Have you ever run across a clearly talented entrepreneur, whose marketing materials didn’t come close to doing their services or products justice?
Ever read a business’ marketing materials or Website and still not really understood what they did or sold, who would buy, or why anyone would even want to?
Maybe you’ve had the experience yourself where someone read your stuff then asked, “Okay, so what exactly do you do (or sell)?” Or worse, discovered that loads of people were visiting your site…Only they were clicking away without taking any action.
All too often the problem lies in the written content or copy. Copywriting, or writing to sell, is vastly different from the way most of us were taught to write in school. And it’s highly specialized skill that requires years of practices and a solid understanding of sales and marketing psychology to be effective.
When small business owners either decide to write their own marketing materials or Website, or they hire the first or cheapest writer they run into, they typically end up with generic, bland, boring copy. Instead, what entrepreneurs really need is content that grabs their ideal client by the eyeballs and doesn’t let go until they’re convinced to take action right now (whether that action is signing up, emailing, registering, calling, or buying right now).
To help you determine whether or not your copy is designed to do the job—and help you make it more effective—below are two lists. The first is common words and phrases that are worthless in your marketing materials. The second is a list of words that really sell.
Avoid these weak and worthless words and phrases like the plague:
- Great customer service
- Quality
- Honesty
- You can trust us
- Will
- That
- Prosperity
- Call for a free consultation
- Sign up for newsletter
Plus…
- Overblown promises (Lose 30 pounds in one week with no dieting or exercise)
- Most words with 3 or more syllables
- Having most of your sentences or paragraphs start with we, I, our company, or “your company name”
- General statements meant to speak to the greatest diversity of prospects
Use these powerful marketing words and phrases whenever possible:
- Free
- You
- Imagine
- Because
- Discover
- Finally
- At last
- Why?
- Guarantee
- Here’s why
- Here’s what you get
Plus…
- Any kind of call to action like: Click here, Sign up below, Email me, Tear out this coupon, call this number, etc.
- Specific nouns and adjectives
- Numbers, graphs, charts, examples, and other specifics
Just switching out a few words and phrases can make a huge difference in your response rates and sales. So grab this list, and use it to make your own Website and marketing materials way more effective.
Want more help writing sales-making Website content and marketing materials? Sign up for my free 7-day copywriting ecourse “Write Money-Making Marketing Materials Like the Pros” right here: http://theunchainedentrepreneur.com/resources
I get frustrated when I see bad marketing. I think people underestimate the impact of their website and associated materials. It seems they think of a website as “extra” and having something out there is better than nothing. They couldn’t be more wrong.
You and me both, WealthSavant. It pains me to see people with amazing, powerful products and services whose marketing doesn’t do them justice. All too often entrepreneurs think of marketing–and having an effective Website–as a costly option instead of a mandatory investment in the growth of their business. Thanks for your comment!