Want to build stronger customer relationships? You need a copywriter

12th October 2020

According to some estimates, the average adult in the UK sees as many as 5,000 adverts a day.

At first glance, that might seem impossible, but considering we spend in excess of six hours a day online it becomes easier to understand:we’re followed by banner ads as we shop, greeted with sponsored content while browsing social media, and even faced with influencer marketing – all without getting to the news we watch, magazines we read and environmental advertising we encounter.

Chances are, every single one of those adverts will contain at least one headline, strapline, sales pitch or catchphrase; it might be just one word, or an entire article. But they’re written by a copywriter.

And it’s not just adverts they work on, either. If you want a website that boosts your sales, a leaflet which promotes your services without being pushy, or a memorable email that encourages old clients to get back in touch, a great copywriter can help you achieve it all.

Not all words are made equal

You probably know your business, products and services inside-out. So it’s understandable that you might think you’ll be able to write about it better than anyone else could.

But a copywriter does more than just write down a few facts about what you have to offer.

The role of ‘copywriter’ is really a shorthand title for linguist, researcher, salesperson, behavioural scientist, journalist, screenwriter, storyteller, subject matter expert, problem-solver…

You get the idea.
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A copywriter does more than just describe a product, company or service. They make it desirable to your customers. Whether you’re ‘selling’ investment management advice, air conditioning or the idea of going vegan, a copywriter’s craft is making people want it.

A well-practiced copywriter can make life insurance feel like a great idea instead of a grudge purchase. They can encourage customers to upgrade to a Platinum Package instead of a budget experience. Or they can convince companies to purchase a bespoke, high-end digital projector instead of picking the cheaper market leader.

In short, yes, they need to be a good writer. But they need to be even better at choosing the right words to achieve your business’ goals.

The words you use say a lot about you

We’ve all received that email about our account being suspended that, at first glance, looks legitimate. But once you’ve looked a little deeper, you notice it’s riddled with errors, and the wording seems a little unnatural. It’s clearly spam, so you delete it and move on.

Spelling mistakes, incorrect grammar and misused punctuation make any business look unprofessional – and, at the very worst, illegitimate. But there are less obvious ways businesses are thwarted by their own words.

The way a business speaks is known as its Tone of Voice (TOV) and even if it’s not something you think about, you’ll probably recognise it.

Many banks, for example, use an authoritative tone of voice, using carefully chosen words to offer calm, reassuring communications to their customers – comms that are designed to promote trust in their brand. Compare that to the words used by a well-known smoothie company whose communications are full of pithy jokes, and you’ll notice how the tone is very different.

TOV adds personality and familiarity to your business. It can be an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to influencing customer’s feelings – and, in turn, their purchasing decisions.

Even simple differences, such as starting your communications with “Dear Mr Grey” vs. “Hi there, Dan”, or signing off with“Kindest regards” vs. “Chat again soon” will have a completely different impact. And there’s no right or wrong way. The only rule for Tone of Voice is consistency.

If there’s no consistency, your customers will have a fragmented experience with your brand – hot one moment, and cold the next. By being consistent with your tone, you can keep your customers reassured of your brand’s authenticity, and build stronger customer relationships by reinforcing brand recognition.

Choosing the right tone of voice for you comes down to what’s right for your brand, the customers you want to attract and the words that will make them feel and act the way you want.

Copywriters don’t work for you – they work for your customer

While we’ll ensure you’re happy with anything we write, above all, any copywriter worth their salt will always try to do what’s best for your customer.

So while you’re the expert on all there is to know about your business, our focus is getting under the skin of your customers to discover the answers to questions like:

· Who are your customers? How old are they, what are their interests outside of your brand?

· Why will your customers choose you? Why should they avoid the competition?

· How do customers interact with your brand? What makes them respond? What encourages them to engage? What makes them excited?

Once we have the answers, it could be that we approach you to suggest the 750-word website homepage you envisioned isn’t the best choice for increasing your visitor count – instead, your customers would engage more with a few poignant social media posts that they could share with like-minded peers.

But whatever the decision, most importantly we’ll blend language and behavioural psychology together, to motivate your customers to act.

Finding the right words with P+S

A copywriter can take an entire list of facts and figures about your business and transform them into a story of how one purchase could make their lives easier.

They’ll add character to your brand, build trust in your services and prove to your clients that their world would be better off with you a part of it.

At P+S, our award-winning copy team are backed by a team of digital and creative specialists in almost every discipline. So from script to screen, billboards to blogs, and websites to workflows, we can help you nurture your customers at every stage of their journey with you.

Get in touch with us today at [email protected] to find out how our copy services can bring your brand to life.