- Don’t sell product, sell better or easier life
- Know your target customer
- Show your personality and sound natural
- Don’t change tone-of-voice because selling
- Be honest and clear
- Keep the text simple
- Cut long sentences into two
- Use short paragraphs and short sentences
- Replace long words with shorter ones, whenever possible
- Cut-out jargon words
- Write with a personal tone, use the word ‘you’ often
- Don’t be subtle and polite, be bossy
- Always keep the language positive
- Avoid repetition
- Use familiar words, not fancy or clever wording
- Consider asking questions in the copy
- Circumvent self-indulgent language and superlatives
- Avoid passive voice, makes it more personal
- The headline, sub-headline and opening paragraph are most important
- A concise headline is better than a long one
- The aim of the headline is to get the prospect to read the body text
- The aim of the first line is to get the prospect to continue reading
- Include the most important points at the beginning of the copy
- Convert features (facts about service or product) into benefits (what it does for reader)
- Write concise sentences, delete unnecessary words that add no extra information
- Copy should flow, vary the length of the sentences to improve the rhythm
- It is okay to start a sentence with ‘or’, ‘and’ or ‘but’
- Use power words, such as ‘free’, ‘imagine’ and ‘instant’
- Use sensory words, for example ‘smelly’, ‘sticky’ and ‘sizzling’
- Eliminate blandness: replace ‘nice’ with ‘enchanting’ or ‘delightful’, for example
- Avoid ‘excellent service’, sounds like marketing speak
- Don’t use exclamation marks
- Use bullet points to make it easier to read
- Boost your credibility by backing-up your claims with facts
- Use precise numbers to gain more credibility
- Be specific, some technical details are a sign of expertise
- Write numbers as digits, not in words
- Always include a caption for each image
- Use contractions, whenever possible
- Don’t be afraid of writing too much text, but it must be necessary and informative
- Maybe add a few keywords for SEO purposes, but do not overdo it
- If there are known objections, address them in the copy
- Use testimonials and case studies from customers
- But avoid sugary testimonials that sound fake
- Add awards received, well-known customers or appearances in the press
- Quote any useful statistics or survey results
- Use a call-to-action to nudge readers into buying
- On a form button, use ‘sign me up’ etc. not simply ‘submit’
- The reader is far more interested in the benefits to them, not your company accomplishments
- Although the ‘about page’ is about your company also include some benefits to the customer
- Avoid using the words ‘very’, ‘actually’ and ‘really’, whenever possible
- Other words to delete: ‘ought’, ‘perhaps’, ‘in my opinion’, ‘truly’ and ‘just’
- Consider the use of storytelling in the copy
- Buy one, get one free, rather than 50% off each item
- 7 out of 10, rather than 70%
Posted inCopywriting
Unlock the Power of Words: 55 Copywriting Tips to Boost Your Marketing Success
