Discover Your Copywriting Mojo
- June 2, 2014
- Posted by: Rochelle
- Category: Brand + Design, Marketing + Selling
Your copy—website, marketing pieces, email blasts—MATTERS.
It tells your world who they’re dealing with.
ARE YOU SHOUTING, TRYING TO CAPTURE ATTENTION?
Or are you more of a conversationalist?
Maybe you like to create a little drama and intrigue, the better to pull in your reader…
Copywriting—the killer variety that delivers your sweet-spot clients to you—is an art form. So if your mission is critical and your time is short, spend the cash to hire yourself a pro that “gets” you.
But if your assets don’t include a flush bank account (or you just want to give it a go on your own first), I’ll show you how to up your game.
The “secret” to finding your copywriting mojo—the voice of your brand—is tapping into what makes you, well, you. Sprinkle in a little marketing savvy and a dash of your personal style, and voilà, mojo!
One of my clients tells brilliant stories at the drop of a hat—and so we made his voice that of a storyteller. Smart, warm, relatable, human. His copy tells client stories—and his website and videos make new clients feel like they know him already.
But maybe you’re more direct. Take Derek Halpern—the social triggers guy. Like you would expect of someone whose work centers on triggers, he writes—and speaks—staccato. Do. This. Now. And. You. Will. Sell. More. Side bar: his video performance matches his copy perfectly, so you immediately recognize that he is real.
Try an experiment with me. Pick three words that capture your voice, your hallmark. Three things you’d like your people to feel about you when they read your stuff or watch your videos.
Got your three words?
Now look at a page on your website. Any page. Read the opening paragraph. How well did you capture the feeling of your three words?
If you’re answer is “Good God, no way anybody feels THAT”, keep reading and I’ll show you how to fix it.
An example will help. Here’s an introduction to the “ABOUT” page of a systems expert I found with a few mouse clicks:
“XXX Company was founded by XXX with a single goal – to guide mid-market companies to improve their profitability by eliminating wasteful processes in the business and utilizing information technology effectively.
Why XXX? XXX team members approach the business as a whole. The team is business focused with extensive knowledge of technology. In this way they are able to identify the root cause of business problems, define & implement solutions. Secondarily, the XXX team are experts in building internal teams to define and implement the solutions thus reducing internal resistance to change.” (sic)
Asleep yet? Let’s try to pep it up a tad.
First, if you’re going to talk about why you founded your firm, tell them a story. You escaped the confines of corporate life. You saw a problem nobody else was addressing. You felt a market was underserved.
Second, keep your language simple. Your client or customer wants to trust they can understand you and that you’re not hiding behind big words or lofty statements. And don’t EVER use “thus” (Just trust me on this).
And third, capture the feeling of being in a room with you. Of your energy, your smarts and how much you care. Yes, even you introverts have passion and your audience needs to see it in action.
So let’s try this again:
We believe technology in business should be easy. Maybe even fun. (Starting with a core belief system is powerful when it’s truly built into your DNA.)
We’re a group of people built to solve problems; made to figure stuff out; wired to work with teams. (Get all your superlatives into a single sentence, using words with concrete meaning.)
From fluid processes to beautiful code, we constantly improve the things around us, applying our passions to our clients’ projects and goals. (You’ve got talents and passions—show them what makes you/your team tick.)
Hire us. (The direct approach—if you prefer a more subtle sell, you might say “Call us” or “Talk to us”.)
Which company would make your short list?
Last piece of copywriting advice: dodge the trap of feeling like you have to attack your whole website. Just try a single page, or even a paragraph.
The simple act of working on a few lines of copy unleashes your creative mojo. It fuels more ideas, then still more (kinda like rabbits). It’s a beautiful thing.
I’d love to hear from you—have you discovered your copywriting mojo? What tips (or traps) can you share?
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17 Comments
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Thanks for this! I’m a self published author and I’m trying to learn how to word my copy for emails and blog. I’m not quite there, but am learning lots.
Welcome Rachel–glad this post was helpful!
Rochelle! Exactly what I needed at exactly the right moment. Thank you!
All the best and a great day to you,
Mike Blackstone
Perfect Mike–that was exactly my goal 🙂
Once again, you’ve nailed it. Simply and effectively. Which is just one reason you continue to be unforgettable. Cheers.
Thanks Thomas–that is high praise coming from a brilliant writer. Cheers to you!
Great tips!
3 words came to me quickly: insightful, funny and authentic…and your post came at the perfect time, since I’ve just started a piece-by-piece copy review this week.
(Must put those words on a sticky above my computer…)
Thanks Rochelle –
Devon
I love your style, Rochelle. I’m so glad you followed me on Twitter this morning. You’re a goldmine!
What a fab coincidence Laura–my dad just moved to the Charlottesville area last month. Small world indeed…
Beautifully written! And inspiring to boot, many thanks!
I belong to a networking organization that includes various groups that reflect either identity, interest, profession, geography or subject matter. I have five ” home” groups (3 of which I chair – another story) and often visit other groups. I adjust my message in part to not deliver the same exact spiel; I believe “fresh” helps. It also allows me to text themes as I look t reworking the website text.
I’ve been looking to refresh the content on my website and have been having a bit of trouble ‘making the dive.’ This post just pushed me off the board. 🙂 Great, great guidelines and examples, Rochelle–thanks! Now, I’m gonna take my ‘intelligent, witty, approachable’ self and get to work on that web copy…. 😉
You go girl!
Rochelle–
Great article. As Chief Growth Officer, I am working to develop and grow GeneralLeadership.com to bridge the chasm between military and civilian leadership. Tips like this are what make a difference on the virtual workspace!
Thanks for joining us here Chris–appreciate your work!
The art of storytelling is indeed an old one, perfected through the ages… And it is also a gift, quite an important one in many professions.
Thanks for the interesting blog, Rochelle. Do you think that implementing elements of storytelling could also help make a rather technical article more attractive?
Absolutely Elli–wading through the highly technical is made so much easier with a compelling story behind it. Story–the right one, well-told–captures most of us every time…