Entries Tagged 'copywriter' ↓

As a copywriter, I get asked to write all manner of things. One day I could be writing about Risk and the financial markets, the next it could be cosmetic surgery, recruitment and architectural rendering.

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.

Have you noticed how different ideas spring up from time to time?

It’s the same in the marketing world. Every now and then someone comes up with, what appears to be, a brilliant idea. Every one jumps on the bandwagon, only to discover after a few months or a year that it doesn’t actually work at all.

It’s the same in copywriting. Take SEO copywriting as an example. At the outset, marketers would go to great pains to tell you that your copy had to contain a certain percentage of your keywords. The fact that this stipulation usually resulted in complete gibberish, didn’t seem to matter.

“It’s what the search engines want”

And like good little marketers we all followed suit and merrily stuffed our copy with keywords. Finally, people have seen sense and realised that good SEO copy is written for the reader – it should be:

• Interesting
• Relevant
• Of simple construction
• Contain loads of subheadings and bulleted lists
• …oh, and the odd keyword.

Basically, if you want your copy to work (regardless of its use), just follow the copywriting ‘rules’ that have stood the test of time.

Copywriting hints set in stone

1. Sell

You are writing copy for one reason, and one reason only – to sell.

Simply describing a product or service won’t convince anyone to buy it. So forget your flowery, adjective-laden text, make every word count and every word sell.

2. Formula

Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Always use a tried and tested copywriting formula you know works:

• Understand your objective
• Clarify the main benefits
• Show how those benefits are delivered and how they will have a positive effect on your customer
• Back up your claims with evidence (testimonials, test results etc.)
• Sprinkle with sugar – make a time limited offer or give something free that will be of value to your customer
• Tell them to buy in your call to action

3. Command

If you write waffle that’s very wishy-washy, no one’s going to take you, or your product, seriously. Be forthright in your language.

Don’t ask them to…

“Call us, you know, if you have time, we don’t want to put you out.”

Tell them…

“Call now and make sure you don’t miss out on the offer of a lifetime.”

4. Clear benefits

It is the benefits of your product that will sell it. By benefits, I mean what it will do for your customer. It could save them money, streamline their business processes, or make them more attractive…

Try and stick to the primary benefit in your copy – the one that will really make a difference to them – make sure you tell them enough to make them say ‘yes’ and use it in your headline.

5. Offer

Whatever your offer is, make sure it’s a strong one that your customers will want.

6. Guarantee

Everyone loves peace of mind, so offering a guarantee will encourage your reader to trust you enough to buy from you.

7. Respond now!

Your strong call to action (mentioned in number 3) will tell your reader what you want them to do, but you have to give them a reason.

Making a limited offer will create a sense of urgency and force them to make a buying decision. It might be that the price is only held for 30 days, there is a limited number of your product available or they’ll receive a free gift if bought before a certain date.

8. Make it easy

If you want your reader to order from you, don’t make them jump through hoops.

You want to create as simple a process as possible, otherwise they won’t bother.

9. Free

Yes, using the word ‘free’ does work. People love to get something for nothing; it’s definitely a hot word worth using.

Over to you

These copywriting hints have served marketers well over the years, but the list is by no means exhaustive.

Can you add to it? If so, leave a comment below and let’s see how many tips we can come up with.

Although this is being written from a copywriter’s point of view, what follows applies equally to all professions.

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.

What other type of copywriting is there?

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.

• 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