Marketing copy is a vital part of every website, direct mail piece, product description, press release, sock package and pretty much everything else in the universe. Marketing copy has to convey a lot of things to potential buyers, but it can’t take up too much of the reader’s time.
Getting the Point
The major point that marketing copy has to convey is that this thing is good. This pair of socks is the best EVER. If you have any other pair of socks, you may as well just wrap dead fish around your feet and suffer in shame. But let’s break down what that message really consists of; the marketing copy has to tell people what the best features of the product are and how those benefit the buyer. It should also let the reader know why these are better than the competition.
That’s a lot of information to convey, but it doesn’t have to take up a lot of space. In fact, it’s almost always better when your marketing copy is as short as possible. When it comes to writing marketing copy, the little black dress analogy works best: Keep it long enough to cover the subject while short enough to keep everyone’s attention. In many cases, you get a few seconds to a minute or two to keep your readers’ attention and get your message across.
Getting to the Heart of the Message
To keep your marketing copy as short as you can, think about what factors are really going to be important to your pool of buyers. Do they really care that the recipe was handed down over generations, or would they rather hear that it’s free of trans fat? Would they like to know that the wool came from a specific goat in the Andes or that the socks are thicker and perfect for winter wear?
Getting to the heart of your marketing message often means that you need to have a good picture of your target demographic. High-end socks may need the copy about the goat in the Andes. Socks for kids being bought by busy parents may just need some short copy about their durability and thickness.
The Read Through
To keep your marketing copy as short as you can, read through it and see how long it takes you to finish it. If you’ve put every benefit you can think of into your copy and it takes several minutes to read it, think about how likely anyone is to finish it. No matter what you sell, there will be competition, and if that competition’s marketing copy is short and easy to read, that may be less confusing and easier for busy buyers to understand. Cut out anything that doesn’t convey the most important information for your target demographic and you’ll have a better chance of keeping the reader’s attention.
Lizz S is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
