What makes good copy?
Identifying what is good copy is like asking someone to identify what makes another person attractive: you know it when you see it. Good copy excites an immediate reaction. Great copy not only excites an immediate reaction but the intended one: buy this product, use this service, find out more.
In reviewing your web presence, does your copy excite the immediate intended reaction?
No? Well, here’s where I come in.
I can help you make the sale whether through a website’s static homepage that greets potential customers, a company blog featuring your latest and greatest products, or the email newsletters to keep your customers up to date on your products. Not only should website copy drive search engines to your site, but they should keep the actual people who will become your customers informed and intrigued. A brochure should not just highlight but accentuate what makes you best suited for the customer’s needs.
A Word on Working with Graphic Designers
I think Dr. Seuss said it best:
“Words and pictures are yin and yang. Married, they produce a progeny more interesting than either parent.”
Marketing material is most successful when it is visually stimulating. A great graphic designer will provide a design that will sell as well as a visual complement to the copy, emphasizing instead of undercutting it. Combine that with great copy that uses the visuals fully to enhance the message and you have effective marketing. This is a fun and creative process that I love participating in.
However, I am NOT a graphic designer. I am your word girl. I am happy to work in conjunction with your graphic designer – I even know a few I could recommend – but please do not confuse your wordsmith with your visual artist.
The Process
Here’s how working with me would play out, I call it “TRACC” (pronounced “track”) – Talk, Research, Art, Coordinate, Complete.
First, we Talk. You and I discuss your company, where you’ve been, where you’re going. All the whos, hows and wherefores are included in this discussion.
After we talk, I then Research. I take a look at your area of business, your competitors, and your clients (as appropriate) to figure out how to implement your vision with what I provide.
Then my favorite part: I create my Art. I craft the words needed to make your message shine.
After I do my work, we Coordinate. There is a review of the work on your part and we have another discussion, or series of discussions, about any nips and tucks you feel are necessary. Don’t be afraid of this: usually the copy is not perfect the first time around. We need to adjust phrasing and add your personality to it. It is a process. I include two rounds of edits in my quote which are good for twenty-one days from original receipt of the work.
Finally, the project is Complete. You have the copy that improves your sales and I have my payday. Everyone is happy.
Want to see examples of what I’ve done? See them here.