9 Ways to Make Your Business Writing Sing

Here’s how to write business copy that excites ACTION!

Creating compelling content is much easier if you’ve already developed a strong and persuasive brand identity. Championing what that brand represents and delivering an authentic message (if possible, backed by tangible results) will make your audience sit up and take notice!

Also, speaking directly to your audience's needs and gifting them expert information to help solve their own problems puts you at the centre of their thinking.

Whether you’re writing content for your website, social media platforms, email marketing, or advertising – make it count. And if writing isn’t your thing – consider hiring someone who knows what they’re doing.

1. Help solve customer problems.

Most companies are rightly in love with their own product or proposition, but brand copy should always be about what the customer needs, NOT what the business IS or DOES. By engaging directly with your customers to understand exactly what problems they have allows you to better tailor your product or service to provide real-world solutions.

2. Be confident and rebellious.

Don’t occupy the middle ground – scorn the safe route. Customers remember and repeat the marketing strategies of risk takers, and love content that is a little unconventional or unique. Write distinctive copy that feels fresh and unexpected.

3. Concentrate on what your product/service wins for your client, not what it does!

Effective content flows freely wherever there’s an over-arching service-oriented mindset. Don’t ask “What are we selling?” Instead, ask yourself what value you can deliver for your customer.

4. Write engaging content with a clear, unequivocal CALL-TO-ACTION.

Your copy should either be entertaining, educational or informative, and tailored to your target audience. It should either fill a need or help solve an immediate and pressing problem, or answer a question. And, most importantly - it must include a simple, direct call-to-action.

5. Use active verbs AND SEO-friendly terms.

Take a critical look at the verbs you use. If you want to excite interest and prompt action - use only active verbs. Also - if you want your content to be seen, do your research. Use SEO to learn what it is your audience want and need – and deliver content that does precisely that.

6. Test, test, and test again – to find out what works and what doesn’t.

You’d be amazed how many businesses fail to monitor and review the valuable and often free data that tells you what copy works for which platform and what content is leaving audiences cold. Find out what’s working, and then repeat, repeat, repeat.

7. Share your knowledge openly and generously.

Many companies are frightened to give away hard-won tips and experiences. They think their customers won’t need them anymore, or competitors will steal and use their secrets. Nonsense. Share expertise wherever you can and ENGAGE.

8. When you’ve finished the first draft, ask yourself “So What?”

After drafting the initial copy, ask yourself, “So what?” and keep revisiting the question until you’re convinced that your copy is clear, concise and meaningful and your message sings. You won’t hit upon all the benefits you bring to the client – so make sure the ones you do are the right ones and that they hit the spot.

9. Ask a third-party to look over your final edit.

Find someone who knows nothing about your product or service and ask them to react to the copy. Even if they’re not a professional, if your words are not clear enough for a layman to understand - then go back and simplify, simplify, simplify.

Geoff Poundes is a professional developmental editor, specialising in non-fiction and in particular business, sport and history. Go to www.geoffpoundeseditor.co.uk to find out more.