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Dear Robyn,
Do you think your copy could convert better? Chances are it probably could. The question is are you willing to take some risks with your copy and truly have your "way" with it?
Before you say "no" flat out, read my article below and promise me you'll think about it, okay?
Enjoy the issue, and hit me back with your comments.
Best,
Robyn (The Copy Bitch) | |
Have Your "Way" with Copy:
5 Strategies (PG-13)
If you want your copy to stand out from your competitors' copy, then you need to avoid writing the same boring shit (yes, I wrote "shit").
Think about whatever it is you're selling--a product, a service, whatever. There are just so many features and benefits you can talk about. There are just so many ways you can be different from your competitors, if you even are (and let's face it; you might not be). But the way you talk about these features and benefits, well. That's where you can get creative. That's where you can be different. And different often means memorable. Memorable often gets the sale.
No, I'm not suggesting you lie. I'm not suggesting you get all blustery, either. What I am saying is this: get out of corporate speak and talk to people as if they're really people instead of sheep.
Does this work? You betchya. How do I know?
One of my clients is an online retailer. She owns two brands: leisure sportswear and western shirts. Over the last couple of months, I've been rewriting her product descriptions. She's given me carte blanche with these descriptions. And guess what? Some of these no-sellers are turning into best sellers. The only thing that's changed about them is the product descriptions.
Before:
Vegas Club
The Vegas Club shirt features a sand washed finish that has a comfortable drape off the body for that cool feeling. Look the part with this snazzy bowling shirt.
After
Vegas Club
So you're headed to the casino, and you want to look stylish, but not too flashy, right? Well, try this one on for size. This shirt features a sand-washed finish and a comfortable drape off the body for an extra cool feeling. It's machine washable, too, which means that whatever happens in Vegas really will stay in Vegas (well, as long as you have access to a Maytag).
Here's one on the western site for a shirt called Copper Cross (this one became a best seller after we changed the product description to this):
Copper Cross
There's just something about crosses that screams "western flair." Add in copper, and now we're talking western flair with a little bit of "wow" thrown in. Check out the detail on the front yokes: copper-swirled embroidery, emphasized with clear rhinestones. On the back, you'll see the just-as-impressive copper-stitched cross. And if that's not enough, check out these other features: spread collar, pearl snaps, and snap cuffs. Did we mention it's machine washable? Yep, that too. Trust us, a shirt like this won't last long.
(If you want to read some really wild descriptions that I wrote, check out this one for the western site and this one on the bowling site.)
Anyhow, you get the idea. Here's my theory on why these product descriptions are working. Because they're not like 99 percent of other (read: boring) product descriptions. Because they make people stop and read. Because they're even memorable.
Go look at your copy. Yes, right now. Look at your website. Look at your brochures. Look at the description on your company fan page on Facebook. Does your copy do what these product descriptions do?
If not, what can you do to your copy to make it more conversational, memorable, and--dare I say it--even fun?
Now, before you go giving me the "but we want our copy to be professional" excuse, let me ask you this: what's unprofessional about the product descriptions above or the company those descriptions represent? Nothing.
I'm going to get a tattoo on my forehead that says "conversational doesn't mean unprofessional" (I swear to dog I'm one step away from doing it for real).
If you're lawyer, make sure you copy shows some personality. Leave the lawyer-speak to your contracts, not your marketing website.
Ditto if you're a financial person (accountant, adviser, bookkeeper). I'm assuming you know how to do math and you understand tax codes. Now give me something different from the rest, like the fact you know how to laugh or that you love Woody Allen movies or that you painted the walls of your office purple because it's your favorite color.
If you provide a service--massage therapy, marketing, acupuncture, computer services, you name it--this is especially important since often what makes the sale is how you make me feel as a customer: how you communicate, how you sound, how you respond to me (or how I think you'll respond to me).
Okay, so how do you write "fun" copy anyway? Here are five strategies:
1. Get (legal) access to a ten-year-old. Tell him or her about your company, your product, your service. Then have him or her write a top 10 list on why someone should buy from you. (Depending on what the kid writes and what your company does, you might be able to use this list as is in your About Us section. Yes, seriously.) When you look at yourself and your company through the eyes of a child, you can't help but see the fun stuff. Focus on the turns of phrases and words and features that the kid picks up on and see how you can use these points in your copy.
2. Go to the people in your office (your networking group, your board of advisors, your smart family members). Place a $100 gift certificate on the table and announce that the person who writes the most creative (but accurate) home page (service page, about us page, you get the idea) by the end of the day gets the gift certificate. You be judge and jury. (Don't worry about SEO for now. We can optimize the fun copy so Google still finds it. Trust me.)
3. Spark your creativity. What sparks it? Going to the movies? Enjoying a bottle of wine with friends? Taking a long drive? Go do that. Bring a pad of paper with you and, ideally, a tape recorder. Think about your business, or talk about your business if you're with others. Let them know what you're doing and that you're trying to think creatively about your business. Do not censor anything. Just write and record whatever happens.
4. Go to Seth Godin's blog. Spend 30 minutes reading through some of his posts. It doesn't matter which ones...whatever strikes your fancy. I can pretty much guarantee that you can't read Godin without thinking about your business differently and more creatively. The moment the time is up, go to your website and choose a product or service page to rewrite. Before you put finger to keyboard, ask yourself this: how would Seth Godin write this page? Channel him. Again, don't censor yourself or worry about things like SEO. (Write for humans first. We can always optimize the copy later.)
5. Give carte blanche to a copywriter. Seriously, the best thing you can do is find a copywriter who's written creatively before and then give him or her complete freedom to write some copy for you. It doesn't have to be the whole site or a whole brochure or a years' worth of email newsletters, if that makes you nervous. I understand the concept of baby steps. I think one place where most businesses fail and where they can "get away" with having personality and sounding fun is on the About Us pages. So if you must have that corporate tone in other areas, at least allow for some fun in the About Us section. Use a writer who gets it.
Hey, guess what? I'm available. (Bet you didn't see that coming.) If you're still reading this newsletter, chances are I might be a good fit.
Email me now and let's set up a time to talk. |
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Happy spring. See you in a month.
Best,
RB
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