There definitely is one – an enormous one.

To give you a clue, it is something you should be thinking about even before you pick up your pen or strike a key on your keyboard.

Have you worked out what it is yet?

Purpose

Everything you write must have a purpose. If it doesn’t, what’s the point writing it?

Every piece of copy you write – website copywriting, newsletters, brochure copy, advert, case study, press release…everything has a purpose – it’s there to generate something – sales, leads, interest, traffic…

You’ve put a lot of time and effort into it (and quite possibly money if you are using a freelance copywriter) so you must make sure it actually does something.

Before you begin to write (or give your copywriter their brief), ask yourself:

1. What will this piece of copy do for my business?

It may not necessarily be there to sell. It may be to raise awareness or generate leads. If you can’t define its purpose it’s not needed and creating it will just be a waste of time and money.

2. What do I want the reader to do?

It could be to buy a product, sign up to a mailing list, make an appointment, visit your website. Whatever it is, your copy must be persuasive enough to make them carry out that action. Also remember to tell your reader what to do within your call to action.

You might think that if you are producing a case study, article or feature, you can ignore this advice. Well, you can’t. Even if it is ostensibly an informational piece, it should still be designed to encourage future contact. An interesting article will be remembered so when that person has a need for your product or service your name will be in the forefront of their mind.

Why you need to know this

Every piece of copy produced by or for your company must have a purpose. Every word will build a relationship with your reader. Even if it doesn’t lead to an immediate sale, when the time is right for your reader, it could.

Remember to look at the bigger picture.