Do you have a right bobby dazzler of a business but don’t consider yourself a natural writer? You’re certainly not alone.
Tons of great businesses are let down by copy that just… falls a bit flat. Hiring a professional copywriter to spark things up is a great investment, but that’s not always an option if you’re just starting out and hoping to cut costs; and Chat GPT can flatten your voice, so you sound like everyone else in the doom scroll.
Let me share a little secret: anyone can nail the basics of writing good copy. In fact, you can polish yours up considerably with just a handful of copywriting tricks.
Before you say, ‘Not happening, Corinne! I can’t write for all your finest Cornish fudge!’ Hey - I believe in you! But if you really don’t want to DIY, you could always, y’know, hire a copywriter.
Here are my top DIY copywriting tips to get you wordsmithing like a pro.
Tip 1: Write to your ideal customer.
Let’s start with the most classic copywriting tip, and in the interests of keeping it camp, we’ll name our dear customer Babs.
Babs arrives to your website and she wants to know: ‘How will this product/service improve my life?’ and ‘Is it for me?’
I know - you’re dying to get into your amazing product features and the story behind it. But…
Prioritise Babs’ needs over your brand story. Babs is into the solution to her particular problem and what she’ll get for her dollar - not the history of your CEO or their ‘eureka moment’ and when the idea for your product struck. Your origin story is definitely important (About pages are my jam) and in some cases it can be the main selling point, but usually, it can come later on.
Consider Babs’ needs alongside your features. The features of your ‘thing’ are why you stand out, and what makes you special. But if your copy only describes features, our Babs won’t be 100% sure on whether she wants or needs it.
‘Check out the streamlined design of our ergonomic umbrella’ is great - but so what?
What will it do for Babs when she’s rushing to work in the relentless British winter?
How will her rainy commutes be transformed?
Add a human story to your copy. If Babs feels you totally understand her plight, she will pay attention to whatever else you have to say.
Tip 2: Write like you speak (less of the jargon).
Lots of business copy seems to have rolled out on a conveyor belt of corporate terms, full of words like utilisation and competencies and leveraging. Chat GPT loves these words too - it has no taste.
Of course, whether jargon is passable depends on who the copy is for; a B2B article, for example, may need a lot of industry terminology. But more often than not, those vague buzzwords can be binned 👋.
The same goes for overly dense vocabulary - using words like pellucidity instead of clarity, for example, will just confuse or bore your audience*.
Ask yourself: how would you explain your product or service to someone who had no idea?
You’d say it clearly and simply. Because simplicity works.
(*Not you, Stephen Fry. You can write however you like.)
Tip 3: Easy on the clichés and empty sayings.
To avoid your copy falling on deaf ears, it’s important to think outside the box. Early bird catches the worm, so make hay while the sun shines…
…and rid your copy of almost all clichés.
Hey, I’m guilty of the old cliché sometimes. A well-placed cliché in an otherwise original piece of writing can make something clear and to-the-point.
But clichés depict a universal, everyday truism, so by definition, they have been used again and again and again and they can easily become boring to readers.
Use too many clichés in a piece and customers will zone out, skimming right over your words. Not what you want!
Instead of a tired cliche, just say exactly what you mean, or try an original, clear analogy.
Tip 5: Pile on that intrigue.
Q: At this point, why should Babs ✌️ stick around and click around…?
A: Because you’ve spoken directly to her, shared just enough juicy info up front, and left a Call to Action that invites her in to the party.
Intriguing your potential customers, rather than info-dumping, is a more boundaried way of connecting with them. No one wants to feel overwhelmed or sold to, but man, do we like having our curiosity peaked.
This is a delicate balance to strike; you don’t want your customers baffled by the mystery of your copy, nor do you want them to feel deceived.
You do want them to be highly intrigued by what you’ve already told them. So intrigued, that they follow, subscribe, click on through.
Tip 6: Always edit the first draft.
You may think your first drafts are great, but even the shiniest of work can be improved with an edit - usually after you’ve let it rest for a day and come back to it in the morning with fresh eyes.
A few good rules of editing? Research all facts and stats a couple of times. Be wary of exclamation marks. Try using fewer words than you think you need.
Tip 7: Read it out loud.
This is a classic tip, but reading out loud is gold when you’re stuck in the fog of the editing process. The action itself seems to automatically ring an alarm bell over the errors you couldn’t first detect. It’s magic, really.
Generally, if it works when read aloud, it works, full stop.
But if some words trip you up, or worse - you bore yourself - then it’s time to wield your red pen and get ruthless.
Tip 8: Have fun! For real!
Copywriting - fun? YES, if you let it be!
So many businesses are so serious. Play with your words. Unleash your imagination, let it run naked across fields of wheat… then harness its power to hit your copywriting and business goals right in the Google.
All I’m saying is you don’t have to always sound super professional. You can be funny, and you can take risks. This is something Chat GPT finds very hard to balance.
Now, you’re ready.
You go! You multi-talented DIY copywriter, you.
If you’d like some help from a professional copywriter, or would like me to sense-check some DIY copy for you, get in touch for a one-to-one session.
Photo by Shadi Kimchi on Unsplash
