I recently finished reading the book Improve Your Copywriting by J. Jonathan Gabay and found his collaboration of copywriting for small business very helpful to either a first time copywriter or anyone looking to enhance their skill at the craft. This is the second part in a two part series. The first part focused on tips for work to be done prior to writing, whereas the second part will address tips on execution. I have included some important points of reference from the book that I believe any writer, sales/marketing person, entrepreneur, or small business employee should have on hand when deciding how to market their brand.
Copywriting Has Strong Ties to Sales
To sell a product/service, you must know how to communicate its functions and benefits effectively. Below is a simple, yet effective formula to follow when crafting your content to fall in line with your sales efforts.
FAAB (Features into Advantages into Applications and Benefits)
The book suggests that for the product/service you are writing about, list it (feature) followed by how the applications of using that feature. After you have completed this, associate your content with its advantages to the specific reader. Then, summarize all of this into a benefits section, and you’ve taken the first step in creating a professional piece of copywriting. At VA Partners, we suggest establishing your Benefits first, followed by advantages, applications and features. By rearranging the list, as a writer you are able to establish the positives of your brand initially, setting the tone for the rest of your content. If someone is going to use your solution, the first thing they are going to want to know is how they are going to benefit from it.
SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
SWOT: what to know about you and your surroundings before, during and after the writing process.
- Know your strengths and those of your competitors
- Acknowledge your weaknesses within your content or the logistics around creating it (time, cost, etc.)
- Be aware of your opportunities (i.e. changing environment, changing consumer habits, emerging trends)
- Be on guard for threats from competitors
When Writing Your Website, be Sure Google Can Find You
Not only is effective copywriting good for attracting readers/customers, it also attracts Google. Here are some things Google looks for when it ‘checks you out’:
- Bold mark-up
- Number of references to a key phrase or word on a page (frequency should be 2-4%)
- External links in and outbound
- Proximity of a phrase to the start of the document and the gaps between keywords
Email Marketing: Guaranteeing Your Letter Gets Opened
Traditional snail mail is still useful in many cases and getting someone to open your envelope is the tricky part. Taken from the book, follow a few of these guidelines and you’ll be sure your letter is read and received:
- Feature a hand written address
- Feature a think package
- Real stamps on a reply paid envelope
- Don’t use a clear envelope
Improve Your Copywriting also includes chapters dedicated to press releases, brochures, writing radio ads and creating television commercials and scripts. Regardless of what type of copywriting you’re looking to brush up on or learn about for the first time, I suggest reading the entire book; tips on copywriting, regardless of the medium, are all transferrable.
For more information about Improve Your Copywriting read my first blog, Copywriting For Your Small Business: Research.
