How to write high-impact copy for your business (even if you’re not a copywriter)

Here’s the truth. The words you write about your business are paramount to its success.

It’s a fact that a lot of business owners overlook.

Business owners are constantly forced to make decisions about where they invest their money. For many, copywriting is an area where they feel they can do it on the cheap.

To save money, business owners will often:

• Write all the copy for their business themselves.
• Ask their nephew to write the copy for the website because they are on TikTok and therefore understand the nuances of crafting conversion copy.
• Hiring someone on Fiverr who will cost very little and, in return, will deliver generic, uninspiring and ineffective copy.

But copy is an integral part of your branding, and doing it on the cheap is guaranteed to make your brand look cheap.

How can business owners write high-impact copy for their business? I’ve broken down my top tips below.

1. For all that is good in the world, define your objectives

What are the short- and long-term goals for your business? Before you even put the proverbial pen to paper, make sure you know what you want every message you craft to accomplish.

It’s not always just ‘more sales.’ It could be generating brand awareness, building a community, creating social proof, etc.

If you can marry your brand objectives with a ‘What’s in it for me?’ approach (see my following point), you’ll be onto a winner.

2. Remember that no one cares about your products or services

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: no one cares about your business, products or services.

All they care about is how what you’re selling can help them.

So, every time you write a word of copy, put yourself in your prospect’s shoes and ask yourself, ‘What’s in it for me?’ If there isn’t a good answer to that question, back to the drawing board you go.

3. Write simply

Often, when a writer isn’t confident, they hide behind overly lofty, complex or generic language in order to sound intelligent.

That’s because it’s hard to simplify the complicated. But ultimately, that is what the people want.

On the social news website Reddit, there is a subreddit called ‘Explain Like I’m Five,’ where users ask experts to simplify especially complex issues (like political conflicts, legal proceedings, scientific theories, etc.) and explain it to them as if they were speaking to a five-year-old.

This is a great way to start your copywriting process.

The truth is, if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. Simple as that.

4. Lead with the benefits, not the features

Again, what does your audience care about? Do they care that your product ‘uses the latest cutting-edge technology’? Or are they more interested in learning that ‘they can do twice the work in half the time’?

The features are important, there’s no doubt about that. But what is going to hook your audience is learning about how they can benefit from what you’re selling. Once you’ve got their attention, then they’ll spend time looking at the specs.

Understanding the benefits of what you’re selling involves considering what you provide for your customers beyond just what you sell. What are the intangible benefits (time-saving, cost reduction, stress reduction, improved morale, etc.)? Have a good long think about all the direct and indirect benefits your product or services offer. And then shout about them.

5. Develop your brand story

Brand storytelling is essential when it comes to writing about your business.

First of all, it establishes the ‘Why?’ of your business. Why did you start doing what you’re doing? What is the origin story of the company?

For example, were you always passionate about coffee roasting, and you decided to take the plunge and open your own roastery? Did you have a passion for movement, so you decided to train as a physiotherapist?

Consumers are increasingly more interested in supporting small and locally-owned businesses – and because of that, they want to know why your company came to be.

This is more than just feel-good fluff – it helps create connections between your audience and your company which ultimately builds loyalty and brand affinity.

And ensure you write your brand story with your audience in mind. Remember, they do want to know about your business, but they ultimately want to know what’s in it for them. So ensure your brand story focuses on how you help your customers.

Small business owners are, by nature, passionate people who take risks to push their business forward. The story of your business is fundamental – both for your audience and also to remind yourself every day about why you get out of bed to keep doing what you’re doing. Getting this story down on paper and keeping this story in mind will help ensure the copy you write reflects the core values that underpin the business you’ve created.

There are no easy wins when it comes to crafting high-impact copy for your brand - but there are best practices you can follow to ensure the words you write for your business are strategic, effective, compelling and drive your audience to take action.

Want help bringing your brand to life? Book a no-obligation content marketing consultation with me and find out how we can weave some magic in your marketing copy.