We’ve noticed lately that some of our web copywriting clients are reluctant to tell us when they want their copy revised, almost as if they’re afraid of hurting our feelings. It’s understandable if you’re not comfortable telling us what needs to be changed. Many people take personal offense to critiques of their writing. However, a copywriter cannot let his or her ego get in the way of the writing, or he or she would never survive doing it professionally.

We decided to write a post on this topic to not only inform our clients and prospects, but to also inform those of you who are currently working with a copywriter or thinking of hiring one.

One trait of a good copywriter is taking criticism and suggestions and using them to continuously improve his or her writing. Why? Because the most important thing is that you, the client, get the copy you want and need. You will not hurt our feelings if you want changes to your copy.

The first copy we send you is just that: a first draft. When we schedule your project, we build time into our calendar to revise and reedit copy, if needed. There are a hundred reasons why copy might need a revision. For example, you may not like the way a paragraph is worded, or you might decide to add more information to a page of copy. That’s fine. We just need to know so we can fix it.

What may seem like a major revision to you might be practically nothing to us. The last few times we revised copy, all of the changes clients wanted were minor, but they were concerned that they were being difficult clients by asking for changes. Not at all—if you’ve sent back the copy and asked for changes, we know you’ve taken the time to carefully review the copy, and the project is already successful.

Sometimes, as we’re writing, we reach a crossroads with the copy, and we can continue in one of several directions. This is a normal process in copywriting, and this crossroads can happen several times throughout your project. Rather than asking you every time it occurs, we’ll make a decision based on how the rest of the copy is flowing, our previous experience with similar copy, and your instructions. Our knowledge and instincts help us to get it right the first time—most of the time—but there are exceptions.

We’re here to give you the tools you need to connect with your target audience and convert prospects into clients. The copy will do that, but we need your help by letting us know when changes are needed.

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Creating an emotional stimulation within prospective and current customers is an art. If you’re phenomenal at math but can’t even draw a decent stick figure, you might want to reevaluate your creativity levels before attempting to write website copy or design your business website. I’m just saying that we all have different strengths and talents. No one talent is greater than the next.

Unless you want to try your hand at a new talent in which you can invest lots of time, leave your website design and web copywriting to professionals.

Here’s why:

• You don’t want to make your prospects cringe: Bad or outdated website copy or design is enough to send creeping chills down your prospect’s spine. Potential customers want to see that a company they’re purchasing from is fresh, up-to-date, and always growing and evolving. If your web copy or design is stale and nonstimulating, you will not make a positive emotional connection with the prospect. Therefore, their logical thought processes will immediately kick in and say, “I’m not sure if this company is the right one to purchase from.”

Design and copy should facilitate an emotional response in the reader—something that connects the reader to your product or service. If your website design and copy are an inaccurate representation of your brand, you run a great risk of repelling future customers and even past customers.

• You don’t want to anger your prospects: Well-written web copy and effective design can have a powerful influence on your prospects purchasing behavior. The goal of your website is to signal prospects to take an action or move to purchase or contact you. Web copy and design work hand in hand to ensure this process is smooth and stress-free for prospects. Poorly written web copy and design that is difficult to navigate will surely frustrate or anger your potential customers and influence them to leave your website and not take the action you intended.

Your website should take visitors through a joyful experience that ignites a positive emotion within them and either encourages them to take an action or visit your website again and again.

For example, think of your favorite websites. Why do you enjoy visiting these sites? You must find happiness in the experience you have on these websites or else you probably wouldn’t visit them again and again. Right? This is exactly how your website should act if you want to keep prospects and customers visiting and purchasing.

• You don’t want to confuse your prospects: Let’s say you own a travel company that specializes in luxury destination honeymoons. Charlie and Anna are looking for a high-end travel company that will create the ultimate itinerary for their honeymoon. The couple hears two trusted, positive reviews for the same company. Both of the company referrers boast about how luxurious their trip through this travel company was. But when the couple visits the company’s website, the images aren’t loading, the web copy does not imply any benefits for them, there is no obvious contact information, and the logo looks “cheesy.” Unfortunately this company’s website and marketing materials aren’t in line with their brand message and portray an inaccurate image to the couple.

You can bet Charlie and Anna are fairly confused based on the referrals they received versus the website design and copy. They were envisioning something much more romantic and luxurious than what the website portrayed. They decide to further their research and go with a company whose brochure, website, logo, and personality are in line with their needs and desires.

The lesson learned is to always remember that it’s the whole package you’re selling to prospects. Your website should take them through an experience and be a pleasure—not a torturous venture through bad graphics, poorly written copy, and confusing navigation (also known as a nightmare).

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What is the benefit to your business of hiring a copywriter?

Have you ever thought about it?

Let’s back up. What is a copywriter?

Most people think anyone can write copy, when in reality a copywriter is a highly skilled wordsmith who knows how to speak to your target market and influence them to buy. They highlight the pros of your company and minimize the cons. Simply put, a copywriter influences prospect behavior through the written word.

So what? You might ask. Anyone can slap words onto a web page and convince people to buy.

Not so fast.

To sell your product, you need copy that resonates with your target audience and motivates them to take action. A good writer knows the benefits of your product and conveys them to your prospects through several key avenues.

Higher search results rankings

Copywriters research and determine the keywords and phrases your prospects use to search for solutions to their problems. You provide the solution they need, so a copywriter will weave these words throughout the copy and add them to the internal meta data of your website.

When your prospects go to Google and search for the solution to their problem, they’ll find you.

Effective brand messaging

To make an informed decision to buy, your prospects need to understand what you do and how you do it. Your company needs a single, clear brand message. A good writer knows this and can create a cohesive brand message that is unambiguous and speaks loudly to your target audience.

Whether you have only a website, or you use brochures, white papers, press releases, and articles, by using a copywriter your brand message stays uniform and consistent throughout your marketing materials.

Compelling company and product story

Your prospect is at your website and understands what you do and how you do it. Great. Now he or she needs to make the decision to buy. Your copywriter carefully and skillfully outlines the benefits of buying from you and drives your prospect to take action and contact you, either to buy or for more information.

It’s all about your prospects, and they don’t care about you or the fact that you’ve been in business for 59 years. They want to know what they receive—what’s in it for them. Your copywriter ensures that they see exactly how their problem is solved and how it will make their lives better.

Your prospect buys and is now your client, thanks to your copywriter.

When you have a copywriter working with you on every aspect of your marketing strategy, you can’t help but generate more business and sales. He or she is a vital part of your team and essential to your success. Find a good copywriter, and you’ll never have to worry about sales again.

What are you doing to portray an accurate brand message? Let us know in our comments section.

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On a weekly basis, I have a conversation with a handful of companies who are looking for unique ways to reach their market and continue to nurture existing clients. Whether it’s a conversation with a prospect or client, vendor or colleague, there is a common thread: company owners are scrambling to keep up with the changes in technology and to attract and keep the attention of their target market, and these owners are uncertain as to why they are not engaging with prospects the way they used to.

Things have changed: how markets react, how people search for information, prospects’ attention spans, and prospects’ purchasing behavior.

Most of the business owners I come in contact with would agree with me on the above statements. And, if asked, they agree that they need to invest in the future of their company and change the way they communicate and interact with prospects, current clients, and old clients.

However (and here is where it gets real interesting), when I ask these business owners if they are ready to update their website or have it redesigned, completely change their message, ditch the brochure and business cards they’ve been passing out for the past 5 years, well, their answers are contrary to their willingness to grow their company.

I hear a variety of responses, some of which go something like this . . .

• No one comes to our website, so why should we bother?
• The budget isn’t there right now.
• We’re using social media and don’t need to worry about it.
• My spouse doesn’t think it’s a good idea.
• I’ve hired my brother’s nephew’s friend to help with online marketing because he’s in college for IT.

These business owners want to grow and change with the times, yet they’re unwilling to invest, to step up and do what they need to do to produce the results they desire.

I understand budgets might be tight or that your team is spread thin, but here’s the truth: if you want to compete in the market place (both on- and offline), then you’re going to have to invest in your brand identity and in your marketing efforts.

How prospects and current clients perceive your brand is of vital importance to the growth of your company. Why? Because appearances matter, and they are the key to your business success. Businesses change, just as people do. As we do with our physical appearance, our homes, and the items we purchase, companies must keep their brand image current.

Not only does your business image matter, but it also has a lasting effect. Psychologists call it the halo effect. When the visual message you put out into the world is positive, the prospective client you just handed a brochure to or invited to check out your website or blog will assume that other aspects about you are also positive.

The reverse is also true—if you make a negative impression, you don’t always get a second chance to undo a poor first impression. Online, you often have one chance.

Your business image—whether on your website or marketing collateral—is the strongest sales tools you have, no matter which business you may be in. The tone, the design, the message, and the images you use, all must reflect your company’s brand personality. A professional image must be reflected in all your marketing, and your brand image must be consistent.

If your website is spectacular, but your messaging is diluted or confusing, you won’t get the results you’re working for. Similarly, if your print collateral is top-notch but your online presence looks outdated, you’re going to project an inaccurate image, which will deter your prospects from choosing to do business with you.

From creating a strong brand image to changing how you communicate, you’re going to have to step up sooner or later. Why wait until you lose major clients or get passed up by another company?

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When you read, you pick up the mood and tone of the author through his or her use of words, punctuation, and layout. Mood and tone influence the way your readers feel about your copy, and you can easily influence them to take action with the correct tone and mood.

Readers like to be entertained, and they’ll remember your website copy if it’s fun to read. Here are six ways to make your website copy more positive:

Don’t make your readers grab a dictionary.

You need to write to a level all your readers can easily understand. You don’t want to use million dollar words and jargon that readers may not know. Most word processing programs include a readability test that will tell you for what grade level your writing is appropriate. Think about the average education of your audience, and write four to six grade levels below that. For consumer copy, you need to write to a sixth to eighth grade level, assuming your average reader is a high school graduate. If your target market is teachers, write to about a twelfth grade level.

Remember, your audience wants to be entertained and informed, not feel like they’re in a college-level calculus class. Don’t make it hard for them to read your writing. Use jargon and complicated words only when necessary.

Make them laugh and keep it light.

With the right words, you can affect the way people view your writing and even make them smile or laugh. Use some humor and be enthusiastic as you’re writing—it will come out in your website copy. If you can make someone laugh while illustrating a point, he or she will remember it.

No matter which topic you’re writing about, there are times you can use slang, colloquialisms, and upbeat language. If Jessica Mitford could make us laugh about death and embalming, you can make your audience smile about your topic. However, before you start slangifying your website copy, keep your audience in mind and read the next tip.

Don’t offend your readers.

When you’re trying to make your writing optimistic and fun, it’s easy to make the mistake of using words that are entertaining to a few, but offensive to most. Words that are generally understood as bigoted, prejudiced, or sexist might seem funny at the time, but they’re not. Avoid them.

You can’t please everyone.

Not every reader will like or enjoy your writing, and that applies whether you are Joe Blow or Stephen King. Focus your writing to your target audience and make sure they like it. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.

Be upfront with your audience.

Don’t make your readers guess what you’re trying to say or wrap your point in a blanket of secrecy and riddles. Tell them what you want them to know. Overbearing or condescending writing is never appreciated. You may be an expert, but you don’t want or need to come across as pompous or patronizing.

To keep your website copy positive and fun, pick the style of writing that is best for each piece and stick to it. Know what you want your readers to do, and make them happy to do it.

Love what Melody Brooks–our head copywriter–has to say? Have a question or want to see something covered on Copy Doodle? Either leave a comment for her or email her at melody@writtenbysumer.com.

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2010 shows promising results for the blogosphere. According to a study performed by eMarketer, 31 million Internet users in the U.S. will write blogs and over 104 million will read blogs.

Imagine the possibilities if you could reach just a small fraction of these readers. The good news is that it is possible to create a blog with a solid base of readers—people who can’t wait to read your posts and people who love to share what you have to say.

Below are 3 tips for writing a blog that people want to read and share:

1. Understand what your target audience is interested in reading: This requires you to listen to the online conversation. Listen and answer the following questions:

• What is your target audience talking about?
• What do they want to know?
• Where are they online?
• What would compel them to share your posts with their friends and family?

You need a blog that compels its readers to share content, features engaging copy, media, and images, and provides an expert insight into a particular area of interest. When you tap into your target audience’s needs and desires via your blog, you are tapping into a pool of influential individuals who have the power to broadcast your brand and your voice to other like-minded individuals.

2. Express a compatible attitude: Every blog has a specific tone and attitude—an intangible element that connects a reader to the blogger. If your attitude isn’t compatible with the attitude of your target audience, then your blog will not register strongly with them.

For example, if your target audience mainly consists of successful, sassy, middle-aged female business owners, your blog tone should complement their personality and deliver cunning and witty copy that speaks to their attitudes about life. Your tone and attitude is what will attract them or deflect them from reading more.

3. Feature content that is highly valuable and relevant to your market: Content is always the main powerhouse behind what makes a successful blog. If you want your posts to be shared across the Internet, they must have compelling and valuable content. When readers find a post that opens their eyes to a new fact or point of view, they often have a Christopher Columbus moment. In other words, they feel as though they discovered something brilliant and want to share it with their friends and family.

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3. Make a Stellar First Impression: Tips on Editing Your Marketing Copy

People are busy, and they have more messages competing for their attention than ever before. You want to make sure they spend some of their limited time and attention on your blog and your website. Give them what they want—good information, quickly.

Your web copy needs to be as easy to read as possible. Many people will scan your copy rather than take the time to read every word. If they can’t scan it quickly and get to the meat, they’ll leave—and probably won’t return.

Follow these tips and your web copy will be easy to read . . . and easy to write.

* Write in short paragraphs. Have you ever seen web copy that went on and on, with paragraphs that had 20 or 30 lines? You get lost and tired of reading. A long, rambling paragraph is the written version of the annoying person who walks up to you at a party and talks and talks.

We usually write in paragraphs of no more than four to five lines or four or five sentences.

* Keep sentences short, and make sure you use commas and periods when necessary. Those who write in long rambling paragraphs also write long sentences and never use punctuation because often they’re writing exactly what they’re thinking and they don’t realize that when they write a long sentence their reader needs them to take a literary breath and use commas and periods to separate thoughts plus they don’t understand that the reader forgets what was at the beginning of that long sentence and then he or she has to go back and that’s frustrating.

Don’t do that. Keep sentences to less than 20 words as much as you can. Use spacing liberally. People like white space because it’s easy on the eyes and less stressful and intimidating.

* Use bulleted lists. Lists are easy to scan. Often the first few words are all your reader needs, as you can see in the bulleted list you’re reading now. Even if you don’t read the web copy following the first phrase or sentence, you can apply each point immediately.

* Eliminate extra words. One quick and easy way to make your copy more effective is to get rid of words that don’t mean anything, such as “really,” “just,” and “very.” If a word doesn’t add meat or substance to the sentence, you don’t need it.

Use fewer and shorter words whenever possible. For most copy, contractions sound more natural and are fine to use, but know your audience before using them.

For example: “Require” is not as effective as “need.”

Instead of “those are the kids who,” simplify it to “the kids.”

Use “won’t” in place of “will not.”

* Help your reader get to the point with headings. If you have a blog post or a white paper covering several aspects of gardening, for example, set off each point or section with a bold heading.

If you’re talking about tilling, fertilizing the soil, and setting up an irrigation system, put a heading above each topic, letting the reader know exactly what that section covers. If your reader knows how to till and fertilize but needs tips on irrigation, he or she can go right to that section and save time.

As you write, you’ll come up with your own tricks to make your copy scannable. Ask your readers what they like and don’t like.

If you’re using an editor, he or she can help you with this. If you’re not using an editor, I strongly suggest hiring one. Editors are worth their weight in gold when it comes to improving your copy.

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The success of marketing copy such as brochures, ads, and press releases depends on the headline—or in the case of an email, the subject line. It needs to grab the reader and compel him or her to take action by reading the brochure or opening the email.

It’s your first hurdle, and it’s a big one.

The headline needs to speak to a pain the reader has or something the reader wants—now. Arousing curiosity is a good tactic. Appealing to strong emotions grabs the attention of the reader and hits him or her on a basic, gut level.

Following are a few ideas to show you how to write your next powerful headline.

Benefits, benefits, benefits.

Create a headline from your main benefit. What will your product do for customers? Get to the point, and show them what they get.

Try a brain dump.

Don’t worry about a great headline yet—get your thoughts down. Add to the benefits. Remember the pain you’re trying to ease. Think about the 5Ws and an H: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Can you use any of those words in your headline? Write five or ten options out, and play with them.

Don’t be too clever.

A little cuteness makes people laugh and helps them remember your product, but too much sounds insincere. People can spot phonies a mile away. Remember, while they don’t care about you, they need to feel they can trust you before they buy.

No false promises.

Misleading promises or incorrect information is always a no-no. You don’t want to appear untrustworthy. One person who doesn’t trust you can suddenly become 10, 20, or more.

Keep it short and sweet.

If your headline is too long, try taking out words or groups of words, and see if it still flows. You probably won’t get a perfect wording on your first try. Take out words like that, really, and just. Use short words and action verbs wherever you can. Make the customer feel as if you are addressing him directly. Speak in the second person—you, not we.

Finally, when you think you have a good headline, let it sit for at least 8 hours. When you go back to it, you’ll see it with fresh eyes. You’ll be amazed at what will come to mind, and you’ll know when it’s ready to go. If you take the time, you’ll surprise yourself at how well you do.

Want more copywriting tips? Join us for a free webinar on “7 Website Copy Tips Guaranteed to Covert Prospects to Clients.”

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When Internet users visit business websites for news updates, to find more information about a certain company or service, purchase products, or increase their knowledge, they’re looking for quick results.

As more and more people use the web on the go—from mobile phones to laptops—time is a precious asset for Internet users.

If your business website or blog is slow to load, full of long paragraphs of web copy, difficult to navigate, or provides drawn-out contacting or purchasing processes, you can be sure that those visitors will leave your business website or blog almost instantly. Internet users simply don’t have the time to piddle around on your site trying to figure it out.

Customers want to know that you respect their time. Make sure your site conveys this message.

Here are 4 ways to show your prospects that you respect their time:

Use clear and concise web copy: Chunks of short, result-driven web copy are essential if you want to keep your visitors’ attention. Wherever you can bullet information, do so. Internet users tend to scan information at a quick pace, so bulleted information helps them to digest data quicker and easier.

Also, ensure that you are leading them properly through the website with effective calls to action that facilitate and expedite their decision making process. Don’t lead them on a wild goose chase to find your contact information or services page.

Make your eCommerce purchasing process quick and easy: According to a report from eMarketer, 2010 may see upwards of 180 billion eCommerce sales in the U.S. If this prediction is correct, it might behoove you to look over your eCommerce site to ensure that it’s easy for visitors to purchase from you.

First, take a look at your eCommerce stats. If your conversion rates are low, this could be in large part due to a complicated or drawn-out purchasing process that consumers have to go through each time they buy from your website.

Consumers purchase online for a reason. Sometimes they don’t have the time to drive to a store and search for a certain product; other times they don’t know where to find a particular product in a store. Whatever their reason for purchasing, ensure that you provide them with a speedy purchasing process.

Avoid complicated purchasing processes whenever you can because it only takes a click of a button for website visitors to move on to a competitor’s website.

Keep your blog target audience in mind: Consider your target audience when writing your posts. If your typical blog reader is a busy, on-the-go business professional, your blog copy should be short and to the point. Long, drawn-out stories are not going to keep your readers’ interest for very long. Use bulleted lists, short paragraphs, conjunctions, and language that reads easy and expresses your personality.

Contact Forms: Make it easy for your site visitors to contact you. Your contact information should be clear and obvious, and contact forms should be short and sweet. Too many fields in your contact form may seem too long and tedious to your site visitors and, in turn, discourage them from contacting you. Keep the number of fields in your contact form to a minimum. Not to mention, too many questions and fields that ask for personal information can appear suspicious.

Did you find this article helpful? Share it with your friends on Facebook.

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Image from http://vintage-blue.com/blog/

I watched an I Love Lucy rerun the other day . . . the one with Lucy shooting a commercial for Vitameatavegamin. You remember—the stuff that was 23% alcohol and had Lucy a little tipsy after several takes. She ended up calling it “mitavatameatimac.”

Watching Lucy slaughter the product name reminded me of the complex wording people sometimes use when they’re writing marketing copy. Companies are so used to their industry’s jargon that they forget to write in layman’s terms. They write as if they’re speaking with a salesperson or another business in their industry instead of speaking to the prospect.

They don’t keep it simple. And when the marketing copy isn’t simple, the copy doesn’t connect with prospects.

I’ve done it myself. Recently, I reviewed a sales brochure written by our copywriter—a brochure that happened to be for the field she had previously worked in—and I couldn’t understand half of it. She didn’t realize she had slipped back into the industry jargon, and the message was muddled down with buzzwords I’d never heard of. It’s so easy to do that I bet you have some terminology-heavy marketing materials and don’t even realize it.

Other writers remember to stay away from jargon, but they still write in ways that prospects can’t comprehend—especially if they are skimming a website. Too may companies use ten-dollar words when fifty-cent words will do. They also write formally when a conversational tone would be more appropriate.

Simple, concise writing is half the battle when you’re writing marketing copy. Do you keep it simple? If you’re not sure, here are a few ways to ensure your marketing copy connects with prospects:

• Ask a family member to read what you’ve written. If he or she can understand it, your prospect should too.
• If you do find too much industry jargon in your marketing copy, take a critical look. Some jargon is necessary, but you can simplify other terminology.
• Look through your copy for words with several syllables. See if you can shorten them without losing the meaning.
• Read your marketing copy out loud. Do you stumble over words or lose the flow? If so, your readers will, too.
• Test for readability. If you use MS Word, readability statistics will show you which grade level you’re writing for. You should be writing to a 6^th–8^th grade level.

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