Copywriting: How To Get Ahead Of The Game

If you are a copywriter, you will no doubt be aware of just how much competition you are up against. Every time you sit down to write a new piece of content, or when you release it into the big bad world, you know that if it is not the most original, interesting, eye-catching piece of work, then it is likely to get lost in the ‘giant content stew of doom’ (that’s what we’re calling it nowadays), never to be seen again.

Content should have a purpose, when a reader finishes reading your content they should be motivated to do something afterwards. Is it to sign up to your newsletter, is it to buy your product, to register with your business? Whatever it is, if they are not doing it, then what you are doing simply isn’t working.

So what are these coveted copywriting secrets that will make your content not only stand out from the crowd but also influence your readers and motivate them to do exactly what you want them to do?

Well, it is far easier than you think.

Ask them

Firstly why not ask them? Yes, it may sound crazy but have you thought to ask your readers what you would like them to do? There is no magic formula. You don’t have to try to trick them into it either. Just ask them, and they just might do it. Be persuasive, make it obvious and tell them exactly what they have to do.

You’d be so surprised at how much copy doesn’t do this.

Be clear and precise

Don’t mince your words, don’t beat about the bush, and don’t shroud yourself in mystery. If you tell you reader step by step what you want them to do, you may feel as though you are patronising them. However, this level of detail provides comfort to the reader, if you make your process too complicated or don’t explain it properly, they are going to have a hard time figuring it out and will most likely abandon the process altogether.

Readers are distracted by a million different things, they don’t want to have to spend more time on something than they need to, and you can lose their interest at any moment, so by over complicating things or not explaining your requirements clearly you could easily lose out.

Be interesting

Being clear and precise doesn’t mean you shouldn't be creative and engaging with your copy. Readers won’t get to the end of the content if you haven’t held their attention. There is no excuse for writing poor copy, and if you do, no amount of clear direction will help you to motivate your customers into action. Make sure that each time you write a piece you have thought about your audience answered their problems and given them something of value.

Getting ahead of the game in copywriting is so much easier than you think. Write well, decide what action you want your readers to take, and ask them to do it clearly, directly and succinctly. Voila!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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