Writing Compelling Copy
Written By: Gaye Swan
The basic goal of copywriting is to sell, whether it’s an idea, a product, or a service. Compelling copy engages readers, keeping them with you until the call to action at the end. If your writing is boring, poorly constructed, or grammatically incorrect, you run the risk of losing your audience, no matter how great your product or idea may be.
What are you writing?
An email marketing blast will be different from a blog. In fact, an email marketing blast may serve to drive customers to a blog. One is short, snappy, and highlights the facts; the other explains the information in fuller detail. If you try to pack too much info into an email, you’ll definitely lose your audience. That same audience may gladly turn to the blog when they have more time. Knowing what you are writing is the first step to effective communication.
Who is your audience?
To know your audience is to know their wants and needs. To put it another way, if you know the problem, you can offer the solution. Using the right tone, style, and message is crucial to reaching your target, so do your research!
Keep it simple – and snappy
Attention spans just aren’t what they used to be. Keep your copy to a two or three-minute read. While varied sentence structure is a must for engaging interest, most sentences can be kept fairly short. A long, hard-to-follow sentence or paragraph will disengage your readers in no time. Cramming too many ideas into one blog, email, or webpage is likewise off-putting. If you have that much to say — and feel confident that the reader needs and wants to hear it – break your copy down into more manageable pieces. Have a blog or email series, for example. Separate one webpage into two or more.
Don’t be afraid to have one-sentence paragraphs to catch the eye.
Adding filler copy to meet an arbitrary word count will not serve you or your reader well. No one wants to scroll through fluff to get the information they want. Be concise – say what you need to say in as few sentences as possible.
Use strong language
No, not “bad” words (unless salty will sell; even then, tread lightly!). Use powerful words to make powerful sentences. Strong words evoke strong emotions; they connect, inspire, and persuade. They are highly descriptive and trigger a response.
The internet is full of resources for such words, but here are just a few:
Fear power words include agony, nightmare, reckoning, catastrophe, searing, shame, and tailspin.
Encouraging power words include life-changing, noble, miraculous, spectacular, strengthen, and eye-opening.
Anger power words include: oppressive, abhorrent, preposterous, crooked, ruthless, and savage.
Safety power words include recession-proof, risk-free, rock solid, bona fide, authoritative, fully refundable, and scientifically proven.
The words you choose will depend on the emotion you are trying to awaken in your readers.
Finish well
After you’ve edited, and edited again, finish with a clear call to action. Do not overlook the basic details! If you want the audience to register, provide a big, bright, easy-to-spot place to REGISTER. If you want them to call, provide the phone number. Clarity and ease of use is crucial here. Double check your links to make sure there are no glitches.
