Come on, writing copy can’t be that hard, right?
After all, you’ve read all the advice from the copywriting greats, you keep up to date with the latest thinking, so you’re right on it.
If that’s the case, how come you’ve been looking at that blank screen for the last 10 minutes?
The problem is, you understand about using emotion, keeping your content tight and making sure everything you write is relevant to your readers, but you have no idea how to start.
Well that’s what I’m going to help you with now.
The following 5 tips will not only help you get off to a flying start, but will also make sure your content satisfies the needs and wants of your readers.
Ready?
Let’s get started.
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Develop your copywriting process
No copywriter will take on a project and just sit down in front of a screen waiting for inspiration to strike.
They always have a plan of action because preparation is the key to successful copy creation.
You need to develop a copywriting process. Something like:
- Research – gather all the information you need about the topic and audience you’re writing for to make sure your content is relevant
- Plan your copy – make sure you cover the most important bits first
- Create a rough draft – just let your writing flow unchecked
- Edit – you may do this several times checking for coherence, typos and grammatical errors
- Read it out loud – yes, you’ll feel a right Charlie, but it will highlight how well your content flows and whether there’s any repetition
- Final review – once you’ve checked and tweaked your content and shaped it into the finished article, check it again and make sure it satisfies your original goals
In other words, at any stage of the process you are either researching, or writing, or editing – never do all three together.
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Write for one person
You have lots of customers. They are all different. So when you read that you should focus your writing on one person, how do you achieve that?
Well, think about your perfect customer.
Who are they? What do they want to achieve? Why would they come to you? How will you make their life better?
By focusing on persuading one person, your content will be far more powerful. And, because you’re writing to your ideal customers, the people it will attract will also be ideal customers.
Make sure your writing remains focused. If you try to please too many people it will become weak and ineffective.
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Stop selling
Seriously?
Stop selling?
Are you mad?
No, not at all. If you want to sell your products and services you have to focus on the benefits to your reader.
Let’s face if it you just ask someone to buy something, they won’t. But if you show someone that your product will make their life easier, make them more successful and reduce stress, they’ll buy.
Research the main benefits and then reformulate them into problems you help your customers avoid.
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Be specific
I’m fairly sure you’ve read mountains of generic marketing. You know that stuff; we will take your marketing strategy to the next level – but they never actually tell you how or what the results will be.
If you want your audience to convert into customers you have to specific.
As a business owner, you know your stuff inside out, so there is no excuse to use generic fluff. Tell your reader exactly what you’re going to do, why and how they’re going to benefit.
So, rather than saying you’re going to help them take their marketing strategy to the next level, show them how you’ll help them optimise their strategy to ensure they not only generate more leads, but also convert those into customers.
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Prove it to them
The stuff we’ve covered so far will help you develop persuasive content, but your readers will want more; they are going to want proof that you can actually do what you claim.
How can you prove it to them?
Simple – reviews, press coverage, testimonials and case studies. These will provide the social proof sceptics will need to push them towards a buying decision.
Again, they have to be relevant and ideally address common problems, but having real life examples of how you’ve helped past clients will help convince future ones you’re the company for them.
How to write persuasive content
Your copy is only as good as your research, so make sure you know your audience, understand why they need you and give them proof as to why they should buy from you.
Another bonus tip for you us to make sure your personality seeps into your content. It’s a cliché, but people really do buy from people, so if you want to stand out make sure you write from the heart.