Entries Tagged 'copywriting services' ↓

Do you know what a copywriter does?

Many people, when they ask what I do and get the answer above, reply ‘Oh, really’ nodding whilst not having the faintest idea what I am talking about.

In lay terms, copywriting is sales writing. It is a form of writing that is primarily concerned with persuading a reader to buy something. Therefore the actual writing is almost secondary. It should be invisible to the reader in that it shouldn’t be showy.

Not sure what I mean? I have listed below some ideas to help you.

• You don’t exist – Obviously you do, but as a writer you come at the back of the queue. You have to focus on the reader. You are writing for them, not for a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize. They are the ones doing the buying so think about: What they are like? What age they are? What they like and dislike?

• All good things come in small packages – Keep it simple. Forget the impressively high-brow prose that is full of ridiculously long and complicated words and sentences. The best writing is clear, simple and concise – and don’t use jargon!

• B2B or B2C? – Keep your style consistent. Whether you are selling to a person or to another business, at the end of the day it is still a person who will be reading your sales letter or brochure.

• No F-words please – By the F-word I am mean features. If you fill your copy with these your readers’ reaction will be ‘so what?’ Show your reader why the product is for them by selling the benefits. It is all about tapping into the buyer’s emotional need.

Remember, no matter what you write get their attention (a killer headline), get their interest (that’s where the benefits come in), create a desire (if they want something they’ll convince themselves they need it) and get them to act (buy, sign up etc).

Sally Ormond

The most common reason for press releases to be slam-dunked into an editor’s rubbish bin is because they are glorified adverts.

You must ensure that your reason for writing one is because you are announcing something that will be of interest to others. For example if you are launching a new website, product or service. But the key is to make it newsworthy.

To make sure you don’t fall foul of the rubbish bin, follow these simple steps:

• Triple check it – once you have written your release, proofread it! The more you invest in your company’s first impression the stronger it will be.

• Give it bulging biceps – start off with a strong message. Your headline, summary and first paragraph should clarify your news and contain your keywords. Use the rest of the release to provide the detail. Add your web address too and tell them who you are, it will add to your credibility.

• Always be professional – if you write with hype, slang, direct address or excessive exclamation the chances are that it will be viewed as an advertisement rather than a news article.

• So what? – put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Remember, this is your business so you are going to get excited about little things – but are your customers? Avoid clichés and focus on the elements that set you apart from everyone else. Try tying it in with current news issues, social issues etc.

• Case studies – illustrations using real life studies about how you helped solve a problem are invaluable. Everyone can associate with real life examples – they are a powerful tool so use them.

• Shout about your success – forget British reserve – your company is a success, you’ve hired a new MD – whatever it is, shout about it.

• Be a tease – if you need to, hold back. If you are launching a new service or product, give your reader a link that will take them to your website so they can learn more. This will result in your call to action pulling them away from reading and pushing them to take action by clicking onto your site.

• Words and voice – keep your voice active. Use strong verbs and economise – be clear and concise, make every word count. Don’t use jargon.

Now you are equipped with everything you need to know to create informative, compelling and interesting press releases. 

Welcome to my laboratory. Take a seat and prepare to be marvelled as I reveal the secrets of magic words. 

In a moment I shall reveal the words that will transform your sales writing by rendering your reader helpless. They will encourage them to continue to read even when they might not want to. But first here a few extra tricks you might like to try.

Are you sitting comfortably? Here we go:

1. Use broken lists – everyone likes lists. If you promise 3 things it is human nature to read all 3. Why not split your list over two paragraphs to keep them reading? They’ll be compelled to read the second paragraph.
2. Teasers – at the end of your paragraphs add things like ‘But that’s not all…’ or ‘And here’s why…’ or even ‘So why subscribe?’
3. End pages mid-sentence – humans have a great need for completion. If your sales letter goes over the page, by ensuring your page ends mid-sentence will render your reader helpless and they’ll just have to turn over to continue reading.
4. The promise of more to come – this is great for long copy. For example ‘In a moment I will reveal to you the five most important conversion techniques to increase your sales. But first…’ It is just like dangling a carrot in front of them.

Are you getting the idea?

Just so long as you deliver what you promise your reader will become putty in your hands, hanging on every word. Satisfy their curiosity and you will have them hooked.

OK, you’ve waited long enough. Below are the six magic words that will help you cast your spell over your reader:

1. Easy – we are all inherently lazy. Give your readers and easy option and they’ll love you for it.
2. Quick – not only are your readers lazy but they are impatient too. Enough said.
3. Free – this is very powerful so long as you don’t murder it by adding ‘absolutely’.
4. Now – it can be used to show something new when used in a headline, it is highly effective in the CTA, or it can be seen as turning a problem into a solution in the body text.
5. Please – didn’t your mum always ask you what the magic word was when you were after a biscuit?
6. Guarantee – immediately allays fears and uncertainty.

Now you are free to go off and weave your very own brand of magic into everything you write.

Sally Ormond

Do you remember those wonderful English lessons that we all endured at school? Numerous spelling tests, essays and book reports on texts that you never wanted to read but were forced to.

Although I was never taught explicit grammar at school – apparently reading was sufficient for us to grasp the many foibles of English grammar – one thing always stuck in my mind. It was drummed into us over and over again.

‘Never start a sentence with and.‘

It was a rule that I have lived by for numerous years. Throughout University you would never find an ‘and’ with a capital ‘a’ anywhere in my assignments. So I was rather puzzled when I saw a sentence in a recent copy of The Observer starting with And.

I reached out for my faithful Fowler’s Modern English Usage and was aghast to read that the enforced prohibition that I and many others had stuck by all these years had been ‘cheerfully ignored by standard authors from Anglo Saxon times onwards’ (Fowler’s Modern English Usage, Third Edition, p.52). Even Shakespeare used it in King John.

Now I find myself rebelling against my old English teacher. As a copywriter it is my job to create copy that is persuasive. For example I have to be able to attract the right people to my clients’ websites and, once there, get them to buy or sign up for something. Basically the copywriting services I provide involve building rapport with the reader. Through my writing I am holding a conversation with them and therefore the inevitable happens. I start a sentence with ‘and’.

The only rule that counts in this business is to make the writing real, persuasive and friendly. If you do that, your reader will trust you, your clients will love you and you will be kept in work for many years to come.

I cringe every time I read something that is writer-centred. Look at me, aren’t I wonderful! Frankly, I couldn’t care less and neither could your reader – don’t believe me? Then read on.

The other day, a sales flyer appeared through my door with my other post. It was very colourful and had several nice images dotted here and there to break up the text.

It was quite pleasing to the eye so I thought, why not? I was just about to have a coffee so I had a bit of a read just to see what they had to say – I believe it was from a conservatory company.

Well, after the first paragraph I’d learned all about how long they’d been in business, they had told me about the wonderful calibre of their sales team. I then moved on to read about the amazing glass they used and their wonderful weather resistant frames. They had also won a local award or something…as you can tell, I was beginning to flag by this point.

They had made one fatal mistake – they had forgotten who the flyer was going to.

Paragraph after paragraph they told me about themselves. I am sure they are very good at what they do and undoubtedly deserved the award, but what they didn’t do was tell me how their company’s product would benefit me.

OK, you could argue that I am intelligent enough to work that one out for myself. But because the flyer was all about them my reaction to it was ‘so what?’ Why should I spend my time and money contacting a company that paid so little attention to the needs of its potential customers?

The moral therefore is no matter what medium you are writing for, your writing must be centred on the reader. They probably aren’t particularly interested in how long your business has been going. But what they are interested in is what you can do for them to help them save money, time, etc.

Sally Ormond