How upping your copy game will drastically grow your business and increase sales.
Let me start by letting you know this blog post is meant to give you a non-sugarcoated, straight up piece of advice about a tool you’re probably using incorrectly (or not at all). Here it is:
Small business owners often rely too heavily on images to make the sale.
Well-written copy leads to more conversions.
Beautiful designs reel your customers in, but copy is instrumental to closing the deal. Think about it. How often do you see an advertisement that solely rides on an image? Rarely. Does it happen? Yes, but only under certain circumstances (this approach only really works for highly distinguished fashion brands).
Whether you want the reader to make a reservation, visit your website, or simply generate brand awareness, the only way you’ll get them there is through well-written copy. Really, copy is your most valuable weapon because it can be strategically used to guide the consumer on the path you want them to take.
Copy sets the tone of your brand and sets your business apart from the competition.
A kick-ass example of this is Groupon, who made their debut during the recession. How were they able profit in a time where the economy was going down the drain? You guessed it — great copy. They mastered a concept we had rejected as consumers, simply by making junk mail fun to receive. They kicked ass so hard the New York Times wrote an article specifically about how “Groupon’s Fate Hinges on Words.” Others have tried to imitate their model, but failed. Groupon’s success is greatly due to the fact that they used well-written, compelling copy to their advantage instead of squandering it. Years later, now that their brand is established, they can sit back and effortlessly watch the sales come in.
You’re probably not as good of a writer as you think.
Co-founder of Copy Hackers, Joanna Wiebe, said it best in a MailChimp article, “If you’re a copywriter, everybody thinks they can do your job, so everybody’s got a critique. Even if they can’t tell you exactly what the copy should say.”
There is a reason why people get paid to write. Words matter. Act like it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across an elegantly designed website or ad, sabotaged by ineffective, grammatically incorrect copy. It’s those careless mistakes that instantly deem your business amateur or unprofessional. Worse, it diminishes the quality of your brand.
We’re both experts in our respective fields, so let’s stick to what we’re good at.
To sum it up, while images and design act as an awesome purchasing incentive, great copy describes the benefit of your product to your perspective clients, and sets the tone for how your brand will be represented to those clients.
So, what message do you want to leave them with?
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