BannerBuzz July 21st, 2021

Cracking the Copywriter’s Code: 5 Ways to Write Copy That Converts

Copywriting is a form of marketing and advertising writing that aims to inspire action on the part of the consumer. When it comes to writing copy for these types of materials, like window decals and banners, less is more. Writing great copy for these finite spaces is no easy feat. Thankfully, there are a few tips and tricks to help you bust through your writer’s block and write copy that converts.

Understand the Basics

You do not need a Shakespearean way with words to write copy that sells. You do, however, need to have some understanding of consumer psychology. Whether you want to make a statement with your signage or motivate your online audience, there are some copywriting basics that will help you craft a compelling message.

First, your words need to catch the reader’s eye. Design elements like typeface, color choice, and visual hierarchy will help your message stand out. Next, it is important not to get bogged down in the details. The less is more approach is very effective for copywriting. Focus on the most important information and clearly communicate those key points to your audience. Lastly, no high-conversion copy is complete without a solid call to action. Strong CTAs include a verb and are most often seen in phrases like “buy now” or “click here”.

Grab Their Attention with Great Grammar

Every element of your writing should reflect your company’s brand voice. This consistency builds trust between companies and consumers. However, glaring grammar errors can seriously wreck your brand building efforts.

One study revealed that 59% of shoppers would avoid buying from a brand that made obvious grammatical mistakes. Approximately 68% of customers believe the quality of a company’s signage reflects the quality of its goods or services. Proofreading your copy and paying attention to writing and design details is imperative for a successful marketing strategy.

When it comes to writing for marketing materials, you have a limited amount of space to work with, so you have to choose your words wisely. If any of those words are misspelled, it can negatively impact your brand image. From Grammarly to proofreading services, there are plenty of ways to ensure your signage has stellar spelling.

It’s All In Your Headline

Eight out of ten people only read headlines. Presenting key information in a condensed way is the key to grabbing your reader’s attention. The average headline effectively draws readers in with seven words or less. Your headline should always answer as many of the five w’s as possible: who, what, when, where, or why.

If yours is not a high-end luxury business, your message should read something like “50% OFF SALE” or “Store Clearance Today Only.” These headline examples have a clear message that communicates the necessary information to draw customers to your store. Prioritize these general messages for storefront and roadside signs and banners to grab your reader’s attention and encourage them to learn more inside your store.

You can add strong copy elements inside your brick and mortar or online store too. Shelf signage, sales flyers, landing page copy, product descriptions and custom packaging give you the opportunity to provide product or promotion-specific details, expand your brand voice and further your customer relationships. Having a firm understanding of the role copy plays for different marketing mediums will help you effectively portray your brand voice for multichannel purposes.

Copywriting Is a Numbers Game

Adding numbers to your copy allows your readers to quickly digest stats and facts, which gives your claim credibility. Specificity sells, so add numbers to support claims whenever possible. This strategy can yield much higher conversion rates.

One user experience study tracked the eye movements of online readers and found that their eyes were repeatedly drawn to numbers. Writing numbers as digits, not letters, makes your signage scannable. For example, if you are having a sale, make sure your signage uses “75% off” instead of “seventy-five percent off”. You can also bold the font of numbers to enhance their eye-catching capability.

Designing Your Words

Great copywriting is enhanced by great graphic design. Knowing what information to write is just as important as knowing how to present it. The average American sees anywhere between 4,000 to 10,000 ads per day, so it is very important to use graphic design principles to set your copy apart from the competition.

Visual hierarchy allows you to draw the reader’s eye to the most important details you want them to see. You can establish visual hierarchy for your signs, decals, and sales flyers by using font size, color, and shape to make the most important words pop.

The scale of your marketing items will determine the volume of information you can put on them. A skilled graphic designer will tell you that negative space is actually a positive when it comes to elevating your marketing message. Hiring a graphic designer can help you get the most out of your signs and banners.

Getting Personal

Adding personalized elements to your copy is proven to increase conversion rates as well. One study revealed that 49% of impulse buyers bought a product because they had a personalized shopping experience. Social media service, HubSpot, found that personalized calls to action are 202% more effective than generic prompts.

You can see similar results and build personalized experiences with your customers using CRM systems (customer relationship management). Companies that use CRM have increased sales by 29%. The data stored on CRM services can be very useful for crafting high-conversion, personalized copy.

There are several different ways to personalize the customer experience. Sending special pricing coupons to customers on their birthday or customer anniversary is an effective way to build relationships and boost sales. Consider adding personalized messaging to your digital efforts, like email marketing campaigns, too. These simple, personal touch points make shoppers feel like their business is valued.

Social Proof Sells

The modern customer takes a bit more convincing to make a sale. Because of this trend, businesses need to incorporate social proof into their marketing messages. One study found that email newsletter signups increased 20% when social proof was added to the messaging.

Social proof can include anything from real customer testimonials to CRM data regarding actual sales. Printing these elements on sales sheets and promotional flyers adds credibility to the claims in your copy and lets customers know that their peers find your products or services valuable too.

Social media provides a great opportunity to generate social proof for your business. Studies confirm that adding a call to action to your social media page can increase click-through rate rates by up to 285%. Solid social proof with a strong call to action is a winning formula for writing copy that converts.

Final Thoughts

When you write copy for your banners, signs, and online platforms, make sure your message is simple yet specific. One study by DSIM found that adding a strong call to action increased sales by 1,617%. CTA’s like “Buy Now” or “Sign Up Here” communicate urgency, confidence, and clear next steps your customers can take. Include numeric data and social proof to enhance credibility and authority and use graphic design principles to elevate the written word. Apply these tips and tricks to your marketing messages and your copywriting is sure to convert.