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Every Word Matters

BY DAWN MEEHAN

 Ask any marketing professional and they'll tell you it's true: sometimes changing just a single phrase or word in a sales letter, web page, brochure or flyer can significantly impact the response.

Every trained copywriter keeps this in mind when developing copy. We know that the right words and strategies can literally win over your readers. This is why we do a lot of research before sitting down to write. We thoroughly study the market segment and try to understand the psychology of a specific ad campaign.

Whether you use a professional copywriter, or a key member of your staff, the following tips will help you write effective marketing materials:

Discover Your Competitive Advantage
Do your research. Learn about your competition. What's your competitive advantage? Why should people use your product or service over another?

If you are offering a brand new product or service, tell your reader what it is. Explain the features, but emphasize the benefits. Make it interesting. It's always better to show, than tell. People remember stories longer than they remember declarative statements. So instead of telling your reader, "We work hard," try showing them an example of your hard work with a customer testimonial.

Write to Persuade
When your organization invests thousands of dollars in an ad campaign, your message must be persuasive enough to prompt customers into action. Intelligent, compelling copy inspires confidence, cements your brand and converts interest in to action--whether that's purchasing a product, calling the organization, visiting a web site or registering for an event, etc. Although it is "nice" to know your customer enjoyed an ad piece, your goal is to motivate them to buy your product or use your service.

Write to a Targeted Audience
I once worked with an organization that was adamant about sending customers an ad via e-mail; they'd heard such great things about electronic ad campaigns. However, after doing some initial research, I learned that more than 60% of their target audience didn't even own a computer. While their e-mail ad would have been "cost-effective," it would have never given them a worth-while response rate.

It's critical that you know your audience. Once you've defined your target market, make sure your copy addresses them directly -in word choice, format and style. Your service or product is not going to appeal to everyone, so don't try to market it to EVERYONE.

Find the Right Balance
While reading can be riveting, most readers enjoy some white space every now and then. If you saw an ad that was a page of solid text, would you read it? Of course not! Don't do that to your reader. While every ad campaign will be different, it's typically best to use language that is short and simple: try to say more with fewer words.

Use a Professional
Sure, everyone can write. But some critical skills distinguish one wordsmith from another. While you may have a capable writer in your organization, finding the right copywriter will literally help your business grow.

Remember, every sentence matters. Always be sure of everything you write.

Dawn Meehan has worked in marketing as managing editor and copywriter for more than 10 years. In addition to writing for Logoworks' clients, she is currently a freelance copywriter and part-time English professor.



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