Pictures look pretty ... but WORDS sell.
| Published: 6th February 2008 02:48 |
Are you spending buckets of money on glossy brochures and trendy websites hoping to raise awareness of your product or service? Is it working? Be honest now...
Many businesses are wasting money because whilst they concentrate on a sleek looking brochure and swanky website, they do not put anywhere near as much thought and effort into the very things that sell: the words.
You could significantly improve the effectiveness of your promotional campaign using the power of well-crafted writing.
If you've been to a marketing seminar you'll have heard an acronym or twenty. If you only remember one, remember AIDA. It's got nothing to do with opera, but everything to do with effectively promoting your business:
Attention: Grab attention with a striking strap line. Get people thinking, and wanting to read more.
Interest: Raise interest by outlining benefits, not features. Make sure your statements don't have the ‘so what?' factor.
Desire: Make them want it! Use compelling words to convince customers that your product will solve their problem or change their lives.
Action: Lead with positive action: not ‘if you'd like any further information call us.' Tell them to contact you now because it will benefit them. ‘Call us now and change your life forever.'
Many business owners opt to write their own website or brochure copy, then find they are too busy to dedicate enough time to doing it properly. Additionally, anyone not used to writing marketing copy can often slip up with mistakes like:
• Quantity over quality - hiding the sales message in reams of waffle.
• Features over benefits - concentrating on what it is instead of how it can help.
• Lack of keywords - website content must be keyword-rich so a site stands a better chance of achieving search engine visibility.
• Mal-targeting: writing in a style that appeals to you instead of your audience.
• Wrong media: website content and brochure text are different; using brochure copy on websites doesn't work.
• Poor grammar and spelling: it's got to be perfect - enough said.
If your promotional campaign isn't working, then maybe it's time to take a look at the words you are using ... and perhaps start using a professional copywriter to help improve your promotional material.
An original article by Sarah McInerney. © Sarah McInerney 2008. All Rights Reserved.
About the author: Sarah McInerney is a freelance copy writer and small business marketing specialist offering article, news and press release copy writing services as well as search engine optimised website content. For more information visit www.wordsbysarahmac.co.uk
This article may be reproduced in printed publications or on the worldwide web in its original form providing the above author and copyright information is left intact. Alternatively this article may be purchased outright so that it may be published as desired by the purchaser using their name as the author if required. Please contact Sarah McInerney for further details.
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