Are you here right now?
You’re starting or have just started your own business. You have the dream, the passion, and the ideas. You’ve got a plan and your products and/or services are ready to go.
Now you’re wondering how best to reach the people. Your ultimate customers are out there. They are the folks who will connect, engage, purchase and tell their networks about how expertly you solved their problem.
How do you reach them? The answer: through consistent, relatable and quality copy!
For many of us in the small business community, our business began with a passion and an idea, a dream to improve the world with that idea, and, of course a lot of damn hard work.
You’re now at the point where you’ve brought the essential ingredients together: your passion, your dream, and the creation of your business. They’re there, ready and raring to go!
It’s time to celebrate. You’re on your way! This is happening!
And, it’s time to communicate. With well-written copy.
At this point, you might be wondering…
What is Copy?
Copy simply refers to the words for your business.
This includes:
- Emails you send to potential customers or to subscribers
- Posts you create for social media
- Your about page and product descriptions on your website
- Case studies providing social proof of the results people have achieved with your product or service
- Ads and newsletters.
Literally anywhere there are words related to your business, there is copy.
Copy lets your ideal audience know:
- That you exist,
- That you have the solution to their need, and
- How and where to find, follow and/or purchase from you.
It needs to be an ongoing and evolving part of your business because it plays an essential role in connecting you to those you serve – your customers, your audience, your loyal supporters.
Copy that is skilful, consistent and authentic (to you and your brand) builds relationships, builds trust, and ultimately transforms browsers into buyers, and customers into referrers.
Copy is the mechanism through which people grow to:
- Know you and your business
- Like you and your business
- Trust you and your business
- Buy from you and your business
The evidence tells us…
There’s a wealth of evidence out there to demonstrate that quality copy is a rock-solid method for connection.
For example, did you know that 8 out of 10 people only read the headline on your blog post or your email. 8 out of 10! This leaves 2 loyal folks who are likely to take the next step of opening your email and reading the content, or opening that blog post and scanning through it.
Therefore, crafting a headline that firstly captures the interest of your audience, and secondly gets them curious enough to open and read on, is an essential function of copy. Essential to increasing the chances that your audience are actually putting eyes on your message.
Otherwise, how can they get to know more about you?
Keep reading for 5 quick tips that can help you with your copy, today.
Just quickly…
Why is bad copy so bad?
Simply put, bad copy is bad for business because if your copy isn’t clear, consistent and relatable, people will move on to an option that is. Especially when your business is new.
Most audiences now turn to search engines to confirm their choices, meaning it has become more important than ever that your online presence is:
- Easy to find
- Easy to understand
- Relatable
- Free from typos, slow loading pages and broken links.
Okay, so that’s a bit of a truth bomb, but don’t worry. You don’t have to be a copywriter to improve your copy. Read on for 5 handy tips to help your copy connect.
How do I produce consistent, high-quality and relatable copy? 5 Quick Tips.
Here’s 5 quick tips that can help you with your copy, today.
- Be clear on who you’re writing to: don’t try to appeal to everyone out there. Write your copy as though you’re talking to your favourite / dream customer, let’s call them Amy. What is Amy struggling with or searching for? How can I help Amy solve a problem? How can my business best serve Amy? (Remember, good copy is not about selling, it’s about serving!).
- Be customer-focused: less about you, more about them – rather than:
- “We are an experienced and skilled team who build quality websites”, try
- “You can rely on our experienced and skilful team to build you a quality website.”
- This allows the reader to step into the shoes of possibility – what they will feel, experience, and receive if they choose your business.
- Write conversationally: Writing as you would speak to someone makes your copy more relatable. Once you’ve written a draft, try speaking it out loud. The parts that jar or sound clunky, rewrite them as you’d say them aloud.
- Linked to point 3 – be YOU. Allow your tone of voice, your personality, your values through in your copy. It builds trust – allowing folks to get to know you. It is more relatable than ‘professional jargon speak’. And, it is what is unique about you and your business, giving your content a better chance of standing out.
- Be clear on what you’re sharing or offering and how your customer can take up your offer: as with any type of communication, clarity is key. Say it clearly, and if possible back this up with social proof (what others have said – reviews, testimonials, case studies, data). Wrap with a call to action (CTA) –
- ‘Buy Now’
- ‘Sign Up Here’
- ‘Download Our Helpful Guide’
- ‘Is this resonating with you? Let me know in the comments’.
Takeaway.
Well-written copy that has a consistent tone of voice and is relatable is the bff (best friend forever) to your business. It is your best networker and how your audience gets to:
- Know you and your business
- Like you and your business
- Trust you and your business
- Buy from you and your business.
It’s a skill, it takes practice to build that muscle, AND it’s doable. Beat that blank page by popping down some content ideas right now and keep adding to the list as you continue building strong and lasting customer relationships.
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