copywriting
26 Nov 2013 Leave a Comment
in Services, Web Tags: content, copy, copywriting, SEO
About Your Copy
Before we start, let’s get one thing clear. This post is not about the copies we make for you on our copy machines. It’s about the copy (text) that appears on your website and in your promotional materials. No matter what type of business you run, copy affects every part of your business. It’s the cornerstone of your marketing, and it affects the executive team, the HR department, and every aspect of the organization.
How?
To answer that question, let’s first take a look at what copy is and what it is not. Copywriting is the act of producing written text (copy). It’s not the same as “copyright,” which refers to one’s legal right to produce and publish content. Wikipedia explains copywriting as “writing copy (text) for the purpose of advertising or marketing. The copy is meant to persuade someone to buy a product or influence their beliefs.”
That second part is especially important because it’s the key differentiator between success and failure in copywriting. Weak copy will be thrown in the trash, while good copy will move the recipient to the desired action you want them to take. This applies not only to advertising and marketing but to any type of business and even personal communication.
Effective copywriting is sometimes referred to as “a salesman in print.” It can be seen in brochures, billboards, websites, emails, TV and radio ads, catalogs, and many other places where the goal is to move someone to a desired action. That action might be purchasing your product, engaging with your company, or picking up the phone to request more information. In short, copywriting is all about making the recipient move and act.
Copywriting dates all the way back to the nineteenth century, when the newspaper industry was beginning to boom. At that time, copywriting referred to the words written by journalist being copied from their desk into the newspaper. Times may have changed, but copywriting is as crucial now in helping to sell your products as it was then in helping to sell newspapers.
Good copywriting answers the problem of how to get more sales.
Two big buzzwords today are content marketing and inbound marketing. Both essentially refer to copywriting. While effective copywriting is part science and part art, the fact is that anyone can create copy that moves people to act. Well-crafted copywriting doesn’t need to be full of hype or written with bold typefaces and capitalization that beats people over the head.
There are three basic steps you can take to create compelling copy.
1. Know your audience. It should be a given that you know exactly who you’re creating the copy for. The more you know about your target audience, the easier it will be to create powerful copy. A demographic profile can help you not only create your copy but also know who you will be sending that content to. The following are some examples of data you’ll find in a demographic profile:
- Gender
- Age
- Family Status
- Income
- Occupation
- Interests
2. Focus on them, not you. Everyone wants to be the center of attention. This applies in copywriting as well. The focus should be on the recipient, not how great you are. Your copy should answer the question: How will the products and services you offer benefit your customers and make their lives easier? Your copy must be able to answer the #1 question in every recipient’s head: “What’s in it for me?” In terms of copywriting, your product or service is far less important than its ability to fulfill your customers’ needs.
3. Always include a call to action. Always. No matter what marketing medium you use to send and communicate the copy, there should always be a call to action. Never assume that the recipient will know what you want them to do next. Tell them exactly what the next step should be. Should they call, fill out a form, or visit your showroom? Make it crystal clear.
It takes time, skill, practice, and patience to become a master copywriter. For businesses that want to produce effective copy that moves people to act, following these three simple steps can go a long way toward achieving that goal. Communication tools may be expanding and evolving, but one thing will never change: the need for good, effective copywriting. Bad content produced across multiple marketing channels will work just as poorly as it did across one.
Change the words used to communicate your uniqueness and to tell your story, and you will change your business.
What’s Your Call to Action?
12 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: call to actions, content
Every marketing piece should have a call to action that helps direct the reader to the next step.
Whether you want them to click a link, download a file, or contact your business, here are a few tips to ensure your call to action gets noticed and utilized:
- Keep it short and simple using action verbs, such as call, buy, register, donate, or subscribe.
- Be specific about what you want readers to do. For example, if you want customers to contact you to set up an appointment, don’t just say “contact us.”
- Make it easy for readers by using a direct shortcut link to your sign-up page or order form, versus sending them on a wild goose chase through your website.
- Create urgency with a deadline such as “offer expires May 31” or “order now and get a free gift!”
- Include a benefit for contacting you. Instead of saying “Download our whitepaper,” say “Expand your customer base with these 10 tips.”
- Popularity sells. If your information is high demand, consider including the number of times a document has been downloaded.
- Build trust by including customer logos or relevant testimonials near your call to action.
- Provide your call to action multiple times throughout your website or marketing materials.
- Size and location matter. Make sure your call to action is easily visible and prominently located so readers don’t miss it.
We’d love to help you create marketing materials that get noticed and increase sales. Check us out online for more creative ideas or to request a printing quote today!
Content Marketing: An Age-Old Strategy that Still Works Today
26 Mar 2013 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: content, Hi-Fi
Content Marketing
Content marketing has become one of the buzzwords in the business marketing world. Many claim this is a new way to market. That is not correct. Providing valuable content to lure prospects and visitors has been around for a while. The distribution channels for this content may have expanded recently, but the strategy has been around for many years.
One case in point involves a tiny electronics firm in Seattle. The company opened in 1954 as Magnolia Stationers and Camera Shop in the Magnolia Village shopping district of Seattle. The owner, Len Tweten, loved music, which eventually led him to move the business into the world of high-fidelity audio. This transition over time also prompted a business name change to Magnolia Hi-Fi.
High-quality products and commitment to service were just a part of the overall plan to grow the business. Being a small business with no real marketing plan or budget, Magnolia Hi-Fi decided the best way to differentiate itself was to educate prospects with valuable information about the Hi-Fi world. To do this, the company introduced stereo buyer’s guides (over 30 years ago), which provided educational content and answers to commonly asked questions on buying audio equipment.
The buyer’s guides set Magnolia Hi-Fi apart from the competition. They also positioned the company as leaders and experts in their field in the eyes of their audience.
Did this content marketing plan work?
The tiny store grew into a small chain, which was acquired by Best Buy in December of 2000… for $87 million! In 2004, the Magnolia brand was incorporated into Best Buy as a store-within-a-store, known as Magnolia Home Theatre.
Content marketing works. It works best when you use multiple channels to distribute and share your content (print and digital work in perfect tandem for this strategy). Creating valuable content your prospects are looking for takes some work and resources. But don’t overlook the rewards that can come from that work. It may not net you $87 million, but it can prove to be nearly as valuable.
You can read more of the details behind this remarkable story here.
Product Naming Tips
30 Sep 2012 Leave a Comment
in Marketing, Marketing TIPS Tags: content, product name
If you’re planning to introduce a new product into the market, here are a few tips to help you create a likeable product name that will also be relevant and memorable:
- Choose an expressive name that describes what the product does.
- Avoid acronyms. Give your product a full name, and use brief acronyms internally only.
- Consider naming similar products together as a family. For example, Apple’s operating systems have used similar names such as Panther, Jaguar, Leopard, and Lion.
- If you have a tiered product line (good, better, best), name your products accordingly to show order of ranking.
- Add a prefix or suffix to a common name, such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
- Choose a name that gives people a mental image of the benefits your product provides or how it works.
- Select a name that is easy to pronounce. If your audience can’t pronounce it, they likely won’t remember it.
- Creatively change the spelling of a real word. The popular cereals Kix and Trix are good examples.
- If your products are sold internationally, always screen your product name to check for embarrassing meanings in other languages.
- Consider using a verb as your product name, like Bounce dryer sheets.
- Blend two descriptive words together to form a newword that describes your product, such as Miracle Whip.
- Beware of any potential acronyms that may cause issues. For example, some people joke that Microsoft’s Bing stands for “But It’s Not Google.” Also check if there could be issues with shortening the product name.
- Think about what you like/dislike about other product names across various industries, and compare that to the list of names you’re considering.
- Lastly, beware that a long, drawn-out product name may cause a challenge when creating advertisements and promotional materials.
No matter what product name you choose, we have endless creative ideas to help you spread the word and increase your sales. Give us a call today!
