Garbage in, garbage out! What can you do to prevent advertising “waste?” [Tuesdays: “Write with the Pen of the Masters”]
It’s not necessarily hard to get your target market to remember something.
For example: A catchy tagline.
Most of the time, people will easily remember a tagline that sparked their curiosity or kept them entertained.
But how can you make sure the tagline motivated your target market enough that they…
Remember your brand in a positive manner?
Overcome any obstacles or doubts about your business?
Take some ACTION to avail your product or service?
By having a creative brief!
[Creative Brief: A document used by creative professionals and agencies to develop creative deliverables―visual design, copy, advertisements, websites, etc.]
This document will provide you with a strategic direction, so you know how to properly channel your creativity into copies you write.
As a copywriter, do you agree that direction is important in every aspect of marketing?
You should!
More often than not, when you don’t have a clear direction in the topic you’re writing about and you don’t have anything insightful to go on with, you’ll end up producing “waste” in advertising―wasted time, wasted energy, wasted talent, wasted money… the list goes on!
Even Sergio Zyman, the former Chief Marketing Officer of Coca-Cola, believes in the power of strategic planning!
According to him:
“Strategies provide the gravitational pull that keeps you [and your brand] from popping off in all directions.”
If you want your copies to be memorable and effective, you have to do your job well as a copywriter. That means staying involved, proactive, and concise in the details you include in the content you produce.
Here are some characteristics of a good creative brief and how it helps in your copywriting process:
It gives you a realistic view of what your copies need to―and is likely to―achieve.
A good creative brief helps bring out the best in your content.
Remember these words: Realistic, Honest, and Authentic.
Why should you be REALISTIC as a copywriter?
Staying true to your brand’s principles will help you earn your target market’s loyalty in the long run.
Being realistic helps your readers relate and connect with your business, enabling them to visualize the real-life impacts of using your products or services.
Why should you be HONEST in your copies?
A genuine desire to solve problems and pain points will always be welcomed by your target market.
Your branding and its promises shouldn’t be seen as “deception.” It’s important that you start building your business’ image on the right foot.
Why should your copywriting intentions be AUTHENTIC?
It’s easy! Pretending to be something your brand is not is harder.
Consumers don’t want to interact with stiff and boring content. They want legitimately valuable messages that they can relate to and help them solve problems and nurture relationships.
Incorporating these characteristics in your copies will not just benefit your target market. Doing so will also benefit YOU, because being truthful will prevent you from struggling on how you should write your content.
It provides a clear understanding of the people your copies must address.
One of the things a good creative brief includes is real insights about your target market.
Keep in mind that you’re marketing your brand to consumers, with a goal to convince them to take action and choose your business over your competitors.
If you don’t know a single thing about your target market, how will you achieve that goal?
That might lead you to writing “generic” copies that do not directly speak to your readers.
Don’t be “a jack of all trades, master of none.” Create copies that “sell” and appeal to readers!
One of the things you have to do first?
Conduct a background check on these groups of people and immerse yourself in their environment―know their likes and dislikes, the current trends and demands, etc.
This is so that you’ll get to know more about your target market and by the time you’ll start writing copy, you have enough ideas about how you should construct your drafts.
It directs you to write content that is most appealing and engaging to your target market.
A good creative brief guides you to be CLEAR and RELEVANT in your copies.
By “clear,” we mean delivering your message straight to the point… while still maintaining a conversational and professional tone in your write-ups!
On another note, when we say “relevant,” what we mean is the information you present is not outdated and is in line with your readers’ current needs and wants. Make sure it’s content that is not boring, dull, or plain to the readers.
You can also make your copies more relevant by including some anecdotes or real-life scenarios that your target market can easily relate to.
By doing so, there’s a high chance you’ll tug at their emotions because they also experienced the same thing or felt the same feelings.
Creative briefs serve as a bridge between smart strategic thinking and great advertising.
When they are well-crafted, these documents will help you align your marketing strategies and execution, as well as guide you in writing compelling copies!
“Compelling,” as in readers will not only remember your brand’s catchy taglines or other marketing collaterals, but also make a move to avail your products or services or join your call-to-action.
Take note of the characteristics of a good creative brief!
“If you want to establish a clear image in the minds of consumers, you first need a clear image in your own mind.” – Sergio Zyman
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Tuesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write a copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
…to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or to avail of your service.
And when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is a great copy!
Every Tuesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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