Avoid being salesy while writing your sales copy
When you are convincing people, you are basically selling. Whether you are promoting a political idea, or urging people to adopt a social change, or prompting them to hire your content writing and copywriting services, for example, you need to convince them, and when you convince them, you are selling. Whenever you are convincing, through writing, you are writing sales copy.
When you are writing sales copy for business, the convincing part takes a totally different level because you are not just telling people to change their behavior, you are also asking them to spend money, and spend money on you – the hardest thing to achieve.
The “hardest” part is actually a misconception, and this is why people begin to indulge in a salesy sales copy instead of actually making a point. They simply want people to buy, instead of offering them something that can transform their lives.
Selling is not difficult if you have something worth buying.
You need two things to sell:
- A good product or service that is of great use.
- Your ability to convince people that you have got a great product or service that is of great use.
Sales copy comes into the picture during the convincing part. When you overdo the convincing, it becomes salesy.
This Forbes article advises you how to avoid being salesy while promoting your business, I’m writing my post in terms of content writing and copywriting without sounding salesy. Here are a few points we can take from the article itself:
Make a connection with your sales copy instead of immediately starting to sell
Selling is no longer impersonal. We live in a social world. We have always lived in a social world, but now we can socially connect like never before. According to the latest Mary Meeker report on Internet trends, by 2018, 3.8 billion people were connected to the Internet.
Even though you may say that the amount of information available on the Internet is overwhelming and ends up confounding people instead of making them feel more aware, personal recommendations generate more business than conventional advertising and marketing.
Making a personal connection means, talking to the person as if he or she is actually sitting in front of you, through your copywriting.
For example, while writing copy to promote my content writing and copywriting services, instead of constantly harping about how great a copywriter I am, I should address your concerns such as your need to improve your conversion rate and have better search engine rankings.
You want your visitors to come across highly professional and convincing copy on your website. You don’t want to sound unprofessional. You don’t want to sound someone like who doesn’t know how to communicate through writing.
Through helpful content writing and copywriting, you also want to make your visitors aware and educate them on the benefits of doing business with you. Only after that you make a pitch for your product or service.
My preferred way of making a connection is publishing lots of helpful blog posts such as this one. Most of my clients have read my blog posts. They like what I write. By the time they contact me to hire me as their content writer or a copywriter, they are already convinced that they want me to write for them.
Constantly obtain feedback from your prospective customers and clients and update your copy accordingly
The first version of your copy doesn’t have to be your last version. Though, when you are paying for content writer or a copywriter it becomes kind of a hassle, but even if it is a hassle, it is a necessary hassle.
What are the problems faced by the people for whom you are writing your copy? What are the things that trouble them? What are their apprehensions when they want to use your product or service? What sort of language do they use when they are searching for information on your product or service?
The way they talk about your product or service constantly changes according to the rapidly changing cultural and social nuances. Even what they want from you may change over the months. Keep making changes to your copy accordingly.
Offer transformation instead of your product or service
What is the biggest benefit of doing business with you? Make that the central point of your copy instead of your product or service.
I will again take an example from my own content writing and copywriting services. I write great, but so what? You are not looking for a Donna Tartt or a Martin Amis. You are looking for a content writer who can improve your conversion rate and give you better SEO.
You want a copy that converts maximum number of people who come to your landing page. You want the maximum number of people to download your e-book. You want to engage people on social networking websites. You want to establish yourself as an authority in your field.
These are the transformative things I should offer you instead of constantly telling you how great my content writing services are and how prodigal my copy is going to be once I write for you.
Is being salesy totally bad and counter-productive?
I wouldn’t say always. It depends. If you totally ignore selling your product or service, your prospective customer or client may miss the point. He or she may end up thinking that you are simply educating and informing, and you don’t intend to sell your product or service.
So, yes, if I want you to hire me as your content writer or a copywriter, I need to convey to you that I offer these services. I also need to talk about why it makes sense to hire me instead of another content writer or copywriter or another content writing a copywriting service.
But before I can do that, I should establish a connection with you. You should appreciate my writing. You should understand what advantages I bring to the table by going through the information available on my website and blog. After that, even if I sound salesy, you will be more receptive.