newsboys23
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Conversational copy is writing how you talk.
No sales megaphone. No business speak.
But that's easier said than done. So I've put together this guide:
Involve the reader in your copy.
e.g. With over 100 years laundry expertise you can trust you're in safe hands => Imagine how good you'd be at something if you'd done it every day since 1908
It's the easiest way to get the tone right.
People pay attention when you talk directly to them.
e.g. We send an email each morning with all the tech and business news needed for the day => Your smart good looking friend that sends you an email each morning with all the tech and business news you need to know for each day
If you break the rules you’ll sound human. This tweet from Wendy's got 2M likes.
Y’all keep asking, so here’s your chance. The people in charge say if you guys can get our tweet (this one right here) to 2 Million likes, they will bring SPICY CHICKEN NUGGETS BACK. Let’s freakin’ do this!
Your copy will flow better.
Let the reader be persuaded
e.g. Get INSTANT access to our EXCLUSIVE recipe guide for 2020 => Wanna learn how to make burgers as tasty as this?
Academics say “you are”. Regular people say “you're”
You're alive in inverse proportion to the density of cliches in your writing
e.g. 10 productivity hacks to help you crush 2020 => How a lazy bitch like me learned how to be productive
You're not impressing anyone.
Understanding your customer is more important than impressing them.
e.g. Some people are born with a natural eye for design. Fortunately I'm one of those people => I know how it feels to struggle with design
It reflects self-confidence.
e.g. When it comes to Drift Vs Intercom there's no comparison => First we'd like to give a nod to the team at Intercom. They've built a great product to help businesses.
Customers can see through fake shit.
e.g. Wowzers! You’ve only gone and subscribed! Nice to e-meet you. The pleasure is mine. => Thanks for signing up. Even though this is an automated email… I just wanted to say hey and let you know I’m a real person.
They’re more memorable than facts and figures.
e.g. We started innocent in 1999 after selling our smoothies at a music festival. We put up a big sign asking people if they thought we should give up our jobs to make smoothies, and put a bin saying 'Yes' and a bin saying 'No" in front of the stall. Then we got people to vote with their empties. At the end of the weekend, the 'Yes' bin was full, so we resigned from our jobs the next day and got cracking.
If your partner cringes, re-write it.
e.g. The all-in-one platform empowering marketers to achieve their search engine optimisation goals => With Ahrefs you don't have to be an SEO pro to rank higher and get more traffic
That's all folks. Hope you found this useful maybe I can tempt you with my marketing newsletter. I share a new case study, like this one, every week.
No sales megaphone. No business speak.
But that's easier said than done. So I've put together this guide:
1/ Don't write AT the reader
Involve the reader in your copy.
e.g. With over 100 years laundry expertise you can trust you're in safe hands => Imagine how good you'd be at something if you'd done it every day since 1908
2/ Use your customers' words
It's the easiest way to get the tone right.
3/ Load up on personal pronouns
People pay attention when you talk directly to them.
e.g. We send an email each morning with all the tech and business news needed for the day => Your smart good looking friend that sends you an email each morning with all the tech and business news you need to know for each day
4/ Don't worry about grammar
If you break the rules you’ll sound human. This tweet from Wendy's got 2M likes.
Y’all keep asking, so here’s your chance. The people in charge say if you guys can get our tweet (this one right here) to 2 Million likes, they will bring SPICY CHICKEN NUGGETS BACK. Let’s freakin’ do this!
5/ Start sentences with conjunctions
Your copy will flow better.
6/ Don't persuade
Let the reader be persuaded
e.g. Get INSTANT access to our EXCLUSIVE recipe guide for 2020 => Wanna learn how to make burgers as tasty as this?
7/ Use contractions
Academics say “you are”. Regular people say “you're”
8/ Don't imitate
You're alive in inverse proportion to the density of cliches in your writing
e.g. 10 productivity hacks to help you crush 2020 => How a lazy bitch like me learned how to be productive
9/ Ditch the thesaurus
You're not impressing anyone.
- Purchase => buy
- Utilise => use
- Attempt => try
10/ Empathise
Understanding your customer is more important than impressing them.
e.g. Some people are born with a natural eye for design. Fortunately I'm one of those people => I know how it feels to struggle with design
11/ Respect the competition
It reflects self-confidence.
e.g. When it comes to Drift Vs Intercom there's no comparison => First we'd like to give a nod to the team at Intercom. They've built a great product to help businesses.
12/ Don’t try too hard
Customers can see through fake shit.
e.g. Wowzers! You’ve only gone and subscribed! Nice to e-meet you. The pleasure is mine. => Thanks for signing up. Even though this is an automated email… I just wanted to say hey and let you know I’m a real person.
13/ Tell stories
They’re more memorable than facts and figures.
e.g. We started innocent in 1999 after selling our smoothies at a music festival. We put up a big sign asking people if they thought we should give up our jobs to make smoothies, and put a bin saying 'Yes' and a bin saying 'No" in front of the stall. Then we got people to vote with their empties. At the end of the weekend, the 'Yes' bin was full, so we resigned from our jobs the next day and got cracking.
14/ Read it aloud at the kitchen table
If your partner cringes, re-write it.
e.g. The all-in-one platform empowering marketers to achieve their search engine optimisation goals => With Ahrefs you don't have to be an SEO pro to rank higher and get more traffic
That's all folks. Hope you found this useful maybe I can tempt you with my marketing newsletter. I share a new case study, like this one, every week.