Entries Tagged 'copywriting' ↓

Ever wondered how a copywriter does it?

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.

When I was growing up, the most annoying thing anyone could say to me was “Ah, but you wouldn’t understand.”

As if anything was going to be so difficult I couldn’t even grasp the basics.

Admittedly, had it been something along the lines of Quantum Physics, I doubt I would have understood. But the most irritating thing about that sentence was the assumption that I wouldn’t understand.

Surely, if they explained it clear enough I would.

Where’s this going? Well, copywriting is a funny thing. It involves a skill we all have – the ability to write – and yet, it is something few people can do well.

That’s not to say that if you hired me to write your website copy or brochure copy, I would immediately turn round and tell you that you can’t write the content because you don’t have the relevant skills and that’s why you need me.

If I did, you’d probably show me the door.

So why would you hire me?

Copywriters add value and a whole new perspective

You and I have one major difference (OK, probably more than one, but for this blog post I’m only going to talk about this particular one).

You know your company inside out and I don’t.

Believe it or not, that gives me an advantage.

As a professional copywriter, I add value to your team because I can look at your business and its products/services from your customers’ point of view.

Let me explain.

You already know your products/services and think they are best thing on the market (if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be selling them). You would, without doubt buy them yourself. Therefore, you think all your customers think the same way and would also buy them – why wouldn’t they?

I look at your products from your customers’ view point.  In fact, I become your customer.

From that perspective I can discover the true benefits of your offering. They are not to be confused with their features. Your customers don’t really care how many colours they come in, they want to know how they will:

• Improve their lives
• Save them money
• Save them time
• Make them more desirable…

By stepping into your customers’ shoes, I see your products as they do. That means, you have to convince me to buy – and I’m not easily convinced.

By throwing every buying objection possible at you, eventually we’ll drill down to the golden benefits that will make your customers say yes.

I will admit that this won’t work on everyone. Customers will constantly hurl buying objections at you. Plus, when it comes down to it, not everyone will want or need your product.

But by placing your customers at the heart of all your marketing materials, you will maximise your sales opportunities.

Over to you

If you normally write your own sales copy, try a copywriter next time.  Compare the results you get and discover why customer-focused sales copy is so important.

Perhaps you’ve already done this and seen an improvement in your conversion rates?

Leave a comment below and share your experiences.

An imaginary simple life:

You – This TV is amazing, it blows its competition out of the water. Every house in the UK will own one soon so make sure you’re the innovator in your street and buy yours today.

Prospect – Fantastic, I’ll have one!

The real world:

You – This TV is amazing, it blows its competition out of the water. Every house in the UK will own one soon so make sure you’re the innovator in your street and buy yours today.

Prospect – It’s a bit expensive.

You – But it’s the latest technology.

Prospect – But I don’t really need all those features

You – But it’s cutting-edge.

Prospect – I’ll have to ask the wife

You – But…wait…its great…hang on…come back!!!!

It’s sad but true – writing great copy isn’t just about getting your customers to say yes, it’s also about stopping them from saying no.

So when you sit down with your client to take the brief for their web page, email, brochure etc., don’t just focus on the benefits of their product/service, you also have to find out the reasons why a customer may not believe your magic words and say no.

Yes, but…

In a face to face sales situation you really don’t want to hear those 2 words – or those that follow them.

But at least if you’re in front of the customer you stand a chance of being able to break down their objections.

When you’re selling remotely through copy, that’s not an option – your copywriting has to address their fears and wash them away.

Common objections

The 3 most common objections are (or at least the ones I tend to use):

• It’s too expensive
• I need to talk to someone else
• I don’t really need it

Let’s look at each in turn.

Too expensive

This is frequently used but seldom the reason for not buying. Normally there is another reason; price is just an easy one to target.

To get round this one you have to demonstrate the value of the product to your reader – show them it will actually save them money. The best way to do this is to refer to it as an investment. It sounds a bit grander than ‘cost’ and it implies there will be a payback of some sort.

Talk to someone else

They rarely do but it’s a nice let-out from having to make a buying decision.

By saying this they are implying they’re not convinced by your product so you can counter that through your copy with testimonials and case studies. These real life examples will give them the reassurance they need.

Don’t think I need it

Oh boy, if this one crops up it can mean only one thing – your copy hasn’t done its job because it’s not ‘sold’ the idea.

There’s only one this to do here and that’s to return to the drawing board. Take a look at your copy – have you told a story? Did you cover all the benefits? Did you explain how your reader will benefit (with facts)?

Also go back to the product/service and find out exactly what it does for the reader – not its functions and features, its actual benefits; how it will make your readers’ lives better.

Over to you

There will always be objections to overcome so make sure you list every potential objection before you start writing your copy.

If you can dispel those doubts you are much closer to getting the sales you (and your client) want.

What other objections have you come across and how did you overcome them? Leave a comment below and share your experiences.

Sally Ormond – freelance copywriter, blogger and social media addict

Wow!

That just about sums up my reaction when I read an email I received from Boostcrt.com.

They recently compiled a list of the best copywriting blogs on the internet and, you guessed it, they included mine in the list.

I am truly honoured to be included especially as I’m nestling along copywriting greats such as Copyblogger, Michel Fortin, Bob Bly and Jeff Sexton (to name but a few).

You can take a look at the list here – Best Copywriting Blogs – The Definitive List fo Great Blogs for Marking Copywriters and Content Developers

Thanks guys and I shall wear my badge with pride.

Sally

Freelance Copywriter – Briar Copywriting

If you’re thinking about becoming a copywriter, there’s one thing you must get – a very thick skin.

Over the years mine has thickened to rival any Rhino – that doesn’t conjure a particularly attractive image, but it is a necessity when you write for a living.

I’ve been in business as a freelance copywriter since 2007. I’m pretty good at what I do, in fact I would go so far as to say I’m an expert in my field – that’s why companies from all over the world come to me when they need help with their marketing copy.

The process is fairly simple:

1. The client makes contact
2. I ask for a full brief on which to base a quote
3. They say ‘yes please’
4. I write the copy
5. They review it
6. Everyone’s happy

OK, in an ideal world it would work that way. But frequently there’s a few extra steps added between 5 and 6.

You will soon discover that, no matter how experienced you are, clients will criticise your copy. I will admit that when I first started out this was, at times, hard to take. After all, I’d spent hours pouring over concepts to come up with the finished article.

Some won’t like the approach you’ve taken, others will tell you how they would write it – even though you’re the professional they’ve hired to do the work.

But the one thing you have to remember is that the criticism isn’t directed at you personally.

Copywriting is a very collaborative process. Sometimes you’ll hit it right first time and there’ll be no amendments to be done. Other times there may be a few tweaks needed and the key is to talk to your client, discuss their ideas and together produce a revised version.

Just like art, writing is very subjective – what you know is right may not be so obvious to your client.

So what do you do when they change your copy?

First, take a deep breath. Then review what they’ve said, make any change requests that are valid and then take the time to explain why you wrote the copy in the way you did. Show them the elements within the copy and how they work together. Be confident and stand up for what you believe to be right (without causing an unpleasant scene) and if you know what they are asking you to do is wrong, tell them – nicely.

They’ll have far more respect for you if you take the time to explain a concept than if you say “OK, if that’s how you want it written” knowing full well it won’t achieve the results they’re looking for.

At the end of the day, believe in yourself and your abilities but leave your ego at the door. Plus it also helps to keep sound bites to hand from clients who were happy with your work so in moments of self doubt you can remind yourself how good you are.