3 Copywriting Traps That Drive Your Readers Away

Writing marketing copy is all about connection.

It’s about your relationship with your ideal client.

The words you choose – on your website, in emails, on your blog – can either magnetically attract your ideal clients”¦

“¦or bore them to tears.

Sure, you can hire a copywriter and pay out the big bucks to make sure you’re not losing business with your clunky prose.

But really, if you just start by avoiding these three common writing traps – then you’ll be running miles ahead of your competition and by creating a real connection with your client”¦

Trap #1 – Hiding behind aloof, professional, corporate-speak

Sometimes entrepreneurs get a little freaked because although they can talk to people about their services and solutions until the cows come home, the moment it comes time to put pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboard), the gears freeze up.

So chill. And write like you’re having a conversation.

Seriously. Pretend you’re on the phone or across the café table from the client that delights you the most. (You know the one).

Super-hack: Take it a step further and record yourself talking, transcribe it and start from there. Your own words, as they flow naturally.

Don’t hide behind professional-sounding language, how you’ve always been taught in the corporate world to speak. (Even if that means you sometimes weird your grammar. We’ll roll with it!)

This varies from industry to industry of course. You know what’s appropriate to yours – but in general, people err on the side of being too conservative, revealing less about themselves than they could, out of fear of judgment or rejection.

That comes from a lack mentality, my people.

We’re in a different era of business – for most of us, our clients would rather know that we are human, just like they are.

The vulnerable, real person behind the brand – as opposed to the stuffy, aloof corporate persona who never makes mistakes and always has a perfect manicure. (bleah.)

Wow them with your credentials, testimonials, and other credibility factors – not with your fancy talk. 😉

Trap #2 – Writing to an arbitrary group

Don’t talk to “everyone.” Instead, talk to the singular, unique person on the other end who’s actually reading.

I’ve written before about the power of one. This is where you give your reader or audience ONE option, ONE course of action”¦ and do that too!

Here’s another layer to that: Address One. Person. At. A. Time.

Whether I’m writing a sales page, email, or article – I’m visualizing the ONE person on the other end who’s reading it.

It’s the difference between receiving an email that starts, “Hey guys-,” rather than “Hi Mary [or John or.. insert your name here]” – where it really does have your name inserted (we’ve all gotten the email with the bracketed placeholder instead”¦ oops!).

Get specific. Talk to one, and one person only.

Trap #3 – Writing in solution instead of problem language

This is the biggest and most common trap. I see it out there all the time.

It’s like you and your clients are separated by a deep ravine.

On one side, you can see your ideal clients, walking around aimlessly, bumping into each other, shaking their heads and mumbling, “Problem”¦ Problem, problem, problem!”

And it’s a problem that your business can solve! So here on this side, you are shouting frantically, “SOLUTION!! “¦. Solution, solution, solution!”

But they can’t hear you.

Because you’re speaking in a language they don’t understand!

You must cross over to their side. Write in the language that your ideal client uses to talk about her problem. NOW you can begin really communicating. She only sees her problem.

So, use the language that your ideal client uses.

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By writing in a way that’s natural to you and your peeps, in language that actually speaks to your prospects’ pain points, and specifically and directly to one person at a time – you will powerfully magnetize your copy for the people who need it most: your ideal clients.

 

2 COMMENTS ADD A COMMENT
  • Kim

    Hi Christine, thank you for providing the 3 tips to avoid when copy writing. I write all my blog posts my self. Interesting you point out to record youself and then transcribe from there. Does talking out loud when you write qualify as transcribed lol! You are right to write to your ideal client. Thanks for the tips. Cheers Kim 🙂

    • Christine Kane

      Kim, I think anything goes! And do you ever get your best ideas when driving? That’s the perfect time to record yourself! 🙂