Salesmanship and good copywriting go hand in hand! Do you want to know why? Find out here… [Tuesdays: “Write with the Pen of the Masters”]
“Buy my brand.”
“Give me the trade you give to others.”
“Let me have the money.”
According to the Father of Modern Advertising, Claude Hopkins, statements like the ones above are a common and costly mistake in advertising.
For him, the best ads ask no one to buy a particular product or service.
The best copies are based entirely on SERVICE, which means these written outputs offer wanted information and leave the decision to consumers on whether or not they will take the call-to-action.
What makes these types of content stand out?
It’s the knowledge that consumers are looking for something that will make their lives more comfortable and stress-free.
As stated by Hopkins, good copywriters know how people are motivated to buy from a particular brand.
They identify customers’ pain points then construct copies that offer consumers the solutions they are looking for.
In other words…
Serving the target market through written words!
As a copywriter, what can you apply in your writing process to show that you’re committed to serve your clients and customers?
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Know who your target market is.
Even before you start writing your copies, you need to have sufficient knowledge about your customers and prospects.
Remember: Your target market is called that for a reason. That means choosing an audience of “everyone” is not an option. You have to identify a clearly defined group of consumers for your brand.
So… how can you know more about your target market?
One way is to find out where they are and where they usually hang out.
It’s also better if you interact with them in a friendly manner.
Ask questions.
Listen to answers.
Be a friend to your target market.
Note: You don’t have to take these statements literally all the time!
Sure, you may talk to some of your target market whenever you go out to immerse yourself in their environment but there are other ways to engage with them, such as:
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Conducting market research
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Creating interactive content online
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Connecting with your target market on social media
By doing so, you’ll be able to establish a genuine connection with them, which is good for growing your brand’s reach!
Spend less time getting excited about what you would like to teach. Instead, spend more time finding out what your target market would like to learn.
Besides, it’s easier to sell when you’re selling something consumers actually want!
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Communicate WIIFM―“What’s in it for me?”
Before putting pen to paper, make sure you have a clear understanding of what your goals are as a copywriter.
This is so that you’ll effectively communicate how your brand can help your target market feel better, save money, maximize time, etc.
Step 1: Identify your products or services’ features and benefits and include them in your copy.
Step 2: Explain how these things affect consumers’ lives in positive ways.
Keep in mind one important factor in effective copywriting―you should be able to position your brand’s product or service in a manner that fulfills your customers’ needs and wants.
Step 3: Answer your target market’s question, “What’s in it for me?”
Avoid wasting your time and energy in producing ineffective copies that do not clearly tell consumers what they’ll get by buying from your brand.
Whatever it is you’re writing about, always make sure you effectively get your message across to the right people. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
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Focus on “you,” not “we.”
You have to be aware about how you address your target market in your copies.
Think back to those times when your English teacher explained the differences between first person (I, me, we, us, our), second person (you, your), and third person (they, them, their).
It’s important that you write content that speaks to your readers. Therefore, the majority of your copy in any ad or marketing piece should be written using a second person point of view.
Take a look at the difference between these statements:
“Each morning, we offer 3 unique brews of coffee for our valued customers: A dark roast, a lighter roast, and a decaf blend.”
“When you’re in a rush to get to work in the morning, you can now order directly from your smartphone. Your favorite cup of joe will be hot and ready to go as soon as you arrive at our store.”
While the first sentence above focuses on the business, the second one focuses on customers, making it more personal from a target market’s perspective.
What is one advantage of using a second person point of view in your copies?
It helps consumers connect your message with their own lives and personalize the ad based on experiences.
When you write content that focuses more on your customers, it will be easier for them to relate to your ad and act accordingly.
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Understand your medium.
Be aware that each platform where your ads are placed requires a different tone or style.
Why?
It’s because in every advertising medium, there are different types of audiences.
That is why different platforms require different copies so you can effectively persuade a particular group of people to take your call-to-action.
Plus, there are many ways to use copy to promote your business!
So… what should you do about this?
Use every opportunity to communicate your marketing messages to your customers appropriately!
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Proofread your work.
Proofreading is one of the most important ways to show that you value your target market.
Think about it.
Who would want to read copy that contains a lot of typographical and grammatical errors?
No one, right?
In fact, readers who are very particular about grammar and word usage might immediately stop reading your article at the first sign of an error.
Be cautious about such mistakes because when repeated, this may cause your readers to generalize ALL your copies―and even future content―as unreliable.
Aside from that, consumers often translate carelessness in ads into carelessness in products or services and customer service.
They ask themselves:
“If this brand doesn’t care enough to produce an ad without errors, how likely will it care about taking care of me?”
If you don’t want your target market to reach this point, make sure your copies are as polished and clean as they can be.
Claude Hopkins said in his book that the points mentioned above are all common principles of salesmanship and good copywriting.
If you do your research and prep work well, your copy will shine and you’ll be able to produce compelling content.
Spend some time to practice and develop first-rate written outputs!
Later on, you’ll see how your efforts will lead to a boost in sales, profits, and a higher return on your investments.
Apply these tips as you draft your next set of copies!
Keep in mind what Hopkins said:
“Many fewer mistakes would be made in advertising if these were never forgotten.”
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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