Do you ever start reading an email or a web page only to click away after reading the first couple of sentences? The message or the content simply didn’t hold your interest or make you curious enough to keep reading.
Well, your readers and prospective clients could be doing the same thing when they read your emails, web copy or sales pages. And we can’t have that!
Clayton Makepeace, a renowned copywriter, once said something like this (I can’t remember the exact quote, but here’s the gist): The job of your headline is to get people to read the subhead. The job of your subhead is to get people to read the first line of copy. The job of that first line of copy is to get people to read the second line… and on and on.
Your copy, your content, needs to keep your reader engaged, interested and reading! It needs to lead them into the meat of your message.
So, for today’s Tough Love Tuesday, your assignment is to take a good, hard and (if you can) objective look at the copy and content of your emails, your website and any other marketing materials, and see if you can tweak it so that each line entices your reader to read the next, and the next and the next. Lead your reader into the meat of your message by writing copy that:
- focuses on your reader’s concerns, interests, desires, etc.
- makes a personal connection.
- doesn’t get bogged down with too much detail and/or explanation.
- is coversational.
- tells a fascinating story.
It can be so helpful to have someone other than yourself to read what you’ve written and give you feedback. Where did their mind wander off? Where was there a disconnect?
And for your important marketing pieces, like a promotional email, your website or salespage, have your copy reviewed and edited by a professional copywriter. When it comes to getting great results, a good copywriter can make all the difference in the world.
If you have questions about editing your own copy and content, leave a comment below. Let’s see if we can make some tweaks that will have your reader hungry for more!~