and bold headlines whenever needed to make noticeable statements.
Use the Rule Of 3
When you’re reciting all of your selling points, be sure to use the rule of 3 to batch up a brief list of features, benefits, and takeaways so the reader won’t have to get bogged down going through a full list.
You probably see the rule of 3 utilized in sales copy and advertising all over and just haven’t realized it. For example, a cleaning company releasing a new all-purpose cleaner might describe it as durable, high performing, and 99% effective.
Find your product or service’s top attributes and break them up into several rule of 3 sentences throughout the persuasive part of your copy.
Address Objections
One of the main reasons why your marketing copy may tank is when you fail to address any objections people may have to the product or service you’re promoting.
Even if you target the right audience and have a solid following, people are going to have some reservations about your offer so it’s best to address these objects in your copy and show how to overcome them so the customer can buy with confidence.
For example, if someone feels like they may not have enough money to buy the item you can break down how much it costs per day and demonstrate the value they’ll receive on the return on their investment.
If someone is fearful that they won’t be successful, you can reassure them with your step-by-step process, and availability to provide support and answer questions during the process.
Summary
Writing killer copy won’t happen overnight. It takes time, consistent practice, and some trial and error to see what resonates with your audience. Over time, it does become easier to write your own marketing copy since you know exactly what you’re looking for. Use these key tips to guide you.
