In an ideal world, we would all get it right the first time, wouldn’t we? How much time, energy and frustration we would all be spared! The reality is that sometimes, a project of any sort can take two, three or even more attempts before we get it “just right”. Copywriting is no different- having a way with words and knowing how to write content that gets the desired response from its’ audience still doesn’t make us mind-readers. Next time you work with a copywriter, following these 5 steps during the initial briefing stage will greatly improve the chances of getting the results you want- and getting them the first time!
1. Tell us who your target market/ demographic is.
By doing this, the copywriter will have a direct understanding of who your content is aimed at, and write it specifically with them in mind. ‘Tone’ refers to the feeling behind the written words- is it meant to be light-hearted and fun, direct and factual, comforting and conservative or news so exciting that the words only stop short of leaping off the page? For this reason, you can understand why the website for a ski resort will have quite a different tone to that of a funeral home! By telling the copywriter who you are promoting your products or services to, they can go away and write content that enables your target market to feel as if their needs/ wants are understood and that you have made a connection with them. This is the first major step towards getting them as a customer!
2. Tell us what the features/ benefits are of your product or service.
During the initial briefing process, in the mind of a copywriter there is simply no such thing as “Too much information”, believe me! The more information you can share with us about the features and benefits of your product or service, the easier it is to write informative, compelling content that answers the two questions that are most important to your target market, no matter their demographic: who are you and how will your product/ service/ event benefit them? This is the second major step towards turning them into paying customers.
3. Is there a word limit/ space limit for your written content?
By doing this, your copywriter knows straight away what parameters they have to work within, if they exist to start with. From the perspective of a copywriter, there are few things more frustrating than wasting time, knowledge and creative energy to write easy reading, informative sales copy- only to then find out that it’s going to take a further 2 hours slashing sentences and condensing the whole piece because it turns out there’s only space for 200 words! It’s much easier (and more effective) to start out writing content designed to fit into a limited space than it is to write large amounts of content then dissect it and attempt to squish it all together into something that is informative, compelling and easy to follow, believe me!
4. What results are you seeking?
Do you want your written content to result in your target market being better informed about your product or service? Are you hoping to get more potential customers on the phone chatting to you or a member of your sales team? Want to sell a new product/ service to existing customers? Perhaps your number one objective is simply to entertain/ inform your target audience as part of building up your Customer Relationship Management (CRM)? Whatever your true intention is behind having new content written or existing content edited, be sure to give your copywriter a very clear understanding of why you’ve come to rely on their services in the first place. By doing this, they will know what your desired outcome is from the beginning- and can go away and write content that achieves the exact purpose you enlisted the help of a copywriter for in the first place. The outcome? Everybody wins!
5. What sets you apart from the rest?
Is there anything interesting, great or outstanding that separates you or your business from your competitors? Tell us all about it! Having a tangible, visible uniqueness to your business makes it easier for your copywriter to go away and write content that is a distinct reflection of this. More often than not, these little details that set you apart from your competitors make a big difference in sales volume- if given just the right treatment. This is what makes a copywriter so valuable to businesses and business people- knowing what to share with your target market so they remember your name and come to you (opposed to the others). This gives them their best chance at becoming a happy/ loyal customer and best of all? They will be yours.
1. Tell us who your target market/ demographic is.
By doing this, the copywriter will have a direct understanding of who your content is aimed at, and write it specifically with them in mind. ‘Tone’ refers to the feeling behind the written words- is it meant to be light-hearted and fun, direct and factual, comforting and conservative or news so exciting that the words only stop short of leaping off the page? For this reason, you can understand why the website for a ski resort will have quite a different tone to that of a funeral home! By telling the copywriter who you are promoting your products or services to, they can go away and write content that enables your target market to feel as if their needs/ wants are understood and that you have made a connection with them. This is the first major step towards getting them as a customer!
2. Tell us what the features/ benefits are of your product or service.
During the initial briefing process, in the mind of a copywriter there is simply no such thing as “Too much information”, believe me! The more information you can share with us about the features and benefits of your product or service, the easier it is to write informative, compelling content that answers the two questions that are most important to your target market, no matter their demographic: who are you and how will your product/ service/ event benefit them? This is the second major step towards turning them into paying customers.
3. Is there a word limit/ space limit for your written content?
By doing this, your copywriter knows straight away what parameters they have to work within, if they exist to start with. From the perspective of a copywriter, there are few things more frustrating than wasting time, knowledge and creative energy to write easy reading, informative sales copy- only to then find out that it’s going to take a further 2 hours slashing sentences and condensing the whole piece because it turns out there’s only space for 200 words! It’s much easier (and more effective) to start out writing content designed to fit into a limited space than it is to write large amounts of content then dissect it and attempt to squish it all together into something that is informative, compelling and easy to follow, believe me!
4. What results are you seeking?
Do you want your written content to result in your target market being better informed about your product or service? Are you hoping to get more potential customers on the phone chatting to you or a member of your sales team? Want to sell a new product/ service to existing customers? Perhaps your number one objective is simply to entertain/ inform your target audience as part of building up your Customer Relationship Management (CRM)? Whatever your true intention is behind having new content written or existing content edited, be sure to give your copywriter a very clear understanding of why you’ve come to rely on their services in the first place. By doing this, they will know what your desired outcome is from the beginning- and can go away and write content that achieves the exact purpose you enlisted the help of a copywriter for in the first place. The outcome? Everybody wins!
5. What sets you apart from the rest?
Is there anything interesting, great or outstanding that separates you or your business from your competitors? Tell us all about it! Having a tangible, visible uniqueness to your business makes it easier for your copywriter to go away and write content that is a distinct reflection of this. More often than not, these little details that set you apart from your competitors make a big difference in sales volume- if given just the right treatment. This is what makes a copywriter so valuable to businesses and business people- knowing what to share with your target market so they remember your name and come to you (opposed to the others). This gives them their best chance at becoming a happy/ loyal customer and best of all? They will be yours.