Why good copywriting is key
*orignally posted as a guest blog for Frank & Friend*
Most people know what copywriting is, many would say that they know what good copy looks like and more than a few believe that they can produce it.
Unfortunately, this means that it’s common to undervalue the skill of a good copywriter and the impact that the right copy can have on the success of a business.
When building a brand, it’s easy to whip up some general content on your website or marketing materials and hope that your customers and prospects will relate to it. The problem is, when it doesn’t resonate with your target audience the way you’d hoped, the copy itself is often overlooked as being the problem.
Any good marketer worth their salt (present company included) realises that quality copy is a powerful sales tool, capable of turning loosely interested bystanders into paying – and loyal – customers who are in it for long haul, and who doesn’t want that? Essentially, quality, consistent copy is a crucial element of your branding, and therefore should be treated with the due attention it deserves.
Time and time again marketers are faced with a delicate dilemma, wrestling the copy arc from business owners in order to put it into the hands of an expert who can bring their carefully laid plans to life – while also making sure that no one’s feelings are hurt. After all, you’ve built your business, so why let anyone else write about it? It can be tough to let go, but it’s nearly always worth it when you do.
If you made it this far in the Frank and Friend archives, then you’ll already know that branding is a defining characteristic of your business. It’s distinctiveness and recognisable persona appeal to your customers directly. Not only is this represented in the colours of your logo and the layout of your website, it also comes from the words that your audience will read, the slogans you promote and the tone of voice that you use – so it needs to be right.
Here are a few key things all good copy should have:
-A point – unless you’re a romantic novel or a Christopher Nolan movie, any communication your business puts out should have a clear and concise point
-A consistent thread – in order to attract, retain and inspire customers, all copy across every medium and platform should be consistent with the essence and tone of your brand
-A personality – don’t be inappropriate, don’t be contrite and don’t be reckless, but do create copy that has some life and vibrancy to it. If you don’t want to read it then there’s little chance that your customers will want to either
Copy needs to show customers how a product or service makes a positive impact on their life, connecting with them on a personal level and offering enough value to inspire action. Anything that is too caught up in technical jargon, personal preference (or vendetta) or speaks to unchecked facts or irresponsible tone will fall flat. Therefore, if your marketing support wants to give your copy a refresh, re-jig and reboot to help make their plans, and your business, really fly – make sure you let them…
Thanks for reading!
