 If you’re reading this blog post, you’re 10 steps ahead of most business owners. Most people don’t understand just how important words (aka copy) are for your business. But you know that even the most expensive websites won’t attract customers if your words aren’t working. And even the flashiest e-newsletters won’t get clicks if your copy isn’t catching your customers’ attention. Copywriting (that’s writing marketing or promotional materials for businesses) is hard work - but lucky for you, I’ve got a few tips to help you create copy that leaves customers wanting to buy your product or service. 1. Know who you’re talking to Do you know your customers? No, I mean do you really know them? Sure, having information on demographics like age, gender and job role can be useful, but the real gold comes from psychographics: the psychology, attitudes, behaviours and aspirations of your customers. When you ask yourself: “How old are my customers? Where do they live and how much money do they make?” be sure to also ask:
When you go further than demographics and start tapping into psychographics, you’ll be able to write targeted copy that speaks directly to your customers’ needs. For example, my research tells me that my clients hire me as their copywriter because they don’t have the time to write their own copy, and often because they don’t know how to. That’s why on the homepage of my website, the very first thing I do is appeal to this sense of overwhelm and present my expertise as the solution to their problems. I talk about taking this difficult and time-consuming task off their hands, so they can focus on doing what they do best while I work on increasing their exposure, leads, sales and conversions for them. 2. Don’t forget that you’re writing to humans When your writing copy, aim for your writing to be conversational. Being conversational means writing like you’re talking to human beings. It doesn’t necessarily mean your writing is informal, but it does mean that your copy sounds friendly and warm. You want to avoid sounding robotic or unnatural. Conversational copywriting expert Nick Usborne says: “Conversational copywriting is about being real. It’s writing in a way that is less about “writing at” an audience – and is more authentic, as if you were talking with that friend across the table.” In other words: if you wouldn’t say it in conversation with a friend, don’t write it. One way to keep things conversational is to use contractions. That means shortening:
Contractions help your copy sound less corporate-y and more personable, which will make it easier for customers to feel connected to your brand. And if you don’t believe you can use contractions and still sound professional, here’s just one example of the UK government using them. 3. Speak to your audience (not at them) Your copy should make readers feel like they’re the only person you’re talking to. Even if your copy is going to be read by 10,000 people, you need to write as if you’re talking to just one individual. No customer likes to feel like they’re just another person in a sea of faces. You want to personalise your copy and establish a connection with every single reader so they go away feeling like you really care about helping them (on an individual level). Create this strong bond by using the word “you” as much as possible. Instead of writing: “I work with clients to create copy that attracts their ideal audience.” Try: “I work with you to create copy that attracts your ideal audience.” By speaking directly to your customer, you’ve grabbed their attention and transformed your copy from a cold sales pitch to a warm and personable conversation. And there you have it! You now have 3 simple copywriting tips that’ll help you connect with your customers and make them more likely to hit “BUY”. And if you’re ready to go further and make major improvements to the way you communicate with customers, sign up to my mailing list and get regular copywriting tips and tricks delivered straight to your inbox.  Eman Ismail is a UK-based creative copywriter and the founder of InkHouse. She works with businesses and non-profits around the world writing websites, marketing materials and content that attracts their ideal customers and increases their leads and sales. When she’s not writing or delivering copywriting workshops, you’ll find her glued to a podcast with a muffin in one hand and an unnecessarily large vanilla hot chocolate in the other.
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