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Copywriting Basics Series:

by Jennifer McCay

It's likely no shock to you that good sales copy is a huge asset for your small business. This is one of the copywriting basics you often read about, after all.

So what determines whether copy is good or not?

First of all, if it doesn't generate sales, it's not worth the space it takes up. Enough said.

Second, good copy is designed to intrigue, tells you exactly why you need what's being sold and backs up every claim with solid reasons. If your copy doesn't do the above, it isn't working as well as it should.

Third comes style. Sometimes you read copy that just oozes goodness. You can feel its power as you read. I've even been known to get gushy over how a fellow copywriter has taken an otherwise uninteresting product or service and turned it into something that the target audience literally craves -- just by using a handful of words in the right way. That's more an issue of art than sales psychology, however, and while it can be of use for some companies, it's the least important of the 3.

But good doesn't mean great -- and it's great copy that works the real magic and gets you long-term results from every word.

So how can you ensure that your own copy is great?

Where you come in

This part is about you. Yes, you, the person reading this.

"But what do I have to do with my product?" you might be thinking. But again, this is one of those copywriting basics -- it just happens to be one of the copywriting basics that very often gets ignored.

Fact is, it's a pretty lonely world out there, and because it's so full of competition, people need an extra incentive to do business with anyone they don't know personally.

Yes, that's right -- they need to connect with you, feel that you understand their problems, know that there's a human being on the other end of the transaction who's there to help.

Your copy can help you achieve all of the above. And that's where creativity and a pinch of magic come in.

How to add magic to your sales copy

You need to use your personality, your brand if you will, in your copy to turn short-term sales hikes into long-term customers who return again and again. It's time for that sparkling personality of yours to shine through.

Why? Because when people feel a personal connection to you, they're far more inclined to buy from you ... not once, not twice, but again and again. (The same goes for all of your marketing, and not just your copy.)

For example:

Someone near and dear to me has been in the software business for many years. She has a very professional, but also very personal approach to marketing that shows in all of her copy, as well as all her business dealings.

This recently paid off when a large corporation began referring a huge amount of consulting work her way, based quite literally on who she is and what she has stood for in her years in business.

I'm sure that many of you reading this can say the same for your reliability/results/flexibility/personality/what have you. If you're walking the walk but your copy doesn't talk the talk, it's high time for you to make sure your marketing copy matches your business style.

These are the sorts of copywriting basics that you need to have in your repertoire in order to ensure that you get the best results from your campaigns.

Copywriting basics you can use to fix your copy fast

To get started, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are my values/my company's values?

• What are my prospects looking for?

• How am I different from the competition?

• What can I do to differentiate myself?

You don't have to spend long on each question -- just jot down what first comes to mind.

Next, list a couple of things that reflect your personality that you can easily add to every one of your business communications from this point forward. It could be your way of greeting people, the way you explain what you do for a living, etc.

For example, I like to weave small elements of humor into my more "professional" copy to show people who I am. I have received only positive comments about this to date, so it seems to work. One publisher I know signs off every e-mail with "Love and kisses." It hasn't run off her professional audience yet and gives a glimpse of who she is.

Where you can use your signature style:

• your greeting in letters ("Dear so-and-so," "Howdy," and everything in between)

• your closing ("Sincerely," "Warm regards," "Ciao," etc.)

• your e-mail signature

• on your blog

• in your ezine

• voicemail / answering machine recording

• invoices

• and anything else you use to communicate with your prospects and clients!

In conclusion, it's easy to add impact to your copy that will draw more attention -- just let your personality shine through, and you'll see results in no time!

About the Author:
Are you a coach, consultant or other solo service professional who's struggling to grow your business? Jennifer McCay helps independent professionals turn their expertise into marketing success stories using the best of the best tactics that worked for her big business clients! To get your FREE subscription to her Avenues to Marketing Success Newsletter, head to http://AvenueEast.com

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