How do you write effective copy?

For many marketers, writing comes with the territory. But that doesn’t mean it comes naturally. For some London marketers, it’s a case of creating business whitepapers that tell a thought-provoking story. For others, the challenge is copywriting across digital and print media to present a coherent message. So how do you write well?

Top ten tips

1. Don’t start until you know where you’re going.
   It’s impossible to write well without a clear plan. So, before you start, make sure you know where you’re heading. Remind yourself of the goals you aim to achieve. Decide what you’re going to write and for whom. What do you want your audience to think, feel and do as a result? Charles Dickens had a simple mantra for his serialised newspaper stories: “Make ’em laugh, make ‘em cry, make ‘em wait.”
2. Visualise your reader and write for them.
   You may have something to say which is important to you – a new product launch, a special offer, a community initiative – but do your readers want to hear? Take time to consider your audience and understand their expectations and motivations. Write for readers and no-one else. Make your message relevant.
3. Adopt the correct brand tone-of-voice.
   Written communications are one of the important ways that customers experience your brand. So, if your organisation leads the field in innovation, then your writing should reflect the same energy and authority but must never be smug. If your brand supports healthy lifestyles, then your writing should be informative and inspiring but never patronising. If your company is a youthful disruptor, then a warm, unconventional style fits the bill. Tone of voice is the way your organisation would speak if it were a person.
4. Don’t use two words when one will do.
   This is a great rule. But one of the hardest to follow. In practice, it’s best to create a draft and then ruthlessly cull unnecessary words. For example, any innovation is new so don’t call it a ‘new innovation’. Take care with sentences that are peppered with prepositions.  If there are too many instances of ‘to’, ‘for’, ‘by’ and ‘with’ then it’s probably time to simplify.
5. Focus on nouns and verbs – cut extraneous verbiage.
   Why use nouns and verbs? Because sentences can lose their way if they are overstuffed with adjectives and adverbs. You might think it’s important to say the product is must-have, fabulous, premium, exclusive or innovative. But don’t over-describe. Keep it clear.
6. Stick to the same tense.
   It is very difficult to make sense of writing that flips between tenses. Make it easy for your reader. Choose past, present or future tense. Then stick to it.
7. Consistently use the same person.
   If you address your audience as ‘you’ then do so consistently. Don’t switch from ‘you’ to ‘they’. Whilst using the first person is acceptable in many situations, ‘you’ can sound overfamiliar in some markets. Make sure whatever you do it fits with your organisation’s tone of voice.
8. Use the active voice
   ‘More and more people are getting improved results with Zed software’ may be what you’d like to happen. But this wording uses a passive voice. Instead say: ‘Improve your results with Zed software”. Customers are more likely to buy with this active voice.
9. Provide a clear call to action
   Customers are more likely to do what you want when you ask directly. Include a call to action which makes it clear what the next step is. Whether it’s registering for a newsletter or asking for quotation – be explicit. Your call to action could as a simple as ‘call 01234 56789’.
10. Draft and redraft
    Writing can be difficult. But don’t let your relief at having got the words out persuade you to finish there. Good copy rarely arrives in the first draft. Review your writing and edit it until it is clear and compelling. If in doubt, ask a colleague for honest feedback. Consider what they have understood from your writing and make it better.

Choose your copywriting tools

There are many tools to help you write more effectively. Marketing blogger Angela Han has compiled a useful list. Take a look.

Some of the best are the simplest.

1. To improve productivity, try the online Tomato Timer.
2. For proofreading this online tool claims to be more effective than regular spell-checkers, it’s Language Tool.
3. When you need new ways to describe the same thing you can’t beat the trusty Thesaurus
   

Select your copy course

We provide London training courses to improve copywriting and content marketing skills:

• Principles of great copywriting
• Advanced copywriting skills
• Copywriting masterclass
• Brochure writing: a practical approach
• How to write for the web
• How to write successful newsletter and press releases
• Effective proofreading
• Content marketing planning

See the one-day CIM training courses. 

CIM members qualify for 10% off the regular price.