Professional copywriting tips
Copywriting tips for February 2007
A friend gave me a piece of advice the other day that seems particularly relevant for this time of year, so I thought that I would share it with you.
(Actually, I think it’s probably paraphrased from someone famous, so first of all, apologies if I don’t quote it word for word and secondly, if any of you more enlightened people out there know to whom it should be attributed, let me know and I’ll give it due acknowledgement in my copywriting services hints and tips section next month.)
So here goes:
"There are three ways to get money:
one, you can steal it but that’s dishonest
two, you can work for it but that’s too hard
or three… you can marry it…"
Anyway, for those of you who (like me, of course) are too virtuous to carry out number one and (again like me) allowed a little thing called ‘love’ to get in the way of number three, I guess we’re stuck with the hard work of number two.
So, in keeping with the Valentine theme, in this month’s copywriting services hints and tips section, I thought we’d look at ways to make sure that the words you lovingly prepare for your clients will make them fall head over heels with your company.
As always, if there are any areas of copywriting, or any aspects of our professional copywriting services, that you would like us to examine in more detail, email the subject or your questions and queries to info@cwrite.co.uk and we’ll look at them in this section.
Features v Benefits
Understanding the difference between features and benefits can be the difference between copy that informs and copy that sells.
One way of looking at it is that ‘features’ are what your product or service offers the customer or client. ‘Benefits’ however, give them reasons to purchase your product or service.
Turning features into benefits
The encouraging thing for budding professional copywriters is that once you’ve worked out what the features of your product or service are, it is quite easy to turn them into benefits; it’s just a matter of understanding the difference between the two.
Take for example a spiral bound cookery book with laminated pages and step-by-step instructions.
If you were writing copy to advertise this product it would be true to say:
- It is spiral bound.
- It has laminated pages.
- It offers step-by-step instructions.
But all we have here is a list of features – there is no mention of how these features can benefit the customer.
Applying the ‘so what?’ factor
If we apply the ‘so what’ principle that we talked about in last month’s copywriting services hints and tips, then things should start to become clearer.
So what if the book is spiral bound?
It stays open at the desired page.
So what if it has laminated pages?
Pages wipe clean, no matter what you spill on them.
So what if it offers step-by-step instructions?
It provides easy to follow recipes that help you to get it right first time.
All of a sudden, we can see how the features of our product make life easier and improve the chances of success (in cooking) for the customer. In other words, we have now pointed out the benefits that this product offers the customer.
Always check your copy
It is a very simple concept but when you look at some company brochures and advertising copy, it’s amazing how many of them focus on the features and forget about the benefits.
Copywriting exercise
If you need some copywriting practice, then try taking an everyday object, listing its features and then, by applying the ‘so what’ principle, determine what the benefits that it has to offer.
Until next time
As Juliet said to her Romeo:
“Parting is such sweet sorrow
that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.”
…or rather till it be next month (and don’t forget the roses and champagne for the 14th – major hint for my husband).
As for March, well, now that we’ve discovered who we are writing for, how to look at things from their point of view and wow them with benefits, we’ll examine how this information can be used to write copy that sells.
Find out more
If you want to know more about our copywriting services and how we could work with you to meet your copywriting needs, or for a quote on a copywriting brief, please call 077 646 854 12 or complete our online contact form.