Copywriting
When I ask clients about the key messages they want their audience to read, they often talk in superlatives. ‘We are the best, quickest, latest, largest, etc, etc.’
Fair enough. These are important (especially if they’re accurate!), but do they tell the whole story? People buy from people so, in my experience, they want to know not just ‘what you do’, but ‘who you are’.
Qualities such as trust and belief are particularly valued by a web/social media audience who initially seek engagement as much as a transaction. So you need to tell them your story, and you need to make it compelling.
What you say is important, but so is how you say it. And this is where the writing matters. Energy, pace and rhythm are standard, but then you must consider personality and tone of voice. If you are the best widget maker in the world, find the evidence to prove it, such as the passion for widgets that exists within your team, and then the language to tell that story. Please note: this does not mean overstatement; often the simplest words have the greatest impact, as long as they are the right words.
This may seem artificial (widgets and passion?) but my experience of SMEs is that they work incredibly hard at what they do and, as a result, care greatly about their products, services and customers.
It’s just a case of sharing that with the outside world.
‘Hiring Mike was, quite simply, the best thing my company has done this year.
His ability to cut through the waffle inherent in most content and hone a marketing message down to something pithy and compelling makes his copywriting unique in my experience. I cannot praise his work highly enough.’
– Jonathan Guy, Aqueous Digital
‘We recently engaged Mike to look at our web copy and, in particular, our tone of voice. During this process we realised we needed a more modern, contemporary approach.
“As a result we have both changed how we communicate and the name of the company, putting more emphasis on the personality of the business. We are pleased with the result and have recommended Mike to a number of business associates. The feedback has been very positive.”
– Nick Brookes, SmartStrat
‘Having worked closely with Mike on our website content we found his service and attention to detail impeccable. Mike is like an architect with words and helped to develop the messages we wanted about our company and services.
“I would have no hesitation in recommending Mike and his professional acumen to any prospective clients. He has become not just a service supplier but also a true friend whose opinion I value.”
– Kevin Rawcliffe, Ikon Furniture