Weak Copywriting Can Become a Serious Disease for Someone in a Hurry

In all my copywriting career, I think hurried copy is probably the most common mistake I see new online businesses make.  They spend so much time pounding out the code problems, making the design looks right, and researching all the SEO aspects, they forget that the end result they’re looking for is someone to respond to their site - they forget the human element.

Your website is almost like a brochure, but it’s more than a brochure.  It’s an interactive brochure that gives prospects the chance to dig deeper…so every single word should invite the reader to keep digging, until you’ve convinced them to buy.  This isn’t something you can do-on-the-fly.  Take the time to make sure your copywriting isn’t a rushed project.

Copywriting for the Right Target

The first thing you should consider before writing a single word is who your website is targeting.  Are you copywriting for young teenage girls or senior adult males…your language should reflect it. 

• Grammar: Grammar is important to senior citizens, but it’s almost necessary to break the rules when copywriting for younger adults.  Find a proofreader who knows the difference.
  
• Approach: But grammar is a small part of copywriting.  If possible, your approach and benefits should also focus on a specific age group and gender.  If you’re copywriting for young entrepreneurs, reminiscing about the days when business could be conducted over a five cent cup of coffee is the wrong approach.  The older crowd, however, might find some nostalgia intriguing and mentioning the old days will probably boost sales.
  
• Call to Action:  Every letter needs a strong call to action.  But consider your age group and gender and tailor it around them.  You’ll find it easier to create a sense of urgency in young adults than in the older folks.  Anyone over fifty grew up in an age where people took time to make informed decisions, so your copywriting should be more inviting than demanding.  Where the young might respond to a twelve hour deadline, senior citizens would do better with an auto-responder that develops a sense of safety over time.

Copywriting for the Right Action

What is it you want to accomplish?  If you’re trying to get the reader to call you, then every word in your copywriting should somehow drive the reader to do so.  Even your ‘about us’ page should give the reader some kind of incentive to follow your call to action.  Don’t waste time and space with empty words.  Your copywriting is supposed to sell…not teach.

Copywriting Under a Deadline

Ok, sometimes you do have to make a deadline, and you really are in a hurry.  You don’t have time to research the demographics, and you might be stuck cutting and pasting from one of your brochures.  But just don’t call your website finished until you’ve gone back to it and given it more attention.  Good copywriting takes time.  Don’t short change your company by rushing the words that will represent it.