The difference between good and great copy

It’s Saturday night.

You’ve just ordered a drink at the bar—something pink with a tropical fruit accessory.

You’re rocking your favorite jewel-toned dress, the one with ruching at the stomach that makes sucking in less necessary, the one that shows off your arms’ one-week dedication to pilates and green juice.

You look up from your glass as a man approaches the bar.  He’s tall, dark, and swoonsome; he says hello and asks you a question.  You smile, respond over the music, knowing one of two things will happen:

-he’ll return your smile, act as if he’s heard you and hope you didn’t just say your dog died

OR

-if he cares, he’ll lean in, touch your shoulder and ask you to say it again

That’s the difference between good and great copy.

Good copy’s a flirt.  Great copy gets people to flirt back.

Great copy gets the lean in; it gets the ‘say it again’ and the ‘tell me more.’  Great copy gets people to care and take a desired action.  Let’s get your people moving.

3 ways to get the Great Copy Lean-in

1. Get dressed—dress your copy with interesting words and phrases.  Befriend the metaphor with unconventional moxie and ignore tired clichés.  People learn from examples, use them.  But always remember…

2. Be clear—one of the first rules of copywriting is ‘be clear, not clever.’  If people can’t understand the point of your clever banter, or what action you want them to take, they won’t take it.  Even worse?  They won’t come back.

3. Know who you’re talking to—it’s hard to communicate clearly if you don’t know who you’re talking to.  Determine your target market and what matters to them most.  Speak to their pain points and watch them speak back.

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Want more on writing lean-in copy and finding your target market?  Subscribe in the sidebar during the month of February to receive your FREE copy of “[red] All Over: How to Write Smart, Add-to-Cart Worthy Copy that Keeps your Clients Wanting More, More More on Feb. 29th.  (Book will be available for sale March 1).