When it comes to copy, a command for language is undoubtedly necessary, but it is by no means the be-all and end-all. Technical prowess, for instance, can be considered a tool through which you deliver the messages you’re trying to convey. To offer another analogy, you, the copywriter, can be considered the conduit and hence, your effectiveness is predicated on your ability to get inside the mind of your reader and provide value.
The content you push out for your business is only as effective as the reaction it elicits in the target audience, whether this is lead generation, solving the reader’s problem or provoking discussion. As a result, effective copy is determined at the planning stage.
Writing effective content is a lot easier when you understand the readers’ needs and drives, when you think your way into their heads. Before you even pick up the proverbial pen, you should know exactly who the reader is, what motivates them, what excites them and what makes them ‘tick’. Readers aren’t just a statistic that you churn content out to, they are human beings, plagued by their own emotions, needs and things keeping them up at night (this applies to B2B professionals too). It is by appealing to this humanity that great copy is created and it is by gaining a detailed insight into the mind of the reader that this is possible.
You’ll need to create a “buyer persona”.
To help you create these buyer personas, you’ll need to gather information and fortunately, there are various different ways to do this. Consider the following:
Market Research
Conducting market research is a useful source of first hand information, and whilst it can be costly and should perhaps be reserved for the creation of particularly detailed content and other such premium content, it allows you to create an indepth bank of knowledge.
Focus Groups
This is a form of qualitative research, involving a group interview of people that fall into your target audience that explores their beliefs, perceptions, motivators and interests.
Reports/Analysis
Reports and Analysis can be accessed through third party companies to offer you an unrivalled level of industry insight.
Don’t Go “Robot”
As previously mentioned, you need to appeal to the human side of your audience. As a result, don’t be too technical with the language you use and also avoid the hard sell. Ideally, you’ll want to stay informative, yet pepper the copy with personality – you’ll be surprised how much of a connection you can build with the target audience by moving away from unengaging, soulless content.
Copy Experts
At Catalyst, we are seasoned in developing content that engages, attracts and converts leads, delivering results for clients through the written word (this reminds us, make sure you check out our other blogs). Our commitment to offering such effective copy is predicated on experience in finding out what makes your customers tick, using this as the basis for building collateral, brands and campaigns that delight.