Express Marketing Memo

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So you’ve finished the press release, the article, or the web copy … now what? Step back, let it sit overnight or maybe a day or two. Then take it back out, read it with fresh eyes, and ask yourself, “so what?”

Does it pass the test? It’s extraordinarily easy to write, but miss the mark! You started out with a purpose, a message to share with a reader who you can picture in your mind’s eye. Did you accomplish what you set out to do? Is your target reader better off for what you’ve written?

Does your press release provide real news? Does your article provide valuable information? Does your web copy answer his search queries?

If you’ve answered yes, you’ve passed the “so what” test. Congratulations!

If not, or if you’re not sure, dive back into your copy:

• Revisit the “who, what, what” technique of my previous post.
• Move things around. Try leading in with your third paragraph. (For whatever reason, we tend to get to the meat of our message by then.)
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. An experienced copywriter can do wonders for picking out where or why your copy flounders.
• After tightening it up, let it sit overnight once again, then repeat the process.

Do you have a final edit routine? What part of the writing process do you find most challenging? As always, comments are welcome and encouraged!

Related Article:

3 Important Questions to Ask Before You Start Writing

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Anyone who has ever put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard is familiar with that sinking feeling of having lots to say, yet great difficulty writing it. I write for a living and still know that feeling all too well.

Sometimes it’s the blank page blues, better known as writer’s block. More often, I simply need to ask myself three simple questions. “Who? What? What?”

1. Who is your audience? Take some time and jot down what you know about your reader or your prospective reader.
2. What does your reader already know about you, about your product or service, or about the message that you want to share?
3. What do you want you reader to know about you, your product or service, and/or what action do you want your reader to take?

When you start your writing project by answering these three questions, not only will your words flow with greater ease; you’ll also be well on your way to writing something that your audience wants to read.

Do you have a favorite technique to organize your thoughts before you begin to write?

Related articles and links:

Just Do It!

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Although a copywriter is a writer, a writer is not necessarily a copywriter. And while both the copywriter and the writer deal with copyright issues, it’s probably not how they make their living. Yes, I’ve been asked about that a few times!

Merriam-Webster defines a copywriter as “a writer of advertising or publicity copy.” In other words, a copywriter specializes in writing words that sell. Look to a copywriter when you need brochure, newsletter or ad copy, a case study written, or a press release created.

An SEO copywriter takes that one step further and applies search engine optimization tactics to web site copy. She researches and finds keyword phrases appropriate to each page, then weaves them in naturally. And she also understands that ultimately, it’s still about writing words that sell and that writing for the web is quite different than writing for print.

Look to an SEO copywriter whenever search engine visibility would enhance your copy’s profitability, i.e. web site copy, online press releases, and articles or cases studies that will find their home on the Internet.

Related Articles & Links:

If Content Is King, How Powerful is Your Web Site Copy?

Effective Results-Driven Web Sites

Professional Copywriting & SEO Copywriting Services

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“Words are electric; they should be chosen for the emotional voltage they carry,” according to Ray Bard, author of “Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads.” This rings true regardless of the media displaying your message. Whether we’re talking about web sites or print advertising, content is king.

Bard goes on to say, “Weak and predictable words cause grand ideas to appear so dull that they fade into the darkness of oblivion. But powerful words in unusual combinations brightly illuminate the mind.”

Yes, grand ideas require powerful words. But so do simple ones.

How powerful is your web site copy? Are your words relevant to your market? Do they carry emotional voltage?

To know if your words are relevant to your market, you’ll need to do some research. This falls under search engine optimization (SEO).

Before writing the first line of copy or code for a client’s web site, I want to know the actual phrases people type into the Google search box to find a similar business. So I head over to Wordtracker with a basic list of phrases that my client and I consider appropriate.

Wordtracker answers the question, “What are people searching for on the Web?” It helps identify keywords and phrases that are relevant to your business and most likely to be used as queries by search engine visitors.

Using these phrases properly throughout each web page is the beginning of search engine optimization. But for the purposes of this article, we’re focusing on your copy’s overall relevance to your market. In other words, to the extent your site is search engine optimized, you will draw traffic from Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc., but for now we’re laser-focused on drawing that visitor in.

You’ve done your research; now what? Add electricity – emotional voltage. Speak to your audience as one person. What are his hot buttons? What is her point of pain? What problem does your product or service solve?

Throughout the process, weave in those keyword phrases you found during your initial research. Don’t just toss them in for the sake of search engines; carefully weave them in for the benefit of your visitor.

As a copywriter, I’ll admit that this explanation is a bit oversimplified. There is so much more to consider. Yet this is the beginning of the process that results in powerful copy.

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