Marketing writing is quite possibly one of the most profitable types of writing.  Profitable because a good marketing letter, advertisement or email will bring in prospects which you can then convert into customers and sales. If you do it correctly or hire someone who can do so for you.

Whether you hire out or produce your marketing in-house, these tips will help you identify great marketing writing.

Step One  – Know your audience.

This means not only understanding their demographics like their age and geographic location but also their psychographics – who they are as people.  Where do they shop?  What types of cars do they drive and why?  What are their hobbies, habits, and hopes?  What are their dreams and more importantly what are their problems?

Step Two – Determine your audience’s problem is and solve it.

How does your product or service solve their problems, make their lives easier?

Step Three –   Talk to your audience as if it were one person.

This is important.  We buy from people we like and we like people who talk to us as individuals.   Think about it, are you more likely to buy from someone who defines you as a group or labels you or someone who sees you as an individual and is there to fill your individual needs.

One common approach is to create a fictional person who represents your audience and then write the marketing copy directly to them.  Yes, your fictional person is based on an understanding of your audience as a whole but they don’t know that.  The person reading your marketing copy will feel as if you’re speaking just to them.

Step Four – Make sure your writing is easy to understand.

This means skipping the jargon and colloquiums that may not be understood by your audience.  Speak in simple sentences and don’t be afraid to break a few grammar rules, conversational writing often does.

Step Five – Reach out to your prospects and touch their emotions.  These don’t have to be positive emotions either.  Quite often we’re frustrated, angry, bored, and a whole host of other negative emotions.  If that’s how your prospect is feeling by all means let them know you understand and have what they need to make it better.

Finally, give your prospects something to do – a call to action.  They won’t likely take any action unless you ask them to.  Whether you want them to forward to a friend, visit a website or buy now it’s important to ask.

Writing marketing copy begins with understanding your audience and appealing to them as an individual.  Speak to them about your product or service in terms they understand, relate to and care about.  Taking the time to follow these steps will help you create the kind of marketing copy and the resulting profits you desire.

Of course,  if your time is spent running your business, finding a good writer who uses these rules to guide them will be your next best thing. Often a professional can complete a project like this faster than you can on your own.

For more advice that can help with the marketing of your small business, use the Services Request Page to get a quote on your most pressing marketing needs.