Marketing Copywriting - A Language Of Its Own

By: Mark Penman
Many people view copywriting as an easy by-product of marketing - believe me, I was one of them. I could write before I started school, how hard can it be? In fact, learning the skill of the copywriter is like learning a new language. The once simple art of writing becomes a technical businesslike operation when you delve into what's involved.


Copywriting is an art form - not the most creative one admittedly - but one that takes a lot of thought. So many things need to be taken into account: Tone of voice, USPs, audiences' needs, purpose, sentence construction (and deconstruction). Copywriting is not about who can use the longest word but, as Yeats suggested, about communicating clearly and effectively. It is about reaching out and grabbing the reader's attention - getting their heads nodding - without being either abrasive or fluffy (there's no use pleading with your audience - give them a chance to say no and they will).

To write excellent marketing copy - first thing's first - forget everything you have ever learnt.

You can start a sentence with the word 'and'. You can have a full stop after just one word. If the mood takes you, it is even acceptable to ask as many rhetorical questions as it takes to prove your point. Just as long as, all the while, you have the big A in mind. Audience.

Writing effective marketing communication is not about keeping yourself amused; it is about clearly highlighting the benefits of any given product or service for your audience. Step into the shoes of the person you wish to sell to. What do they care about? Once you've pinpointed that - copywriting is simple.

With that in mind, I'll leave you with a few copywriting Do's & Don'ts.
Don't try to be funny - your audience probably won't share your quirky sense of humour and they will only find you irritating.

Don't talk down to them. Your audience is aware of any problems they might have and don't need you to rub it in. But do try to empathise. (Yes, I know, it's tricky.)

Always make the benefits stand out. Your reader doesn't want to hunt for your point. They simply want to know what's in it for them otherwise why would they bother?

Keep things short. Don't use twenty words to make your point if you could say it in five.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Penman

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