Copywriting doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Some people still believe that in business, the mantra, “If you build it, they will come,” holds true. Successful copywriting displays your marketing and writing skills all in one nutshell. Copywriting is the art of selling through content. To avoid poorly written copy, be sure to avoid some common mistakes. CMC Markets guides us about these common mistakes and how we can evade them. Here is your guide in doing such.
Mistake #1: It Has No Power
The purpose of copy is to get people to do something. Power in this context means the ability to get things done, to move your audience to action. Copy with power is emotionally charged. It shows passion. It doesn’t necessarily have to be positive, optimistic every single time but so long as it has a message, that should do. Being too nice is often what holds many copywriters back. If you believe in your product, show it. If your product is the best choice out there, don’t be too humble about it.
Mistake #2: Wrong Prospect
Sometimes I receive marketing emails with copy that feels like it’s written for someone else. First, you want to know your market. Your target audience is the bullseye of your prospecting fete. To know your prospects is to know their desires, their needs, who they are and what they find valuable in life. When writing your copy, you want to imagine having a beer or coffee with that person. Reading it should feel like a bar or coffee place conversation.
Mistake #3: Reads Like a Book Report
Most of us learned to write in school. If your copy feels like a book report from school, it doesn’t reach deep into reader’s heart, soul, and mind. If you followed the number two rule, that shouldn’t happen. Because you know who your prospects are and what keeps them awake at night. The best way to reach into a reader’s heart, soul, and mind is to tell a story. Great storytelling paints a picture. Remember how you loved hearing stories when you were a kid? You want to create that feeling again.
Mistake #4: Lifeless, Boring, and Unremarkable
David Ogilvy used to say, “You can’t bore people into buying.” We all get bombarded by thousands of ads, messages, notifications, and click-baits on a daily basis. In fact, an average office worker gets over 120 emails per day. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd. To avoid that, you need to figure out how to be remarkable and memorable. Do things differently. Test new ideas. If you’re looking for something and it’s not there, it’s time to get inspired. Maybe take a walk, do something you love or play around with your smartphone. Mobile app design companies are doing a marvelous job at creating apps that allow you to digitally express yourself, i.e. memes, infographics, digital storytelling and so on.
Mistake #5: It’s Not Trustworthy or Believable
If you don’t believe in your copy, who else is going to? More importantly, you want to believe in your product. If you can’t do that, it will translate over to your copy.
Don’t just fool yourself. Be an enthusiastic customer of your product. Use it and understand how it improves your life. Then, translate that enthusiasm into your writing.
Final Thought
The world wide web has probably been the best thing since sliced bread for aspiring writers. The internet has offered speed of light news and journalism, storytelling, information and everything else under the sun in content. Through a content audit, you can learn from your mistakes and grow stronger as a copywriter in the hopes of sharing thoughtful and useful information.