How to improve your copywriting

Do you want to find out how to improve your copywriting?  In this blog we have a breakdown of how we plan for writing marketing copy, how to write effectively and how to double check what you are doing is actually good when you finish!

PRE-PRODUCTION CHECKLIST

• Who is the target audience? Does the campaign need to be split? E.G. Medical industry – split your list to dental, optical, cosmetic etc as they each have very specific problems. DON’T BE GENERAL.
• What are these specific problems of each target audience?
• Talk about what the target audience values most – Someone buying a car with a family isn’t interested in speed and style: they are interested in safety (Find out what is important to the reader and concentrate on that).
• What’s usually stopping them from getting in touch? Answer all these problems in the copy.
• Headline has to grab their attention and want to read on & have a P.S. with a call to action – these 2 sections are the most read parts of most pieces.
• Do we have stats, results and testimonials we can use to PROVE what we say is true?
• What is the standard of the competition? Find out and this is what needs to be beaten with more excitement, a more impressive offering and a better call to action. Never write blind.
• What is the USP of the company? This is what we stick to – everything else can be summed up in a sentence. People don’t want to know how its done – they just want to know what results they will get.

CHECKLIST DURING PRODUCTION / WRITING

• Get feedback as you are writing rather than at the end – it’s too late to start again.
• AIDA Structure still works fantastically  and always will(even long copy). Section 1 of your copy – A /Attention – ‘Do you want to make more money?’ Section 2 – I / Interest – ‘You can now make as much money as you do in your job but in HALF the hours in the week’ Section 3 – D / Desire ‘You dont have to do any of the hard work either, our team will take the whole stress out of it for you. Just sit back and wait for results’ Final Section A / Action ‘Call 0151 555 555 today as we only have 9 spaces left on our scheme’.
• Always use ‘you’ not ‘us/we’ – your copy is about whats in it for the customer.
• Can you tell a story? People find them easier to read. (Can still be AIDA)
• Can it be scan read and is the message still taken away? Use bulletpoints, bold writing on important parts and avoid long paragraphs.
• Creativity – are you saying everything the competitors are saying? Or could say?
• Are you including the personality of the business in your writing? Innovators in every industry said something different.
• Are people scared to NOT get in touch? Have you explained the problems they can avoid by contacting you?
• Have you removed any risk from buying? You can only do this by PROVING what you say – this is where stats and testimonials become essential.
• Always be talking about benefits.
• Use the word ‘New’ if possible – people love new stuff!
• Give multiple reasons to respond
• Give multiple ways to respond
• Does your copy help the reader TRUST you?
• Break up large paragraphs into smaller ones so the copy is easier to read – better to have a longer essay than a bunched up paragraph. It’s fine to press enter!
• Tell the customer what you’d like them to do next.
• If you don’t need that word, drop it.
• If you don’t need that sentence, drop it.
• If you can say it more clearly, do it.
• Don’t use pretentious words when a simple one will do e.g. ‘Utilize’ whats wrong with ‘use’?
• Use short sentences. Short sentences give a feeling of momentum and energy.
• Keep it simple stupid. Which is better….

“I would like to eagerly take this opportunity to extend to you… congratulations.”

Or just…

“Congratulations!”

CHECKLIST BEFORE MAKING YOUR WRITING PUBLIC

• If you paid £400 for this copy from a writer would you be happy? If not, it probably isnt very good. Go back to the drawing board.
• Is this going to excite the reader? That’s your job – not to just deliver the facts.
• Does each line should entice them into reading the next line?
• ‘Is this line needed?’ / ‘is this word needed’?
• Can you scan read the copy and still take away why it is worth reading?
• Is there VALUE in what you are offering the reader? Is it obvious?
• Does it sound like this letter has been written just for that person? That is essential to getting responses.
• Avoid scepticism – Is the copy believable? Does it contain specifics rather than generalities? Does it include testimonials and other types of endorsement?