The good old British reserve seems to be holding back many businesses from getting the exposure they deserve.

A large part of the work I do is website copywriting. When I am sat with my clients going through the copy they need on their website I am often amazed at their lack of ‘shoutiness’ about their company’s achievements. Normally there is the obligatory page of testimonials which often are just a list of waffly quotes. Rarely do you  find testimonials of substance.

Readers don’t want to see that you were ‘nice to work with’ they want to know how your product/service helped – what was the ROI?

Likewise with the ‘News’ pages that companies like so much. The problem is that what is on them is hardly ever news. Here you should list things like:

• Awards given
• Donations to chairty that you have made
• Large contracts you have won
• Success stories

And don’t forget to press release it too! It’s all well and good posting the information on your website but unless you get it out there in a press release who’s going to see it? If you have a blog, blog about it and link it back to your website – this generates those all important back links.

As Jon Morrow states in his recent post The Susan Boyle Guide to Being Loud and Proud, “The true giants of this world aren’t quiet. They are as loud as they are tall.”

So next time your company does something well SHOUT ABOUT IT.

Whether you are a copywriter, business writer, sales professional or the guy that just happened to get lumbered with the sales writing tasks, you need to make sure you always deliver the strongest material possible.

Creating strong, compelling sales copy isn’t always easy – especially when you have to write about the most boring subject known to man. But whether you enjoy the subject matter or not, you are duty bound to produce something that is interesting, persausive and strong – something that will sell.

Our guest blogger, Jamie Hudson, has put together his list of 11 ways to make sure you deliver excellent creative work every time.

Whether you’re doing creative work, overseeing it or judging work that’s been presented to you, these tips will help you decide if it’s as good as it could be.

1. What’s the budget?

It’s no use coming up with mega-budget ideas if there isn’t a mega-budget. And no, it’s not usually worth presenting the ideas to the client in the hope that they’re so impressed they find an extra £50K to spend. Come up with something creative within the budget. Sure, it’s a tighter brief but, as the saying goes, give me the freedom of tight briefs.

1. What is the objective?

Gather names? Provide qualified leads? Build sales? Get approval orders? Gather information? Obviously, different objectives need different solutions. But you’d be surprised (or perhaps you wouldn’t) how often creatives launch into flights of fancy without first thinking to themselves, ‘What are we actually trying to achieve here?’

1. When is it wanted?

In other words, never, ever miss a deadline. If it’s too short, ask for more time. But not too much. Having twice the amount of time doesn’t usually make the ideas twice as good. Ideally, you need not quite enough time to do the job – it gets the adrenaline going.

1. Who are your prospects?

Think about the person who’s going to be reading your sales copy. What do they like or dislike? What are their hopes or fears? What do they need? What will make their life easier? What motivates them? Get a picture in your head of just one person and sell to that person.

1. What’s the benefit?

This is what is your reader most interested in so get it right upfront. Is it better, cheaper, faster, bigger, smaller, newer, more advanced than the competition? Has it got unique benefits no other product or service can offer – a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)? Then say it and show it in the most dramatic, eyectaching and innovative way you can.

1. What’s the offer?

Next to the benefit, this is the most important part of the communication. What are you giving the prospect? A free gift? Money off? A free trial? Free membership? The first chance to buy? A special bonus? Highlight the offer. It’s what’s going to make people act now!

1. Have you thought of everything?

In other words, have you worked up every single idea – good and bad? If you have the germ of an idea, but don’t know if it’s any good or just rubbish, work it up and then forget it and move on to the next idea. Don’t labour over it. You need to get the bad ideas out of your head to let the good ones come through. The same with copy. If you’re faced with a blank screen, just start typing. In the middle, at the end, anywhere and you’ll soon get into a flow. Then cut it down to the right length. It’s always easier to make long copy short than the opposite.

1. Are you being precise?

Give exact details of savings, specifications and benefits. If you save £49.99, say it. Not £50. If it has ten features, explain them all and the benefits each one brings. If it’s new and improved, say why. If it has a great spec, pick out each term and say what it means.

1. Is your copy easy to read?

Does it have short words, short sentences of no more than 16 words and short paragraphs? Does it flow well? Can you read through to the end without stumbling on any phrases or having to stop and try to work out the meaning? Carrying words always help. Try using words and phrases like, And, Moreover, Indeed, What’s more, This is why, In fact, In addition, and so on.

1. Do people understand?

Never assume that what is obvious to you is obvious to everyone. That’s why you should show your work to people not connected with the job. They might spot something you’ve missed. And even though it’s your precious baby and it’s going to win you awards, be prepared to change it, if the opinions are valid. Not just, ‘I don’t like that colour’.

1. Have you answered the brief?

Throughout the whole process you must always refer back to the brief. At the start, when you’re trying to get a handle on the job – the product, the benefits, the offer, the target market, and most important of all, the objectives. When you’re halfway through the job, or perhaps gone off in the wrong direction, check the brief. And when you’ve finished, check again, and if you’ve answered the brief, go and tell the suits to sell it hard. Better still, go to the client and sell it hard yourself.

Giving away free stuff may sound an odd way to make money but it works.

I don’t mean you have to give away products or services, but rather information and knowledge.

Take this blog for example. I am a freelance copywriter and I use this blog to provide you, my readers, with information about copywriting and marketing. I hope these blog posts give you plenty of ideas and tips about how you can improve your sales writing and marketing activites to make your on (and off line) businesses more profitable.

By providing you with knowledge and expertise I show my own knowledge level whilst empowering you.

This practice can be tied into the six psychological shortcuts of influence which will help you convert more sales. Reciprocity is a key factor in triggering a psychological need to give something back – i.e. you give me something for free therefore I feel that I must buy from you.

The mechanics of this and other powerful triggers are explained in this excellent post Educate to Dominate Your Competition by Copyblogger. Have a read and it will show you jusy how powerful this conept can be.

I have previously written about why, as a copywriter, you should concentrate on the benefits of the product you are selling rather than the features.

“What’s in it for me?” Is the one thing we all think about before buying a product. If we’re not going to benefit from it in some way, why buy it?

This remains true for copywriting on and off line. Essentially the elements in each are the same. Your copywriting should always be clearly focused on your reader. If you target everyone, no one will get the message and therefore no one will buy.

Working out who your target audience is before writing will help you focus your writing to ensure you are writing directly to them.

When you are writing your copy always back up your claims with testimonials and case studies – provide evidence!

Always make it easy for your reader to respond to you. If composing website copywriting, provide clear calls to action; if you are sending out print copy (direct mail etc.) always ensure you have a stamped addressed envelope enclosed to make it easy for them to reply.

To make them order – tell them, give clear instructions about what to do, time limit the offer to create a sense of urgency.

Whenever you are writing copy, always keep in mind the basic copywriting formula – AIDA:

• Attention – use a strong headline
• Interest – capture their interest within the first few lines (cite the benefits)
• Desire – make them want it by giving great testimonials etc.
• Action – tell them to call now, buy now etc., and combine with time limited offers to create a sense or urgency.

You see, no matter what medium you are writing for, the basic principles of copywriting are the same. Always keep your reader at the forefront of your mind – what do they want to know? Answer that, and you’ve made a sale.

Writing is writing, right?

Wrong.

Writing can be anything from fiction, sales writing, promotional writing, poetic etc. Its style depends on what its desired effect is.

For example website copywriting is there is be interesting, engaging and above all it is there to sell. Fiction writing is there to entertain, enthral and satisfy the readers’ curiosity.

When you are writing fiction you want to show your flare for creativity; you will use metaphors and similes to illustrate feelings and moods – you will want to paint a picture with your words.

But when you want to attract traffic to your website you want your copy to engage them and convert them into sales. I know, that sounds rather impersonal and robotic, but at the end of the day that is what you want to happen.

You want them to clearly see your product and its benefits.

When you are about to create copy for your website forget flamboyant language and stylistic flourishes – there are only three things you need to remember:

• Forget the arty similes and metaphors, tell the reader what it is, what it does and why it will benefit them.
• Forget the jargon – no one is interested in it. If it is essential technical vocabulary, fine, but keep it to a minimum.
• Keep it short and concise. I know there is a lot of debate about whether long copy is better than short and each has its place. But in both cases don’t be too wordy – why use ‘in the interim period’ when ‘between’ will do just fine.

Above all, keep your writing simple and conversational. That way you’ll effortlessly build rapport with your reader. You will become that friendly arm around the shoulder; someone they can trust.