Think of marketing copy as a deconstructed essay.
Tip for Success
To ensure everyone across your communication channels stays in sync, consider creating a “Case Statement” (a concept I’ve borrowed from philanthropy writing), which outlines your “case” for the product/cause/change. While this document isn’t meant to be shared outside your organization, it will ensure everyone—from your social media team to your marketing managers—conveys the same message with the same evidence.And since you won’t be sharing this document beyond your group, it doesn’t take too much work to produce.
Think of it as a bare-bones document containing your central thesis (or your case), plus bullet points that represent your evidence, and finally, the conclusion you want your audience to reach.
2. Make it Math
The fantastic thing about marketing (over academic) writing is you aren’t tied to a particular formula; you can play with it quite a bit once you recognize it’s there.
Maybe it’s my background in STEM, but over the years, I’ve come to think of marketing (and communication) copy in terms of a mathematical formula. And I encourage you to think of it that way, as well.
Just like in math, there’s more than one way solve the equation to reach the same end result. You don’t have always follow case + evidence = conclusion.
Remember, finding new ways to put the formula together keeps your content fresh and exciting.
Tip for Success
If you’re ever stuck and unable to see a new way to arrange your formula, whip out some scissors. This is a tactic I’ve often taken—from my Master’s thesis to my last product launch.
By cutting your content up (I mean literally) into the individual pieces of your formula, you can see the moving parts of your case.
Visualizing how you can move things around to tell the same story will illuminate a new formula you hadn’t seen before or help you see the areas of your case you need to develop further.
3. Go Light on the Words
Most people are “National Geographic readers”—meaning they just read the photo captions. Anything more than a few sentences turns them off.
It pains me to say that, but even I’m guilty of skimming or reading only the pull-quotes. Blame the digital age—I do—but we are no longer conditioned to read long-form narrative.
When crafting compelling marketing copy, be cognizant of the number of words you are using. If you can make the same point more concisely, do it.
Tip for Success
Writers work under tight deadlines, so we’re rushed. I know from my communications days, there was never enough time to polish my copy to feel comfortable. If I’m honest, I still go back and copy edit things I wrote 10 years ago, because I know I can improve it.
That’s the thing about exceptional content—the more you refine it, the stronger it becomes. If possible, after you’ve crafted your copy, sit on it for a day or two and come back.
With fresh eyes, you’ll see unnecessary words, redundancies, and weak points you couldn’t on day one.
4. The Language You Use Matters—A Lot
The words you use are just as important as the point you are trying to make.
Always consider the connotation of your words—and how that connotation shifts depending on the age of your reader, the context of the discussion, and the medium of your message.
I’ll use a real-life example to illustrate this point:
About a year ago, a Social Media Manager I worked with posted a status on our company page that included the word ‘moist.’
While not a bad word by any stretch of the imagination, the connotation of the word has shifted in the last 10-years, and it now has taken on a negative or humorous association—especially to millennials.
I’m not saying you can’t use it, but social media was probably the worst medium for it.
Why? Because the audience you reach on social media is hungry to take a swipe at you anytime you leave yourself open. And this word, in the context of Facebook, created a space for Internet trolls to play in.
Tips for Success
For multi-generational messages, try creating a “Word Connotation Cloud” with different people on your team.
This simple exercise can illuminate how the words you’ve chosen may be construed by your audience.
5. Go Punchy
Punchy copy works because it engages the reader, sticks in their head, and may even make them laugh hard enough to share it.
If you don’t know what I mean by “punchy copy,” think of it in terms of using fun language—alliteration, puns, onomatopoeias, oxymoron, hyperboles, or analogies to convey your message.
The more fun a reader has when engaging with your content, the more likely it is for them to keep reading and remember what they read.
Tip for Success
Not everyone wants to use “fun” language—and it isn’t always appropriate for your message.
Before you starting dropping puns left and right, consider your audience and the reason you’re communicating. Punchy copy only works if it elevates your content, not if it weakens your message.
Also, it’s important to read your copy out loud. After all, the written word represents spoken language. The cadence of your words—or how they flow together—can matter as much as the words themselves.
6. Consider How Your Copy Looks
This may seem counter intuitive, but the way your copy looks matters to your reader.
If you have big blocks of text, without interruption, you’re going to scare off those Nat Geo readers I mentioned earlier.
Plus, there may be another, more visually pleasing way to convey your message that entices your audience to engage, rather than skim. Think of it this way: If your marketing content could be mistaken for a science review or a press release, you’re doing it wrong.
Break up your copy with images, infographics, pull quotes, or graphic design elements to make marketing copy inviting.
Tip for Success
In data driven industries, such as science, pharma, or technology, you often have complex, or abstract concepts to convey. In those instances, infographics can become your best friend.
With a bit of creativity, a copywriter and a graphic designer can take a scientific concept that took two pages to convey through text into a single half page infographic that is pleasing to look at, easy to understand, and packed with valuable technical information.
Pull it All Together
Applying these ground rules to your marketing copy will elevate your content, make your messages more impactful, and ensure your voice stands out from the pack.
So, what are you waiting for? Happy writing!
Rhiannon Pickus 