Writing copy or ads? Don’t be boring!

I think one of the biggest small business marketing mistakes I see is ng copy.  Sales letters, client communications, brochures, web sites and other media are too frequently written in “business speak.”  You know what I mean.  The formal, dry and boring copy that seems to have the goal of putting the reader to sleep.

Look back to your days in school (high school or college) and think of your old history, English and other textbooks. I always thought how amazing it was that they were able to take so many exciting topics and make them so incredibly boring.

I am a student of Revolutionary War history. I think that is in part due to growing up in Connecticut, which was in the cradle of the history of the United States.

Of course we studied state and US history. There were loads of textbooks that took events like the writing of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and made them incredibly dry. There were other books, like Johnny Tremain, that fictionalized the period and made them exciting.

Why was Johnny Tremain exciting?

Well, it was a story, written in easy to understand English, that brought us into the period and the lives of the characters. That is what you want to think of as you are writing copy. What story can you tell that will capture the attention of a prospect and interest them in your product or service.

Remember, the goal is to catch the attention of a potential prospect, engage them, get them interested enough to take action. If nobody takes action, the ad is an expense, not an investment and you should always look at your marketing as an investment! If it is about building your brand, enjoy the wait!

So, how do you start? As marketing guru Dan Kennedy says, “Write like ya talk.” Start by having a conversation with your prospect. Tell them how you understand their problems and pain. Relate to them on an emotional level and show them how your product will improve their lives.

Tell them in the language that they use and understand. Most business sales letters never get read because the first paragraph is so blah that the reader has no interest in reading any further. Take out some of the letters or ads you have written. Read them aloud into a recorder and play them back.

How do they sound? Is it interesting? Be honest with yourself! If you knew nothing about yourself or your product, would you be interested? Be honest!

I”ll write more about this topic in future posts but I do recommend you start thinking about what you are saying and writing. Remember, the purpose is to get your message to your reader, not to get an “A” in grammar and sentence structure from your teacher or professor!