Write Marketing Material Like a Pro

Intrigue customers with a well-designed website, advertisement or press release, and get them hooked on your product or service with smartly crafted copy. This guide, with tips from branding and copywriting expert Susan Gunelius, helps small business owners create messages that get results.

If writing copy for marketing materials leaves you stumped, take a few cues from Susan Gunelius, president and CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc. She’s the author of Kick Ass Copy in 10 Easy Steps. Her advice could be the key to making your small business a success.

“The primary reason it’s important for small business owners to write good copy is budget and money,” Gunelius says. “They can’t afford not to get their message across because the budget just isn’t there to make a mistake and have to do it again.”

Follow these tips to get your voice heard the first time:

Communicate your product benefits. “Focus on what I call the me-versus-you factor,” Gunelius says. “Tell me what’s in it for me, not what’s in it for your company.” When customers purchase your product, what do they gain? Gunelius cautions against highlighting awards you’ve won or memberships you’ve gained. “No one cares that you belong to the Chamber of Commerce,” she says.

Focus on your audience. You may think you know your customers, but until you’ve talked with them, writing marketing material can be hard, Gunelius says. “Build relationships with your audience,” she suggests. “That way you can write messages that deliver on their expectations of your brand.” Solicit feedback, conduct surveys or request testimonials to connect with and learn from customers.

Remove filler words. “People are busier now more than ever and are inundated with messages,” Gunelius says. “Copywriting can’t include extraneous information.” Get rid of often irrelevant words such as “really, very, like, that, the, a, and be” when possible to form simple, easily grasped sentences. Don’t say, “This really new software will be a very helpful tool for all small business owners.” Instead, get to the point; “This new software helps small business owners.”

Proofread. Verify comma usage and spelling. Although you may not have the budget to hire an expert proofreader, you can show copy to employees or others with a strong grasp of grammar. “Nothing screams, ‘We’re a business that doesn’t really care,’ like copywriting with mistakes,” Gunelius says.

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