4 Easy copy rules that put your customers first
Starting a business is weird. You have an idea, work to get it off the ground, and then fight for years to grow into something sustainable. And if you’re successful, one day you wake up and realize that your business isn’t yours anymore.
It’s about your customers, your employees, and your partnerships. Though a customer-first strategy may be hard to accept, follow these four copy rules and you’ll find yourself ahead of market trends and reaching people with laser-like precision.
Think about it. No matter how loyal your end users are, they only care about what they get from your products or services, not how great you think it is, not how many new features it has. And in the end, no one even cares what influencer, celebrity, or spokesperson is pushing it. If they don’t see what it does for them, you’ll find all your efforts were for not. That’s why your marketing needs to address their needs directly.
4 copy rules for a customer-first strategy
Luckily, it’s easy to create incredible copy that gives your customers exactly what they want. It all comes down to telling them how their lives will improve by using your products/services. Just follow these four rules.
- Benefits Over Features
- Ditch the Specs
- Be Specific
- Avoid Buzzwords
1. BENEFITS OVER FEATURES
Don’t tell people that your white-glove service is affordable and unobtrusive. Tell them how much money they’ll save and how it won’t distract from their day. Don’t tell them that your electric guitar overdrive pedal has a mid-frequency hump. Tell them that it effortlessly pushes their favorite amp while maintaining a percussive low end.
2. ditch the specs
Another common mistake is leading your copy and content with specifications. While specs may be necessary, they should never BE the message. I have seen way too many spec lists across websites, advertisements, and product campaigns. And it drives me nuts! Specs don’t tell you anything about the product.
If I told you the size of an engine, Could you tell me how fast your car will go? But what if I told you that the engine is ‘custom-designed for your vehicle and will slam you back in your seat with the acceleration power you crave.’?
If I told you the country of origin of every leaf in a premium cigar, would you know the cigar’s flavor profile or quality? But you would if I said ‘We blended our cigar for a provocative combination of hearty leathers, chocolate, and spice that demands you sit up and take notice.’
3. BE SPECIFIC
While you never want spec-heavy, stale copy, it’s also important not to spend all your time appealing to your customers’ emotions. While many marketers still believe in “Sell the sizzle, not the steak,” the times are a-changin’. Today a massive portion of the buying public is rejecting that used-car salesman approach. That’s especially true in the luxury goods industries where everyone’s steak sizzles pretty damn well.
Yes, it is essential to pay attention to how your customer feels and their experience. It’s also important to speak to that. But, as I said in my last blog, screaming that your premium is more premium than your competitor’s premium will get you nowhere fast.
4. avoid BUZZWORDS
Ok. I admit it. After years of writing for guitar and guitar-equipment manufacturers, I am especially sensitive to this one. Words like warm, fast, and haunting have been used for decades to describe guitars. How can a guitar be warm, fast, and haunting?
Ok, rant over.
But the lesson stands. Copy overloaded with buzzwords is an indication that either the copywriter didn’t have the information or that they’re not that good at their job. Buzzwords will also obscure your messaging in a sea of competitors who are saying the same empty things.
Sometimes buzzwords are unavoidable. They’ve become part of the vernacular we all use to communicate about our chosen fields. That’s completely acceptable. But you need to tell your customers what makes your guitar warmer, faster, and more haunting, and why that’s good for them. The buzzwords themselves are empty.
Exceptions to these customer-first rules
These customer-first strategy rules are hard and fast…except when they’re not.
As with the buzzwords, there are times when breaking these rules is unavoidable. If you work in the resort and travel industries, the benefits you offer ARE emotions and experiences. Again, it goes back to knowing your customer and what they’re looking for from your offering. But as long as you stick to selling the benefits and not features, you’ll be able to custom tailor your copy to your target audience.
Copywriters and the Customer-first strategy
If you break each of these customer-first strategy rules down, you’ll realize that it’s all about avoiding generalization. And the only way to compose non-generic, targeted copy is to know your subject inside and out. That’s why it’s vital that you provide your writer with all of the information they need. Trust me; it will save you a ton of time in the editing and rewriting process.
Things your copywriter needs to know:
- Describe your brand’s voice
- What sets your product apart from its competition?
- Which of the customers’ problems do you solve?
- If specs/emotional impact is essential, which ones are you going for, and what do they offer the customer?
that’s why it’s hELPFUL TO HIRE A COPYWRITER who specializes IN YOUR FIELD.
Without this information, you could end up with an ad that says:
YOUR MORNING COMMUTE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
- Engine size: Big
- Top speed: Fast
- Color: Red
- Wheels: Grippy
- Experience: UNFORGETTABLE!
Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? But which one am I talking about?
Add in the fact that all of your competitors are saying the same thing, and your message gets watered down pretty darn fast. But a copywriter that knows you are selling a super high-end, exotic sports car to white-glove collectors might approach it like:
COMPLETE YOUR COLLECTION
Whether it’s the blacktop-thrill of a 199 mph top speed or the quiet satisfaction of its inimitable style, your car collection isn’t complete without the [BRAND AND MODEL].
See? Though I appealed to your emotions and experience, I also told you what the product is, the benefits of owning it (completion, thrill, and satisfaction), and I spoke to the needs of my client and their demographic (collectors).
The Wrap Up
Of course, crafting copy that nails this customer-first strategy goes back to finding the perfect copywriter. You want one that knows your industry, your business, and your products. So as always, I implore you to find the perfect writer for the job. It will save you a ton of time and money, and generate better ROI than a generalized marketing agency.
I hope this information is inspiring and informative, and it helps guide your business a little further down the path of success. If you have any questions or comments about this blog, or if you are a business that’s looking for the perfect writer, I’d love to hear from you.
Here’s to finishing 2020 out with happier customers, better business, and more music than ever.
Until next time,