If you’ve ever written content before — whether it was for a blog, press release, article, marketing material or something else — you’ll know that it isn’t easy.

So when it comes to writing copy that’s meant to drive sales, things get even more difficult.

Wondering how to get the most out of your copywriting efforts? Here are six tips to doing just that:

1. Use words that convey confidence

If your sales copy includes words like ‘would’, ‘was’ or ‘might’, you’re in trouble. Your sales copy needs to convey assurance and confidence, which means you need to use action words.

What’s an action word, you ask? Well, these are the words that make writing feel energetic and strong; the words that tantalise and motivate readers, accelerating their actions.

Action words can excite your readers. They can make them feel curious, scared, furious or enchanted. And then consumers act. They read. They click. They buy.

2. Write your first attempt, then cut out a third of it

Keeping your copy succinct will almost always make it more powerful. So, once you’ve written your messaging, grab your red pen and delete at least 30% of it. 

While that might sound excessive, the goal is to remove a significant amount of content because, chances are, what you remove doesn’t include your strongest messages.

What you’ll be left with is something that actually drives the results you need.

3. Say more by saying less

People have short attention spans — especially when it comes to marketing material. So you need to get your message across in as few words as possible.

The bottom line is that unnecessary words need to be deleted from your copy. Remove filler words like ‘really’, ‘that’ and ‘very’. Be merciless.

Don’t let your audience become distracted as you weave your tale. If text doesn’t support the goal of your copy, get rid of it!

4. Makes friends with emotions

You’re more likely to see success with copy that makes people feel something. Evoking emotional responses in consumers is the key to making a sale. This is because purchasing decisions, at least in part, are ruled by emotions.

If your sales copy can make people feel fear, guilt, trust or belonging — you’re on the right track. Susan Gunelius, marketing and copywriting expert, says in an article for Entrepreneur South Africa that great copywriting should accomplish two goals:

It should make consumers feel something, and it should make them act on those feelings.”

Considering how many marketing messages consumers see on a daily basis, you have to give them a reason to digest yours and remember it.

5. Think active, not passive

Marketing and sales copy needs to be engaging — especially when it’s written for digital mediums. When you’re writing for an audience that wants answers now, you can’t afford to make them read an essay. Get the point, fast.

If you’re not convinced that the passive voice is to be avoided, take a look at what these  famous brand slogans would be if they were passive:
  • McDonald’s: It’s being loved
  • Nike: Make sure it gets done
  • Coca-Cola: Happiness can be opened
Not quite as catchy as their active counterparts, eh?

6. Skip the jargon

Overly complex words and terminology rarely has a place in copy intended to drive sales. It is applicable if you’re in a highly-specialised, technical industry, but even then, going jargon-free is often the best option.

While you might want to convey a particular message, the most important part of writing copy to drive sales is to understand what speaks to your audience.

While you might love the word ‘grassroots’, if your audience won’t respond positively to it,leave it out. If your audience is likely to cringe when they read or hear your messages, you’re guaranteed to lose sales.

What other tricks do you employ when writing great sales copy? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Now that you know the secrets to great copywriting, why not check out these Five reasons to use video for content marketing in 2020?