If you read last month’s training blog, you’ve probably already created your avatar profiles – and now you’re ready to start writing some copy!Identifying your ideal customer, client or user is step one for writing awesome copy – so well done!
The point of creating avatar profiles is to be able to communicate with your ideal customer on a really deep, emotional level – and compel them to take action.
The right message, expressed with the right words has the power to build an engaged, empowered and trusting community around your brand.
The reality is, we usually have to trial a few different approaches before finding the voice that really speaks to our customers. However, there are 5 important rules to guide us in the right direction when writing to our User Personas…
1. Empower your readers
When we write copy, it’s important to focus on the action we want our readers to take. However, it’s even more important to understand that ‘taking an action’ isn’t why your readers have landed on your site or profile.What they really want to know, is how taking a certain action will benefit them.
Your product or service may have a great list of features that you’re really proud of, but your potential customer just wants to know what they’ll get out of it.
They are looking for a solution – a way to improve an aspect of their life. Your copy needs to make them feel empowered and ready to take action – whether it be subscribing to your mailing list, or purchasing your product or service.
Stayed tuned in for next month’s training blog – where we’ll take a closer look at buyer psychology.
2. Who is the real hero?
A very common copywriting mistake is placing your business as the hero. You passionately share your mission and tell your audience all the great things about your company, but this just doesn’t resonate with the reader in the way it resonates with you.
Why? Because this is your story, not theirs! Instead, position your ideal customer as the hero in all your copy.
Refer back to your avatar profile and speak directly to them, poke their pain points, and place your business as the key to resolving the tension in their story.
The real key here is to focus on their wants and needs. You can’t create desire – you can only nurture a desire that already exists.
The best copy and content just gives your readers exactly what they already want.
3. Keep it simple & speak their language
Trying to sound smart or using big words and jargon to make your business seem high-end will only hinder your efforts. If you don’t manage to gain a readers interest in a matter of seconds, you’ve lost them for good. You want them to understand the benefits of engaging with your company as quickly as possible, so make your message clear, concise and to the point – and you’ll find the ROI is more rewarding that the kick you get out of being clever.
If you’re just starting out with copywriting, and have a bit of a knack for words – avoid the temptation to show off your skills. As much as copywriting is an art, it’s not the place for showcasing your literary flare. In the words of million-dollar copywriter, Gary Bencivega, ‘copywriters who show off their skills are as ineffective as fishermen who reveal the hook.’
Write in the way your ideal customer thinks. This is crucial if you’re trying to persuade someone to do something – and not just in the marketing world. Get to know their everyday language and use it in your copy. Make statements they can identify with and ask questions that make them say ‘yes!’ When potential customers recognise themselves in your words, it helps them get to know, like and trust you – and we all know what people do when they know, like and trust us!
4. Offer real value in your written content
While the copy on your website should inform and persuade your readers, your blog should educate and entertain them – but regardless of whether your prospective customer has landed on your sales page or your blog, you must give them something of genuine value.
Yes – SEO is important and we do recommend making use of keywords. However, don’t get caught up in algorithms and trying to rank well.
Sacrificing valuable content for the sake of a keyword count only makes your copy sound unnatural, overly ‘salesy,’ and it makes for a poor user experience.
Don’t write to Google – write to your avatar profile!
Good SEO is only half of the equation, after all. Yes, ranking well will get people to your site – but if your content has no value, people will not respond to your calls to action. In other words, you’ll get heaps of traffic with no conversions.
5. Give your reader a clear call to action
Although your focus will be to provide your readers with useful, enjoyable content – everything you write needs to have an underlying purpose. Copywriting is all about getting to understand what makes your target market tick, so that you can persuade them to take an action – which ultimately contributes to the growth of your business.
Just because a reader absolutely loves your content and thinks your product is great – it doesn’t mean they’ll actually sign up to your mailing list or make a purchase without being prompted to do so. They need buttons!
Obvious buttons with links that simultaneously inform them of when will happen when it’s clicked, AND how they’ll benefit from doing so. Just as your copy needs to be tracked, trialled and tested, so do your CTA’s.
Yes – it can take some time!
You need engaging copy that not only communicates your mission and brand, but copy that actually converts curious readers into loyal customers… But what if you just don’t have the time? You’re not alone!
Outsourcing this job can save you lots of time and bring you a great ROI, because an expert copywriter will make sure you get your message across. Get in touch to find out how Blue Clay will work with you to craft the right message, with the right words, and deliver it to the right audience. I'm ready to outsource!
Outsourcing this job can save you lots of time and bring you a great ROI, because an expert copywriter will make sure you get your message across. Get in touch to find out how Blue Clay will work with you to craft the right message, with the right words, and deliver it to the right audience. I'm ready to outsource!
