Copy, or written text, is 100% necessary for any business.
There are required fundamentals like service and product descriptions. You, most likely, have to send emails.
Then there is next level things what's written on your website or what's included in your newsletters. Then, potentially, social media marketing or paid adverting.
They ALL need copy.
But, not all copy is good. It's often sterile. Or not enough. Or too much (Insert the Goldilocks and the 3 Bears analogy here)
The goal of creating copy is to meet your objective but do it in a way that gives your audience an experience of your brand.
And that's not always easy. But, people want to invest in people, not just a business.
To humanize your brand, you need copy that connects.
Here are some tips to help build that connection and relatability..
1. Define a clear objective
What are you doing? What is the point or goal? This seems simple, but you need to clearly define this but often as we start writing, copy veers from the objective and your audiences disengages. So get clear on what you're attempting to do.
Are you-
Describing your service suite?
Writing your About Me page?
Trying to close a deal?
Emailing you clients about a new opportunity?
Get clear and as concise as possible.
2. Define the space you're creating it for.
Where will this copy be used?
Website
Newsletter
Brochures
Social Media
Proposals
Or is it going to be used on multiple channels?
3. Know who you're writing to.
The way you would speak to your friend on the playground is much different than you would've spoken to your school principal (hopefully). And the same is true when we create copy in our business. It's important to define who you're speaking to and how you need to speak to them. No matter who it is, you should infuse your personality into the copy. But, the way you write a social media post might be different than the copy you use when trying to close a deal.
And it's not just about knowing who you're writing to, it's about understanding them. This is why we work so hard to define our ideal client. We build narratives for them, define their problems so we know how to give solutions. We work to understand them before we even meet them. Even if you're writing to a general group of people, spend time understanding them so you can create copy that connects on a deeper level.
4. Use your brand voice
This is time to look over your wording and make sure that your brand voice is present. Does the writing sound like you or is it generic? This is where your brand guide really comes into play and helps support your copy. Make sure what you're writing mirrors your brand's voice.
5. Draft it out- without trying to be perfect.
Just get it out of your head. Write it. Brain dump it. Don't think about how it sounds or looks, just get it out there.
6. Revise, edit and CUT
Now, you can spend some time editing. Review for gramma and punctuation. Look over for best wording. And if you don't feel good at this, ask a trusted friend to help! Then, get rid of some of the information and strip it to it's essentials!
7.Add on brand vivid verbs and amazing adjectives
You can take a statement like "Providing solutions for entrepreneurs" and make is SO on brand by adding better verbs and descriptors (adjectives). For example, "Generating functional solutions for busy entrepreneurs". Tell us more! Add the right kind of descriptive that make your copy POP!
8. Put it out there!!
Let that bird fly. Don't freeze. Don't question. LET IT GO (Sing it Anna!)
Now go create some copy that CONNECTS!
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