How to Write Copy That Sells (and Win More Customers)

Copywriting! You can’t escape it in creative businesses. What is copywriting? Essentially, it’s communication. Your product descriptions, About page and email blasts all fall under this category.

Good copy tells your customer all the ways they’ll benefit from buying your product without sounding too salesy, it starts a conversation and it helps you stand out from the competition.

Why is copywriting important? It’s the icing on the cake. Let’s be real, not everyone reads your product descriptions, only those customers that are really interested in buying. Writing great copy is how you seal the deal and make the sale.

After all, you spend hours making beautiful and functional products and then taking and editing photos for your website; why let all that work go to waste with a poorly worded description? Products should be seen AND heard!

Spending the time to write great product descriptions is often ignored in the creative process. I know you have a ton of other things on your to-do list, but I promise you that going the extra mile will give you results. Still wondering how focusing on copywriting will benefit your creative business? Read on…

HOW GREAT COPY CAN TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Sometimes the difference between a buyer adding an item to their cart and exiting from a website can be a tiny scrap of information. Sometimes it’s reading a customer testimonial or discovering a juicy detail about your product that they couldn’t tell from the photo (that dress has pockets?! *Add to cart*) Writing great copy covers all of these bases, and ups the odds of making the sale.

I’m sure you’ve been there: you found the perfect dress to wear to your best friend’s wedding, but there’s no sizing chart. You need to know the exact waist measurement of that size medium before spending your hard earned money! Or maybe you found the perfect bracelet but want to know if it’s made with sterling silver, and can’t find the information anywhere. You automatically assume that it’s made of cheap materials and move on.

What if that seller had given you the information you needed? You would have trusted them and their product more, and therefore be more willing (and excited!) to buy.

Every time you write something for your business, whether it be an email blast, an Instagram caption or the handwritten note included in your packages, you act as an extension of your brand. Discovering your brand’s writing style will help you make a lasting impression with your customers.

The Instagram captions for Tiffany and Co© and Claire’s© will be completely different, despite the fact that both brands sell jewelry. Their writing style is polarizing and draws their ideal customers to them. That’s always a good thing!

I doubt you need any more convincing as to whether or not copywriting is important for your business, so let’s get down to the 5 easy steps you can take to write great copy:

5 STEPS FOR WRITING COPY THAT SELLS

Use simple language (typically at about a fourth grade reading level) and keep the fancy grammar at home, unless your customer is very particular about it. No matter who your customer is, you want them to feel like they’re reading their favorite magazine, not a chemistry textbook. If it’s too complicated or they can’t understand it, they’ll lose interest faster than a 6 year old reading Jane Austen.

Grab attention with your headline or subject line. In some cases, you’ll catch the most attention with your amazing product photos! Once you’ve sparked that initial interest, keep it going in the description. Make sure you give out the juicy details first, as sometimes shoppers are apt to stop reading.

Now that you’ve got your customers reading your description, you want to build their interest by sharing all the cool details about your product. Let’s go back to the example about the bracelet. Don’t leave your buyer guessing about whether or not it’s made of sterling silver. Let them know if that bracelet won’t discolor, corrode, wear out or turn their wrist green. Is it adjustable? What kind of clasp does it have? This is all important information that your buyer needs so they won’t wonder if they’ll regret buying from you. It’s also a chance to talk up all the cool features you offer!

Above all, you want to describe the benefits of buying/using your product. If you make an essential oil blend for headaches, throw in a customer testimonial about how well it works. Do you sell bath salts? Tell your customer just how relaxed they’ll feel after indulging in that bath. Benefits build desire. Hint: the fact that it’s handmade can’t be the only benefit. How can it be beneficial to buy yourself a new pair of shoes? Maybe they will inspire you to put your best foot forward. Just ask some friends if you’re having trouble thinking of a “benefit.” Every product has one!

This is the final part of your product description: describe exactly what to do next. Add to cart and checkout? Click Buy Now? Tell them exactly what to expect. For example: “Choose your size from the drop down menu and click add to cart. Proceed to checkout and you’ll receive your new t-shirt in five days or less!” By telling your customer to choose a size, you’re getting them closer to actually taking that step. In their mind it’s establishing a connection. My size is Medium. Excellent, one step closer to wearing that shirt.

Once you’ve done it a few times, copywriting becomes easier and easier. And remember, you can apply these tips to anything you write for your business! Above all, remember that copy that sells is always centered around the customer (not you/your business) and getting into their mindset while they’re shopping. Write something that makes them want to step into that virtual dressing room or picture themselves using your product on a daily basis. Keep it conversational and keep it fun!

Marisa Sundin is a 20-something Michigander and owner of English Country Paper Co., a green stationery and lifestyle brand. Marisa began making sustainable notebooks and bullet journals in 2016 in an effort to conserve forests and keep paper out of landfills. She is passionate about enhancing people’s lives while keeping the earth clean. She is studying for a BA in marketing at Wayne State University and spends her free time exploring Detroit, doing pilates and watching k-dramas for fun.