Got 5 steps and 2 must-have secrets to dynamic copy writing?

Unless we work in advertising and will not miss a Super Bowl, most of us do not tune in to the television or Internet to view advertisements. Google knows this and places paid ads in a column separate from its information results. This is secret number 1. You should be as courteous to your readers. The plan below recognizes that your target audiences want information and, at times, entertainment, not a sales pitch. This secret and 5 steps to dynamic copy keep your audiences’ interests at the center of your communications while nudging their hands and cursors away from the “off” switch. Step 1 Understand who your target audience is and what action you want your written copy to influence. This sounds basic—it is; and, if you miss this step, your written copy will miss the mark. An experience I recently had serves as an example. Hired to produce a brochure for a non-profit, I was surprised to learn that agencies referring candidates to the non-profit were the organization’s only source for clients. The key connection I realized? Referrals to the non-profit feed the organization’s service goals; demonstrable service attracts more donors; and, donors fuel the financial viability of the organization. If I had not asked, I could have omitted a key piece of the referral-service-donor connection. No copy rework required. Your desired action will be important in step 5. Is it a product order? Candidate referrals? Web visitors? Step 2 Write. Be creative. Do not worry about grammar at this point. Think about how you will connect with your target audiences—what is the benefit for each? Is it durable manufacturing raw material? An opportunity for social impact? Faster processing? Rework until your copy clearly explains the connection. You may be tempted to sing the praises of your company; but, if you haven’t connected with your audiences, your sales pitch may be irrelevant. Remember information and connection needs, and forget about selling … for now. Step 3 Review your approach. Does your creative inkling work? Can you thread an idea throughout your copy to connect with your customers, potential customers and community? Has your copy covered the information you want to convey? If not, then rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite. Step 4 Edit. If answers to Step 3 questions are “yes,” tighten language, correct grammar, and finesse phrasing. Then do it again, and again if necessary, and yet again. Here are some examples. <ul> <li>Make wordy phrases succinct. <ul> <li>Write “city” instead of “metropolis” (courtesy of Mark Twain); </li> <li>Write “to” instead of “in order to;” and </li> <li>Write “Click for details” instead of “For more details, click here.” </li> </ul> </li> <li>Instead of, “In order to ensure accurate processing, please include your zip code,” write, “For faster delivery, include your zip code.” Notice the first option draws customers into your processing woes, while the second offers a benefit—fast delivery—to customers. </li> <li>One of the most effective ways to lift copy from blasé to dynamic is to change passive phrases to active phrases and quantify your statements. Instead of, “Customers were impressed with the speed of the new technology” (snooze), write, “XYZ Company’s high-speed solution reduced customer processing times by 40 percent.” Of course they were impressed! That’s a wake-up call. </li> </ul> If you are a copywriter, feel free to explain to your client how your ability to say more with less saves the client hourly, per-word and printing costs. The tips in this step make up secret number 2. I know these tips are secret because I have seen professional writers—very successful ones—marketing their services using copy and portfolio samples that clearly neglect these time-, space-, and dollar-saving tips. Absent this secret, writers are thrice shortchanging their clients. Step 5 Ask for action. If you have given your audiences the information they need to connect with your company, request the desired action you identified in Step 1. If your copy gives information needed to make better choices, customers are more likely to choose the option you present. Do you want your readers to send a check? Order products? Visit a Web site? Here are some sample requests for action: <ul> <li>“Imagine your contribution’s impact in the community. Pledge here” (link to pledge form). </li> <li>“Your business deserves this time-saving technology. Place a secure order” (link to order form). </li> <li>“You’ve learned 5 proven steps and 2 secrets to dynamic copy writing. Let’s put them to work for you. Visit Communication Connections (link to Web site).” </li> </ul> These five steps and two important secrets build strong, dynamic written copy and a meaningful connection with your target audiences. This approach (minus Step 5) also works for scholarly papers, white papers and personal communications. If you are a writer, you may know a similarly effective process; and, you owe it to your clients to also implement your two new secret weapons. ***** 2009-11-03T06:37:31Z