Getting Started – Copywriting 101

Presenter:Bernadette Schwerdt

www.copyschool.com

1. They start writing before they are ready

2. They don’t know enough about their product or service - can’t make big claims because they can’t be specific

3. They generalise their information - makes it less engaging and compelling

Common mistakes novice copywriters often make:

4. They don’t know how the piece will be distributed

5. They don’t know who they are targetting – are they existing customers, new customers, lapsed customers – not specific

6. They don’t know the objective of the piece – there is no goal or request for action

7. They can’t articulate their offer or how it ‘stacks up’ against the competitors

80 % - researching 20% - writing

Pareto’s Rule - 80/20

Why do you need a Creative Brief?

The Creative Brief is the master document that states exactly:  What type of creative piece is being written

– a letter, a web page, a billboard? What product is being advertised Who is being targeted What aspects of the product we’re going to

promote 

The Creative Brief:

Blogs, forums, chat rooms, briefings, breakfast sessions – you should be information gathering mode at all time

Never assume you know what your customers want

Have you ever had a focus group or a lunch - ask a few clients in over lunch and ask them questions about what they need, want, etc

What are they thinking/feeling?

Do you ever send out surveys or polls as to what they want to learn at an event, what their pressing concern is right now, what topics they need help with?

Are you following key clients on Twitter or social media to find out what’s on their mind, what’s occupying them?

Positioning – how do you want the customer to see you

The Creative Brief You may be at times marketing yourself,

your service eg an event, or the Property Council as an organisation

Today:

I’ll send you a copy of the Creative Brief

Print it off, use it whenever you have to write copy for a new job

Get a colleague to ask you the questions

For your purposes::

Minimises misunderstandings and miscommunications  

Why have one?

We’ll work through each one

There is a document – will send to you

Use it each time you start a new job

Will become second-nature after a while

Will do it ‘live’ at the Coaching Call

Top 18 questions to ask BEFORE you start writing :

What is your Positioning Statement?

It’s critical you are seen as the “specialist” – the only possible choice.

Current positioning statement: The Voice of Leadership.

1. How do you want to be seen?

Who would you prefer to get advice from?

Even then….

“I’m a heart surgeon”

“I’m the only heart surgeon in Australia with a 100 percent success rate. I’ve never lost a

patient and I’ve never had a serious complication during surgery.”

You need to be seen as the No. 1 provider of fast, accurate, relevant information to the property market

You need to be seen as the company that offers unprecedented and exclusive access to the change agents/law makers/influencers in the property market

“Money Can’t Buy Access – The Property Council Can.”

Examples:

Why would someone say – I need to join the Property Council and not the HIA?

How and why are you the specialists?

This is what your clients are thinking – you need to provide the answers.

◦ An A4 brochure folded to DL

◦ a 300 word article for Resources Page

◦ A 2-page sales letter that will be mailed out via Australia Post

◦ An A1 Poster that will be sent to all our offices in a cylindrical post pack

◦ Determines how much you’ll write – word count – sample sizing

2. Task - What needs to be made?

Are memberships down? Has the HIA

created a new TV campaign that is taking our members away?

Has a new tax been introduced that our members need to know about?

Is there an event coming up that needs to be promoted?

3. What is the background to this job – why is copy needed?

The service we are promoting is The Property Academy ‘Scope of Services’ 24-page Brochure – it will need to include: a brief description (300 words) of each course (15) on offer the member/non member prices dates for 2012 only locations for courses tutor biog for each course (150 words) CPD points on offer 10 testimonials from former students – 50

words per testimonial.

4. What are we selling? Describe the Product/Service:

4. Where will it be seen/distributed?

The 24 page brochure will be mailed via Australia Post* to all current members (2200), and prospects (3500).

It will be mailed flat** (A4) with an cover addressing page on top and wrapped in plastic.

It will also be placed in our rack*** of brochures at Reception at all national offices.

* = versus Courier ** versus DL (affects postage costs) *** determines final size

Where will it be seen/distributed?

To promote awareness of the Academy

To provide details of each course

To encourage enrolment in the programmes via early bird offers

To get each course filled to 80% capacity in 12 months

To source 30 new testimonials from CEOs in 6 months

9. Target market:

5. What is the objective of the piece? General or specific…

This section sums up who exactly we are targeting in this piece ie. who is the person who should buy this product?

This is a vital component of The Brief. If this is wrong, everything is wrong.

You have to be able to ‘see’ the target in front of you.

•

6. Who is the target market:

Are they male or female?

How old would they be? 18-25? 26-39? 40-55? 56-65? 65+?

Determines what cultural references you use, size of point size, method of delivery eg web/snail mail

Demographic segmentation:

How much does this person earn? $30,000-$50,000? $51,000-$100,000? $101,000-250,000? $250,000+?

What level of education have they attained? school leaver tertiary post graduate Other

Where do they live?

City, regional, remote, coastal

What is their occupation?◦ Architects

◦ Developers

◦ Receptionists

What are their values?

◦ A BIG Australia at any cost? Growth oriented?

◦ Green – concerned about the environment

Can you think of someone you know in your own life who is in that target group? It could be your brother, husband, wife etc.

If so, what benefits would appeal to them?

What would motivate them to buy this product?

You need to create a snapshot of this person in your mind and keep it there whilst you’re writing.

How do they feel about refugees,capitalism, Greenpeace, childcarefor working mothers, technology,pollution, nuclear power, GM foods,keeping fit, education, superannuation?

Who makes the decision aboutwhat gets bought? Them? Their boss? Their HR Dept?

Psychographic segmentation:

1)    What keeps them awake at night?2)    What are they afraid of?3)    What are they angry about? Who are they angry at?4)    What are their top 3 daily frustrations?5)    What trends are occurring and will occur in their businesses or lives?6)    What do they secretly, ardently desire most?

11 Profiling questions…

7)    Is there a built-in bias to the way they make decisions? (Example: engineers = analytical, sceptical, need proof of claims)8)    Do they have their own language? Eg NABERS.9)    Who else is selling them something similar and how?10) What magazines do they read?11) What websites do they visit?

Unique Selling Proposition.

It’s designed to answer the biggest question that clients have when choosing a service provider.

Why should I deal with you and not your competitor?

  It’s critical to create a USP that answers this

question for the client

7. What is your USP?

They are going to hire you because they feel like you understand what they actually need.

Should be completely unique.

You must be the only company making this claim.

You cannot say something that another person or company is saying; that defeats the purpose. It’s got to be completely original.

 

1. Speed (Bloomberg – delivers international breaking news and updated stock prices)

2. Really, really good bargain - everybody loves a good bargain - Reject Shop, $2 Shop, Scoopon, Deal of the Day.

3. A guarantee of some sort – Target, David Jones – motivates clients to take action; separate you from the crowd

Types of USP:

4. Unique Advantage: Front row seating at an event, dinner with the

author/speaker

5. Inside information: Property Council

6. Exclusivity: Chanel, Mahogany Room, Crown Casino.

7. Ease and simplicity: Google.

When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight."

"You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less -- or it's free.“

Specific – not ‘delivered fast’ - in 30 minutes.

"Melts in your mouth, not in your hand"

“Gets rid of dandruff”

USP: We’ll sell it at the price you want or it costs you nothing.

USP - "Our 20 Step Marketing System Will Sell Your House In Less Than 45 Days At Full Market Value"

Neil Jenman:

What’s in it for me?

How will it make my life easier/richer/better?

8. Features and Benefits:

Features Bridging Words Benefits: You Will…

1.2.3.

• Which means that...

• That’s great for you because…

• That’s important for you because…

• What’s in it for you is that…

• That’s rare because…

• That’s valuable because…

• It’s different to others because…

1. 2.3.

Senior execs – females only

What that means to you is that…

• Conversation will be focussed on the needs of women in property – relevant, time efficient

• Can air topics that might be ‘taboo’ elsewhere

Features Bridging Words Benefits

Features Bridging Words Benefits

Networking / Forum This is very valuable because…

• Get 3 minutes to present your business in its best possible light – attract new clients

• Facilitated net-working means you’ll be introduced to key clients – perfect for shy people who hate socialising

Launch Statements…

1. “I think this …………….. is fantastic for ….. because...”

2. “What’s great about this service is that…”3. “It’s different to other …………..

because...”4. “The best part about it is…”5. “Would you be interested in hearing more

about something like that?”

Who would the prospects compare you to?

HIA?

Urban Development Industry Association (UDIA)?.

 What do you offer that they don’t?

9. Competitors:

What awards have you won? How long have been in business? What success stories can you talk about? What famous people/organisations use you? What are some of your achievements? What people/job roles have done the

course? What movers and shakers on the board What companies are already a

member/attended?

10. Supporting Evidence/Testimonials:

11. Tone of Voice / Personality:

What will the product/service cost?

What perception does price have on your market?

Chanel versus Supre?

Price can be used to create perception

Harvard Law Degree vs Law Degree from Regional University - same course, different prices, different perception

12. Price

How do people buy the service currently? Eg ad appears in a magazine, prospect goes online, fills out a form, sends credit card details, gets a receipt and pack, etc

13. What is the buying process?

Is it the price?

Don’t they trust you?

Not good value?

Can’t see what they get.

List them all.

Essential Requirements/Mandatories:

14. Why wouldn’t they buy it?

What will inspire them to give you their email and name - a relevant ebook, free report etc

1. “The Architect’s Guide To Building Green Star-Rated Hospitals and Schools”

2. “The Property Developer’s Guide to Successfully Lobbying Government Ministers”

3. “The Commercial Leasing Manager’s Guide To Estimating Carbon Cost Increases”

15. The Offer:

Inspire them to book a course:

- early bird discount, autographed book of speaker, exclusive briefing, more CPD points than normal, potential for promotion,

Inspire them to become a member:

- Access to govt ministers, exclusive information, instant update on market conditions

Money back guarantee Partial refund Only pay if you’re happy Sit in for 2 days – free to leave after that

and full money back + you keep the resources

Money back + $200 for your travel Come to our event and we’ll pay your

airfare Ring these people – they did the course

Always asking: How can we reduce the risk of purchase?

16. What guarantees can you offer:

Be specific about what you want them to do:

To enrol in a course, follow these steps:

To become a member, fill out this form – it will take just 3 minutes.

To book your seat, ring Jan Brown on …..

17. Call To Action

Disclaimers, trademarks, conditions, sources

18. Essentials/Mandatories:

Date copy is needed

Date piece needs to be produced

Date piece will be sent out/uploaded

Who needs to approve it?

19. Date Required + Approvals

Powerhouse 3D – Talking about the 5-year vision

Must-see TV!

Embodies the principles outlined here

Has done his research

Crafted his speech to his audience

Peter Verwer’s Presentation:

Opening phrase:

“We’ve got 5 clear goals and 10 programmes to deliver them”

We now know what to expect through the rest of the presentation

Specific…

“We’re going to double the money that goes into these programmes from $6 million to $12 million by the end of our 5-year strategy”

No doubt in audience’s mind of what will happen

Benefit – they’ve investing in the quality of the programmes

Specific:

On the Retirement Industry Sector:

“ There are 8 different sets of rules…”

Knows his stuff! Provides evidence he knows what he is talking about.

Specifics:

“Our # 1 goal is to increase our advocacy so that we can put the arguments that you want to politicians so they can change the rules, the framework so that you can improve your business opportunities.”

He’s embedded a benefit that appealed to the target market

Clear Objectives + Benefit + Knows Target Audience

“The goal here is to have the best arguments, best evidence-based policy solutions that can satisfy Treasury, the media, ministers and the communities.

Benefits + Inside Knowledge

“We are in alignment with BOMA – geniuses at Asset Management” plus the British Council of Offices.

Supporting Evidence/Testimonials:

“We’ll provide a portal to the world’s best thinking and market intelligence at your fingertips.”

Re The Property Academy

“We’ll deliver training that is practical, relevant…that you can apply immediately.”

Benefits:

“…our partnership with Bond University…when you do our course this learning counts…

you don’t have to do 16 units to get your qualification – you only have to do 12 units to qualify…

you get CPD points around the country…

we’ll be offering the 1st Executive Masters of Real Estate Course…”

Benefits+ Specifics + Supporting Evidence + Inside Knowledge + Exclusive

Print out clean copy each time you start a job

Choose a small job to work on

Get a colleague to ask you the questions

Record the answers/write them up

Don’t start writing yet – just fill in the brief

Homework:

I’ll do a ‘live’ briefing at the Coaching Call to show you how it works and how easy it is

If you would like to sort out a marketing problem, get clarity on a service, you can be in the Hot Seat.

It takes longer to start with – but you get a better result, and it gets quicker and easier

Then I’ll show you how to overcome writer’s block and procrastination

Send me any work you like for feedback

I’ll review it and discuss it at the next call

Send me any questions on this topic

You can get involved or just listen

See you then!

Coaching Call – Tues December 6