writing copy that actually sells

simple tips for writing copy that actually sells

Written by Gabi Moakes - Thursday 28th January 2021
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Well-written copy can influence your consumers to take action and purchase your product. From social media and blogs, to emails and website content, writing persuasively is key for any business.

But effective writing takes practice. And with increasing workloads, spending time perfecting your copy may not be at the top of your priorities list, but it should be up there somewhere! To speed the process up a bit, we’re sharing our favourite tips and tricks to help you communicate with impact.

 

plan, write, review

Careful planning is the first step to successful writing. And we recommend spending 25% of your allocated time doing just this. With a well-thought-out plan, you can spend 50% of your time writing and the remaining 25% reviewing and proofing your work, without spending most of your time sitting around thinking what to say.

 

planning tips

When planning your writing, consider what the reader should know, how it will make them feel and why they should act. Plus, note the customer’s possible objections to taking action. You can address these concerns to reassure your reader that there won’t be a problem when purchasing your services and remind them why they need it. We find that focusing on the transformation your product provides is usually the best angle.

For example, perhaps you sell vegan food, and whilst your customers may want to eat a more plant-based diet, they might be worried about increased costs. Reassure them that your product is excellent value for money and eating more plant-based foods can benefit their overall health. Support your point with statistics, facts and quotes to show your reliability and trustworthiness.

We also recommend embracing the ‘rule of three’. This means presenting your ideas in groups of three things, so your information is easily digestible and memorable. Our brains are proven to respond well to information presented as a pattern, think ‘Blood, Sweat and Tears’ or ‘Hands, Face, Space’.

We believe a great way to immediately grab your reader’s attention is with a persuasive headline. And we’re not the only ones. Katie Yeakle from digitalmarketer.com believes that a headline does 90% of the work for sales writing, creating interest and motivating you to read on.

writing tips

Once you’re ready to write, you’ll want to do it effectively (and fast). We believe a great way to immediately grab your reader’s attention is with a persuasive headline. And we’re not the only ones. Katie Yeakle from digitalmarketer.com*, believes that a headline does 90% of the work for sales writing, creating interest and motivating you to read on.

Make your headline persuasive by using authority or highlighting how your product or service will save the reader time. Using your headline to let your reader know how your product will ease their worries is also a great attention-grabbing device.

When someone reads on from your headline, they want it to be easy. We recommend lists like ‘how-to’ or ‘step-by-steps’ for this. Not only do they break up copy, but they encourage you to be succinct, making it easier for your reader to digest. Plus, they add structure, making the writing process easier for you.

Finally, we suggest concluding your writing with a call to action that gives social proof or statistics to encourage your reader to take the action. For example, compare ‘Discover a better way of emailing’ with ‘Join 100,000 others who discovered a better way of emailing’. The latter tells your reader that your services have worked for 100,000 people, giving them credibility and making them more desirable.

 

reviewing tips

After writing your first draft, it’s important to review and proof your work. Reading it out loud can help to identify parts that don’t quite flow, as well as highlighting any spelling or grammatical errors. Correcting these will help to portray you as being both competent and professional.

Whilst your copy can be as long as you like, it’s often only the first twenty words of a web page that are read. So, when editing, make sure the first sentences count. Also, check that your sentences aren’t too long. Aim for around fifteen words and make sure they’re powerful ones.

Don’t forget that you’re trying to persuade your reader to do something. Forms of social proof, like case studies and testimonials, reassure potential customers that your products and services are sound. Plus, they help them to envisage your services working for them too.

And finally, check you’ve focused on emotive language so you can tap into your customer’s feelings to engage them and let them know why they need your product or service.

 

Looking for more copywriting support? Get in touch at hello@wearemay.com and we’ll help you to communicate with impact.

 

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