Entries Tagged 'marketing' ↓

If you’re looking for a new home, there’s no one better than Kirstie Allsopp to help you find it.

As a fan of Location, Location, Location I enjoy tuning in to watch Kirstie and Phil Spencer attempt to find the perfect homes for two couples.

The word ‘attempt’ is used because, week after week, the couples they help sorely tempt their patience.

Just in case you haven’t seen the programme (why on earth not?), Phil and Kirstie are each allocated a couple that, for various reasons, have been unsuccessful in their hunt for a new home.

At the outset each presenter is faced with the couple’s “wish list” – i.e. ideal location, size and type of property etc. Pretty much every week they run into the same issue – their budget is incompatible with what they’re looking for. But, undeterred, the couples are determined to get everything on their list.

Every now and then they’ll get people they just can’t help because they’re not prepared to look beyond their self-imposed blinkers, but those that are prepared to compromise usually come up trumps.

What does all of this have to do with copywriting?

Well, it’s a lot like the early stages of web copy (in fact all types of marketing content, but web copy is the biggest culprit).

Web copy beyond the blinkers

More often than not, when working with clients, they have a fairly set view on how they want their web copy.

It must be:

• Professional
• Written to make them sound impressive
• Centred on the business

Nothing wrong with that?

Hmm, there’s plenty wrong with it.

This is where my inner Kirstie comes out.

When faced with a wish list like that one, it’s my job to explain how web copy should really work.

It should always be written for the person who’s going to read it – that means your customers.

Because it should be written for your customers, it must be relevant to them, outlining how your product or service is going to benefit them.

To do that it must be written in plain, simple language. It doesn’t matter if your target audience have doctorates or GCSEs, the language must be straightforward and instantly accessible. No big words, no complex sentences and no jargon.

The most important thing is that your website does what it’s supposed to do – drawn in visitors and convert them into customers.

If a client is willing to look beyond their preconceptions (which I would hope they would be willing to do otherwise what was the point in hiring a professional writer?) the results is a website that works like a dream.

If they adamant that, despite all the years’ experience I have, they are right and I am wrong, I simply can’t help them because it would be very unprofessional to write what they want knowing it won’t work.

Kirstie and Phil are property experts who understand their market and what it takes to find the ‘as near as humanly possible’ ideal home.

A copywriter understands marketing and, although not an expert in your business, knows how to write to draw people in and persuade them that yours is the company they should be dealing with.

So next time you engage a writer for a project, listen to what they have to say and try not to impose any of your preconceived ideas on them. By all means talk thinks through and say what you’re looking for and then trust in their judgement about what will work.

Author – Sally Ormond, Briar Copywriting Ltd

A short departure from the usual posts about marketing, copywriting and social media today, but still relevant.

You can’t help but have noticed the rise of the selfie. From the world famous Oscar effort to that really annoying dance hit #SELFIE, they are everywhere. They were even banned at the Tour de France because of the dangerous situations spectators where getting into trying to get their heroes in the background.

You may think there’s nothing to one – a lot of it is being in the right place at the right time. But you’d be wrong.

According to an interesting post I came across the other day by Dan Zarrella there’s a lot more to a successful selfie than first thought.

What follows is an infographic he put together from a study of 160,000 Instagram images tagged #Selfie.

Take a look and grab some tips to make your selfie liked.

Author – Sally Ormond, Briar Copywriting Ltd

Do you have a fear of public speaking?

Perhaps you’re none to keen on clowns, buttons or flying.

Whatever your fear, you’re not alone.

The funny thing is that if your fear is one of the above you’re quite happy to talk about it. But there’s one fear many SMEs and small business owners don’t like to talk about – the fear of writing.

Are you bothered about how your customers see you?

Everything you write reflects on your business.

Your customers will get their first impression about your company from your website, emails, newsletters, press releases, articles…I could go on forever.

What impression are they getting?

The words you use will influence their opinion of you so it’s essential you get it right first time.

Feeling the pressure now?

One of the main objections SMEs have about using the services of a professional copywriter is that the writer doesn’t know their business as well as they do.

That’s true, but that’s not why you hire a copywriter.

You need one because they know what words to use to reach out to your customers, engage with them and convince them to buy from you.

Through their expertise your company looks professional, caring and focused on your customers’ needs.

What a copywriter can do for you

The main task that many companies are happy to outsource is the writing of their web copy. After all, not only does that have to engage the reader it also has to work well in the search engines, so you have to know what you’re doing to get the results you want.

But other than website copywriting, a copywriter will also create:

• eBooks – to build your reputation
• Press releases – to boost your exposure
• Blogs posts and articles – to bolster your online marketing
• Landing pages – to give weight to your offers
• Sales letters – to make sure they don’t get binned
• Ads and product descriptions – to make sure they sell the benefits
• Taglines – to get you remembered
• Emails – to boost your sales and build customer relationships
• Brochures – to make sure they sell and not just inform
• Speeches and presentations – to drive your message home
• Profiles and bios – to tell the world what you do and how you can help
• Video scripts – to engage your audience
• Re-purposing content – to reach all your customers
• SEO copy – to boost your visibility in the search results
• How to guides and tutorials – to help your customers’ understanding

How many of those could you do with to strengthen your marketing efforts?

The greatest strength you have is to know your weaknesses. Your business and your customers deserve the best. Finding a copywriter that you can work with will result in an exponential growth of your business and happy customers that will return time and time again (and bring their friends).

Author – Sally Ormond, Briar Copywriting Ltd

You hate ‘in your face’ marketing, right?

I’m talking about those websites and landing pages that are full of hype and insincere drivel that’s supposed to make you want to buy a product you don’t need.

All you really want is the basic facts about the product and how it’s going to benefit you. Then, if it is something you can’t do without and it’s the right price, you’ll buy.

If that’s how you think, why is your website full of marketing drivel that’s driving your customers away?

I’m not talking about jargon; I mean the stuff that’s damaging your conversion rates.

Over-used phrases

How many times have you read that something’s ‘ground-breaking’ or ‘market-leading’?

“Our product is world-class…” – really, where’s your proof?

“Our new widget is first-rate…” was the old one second-rate?

These words and phrases are meaningless. Instead of wasting space with these, tell your reader why your product is great and why that is important to them. Will it make them happier, save them time, make them happier?

Over excitement

If you’re launching a new product you’re bound to be excited about it, but resist the urge to claim it’s a ‘breakthrough’ (unless you have proof), ‘innovative’, or ‘pioneering’.

It’s new; we get that, but tell us why. Explain what’s new about it and, more importantly, what it means to us as consumers. In that way you’ll be converting this new feature into a benefit.

Amazing?

Don’t tell us you’re the best, or incredible or the ultimate, instead tell us what you’re really like and leave words like that for your testimonials.

If you over-hype your copy no one will believe you.

Stop being meaningless

Come on now, tell the truth, does your website copywriting claim ‘fast delivery’ or ‘great customer service’?

If you want to show your customer service levels use specifics, such as the results of a customer survey. This will increase your credibility.

Jargon

The last on my list, but one of the biggest offenders in the ‘meaningless website drivel’ stakes.

Leveraging and alleviating are not as powerful as ‘using’ or ‘easing’ – stop trying to be clever and write what you mean.

Come on, be honest, how many of these are you guilty of?

You see, writing simple, straightforward copy isn’t as easy as you first thought. It’s easy to splatter your copy with meaningless drivel that dilutes your message until there’s nothing left to impress your customers with.

Before you start writing think about your customer, who they are and what they want. Then keep them focused in your mind as you write using their words.

Author: Sally Ormond, Briar Copywriting Ltd

Not possible?

It is if you follow the advice in Gallup’s recent report on the “State of The Global Marketplace”.

According to their findings only 13% of employees are engaged in their jobs, i.e. that they are ‘emotionally invested in and focused on creating value for their organisations every day.’

What’s more alarming is that actively disengaged employees outnumber the engaged ones by 2 to 1.

3 types of employee

There are 3 main types of employee:

1. Engaged – have passion for what they do, drive innovation and move your business forwards
2. Not engaged – do what they have to do without passion
3. Actively disengaged – unhappy in their work and content to let everyone know about it

I don’t know about you, but I know which ones I want.

So how can you be sure your employees are engaged and happy in their work?

Increasing employee engagement

If you are only interested in your bottom line, the chances are your employees aren’t particularly engaged.

Your people should be your biggest investment because they are the ones that will drive your business forwards.

If you want to get and keep customers you’ll need employees who are engaged. Companies that attain higher employee engagement levels achieve 3 times the operating margin of those that don’t. Plus, companies with engaged employees see a 240% improvement in business results because they become brand ambassadors giving a positive slant on the business with every interaction.

You can achieve greater employee engagement in 3 ways:

• Hiring the right people – look for people with the right attitude and personality for your business
• Invest – focus on their strengths and offer coaching to help them improve their skills further. Investing in them will increase their engagement to you
• Well-being – help your employees with their work-life balance as well as providing fair pay and perks (such as healthcare)

If you want to get the best from your people, it’s up to you to show them you are the right employer for them. See them more than just tools to generate sales; they are real people who, with the right training and investment, will become great ambassadors for your brand.

When your staff want to do their best for you, they will bring in the customers you want.

Author: Sally Ormond, Briar Copywriting Ltd