If you’re a regular reader of this blog, or any other copywriting blog, you have been told on more than one occasion to write in a conversational tone and in a way that your audience can relate to.
OK, that’s fair enough, but how do you do that?
How can you be sure your content is relatable?
The answer is by becoming an active listener and placing yourself in the shoes of the consumer.
- Becoming an active listener
Writing copy that sounds natural isn’t as easy as you would think. As soon as you start to write, your inner academic takes over, creating something formal and wooden. You need to learn to suppress this urge and the best way to do that is to listen to conversations around you. Whether in the park, a coffee shop, at the station or in the gym, take note of the way people communicate with each other and use these phrases in your copy.
- Become the consumer
Ask yourself what would make you buy the product? Think about the age of the target audience – is the message you’re writing appropriate? Will it resonate with them? Is the tone of the language you’re using appropriate?
- Become an online shopper
You’re now on their website – want do you want to do? Would a special offer tempt you to buy? How about personalisation? Do you want to talk to someone straight away? Is the content useful? Is it clear?
- Become an avid watcher
The best way to improve your writing is to learn from others’. Think about the TV commercials you love and the techniques they use (you could borrow them). Listen to scripts (especially radio commercials) – do they sound false, ingenuous, or do they resonate with you? Keep a mental note of these observations and use the techniques you like in your own writing.
- Become a collector
There’s only so much you can remember, so start a ‘swipe file’. Add any adverts that catch your eye, photo graph any images you found powerful, keep any brochures or direct mail that made you sit up and read. By developing a library of winning techniques your writing will improve exponentially.
Adding power to your writing
As you have read, the secret to adding power to your writing is to be an active observer.
Every day you are bombarded by sales messages that you can learn from; every day you are in social situations that provide excellent insights into the way others speak and engage with each other. Using these experiences in your writing will help you become more relevant, more conversational and more engaging.