Entries Tagged 'copywriting tips' ↓

Is there a difference?

In essence the answer to that question is no.

Both must engage the reader, both must persuade the reader and both must convince the reader to take action.

The main difference is the way the two are read.

Website copy

Reading from a screen is not natural; in fact 79% of web users only scan the page rather that read it word for word.

They also read it much slower so your writing should be concise, to the point and use short paragraphs, sub headings and summaries to help the reader find and assimilate the information.

One clear benefit web copy has is the hyperlink. This enables the copywriter to link one section of text to another related one, or direct the reader to an external document or web page that will enhance their understanding of what is being said.

Search engine optimisation is another consideration for website copy. But it is essential keywords are used naturally to prevent the copy becoming over-optimised.

Finally, the copy must always be rounded off with a strong call to action at the end telling the reader what they should do next.

So, with all that in mind, effective web copy should be:

• Simple and short (vocabulary and sentence structure)
• Short paragraphs with clear subheadings
• Bulleted or numbered points to show important information
• Have the key information at the start of the page

Print copy

In contrast, when the information is presented in a printed format, the reader reverts back to a traditional method of reading and an expectation of the familiar beginning, middle and end structure.

They expect the topic to be introduced before being faced with benefits and hard facts.

The use of sub headings signposts the location of information helping the reader identify the detail that’s most important to them. And of course, it must always be rounded off with a call to action to tell them what they need to do next.

As you can see the difference between the two is very subtle, but both demand the use of simple, persuasive and engaging language.

You’re probably wondering why the word ‘sales’ in the title of this blog is in inverted commas.

Well, that’s because a lot of companies that send out emails to their customers and potential customers treat them like sales letters as opposed to emails that should be building trusting relationships.

They seem to have a mental block, believing that every communication they send out must contain the hard sell.

Well, if you do that you could be kissing good-bye to a huge chunk of your audience because they’ll get sick of it and opt-out. And that’s not good.

If you’re sending out regular emails to your list (daily, weekly or monthly) concentrate on the pain your readers are feeling.

After all, if they signed up to your emails they are obviously looking for a solution to a problem.

So rather than hitting them hard with the benefits of your product/service and giving them the hard sell, talk about the pain caused by the problem they want solved and only talk about that.

List all the issues they have, show your empathy with them and then, right at the end, simply add a call to action like:

To see how to overcome this….[insert problem] check out (sales URL)

This approach is:

• Easy to write
• Isn’t a hard sell
• Shows your empathy
• Builds trust
• You don’t even have to mention your product

It really is stealth selling at its best.

Why not give it a try and let us know how you get on?

Perhaps you’ve already tried this approach? If so, how did you find the results?

Leave a comment and let’s evaluate this approach with some real life examples.

 About the author:

 Sally Ormond is a copywriter, blogger, cyclist, mum and MD at Briar Copywriting Ltd. She’s also an author.

Whenever I do a copywriting project, I always look forward to writing the About Page. It’s the one opportunity for my client to let rip.

Every other page has to be totally focused on their customers, but the About Page is more about them (although still selling the benefits of working with them, which is a very fine balancing act).

As a copywriter my mantra (well, one of many to be fair) is ‘write for your reader’, but the About Page is the place to go wild – within reason.

Many companies don’t see it as being a vital page. OK, it probably won’t be one of the main landing pages, but it is essential to show potential customers who you are and what you’re like.

That’s why it shouldn’t be left to the last minute and hastily cobbled together, or be rigidly corporate stating “We have been in business for 30 years…”

Instead, it should be well thought out following these 5 pointers.

1. Show

An About Page that’s full of big words and adjectives that attempts to tell the reader how great you are isn’t fooling anyone. All it shows is that you have a thesaurus and you know how to use it.

It’s far more effective to show them how great you are by mentioning the awards you’ve received, any press coverage you’ve had and, if you have any major clients, a bit of shameless name-dropping.

2. Personality

Companies are quite wary of this one. They think that they have to show a corporate image to be successful. Well they don’t.

People buy from people (excuse the cliché) so show that you are human. Make your tone personable and friendly. Ditch the corporate speak for something more day to day that your reader will relate to.

3. Show off your people

If there’s one thing companies hate more than showing their personality, it’s showing their pictures (the people in the company that is, not the actual company itself, that wouldn’t work). But showing off your staff is a great way to make a personal connection with the reader.

They can see who they will be dealing with and, rather than just adding a professional bio about them, add details about their hobbies, dreams, likes and their Twitter handle.

This is a great way to open up your company to build trust.

4. SEO

Boo hiss, we’re all fed up with those initials, but they are important.

Even though it’s not a direct sales page, your About Page should still be optimised for keywords.

5. Don’t hide

Once you’ve actually gone to the trouble (or cost) of creating your About Page don’t hide it.

Make sure it’s clearly visible from your navigation bar so potential clients can find it and take a look at what you’re like. It could just swing things in your favour.

There you go, your About Page IS important so make the most of it and use it to show the human side of your business. Have some fun putting it together and get the real essence of your company out there for all to see.

Faceless corporate businesses are impersonal and unfriendly, especially when they are Internet based. You can’t go and meet every potential client, so your website must convey your personality and the About Page is the perfect vehicle for that.

What sort of marketing do you do?

• Social media – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.
• Blogging
• Video marketing
• Email

What is the one thing that each of those need to be successful?

Engagement.

Every piece of marketing you produce must make a connection with your audience and that means thinking carefully about what you say and how you present it.

Here are 5 ways you can make your marketing more engaging.

1. Them not you

How many times have you seen a Facebook page, Twitter feed or email that’s all about the writer and not about the recipient.

Constant sales messages, promotions and pointless links are annoying. They don’t tell you anything about the company (other than they place their importance way ahead of anyone else’s) and certainly nothing about why you would want to deal with them.

By engaging and putting out messages that don’t involve selling – i.e. offer tips, advice and great information, you will begin to establish trust and give potential customers a reason to care about your brand.

That means focusing on what your customers want.

2. Questions

Asking questions is the best way to boost engagement. Although you can ask through social media platforms and surveys, a more intimate approach will work better.

Why not consider having a small networking gathering at your office for some carefully selected individuals? Perhaps a dinner or event (wine tasting?) will help you engage and get to know them.

Both approaches will not only give them a chance to get to know you better, they also offer valuable market research potential so you can make sure you continue to give your customers what they want.

3. Respond

Although asking questions is great, you mustn’t forget to answer them too.

With social media it’s very easy to get caught up in everything and miss the questions you get from your followers. There’s nothing worse than having your tweet, post, or blog comment ignored, so make sure you have someone manning those channels so nothing is missed.

If you get asked the same questions a lot, why not compile them into an FAQ page?

Just an idea.

4. Audience participation

The best way to drive engagement with the content you produce is to involve your customers in the creation process.

Use them as case studies or use their experiences to compile a blog post. You could even encourage them to add photos of them using your products to your Facebook page.

5. Don’t be a one trick pony

Written communications are all well and good, but don’t lose sight of the fact that people engage differently. Some may prefer audio or video content too, so offering a mixture will widen its appeal.

6. Be human

It’s widely believed that when you’re marketing your business it has to be very impersonal and corporate.

It’s a myth – the best way to engage with your audience is to inject some personality into the mix. Add a few personal updates and tweets to they can get to know you as a person.

As the above has shown, engagement is about getting to know your audience and customers. That kind of connection generates one of the most valuable commodities in business – trust.

How do you go about generating engagement? Do you use any innovative techniques? If so, leave a comment and share them with us.

Author:

Sally Ormond, copywriter and founder of Briar Copywriting Ltd. She also loves blogging, tweeting, cycling and the odd chilled glass of Pinot Grigio.

Every company wants to sell more.

As a copywriter you would expect me to harp on about how the copy across all your marketing materials is essential if you want to engage and encourage your customers to buy. Of course that’s true, but this post is going to look more at your company as a whole and how its entire marketing ethos should work.

Engaging with your customers is the key to selling to them. To be really successful this engagement needs to happen on all levels within your company and at all stages of customer contact.

Let me explain.

Your company united

Although you probably have a sales department, boosting your company sales shouldn’t be down to them alone.

Everyone within your business, regardless of department or job title, should always be thinking sales. Any conversation could potentially lead to a sale, so its essential all your staff are switched on and ready to act.

Shh…listen

Meetings with customers are often viewed as opportunities to quickly make the customer aware of your products/services and then sign them up.

But meetings are more effective is you listen more than you speak. Listening to what your customer actually wants will lead to better service in their eyes. Show an interest in what they have to say and don’t be afraid to ask difficult questions such as budget while you have their attention. The more information you can extract from them the better.

Education, education, education

If you want people to buy from you, you have to show them how much they need your product/service. The best way to do that is through education. Blogging, how to posts, videos, eBooks, free demos and free trials are all great ways to get your customers reaching for their credit cards.

Use these marketing materials to show them how buying from you will benefit them. Use case studies to show real life examples so they can get a feel for what you can do. Everyone loves a real life story and they are a great way to demonstrate what you do.

Personality

I know some larger companies tend to use a sales script, especially in telesales departments, but these can sometimes come across as contrived and lifeless. Although you probably want your staff to stick to these scripts, encourage them to inject their own personality into their delivery.

It will boost engagement and make your customers feel as though they are dealing with real people who care, rather than someone reading from a piece of paper.

Act now

One of the greatest ways to get someone to buy is to add a sense of urgency to the deal.

Having a time limited special offer for example will encourage your customers make a decision because they won’t want to lose out. Although nothing new, this method has been a winner for many, many years so use it.

Not at gun point

Have you seen those TV documentaries that unearth rogue companies that encourage their sales team to use heavy-handed sales pitches that badger customers in to signing contracts?

Under no circumstances should any of your staff be forcing a sale through. Many people will simply turn their back on you if you try and certainly will never do business with you again.

By relying on education, case studies and helpful, polite staff your company will enjoy great sales figures.