7 Copywriting Resources for the Busy Business Owner
By: Kristijan Bralo
Tags: Company, Business, Copywriting, Resources, Tips

Source: Pixabay

Copywriting is a combination of art and science that takes years to master. Contrary to popular belief, the ability to craft a well-constructed sentence and use proper grammar does not make someone a good marketing copywriter.

Good copy makes your audience feel like your piece was written just for them. And really good copy persuades your audience to take action, but so subtly that they don’t feel like they’re being sold to. For this reason, it’s worth the cost to hire a professional copywriter.

But sometimes there isn’t time to have a copywriter create your words, or even review what you’ve written. If this is truly the case, you can use this collection of tips and tricks to write clearer, more compelling copy.

Articulate the benefits your business provides to customers

To successfully convey your message, you must communicate how you can help. By identifying readers’ needs and showing how you will help meet them, you’ll give people a real reason to get in touch with you and use your products or services.

This means you don’t start by talking about your 20 years in business or your family-owned structure. Sure these things are great, but they fall into the “So what?” category — as in your customer asks, “So what does that mean for me?” If your copy does not articulate benefits and leaves your audience asking “So what?” it’s not doing anything for you.

Now you’re saying, “Okay, but how do I do that?” It’s easy if you follow these tips!

Identify your target market and appeal to their “pain”

Determine who you are writing to, what their problem is, and how you fix it. Then write a short story about how one of your clients was experiencing this problem, how it was adversely affecting them, how you solved it, and how they’ve benefited since then. Viola!

Features vs. benefits

Always, ALWAYS write about benefits, not features. What’s the difference? Features are descriptors like “reflective yellow paint” and benefits are emotional elements like “keeps your kids safe when they ride their bikes at night.” It’s easy to find benefits — just ask yourself how each feature helps your customer and then write about that. You can also find a feature’s benefit by adding “so that” at the end: This backpack has reflective yellow tape so that your kids will be safe when riding their bikes in the dark.

Make your piece scanable

Break your writing up with headlines, graphics, and bulleted lists. These elements add visual interest and white space, making your piece look like it’s shorter and therefore easier to read.

Create an enticing hook

The first sentence’s job is to get people to read the second sentence; the second sentence’s job is to get people to read the third sentence; and so on. Create this “hook” structure by connecting your sentences with joining words like “and” and “but.” We’ve been told not to use joining word to start sentences in “real” writing, but they make it easy for readers to keep on reading!

Pay attention to your close

After the headline, the P. S. is the second most-read part of a letter. Take advantage of this by using the P.S. to reinforce your call to action. Something like “Call us within 10 days to receive a 25% discount” that has both a real benefit and a time limit works best.

Proofread

This is very important but often overlooked when people are in a hurry. A good proofreading trick is to read backwards, starting with the last word and reading back to the beginning. Or better yet, have someone else read your writing. Since they haven’t seen it before errors are more like to jump out for them.

Good luck in your copywriting!