There’s a knack for writing sales and promotional copy that attracts
customer attention. It’s why professional copywriters exist in the
business world.
Yet many small business owners write their own promotional copy to
save the expense of hiring a writer. Which is understandable, and one of
the reasons why we’ve complied our “Top 5” list of copywriting tips to
help you craft enticing promotions.
- Speak to the customer. Phrase your promotional
messages to be about them, not you. (Top tip: write “you” rather than
“we” in your promotional copy.) Avoid jargon. Use a conversational,
enthusiastic tone – like you’re telling a friend about a great deal.
Example: “Insider alert! Get half-priced fall and winter fashions when
you shop this weekend. Click for your 50% discount pass” is more
engaging than “We’re offering 50% off all our fall and winter
merchandise, this weekend only”.
- Be clear about the offer. Write copy for clarity to
avoid confusion on the part of customers. Use short, descriptive words
to explain what people get out of your offer and how to take advantage
of it. Keep in mind the three Ds – description, details, and deadline.
Example: “Make Tuesday date night! Enjoy a large pizza with three
toppings for half-price, Tuesdays only” is better than “Every Tuesday
get 50% off a large pizza”.
- Focus on a single point. People have short
attention spans. Don’t overload them with too much information crammed
into one message. For each text or email you send to customers, include
details only relevant to the specific promotion. Resist the urge to
cross-promote other sales, events, products, or brand information.
- Make your call to action obvious. Create a sense of
urgency that encourages customers to act right away. Whether it’s a
limited-time discount, a seasonal special, or an event they should
attend, explain in six words or less exactly what action you want
customers take. Make sure to use “active voice” rather than “passive
voice”. Examples:
- RSVP now
- Claim your 50% off coupon today
- Shop today and earn 20 points
- Sign up for our “Deal Alerts”
- Review and revise your copy. Check for types and punctuation errors. (Top tip: run your copy through Grammarly,
a free spell-check editor from Google.) Remove unnecessary qualifiers –
words like “very”, “really”, “extremely” – that lessen the impact of
your message. It’s better to use one powerful word than two or three
mediocre ones.
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