The First Rule of Copywriting That Converts

Clear copywriting is much like clean eating.

If you’ve encountered that term on weight loss sales pages and magazine articles, you know that clean eating doesn’t mean eliminating or adding foods.

It’s about being mindful of what goes in your body.

Copy that converts works the same way.

When you have a clear message, you have compelling copy that attracts and engages prospective customers.

In our hectic world of deadlines and competing commitments, clarity is a rare feeling.

However, when your copy evokes complete clarity, your prospects are more likely to respond.

Think of it this way: if you want converting content, the message needs to spark a giant light bulb.

This aha moment compels your audience to click buy buttons, call your office, or sign up for your latest offering.

Clarity—that’s the ticket.

Day in and day out, our copywriting team crafts converting website copy, successful landing pages, and marketing emails that create an emotional revelation.

Clarity is the defining attribute of our work, and that’s how we create content that audiences react to.

The following strategies reveal how to do it.

Speak directly to a specific customer, not to a broad audience.

 Stating your market as “anybody who needs my product” won’t cut it. (Believe it or not, I hear this answer all the time.)

Defining your ideal prospects as “people in the medical field” won’t help much either.

Trying to be everything to everyone won’t generate sales or cultivate customer relationships.

The solution: write to an audience of one, a very specific customer.

Think of your customer avatar as one person with a very unique set of struggles.

Consider what your customer searches for, something that feels out of reach to him or her, and showcase how your business provides the answer.

Here’s an example of a company that speaks directly with their customer avatar.

See how the content mentions the precise situation the prospect experiences.

Source: www.theshiftingpath.com

Remember: your audience is human—even in B2B marketing.

Even if you develop software…

Even if you sell heavy machinery for construction firms…

Your customers have human emotions, and human desires, and want human solutions—and this counts for B2B marketing as well.

Don’t forget to dive into the emotional element of the solution you offer.

If you make someone’s job easier, you alleviate stress. If you help someone make more sales, you help your customers become more confident.

There’s no more accurate poster child for this idea than Infusionsoft.

Yes, it’s a robust and powerful marketing technology, but their website content focuses on making life easier. (It’s the end results, not the features, that matter).

Source: www.infusionsoft.com

Don’t be afraid to think about personal details.

You want to define their lifestyle, hobbies, profession, anything you can that will help you speak to their needs and wants.

Be specific.

Where do they shop, eat, or drink?

What do they read?

Are they active in their community?

Do they bike on weekends, or do they spend time with family?

Don’t limit yourself. Keep asking questions until you feel you know these people to a T.

In this example, from Working Moms Against Guilt, the content centers on single parents who are busy but need more exercise.

See how the content dives into the nitty-gritty details of the audience’s life experience.

Concise language is key.

When our copywriters get together to discuss copy strategy, one book often comes up.

The Art of Plain Talk by Dr. Rudolf Flesch.

Dr. Flesch outlines how to say what you mean, mean what you say, and create impactful content. It’s not a copywriting or marketing book; it’s a guide to writing in a way that generates a reaction.

Here are a few takeaways:

• There are two varieties of adjectives—defining and commenting. Defining adjectives provide necessary information and give meaning. Commenting adjectives add layers that may confuse readers.

• Verbs serve to move action forward. When you choose powerful verbs, you eliminate adjective fluff.

• Focus on one idea. Even though the human mind processes multiple thoughts and emotions at once, compelling content concentrates the thought processes to create a reaction.

 

 

 

To reduce the “content clutter,” it’s best to simplify.

Here are two opposing examples that show you the difference between simple and convoluted content.

Complicated: This robust, multi-platform-ready device spans multiple systems and connects your CRM, SEM, SEO, and IoT performance to exponentially escalate profit margins and eliminate wastefulness across the enterprise.

Simple: This device streamlines all your business objectives—from online visibility to customer relationship management—to escalate profits.

Grammar is a serious matter.

Years ago, when our team sponsored #ICON14, Peter Shankman said one thing that sent a crowd of business owners to our booth.

And it only took three words to send people our way: learn to write.

For Shankman—and for us, too—quality writing shows your customers that you care about them and the positive impact of your solutions.

Grammar matters.

A lot.

For example, there’s a colossal difference between these two sentences.

#1 Let’s eat Grandma.

#2 Let’s eat, Grandma.

You don’t want your prospect to think you’re a cannibal, do you?

We didn’t think so. J

When you keep that principle in mind, and you create content with a focus on clarity, that’s when you show your ideal customers that your business is the solution.

Help others craft clear messaging!

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