Written By Sumer » Copywriting

Do Your Email Campaigns Need Some Serious Work?

Michelle Salater — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:30:25 +0000

When you check your email, chances are there are plenty of messages you delete without ever opening. Why? Because you aren’t interested in what they contain. They’re junk mail or they’re trying to sell you something, or maybe you just know they’re going to be boring.

And then there are the ones you ALWAYS open—because you know they’ll either contain important information, they’ll give you instructions about something you need to take care of (online bill-pay, anyone?), or they’ll entertain you.

When you work on email campaigns for your business, one of your goals should be to compose emails that your list can’t wait to get—the ones that they open no matter what. Here are a few pointers for getting to that place with the emails you send.

Creating Killer Email Campaigns

Let your personality show. Emails aren’t research papers—they shouldn’t bore your list. Let your voice come out, and you’ll be more likely to connect with your readers. If you aren’t inclined toward writing, open a blank document and just start typing your thoughts until you get into a rhythm that feels like comfortable speech. Once you hit that stride, start writing content that can be converted into an email. Remember that you can always edit—just let the juices flow on the first draft.

Talk to your list. It’s human nature to be interested in yourself more than anyone else. Take advantage of this by speaking to your readers, about your readers in the mail you send them. Rather than focusing on how you fit into whatever you’re writing about, focus on how it affects them.

Spend some time on your subject lines. Even if your email content is crisp, clear, and sparkling with wit, your list will never see it if they don’t open the message. Devote some time to developing subject lines that grab attention and communicate succinctly what you need to say. This takes some effort, but mastering it is well worth the investment.

Entertain, inform, or inquire. Don’t feel like you have to send emails to your list just for the heck of it. If you send too many pointless messages, people will learn to discard your electronic letters without opening them. Each of your emails should achieve at least one of three things: entertain your readers, inform your readers (of something worth knowing), or inquire about something (that your readers would be eager to talk about). Ultimately, the goal of these emails will likely also be to sell something; doing at least one of the former will improve your odds of doing the latter.

Be clear and direct. Respect your list by being as direct and informative as possible in as little space as possible. If you include links in your email, identify where those links will send readers and what they might see on that page.

Emails, of course, are one element of a larger marketing campaign , and as such should help establish and expand the know, like, and trust factor with your list.

Have you encountered any excellent (or sub-par) emails recently? Tell us about them!

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The Dos and Don’ts of Using a Thesaurus for Marketing Copy

Michelle Salater — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:30:23 +0000

Keeping your web copy snappy and fresh is crucial to keeping your readers’ attention. And free online tools (including thesauruses) make achieving diversity in your writing easier than ever. But writer beware: there is an art to using the thesaurus. Those who don’t master that art end up looking…well, take a gander at these examples for some tips on what NOT to do when hunting down synonyms.

1. DON’T overdo it.

Add too many synonyms to your writing, and you risk sounding like a—well, like a thesaurus. For example, let’s say you wanted to jazz up this sentence: “Our team is available via email 24 hours a day to field emergencies.”

This is overdoing it: “Our aggregation is accessible, available, and reachable via email 24 hours per sun-cycle to handle and address emergencies, accidents, and difficulties.”

Using lots of words that mean the same thing just muddies the waters. Stick with one and you’ll get your point across better.

2. DO prefer clarity to cleverness.

With so many fun words out there, it can be tempting to dress up your copy so it sounds fancier. But remember that its purpose is to communicate, and too much decoration can get in the way.

Clear: “If you are not completely satisfied with our services, we will provide a full refund.”

Too clever: “If our services don’t leave you jumping for joy, we’ll put your cash back in your billfold before you can blink.”

While the second sentence may be more “fun,” it will leave clients wondering what exactly you mean and questioning whether you’re even serious about your offer.

3. DON’T use synonyms without a purpose.

An excellent reason to use the thesaurus is to change the rhythm of a sentence. If, for example, you feel like you’ve used the same word or phrase over and over again, subbing words with the same meaning can keep your copy crisp.

Repetitive: “During your full-day intensive, our team will help your team develop teamwork and leadership skills.”

Crisp (with synonyms): “During your full-day intensive, our experts will help your squad develop teamwork and leadership skills.

4. DO double-check definitions you’re not sure of.

The entries in thesauruses contain words that have a meaning similar to the guideword. If you aren’t 100% sure of a synonym’s definition, be sure to look it up in a dictionary before using it in marketing copy.

One example we see a lot? The misuse of synonyms for “fame.” “Notoriety,” for example, implies a negative reason for fame; “distinction” implies fame for standing out in a specific way.

5. DON’T use synonyms in common expressions.

This one might go without saying, but we thought we’d mention it anyway. Avoid thesaurus use for colloquial expressions, unless you’re going for humor. “The watched pot never boils” communicates a defined idea to readers, and as such can be used as shorthand.

“The observed cauldron never reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit,” on the other hand, sounds just plain silly.

6. DO try replacing boring words with more interesting ones—sometimes.

When you’re trying to drum up excitement in your marketing copy, individual words can do a lot of the work for you. By strategically replacing ho-hum words with shinier ones, you create a sense of life and excitement in your reader. For example:

“This product will help you increase your monthly income.” (Yawn.)

“This product will help you skyrocket your monthly income.” (Jazz hands!)

7. DON’T be afraid to go with a “plain” word!

Finally, when using a thesaurus, don’t feel like you have to replace words in every sentence. Often, the simplest word is the best—and the most effective for your copy. Even if you thought you wanted a synonym in a given place, don’t be afraid to revert to the “standard.” After all, it’s better to be clear than fancy.

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The Power of Strong Verbs in Marketing Copy

Michelle Salater — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

We all know it’s faster and easier to get across the country in a jet than a bus, and faster in a bus than on a bicycle. In marketing copy, verbs (action words) are the modes of transportation that transfer your ideas into your clients’ and potential clients’ minds. Depending on which ones you use, that process can be painstaking and inefficient or exciting and fun.

Here are some tips on composing turbo-charged prose that will leave your readers dazzled and itching to buy.

Avoid “To Be” Verbs When Possible

One of the weakest (and most common) verbs in English is “to be”—as in be, am, is, are, was, were, being, and been. If any of these verbs appear in a sentence, there’s a good chance you could make it stronger. For example:

Weak: This product is helpful for people who are too busy to cook for themselves.

Stronger: This product helps people who work through dinner and beyond.

By eliminating the “to be” verbs, you let the product and the people assume active roles in the sentence. Active, interesting verbs paint a more vivid mental picture than passive ones do.

Use Creative Verbs and Cut Adverbs

If you use the right verb, you won’t need adverbs to modify it. Watch this:

Weak: This product will completely change the way you do business.

Stronger: This product will transform the way you do business.

“Change” could mean a number of things, but “transform” implies complete change. The leaner your marketing copy, the more efficiently readers can absorb it.

Use the Thesaurus…Sparingly

When you first begin adding more interesting verbs to your web copy, don’t be shy about using a thesaurus. But remember to use it wisely: select only words that mean exactly what you want them to—otherwise, your writing will confuse your readers.

For example, watch what synonyms can do for this sentence.

He ate his dinner.

Thesaurus.com lists these synonyms for “eat:” attack, devour, feast upon, gobble up, inhale, nibble, pick at, scarf, and swallow. Depending on how this dinner went down, each of these verbs can tell a lot more about the scene. For example: “He devoured his dinner” communicates a very different situation than “He picked at his dinner,” which differs in tone from “He gobbled up his dinner.”

Aim for Clarity in Marketing Copy

Like anything else, building sentences with strong verbs takes practice. To avoid overkill, start small and find a proofreader to make sure you aren’t going overboard. Ultimately, your goal with any marketing copy is to communicate clearly—and sometimes that requires using a weak verb or an adverb.

And remember: if you really can’t stomach the thought of spending more time on compiling your marketing copy, you can always hire a professional.

What challenges have you faced in creating interest-piquing marketing copy?

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Is Your Web Copy Relevant to Prospective Clients?

Michelle Salater — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:30:21 +0000

How many times have you tried to assemble furniture or started using a new gadget without reading the instruction manual? We are certainly guilty of such transgressions—and with good reason: instruction manuals are often boring, confusing, badly translated, and printed too darn small to see!

Even though most of us know reading those suckers will make our lives easier, we skip that step and hope for the best. So what would you do if you found out your clients were doing the same?

That is, what if your prospective clients were passing over the valuable content on your website, on your blog, or in your emails—and because of that, not converting into actual clients?

The Importance of Effective Web Copy

The truth is, there’s an art to writing—even the kind of writing not destined to become great literature. If you’re currently devoting time and energy to creating your web copy without seeing impressive results, there’s a good chance your copy isn’t reaching your prospective clients. Why not? Maybe because…

There’s too much jargon. While using a little industry jargon can help establish your credibility, if you overdo it, you’ll alienate potential clients. Jargon-heavy copy is usually great for industry insiders, but unless your clients fit that description, they’ll be turned off (and confused) by such writing.
The calls to action are too weak (or too strong). Even if your product or service descriptions are stellar, prospective clients won’t convert if you don’t clearly call them to buy. On the other hand, if your web materials scream “Buy! Buy! Buy!” clients will likely feel that you’re coming on too strong.
It focuses on you and your business, not on your prospective clients. Don’t get us wrong—there’s a place in web copy to give your story and explain what you do. But if you can’t appeal to what your potential clients need and want, you won’t get their attention to say anything—or sell anything.
Your message isn’t clear. Been building your website page-by-page over the course of months? If so, there’s a good chance that it lacks a cohesive message. When prospects move from one page to another, they’ll become uncertain about what they’re expected to do, and will leave without taking the action you want them to take.

Fixing the Problem of Ineffective Copy

Luckily, ineffective copy is an easy problem to fix. Hire a professional. It’s that simple.

You have devoted years to become an expert at what you do—and copywriters have done the same. When you invest in professional copywriting, you’ll start attracting more clients by…

Appealing to their wants, needs, and desires.
Subtly and effectively enticing them to buy.
Demonstrating your professionalism.
Communicating a clear message about who you are and what you can help them achieve.

When you start the New Year with new web copy that does its job well, you’ll be able to do yours even better!

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Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy

Michelle Salater — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:30:06 +0000

If you’ve decided to include web copy as part of your overall marketing strategy, you probably already understand at least the basics of using keywords in your online marketing copy. If you don’t, here’s a (very brief) primer: keywords help search engines rank your page.

A page with a high keyword density (i.e. lots of relevant keywords and phrases) may rank higher than one with a low keyword density. But there’s more to the equation than simply repeating keywords and phrases over and over. Take a look at these tips so you can optimize your web copy without getting labeled as spam by search engines.

Identify Keywords before You Write Your Copy

Before drafting your web copy, take time to do some keyword research. List words and phrases that directly describe your business, focusing on terms people are likely to search. For example, if you sell handcrafted toothbrush holders, that phrase should be a primary search term.

Secondary terms might include “handcrafted accessories,” “bathroom accessories,” “hand-made toothbrush holders,” and anything else a person might type in when trying to find your products.

As you build your keyword list, you might want to use Google’s free keyword search tool to determine how many people search for your keywords and how many pages include those words. This will give you an idea of your competition.

Don’t Stuff Your Copy with Keywords

As you write, your goal is to include your keywords and phrases as often as possible without making your copy unreadable.

Too many keywords: “If you’re looking for handcrafted toothbrush holders, you can find your handcrafted toothbrush holders and other handmade accessories at the Handcrafted Toothbrush Holder Depot.”
A better keyword balance: “If you’re looking for handcrafted toothbrush holders, you can find them—and other handmade accessories—at the Handcrafted Toothbrush Holder Depot.”

Remember that even if such keyword stuffing earns you a high page rank, the people who land on your page may be turned off (or just plain confused) by your copy. This could lead them to quickly navigate away from your page, without buying anything.

Headers & Links Matter in Web Copy

When optimizing your web copy, it’s important to know that not all copy is ranked equally. Keywords included in headers and links provide more of a punch than those in ordinary text. Take this as a lesson in organization: if you aren’t already breaking your marketing copy into sections that are directly relevant to what you’re selling, start doing so for optimization purposes.

A nice bonus? Readers tend to interpret headers differently from ordinary text, meaning that you can include keywords more frequently, without sounding mechanical, when you break a page into several sections than you could in a page of plain text.

Reread with an Eye for Keyword Opportunities!

Finally, when you edit drafts of your web copy, do so with a list of keywords at hand. Train yourself to see opportunities to include the words and phrases that will help get your page ranked higher—and watch the magic happen!

For more web copywriting tips, click here.

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10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid

Michelle Salater — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:30:34 +0000

When building a website or maintaining a marketing blog, it can be tempting to view your copy as the “filler” that surrounds your product or service offerings. But beware of paying too little attention to your web copy: if you aren’t careful, shoddy copy could deter potential clients.

Before you draft your next blog post or landing page, make sure you aren’t committing these 10 web copy blunders:

1. Talking about yourself. Even if your expertise and experience are key aspects of what you offer, it’s important to avoid “Let me tell you about my dream” type writing. Why? Because it puts the focus on you and leaves out your potential clients. Instead, focus on your clients—identify what they want and explain how you can help them get it.

2. Using too much industry jargon. Sprinkling industry jargon into your copy establishes credibility, but lay it on too thick and you risk alienating readers who are newcomers to the industry. Focus on clear, simple language that communicates the same ideas.

3. Losing focus of the purpose of your web copy. Very few of us are so interesting that strangers will hang onto our every word, no matter what we decide to expound upon. If your web copy dithers out without making a point, your readers will lose interest and leave the page. Avoid fizzling out by sketching out your copy before actually writing it.

4. Not incorporating keywords into your copy. Remember: marketing copy is part of a bigger marketing strategy. To do its job, it must play by the rules, which means it must include keywords that will help it rank in search engine results so that potential clients can find you when they want you. Writing web copy is different from writing books, newspaper articles, or commercials—take some time to study SEO basics and implement them on your website.

5. Forgetting to add metadata to your web pages. You don’t have to be web savvy to understand the importance of metadata: in earlier incarnations, it was the information that appeared in your library’s card catalog. Imagine trying to find exactly the right book without that handy box of drawers. Today, search engines catalog metadata to help users find relevant websites. If you don’t provide “cards” for your web content, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will ever find it.

6. Leaving out a call to action. Marketing copy is no place to be ambiguous—encourage your readers to do what you want them to do. That doesn’t mean you have to go into “BUY! BUY! BUY!” mode, however. Use an imperative command that appeals to your readers’ desires. For example, instead of “buy my book now,” try “discover how you, too, can learn to whistle like a bird.” And hyperlink to your book-selling page.

7. Boring your visitors. One of the best features of the Internet is that nobody has to politely read to the end of a page that bores them, as they do when talking with boring people face-to-face. Keep that in mind. If you aren’t sure whether you’re being boring, get a good editor or hire an experienced copywriter.

8. Misspelling words. Mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and usage kill credibility. If writing isn’t your thing, that’s fine—but remember that the written word is the first way many potential clients will encounter you. Plan accordingly.

9. Explaining features of your products / services but not their benefits. Think about technical fabrics that so much athletic gear is made from. While the science that created these fabrics is likely awe-inspiringly complex, they fly off the shelves because they keep sweat off people’s skin. Tell people how they will benefit from the specific features that your products or services offer.

10. Skimping on effective professional web copywriter services. Even if you aren’t a great writer, you can likely recognize the difference between well-written and poorly written copy. Your readers can too. If you aren’t the writing type, save yourself the stress and time of scraping together mediocre web content—you can hire a professional web copywriter to produce top-quality copy that will both read and convert well.

For more web copywriter tips, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.

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Make Your Marketing Copy More Personal

Michelle Salater — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:30:15 +0000

We’ve all heard the phrase you aren’t selling a product or service—you’re selling yourself.

Think of Oprah: most of us have never met her, but we all feel like we know her. Oprah likes this book? You download to your Kindle. Oprah says no refined flour? It’s out of most pantries in America.

The reason personality-based marketing works is because it allows us to build trust with our audiences. When your personality comes out in your marketing copy, your readers feel like they’re getting to know you. As that relationship grows, they start to trust you even if you’ve never met.

Here’s a look at how can build trust with your readers.

Show Your Face

Whether you include a thumbnail picture with your byline or post a portrait of yourself on your home page, simply showing your face to potential clients is a great way to start building a relationship. Consider Kendall Summerhawk’s website: the first thing homepage viewers see is her smiling face.

If you use photos, though, keep in mind that a picture is worth at least a thousand words (because of inflation): your facial expression, posture, outfit, hairstyle, and background can communicate volumes about who you are and what you do.

Use Video

When we see people in action, we feel like we know them. That’s why tabloids succeed: whether or not we like to admit it, we care about the lives of the rich and famous, because we feel like we know them from watching them in our living rooms for years.

Take a look at the videos posted on David Neagle’s website. After watching him for a while, you’ll start to feel like you know him. Listen to how the audience members talk to him with complete trust, even though most of them have never spoken to him before.

Tell a Story

Using story in marketing copy can not only keep readers engaged in your immediate message, but also help you build your online personality. Regular readers of your blog will learn your passions and pet peeves and start to feel part of an inside joke when you mention them.

Thanks to the magic of linking, new readers can quickly catch up on story lines or arguments you’ve been building over several posts, which draws them immediately into your fold. Notice how here, on Naomi Estment’s blog, Naomi posts about ongoing events in her life that readers can quickly catch up on and dive into through images and video.

Be Yourself

Your mom may have told you that it’s not polite to talk about yourself, but in the world of marketing you need to reveal enough of yourself that clients trust you. Be yourself, but be your best self; save the drawn-out dream summaries for your private journal.

What results have you seen from being more personal in your marketing copy and efforts?

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Straddling a Fine Line: Authenticity & Professionalism in Your Marketing Materials

Michelle Salater — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:30:51 +0000

We’ve written before about the importance of incorporating your personality into your marketing materials—after all, your individual touch is part of what sets you apart from your competitors. But getting real with clients can go too far—if you’re too informal, you risk losing credibility and trust.

Nobody, for instance, wants a fitness coach who moans about how hard it is to get out of bed for her morning workouts. So how can you let your fabulous self shine through without crossing the line into TMI? Start with these personalized marketing copy rules of thumb.

Tell Only Relevant Stories

Narrative is a great way to pull readers into marketing copy of all kinds. But make sure that the anecdotes you relate to have a specific point. Your business blog isn’t your diary and your readers aren’t your therapists.

An effective personal story should . . .

• Have a lesson. If that trainer wants to write about the trials of pre-dawn track sessions, she better do it by offering her solution for overcoming the a.m. blues.
• Entertain. Don’t make stories up completely, but feel free to cut out the boring parts. If you drag your narrative too much, readers will quickly lose interest.
• Have a goal. If you’re recounting an incident just to get it off your chest, marketing copy really isn’t the right medium. Make sure you know what you want clients to get out of the stories you tell.
• Be relevant to your products or services. If there isn’t a clear tie-in to what you’re selling, clients will be confused about your intent. Of course, if you can forge a meaningful connection between your products and an unrelated incident, go ahead and share—just be sure to be explicit about the link.

Show Your Best Self

Before committing a story to type, consider whether you’d want a potential client (or employer) to know what it tells about you. This isn’t to say that you should only share times when you saved the day, but make sure that your positive character traits or skills show through by the end.

For example, that lie-abed fitness trainer could use the story of her own struggles with superearly sweat sessions to lead into how she overcame her loathing of the alarm and how she can help her clients do the same.

Ideally, personal stories in marketing copy help build your brand as someone clients can respect and trust—keep those goals in mind as you write.

Interested in learning more about developing effective marketing materials for your business? Click here to subscribe to my newsletter, Sumer’s Secrets.

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The Power of Team Blogging

Michelle Salater — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:30:58 +0000

In elementary school gym class, we used to play a game called Keep the Earth Alive, which involved batting a beach ball with our bare hands so that it never touched the gym floor. Come to think of it, that might have been on the days we had a substitute teacher. Regardless, Keep the Earth Alive follows lots of the same principles as team blogging, the practice of maintaining a blog with multiple contributors or regular guest writers.

Keep the Blog Alive!

One of the most obvious benefits of team blogging is that it takes pressure of posting regularly off the primary blogger. Anyone who maintains a blog knows that the stress of conceiving and composing regular entries on relevant topics can be draining—especially if you’re also running a business or working full-time.

To maximize the benefit of working with a team of bloggers, make sure to organize.

Develop a schedule so each contributor knows when he or she is expected to post.
Assign topics or themes for each blogger so posts don’t overlap or repeat.
Enlist the help of reliable people—if there’s anything more stressful than maintaining a blog alone, it’s having to pick up other people’s slack at the last minute.

Reach New Depths and Perspectives

We all have knowledge gaps and biases, even (and perhaps especially) in the subjects about which we’re most passionate. Team blogging can help keep a blog balanced and lively. Bloggers who comment on or incorporate ideas from other team members’ posts can even help promote dialogue on the blog, which may help keep readers engaged.

Inject New Life into Your Blog

Whether or not you maintain your blog for marketing purposes, there’s a good chance you’ll develop some patterns after a while. If you’re not careful, patterns (in subjects, perspective, examples, and even idioms) can become ruts.

Sharing the writing load with a team of writers means you also have access to a team of thinkers and idea generators—a veritable snowball of fresh material for your blog.

Invite Guests

Even if you don’t work with a regular blogging team, you may want to consider soliciting posts from guest writers from time to time. Guest bloggers can benefit you by . . .

Drawing traffic from their regular readers to your site through the magic of links.
Expanding on topics you’re less comfortable writing about.
Reciprocating by asking for a guest post from you—and thereby increasing your blog’s exposure.

Whether your team consists of two-dozen third graders or three copywriters, busy hands really can keep your planet / blog alive.

What are your thoughts on team blogging?

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How to Make Sure Your Marketing Copy Passes Legal Muster

Michelle Salater — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:30:34 +0000

Whether you publish online or offline, you need to make sure your copy is within the law. It may not be something you think about every day, but it is a vital consideration for the well-being of your company. We live in a litigious society, and you need to ensure that anything your company or your employees say or publish is unambiguous and compliant not only with industry standards, but also with legal requirements.

*Disclaimer: we are not lawyers or legal professionals.

Know the law.

If you’re not positive how the law applies to your business, be sure to talk to your lawyer and know what you can and cannot say. In addition to the law at all levels from federal to municipal, you may be required to comply with regulations set forth by other regulatory agencies such as OSHA or FTC. A couple of years ago, FTC enacted guidelines that regulate the use of endorsements and testimonials in marketing copy, so be familiar with those.

Your lawyer should know what you can and cannot say, so have him or her review your marketing copy before releasing it.

Understand your industry standards. No matter which field you’re in, you have guidelines to follow when it comes to doing business, and a significant part is marketing language and strategy. If you’re not sure what those standards are, contact your licensing authority or regulatory agency. Industry groups you belong to are also a good source of information, but always verify what you hear from peers.

No libel, slander, or plagiarism. Another reason to have your lawyer check your work is to ensure that you don’t defame another’s character. For online copy, detectors like Copyscape will check to make sure no one can claim you have plagiarized copy.

Check, double check, and triple check. Do not put anything in print unless you are positive it is truthful and correct. Write your copy so it is clear, concise, and precise, and make sure your lawyer approves it.

Anyone who writes copy for you should have a good understanding of the guidelines you must operate under; however, a copywriter cannot be expected to know every aspect of the law. A good copywriter will make an effort to write copy that passes legal muster, but he or she should not be held liable if a mistake is made. In the end, it is your responsibility to make sure your copy conforms to rules and regulations.

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