POLISHING THINGS UP
Now we need to clean up and add some polish to make your message more engaging. Here are some essential elements you should check off against your copy (your message) to ensure it is as appealing to readers, viewers and listeners alike.
1) Is your copy clear?
- Have you checked it to make sure it's free of waffle?
- Have you trimmed extra and unnecessary words?
- Is every word ESSENTIAL?
- Are you conveying what you need to, to tell customers in the shortest amount of words possible?
- Have you checked your grammar and spelling?
- Is it consistent? For example, did you notice that every post about this has been somehow different? Your message should ALWAYS be consistent!
2) Are you persuasive or just plain pushy?
Evaluate what you are saying simply by talking to someone in your office, or better yet, tell a potential customer.
Are you outlining the benefits of your product and service? Or are you just telling people how great your products and services are?
3) Is your copy exciting?
Read your content aloud, no matter what media it is intended for.
- Does it sound natural and flowing?
- Does it sound like you are having a conversation with a friend? (if not… it should)
Your copy should grab people's attention from the get-go. Make use of emotive words or images, relevant headlines, and punchy sentences that hit their pain points fast.
- Is your first line optimised to clearly explain what you're offering or who you are targeting?
- Does it touch on a common problem you know your target market is concerned about?
- Does it use short sentences?
- Does it ask questions?
- Does it intrigue them, particularly at the start?
4) Is your message structured?
You don't want to confuse your customers with jargon. Instead, guide them neatly through, hold their hand right to the end, where they will take action and purchase.
To achieve this optimal structure, start by honestly reviewing your content, then change it and fix it to make it work.
Then, finally, when your message is ticking all of the boxes, you can release it to the wild and let it do it’s thing!
The next time we will look at what you should do next…
