Which statement intrigues you more?
- I’m a copywriter, and I write great About pages.
- When your About page is crafted carefully, you’ll attract your ideal customer.
Probably the second one. Why? Because I’m talking to you, and about what I can do for you. Not yapping away about myself.
The best way to improve your copy is always to refer back to your reader. What do they want? What do they need to hear?
And when you’re done with that, you talk to them.
Sales happen in conversation. Is your website engaged in a conversation, or giving a lecture?
Focus on Customer Needs and Wants
You create a remarkable transformation for your customer. No doubt.
But if your website copy goes on and on about what your business does and sells, you start to lose your audience. You have to give them a reason to care. What’s in it for them?
Focus on customer needs in your language and in your content.
Use “You”
It’s best practice to use the second person in sales and web copy.
In case you were daydreaming that day in English class, “second person” means addressing the reader as “you.”
First person: I am a wonderful coach, and all who fail to hire me gnash their teeth in despair!
Second person: You would be so smart to hire me as a coach!
Third person: People who don’t hire coaches may incur high dentist bills from gnashing their teeth so much.
Imperative language makes an impact
Let’s look at a big example: Netflix.
We all know what Netflix is, right? They don’t have to explain much on their home page.
At one time, it read:
“See what’s next. Watch anywhere. Cancel anytime. Join free for a month.”
That’s not a ton of copy.
- A tagline
- A couple of counter-arguments against why you wouldn’t push the button
- The offer
And it’s all imperative language, which… oh no. Watch out. I’m going to do another grammar thing.
“You” is in all of these sentences. The second person is implied.
It’s language that speaks directly to the reader, and it gets right to the point. It can make a big impact in a few short lines.
(Just be careful about coming across as bossy. Small asks are great.)
Shine a Light on Your Best Customers
We’ve talked about focusing on the customer using language. Let’s think about focusing on them with your choice of content.
When you tell your brand story, do you talk about the successes for your clients? Do you explain how your service or product has helped your previous customers?
Leads and prospects relate more to your clients. They needed what you had to offer, and had a positive result.
Boom. Just the kind of content you need.
Testimonials, reviews, and case studies provide “social proof” that you’re real and legitimate.
Let’s find some more messages that your perfect-fit client needs to hear
They don’t just pop into your brain magically!
Don’t just tell. Listen.
Part of writing website copy is staying open to changing it.
Listening to your customers, asking for feedback, and adjusting your messaging accordingly will go a long way toward success.
Networking isn’t just for leads
Networking isn’t just about handing out business cards and getting hot leads. It’s also about learning what kind of questions the public has about you and what you do.
Networking events also let you float new messages. Try out your new elevator pitch to see how many smiles and head nods you can get. If someone comes up to you after and said it spoke to them? Double down.
Ask questions on social media
You need to post something anyway. Be strategic about what kinds of questions you ask.
For better or worse, nothing stays the same
Just when you think you have your message or your services dialed in, the world changes. There’s a pandemic. There’s a recession. You realize you hate that offer after all. Stay nimble, and change your copy where needed. And always listen to your customer. Guessing doesn’t get you very far.
Let me show you what this looks like on your site
Grab a free 5-minute mini audit. I’ll gently point out a few opportunities to make better connections with your readers. All free, no strings!
And don’t worry. I’m nice about it. Not one of those “ooh, you used the wrong word” copywriters.