There’s much more to money spinning website content than slavishly following the rules. Yes, an experience copywriter takes all the practical ins and outs of commercial writing into account. But there’s more. They’ll also take care of the emotional side of your sales proposition.
How to get emotional in your copy
- Elegance of expression is one thing. You can crowbar all the facts in, add your key words and phrases and use lovely, clean, crystal clear language. But your copy can still read like a dog. Without elegance the strongest commercial proposition comes across as clumsy and lumpy. Elegant expression isn’t something you can learn on a course. And it’s nothing to do with logic.
- Flow is another thing. It’s difficult to pin down exactly how to create copy that flows properly with an invisible rhythm. But you notice when copy doesn’t flow. You find reading an uncomfortable, jerky experience and you keep losing the thread of the argument. Moving or changing just one word can make the difference between a stilted sentence and one that inspires people to read on, enquire further or buy something.
- Then there’s friendliness and approachability. Some copywriters feel colloquialisms and cliches are a total no-no. In others’ experience – mine included – familiar language is wonderfully disarming, humanising a sales message to bring it within emotional reach. Obviously it depends on your target market. A copywriting professional will know intuitively when to bring cliches and colloquial language into play and when to avoid them like the plague.
- Lastly there’s tone of voice, another critical tool in the professional copywriter’s kit. There’s no excuse for overly-formal language, whoever you’re marketing to and whatever you’re selling. Your tone can make the difference between a truly inspiring and thoroughly off-putting piece of communication.
