Copywriting for Real Success

Copywriting is the one skill which every business needs at some point. Whether it is for your online or offline efforts; copywriting at some point will be required by your business.

The quality of your copy will decide whether a campaign is successful or not. Therefore ensuring you have the best copy will allow your business to achieve better campaign results.

Find out more about copywriting and why you need to learn or hire these skills for the success of your business in this blog post.

Why Do I Need Good Copywriting?

Copywriting is more than just a skill; it is an art and science of persuasion. Good copy will spark interest in your readers and have them emotionally drawn to your brand and offer.

Copywriting can be found everywhere, including: adverts which are displayed in publications, blogging, websites, adverts in shop windows and emails. Each of these has copy which if carefully produced will achieve huge success.

Even the smallest detail can evoke a strong reaction in your audience. For instance, research conducted by Carnegie Mellon University showed adding in the word “small” to the copy “a $5 fee” increased conversion by 20%.

Therefore knowing what text will resonate with your readers is very important and takes experimentation.

Should You Write The Copy?

Many businesses are tempted to write their own copy. You could write your own copy, if you have a talented individual. But sometimes this is not best practice.

For instance, as the owner or major player within the business, you are going to be very close to the subject matter. This can affect how you write and instead of what is needed by your audience, you communicate what you think is important. This can often lead to high abandonment.

Another problem which is common is incorrect spelling and grammar. Although you may be very good it is difficult to spot all your mistakes. You can look at a piece of work and see what you intended rather than what is written.

Despite these reasons, writing your own copy might be perfect for your business. There could be no-one else would truly understand your business, offer or you work in a very niche industry. Whatever the reason it is important to know these key copywriting tips.

The Key Tips For Copywriting

Use Power Words

There are certain persuasive words that when included in copy can convert more of your readers. The top five power words are:

“You” – this isn’t actually the word ‘you’ but rather the name of the individual. When a reader sees their name on copy it automatically emotionally connects them to the message as if it was written only for them. This is a tactic often used in mailing lists where mail merges allow for this to be easily done. Using the individual’s name also builds trust between the brand and the customer.

“Free” – is an immediately successful word. Studies have shown that even when compared to 1 cent or 1 penny, free can increase conversions by 38%.

“Because” – giving a reason for an action is often used for leadership, but can be used for marketing as well. Even if the reason is nonsensical, conversions can be improved if you give your reader a reason why they should take the requested action.

“Instantly” – in today’s modern world, your target market will want everything instantly. Nothing works as well as giving instant gratification and rewards. This can be seen in many ways including PayPal’s: “want it, get it” ethos. Another example would be digital broadcaster Sky’s movie sales. They instantly allow you access to a bought film through an online download, while also sending you a copy of the DVD / Blu-ray in the post.

“New” – novelty is important for audience. It activates the reward section of the brain giving the audience a sense of happiness. However, brands may suffer when they use the term to describe themselves. Customers like to know a brand has been around for a while.

Sell Time Not Money

Selling money has very little effect on your audience. Every other business is claiming to offer their audience savings and promises to beat their competitor’s price.

On the other hand, offering time savings or great times (experiences) is more persuasive. Individuals have more positive attitudes towards brands which refer to time and this leads to greater sales. A good example would be the beer brand Miller. Their slogan “It’s Miller Time” is a perfect play on what customers expect to experience.

Hootsuite is another example. When signing up they estimate how much time their online social media management system can save you.

Use Emotions

Emotions are a powerful marketing tool to connect with your audience. Start to attract the attention of your reader by tapping into concerns they may already have. Try to avoid the terms “envisage this” as this forces an emotion upon your audience which has a lower uptake rate.

Speak often to your target audience to discover what their concerns are and how it is making them feel. Then use your findings to create strong copy for your website and other marketing materials.

Create Urgency

One of the oldest tricks marketers have used is to create scarcity and urgency. Even a simple note of when an offer will be withdrawn can encourage a higher conversion rate. This is because individuals don’t like to miss out on an offer and that fear is a powerful pull towards accepting your offer immediately.

Conclusion

Copywriting is a talent, an art and a science. Good copy will increase your conversion rate and have your audience returning to your site continuously. Follow the best practices as described above to help your business to achieve the most out of your copy whether offline or online.

Action Steps:

• Review the copy you are currently using. Does it include all the tips above?
• Edit your copy to include a few more.
• Write some copy for a new landing page to use the tips above.