How to Write Branded Copy that Converts + Attracts
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As a brand and web designer, you know the importance of telling a story through an authentic and unique brand design. But, have you thought about the importance of conveying those same values and stories through what you write? If copywriting has been taking a backseat and is a lower priority than web design, then this blog post can act as a guide to help you increase sales through words that inspire others to take action.
Maybe you're thinking that as a designer, landing clients all comes down to sharing your designs and putting them where potential clients can see what you've created and that your copywriting skills have nothing to do with your marketing strategy.
While you are right - people are going to hire you based on your design skills, you need to convince that that it will be worth it to work with you instead of your competition.
And how do you do that?
Through the content you put out when marketing your business and your copywriting! So let's get into it - starting with identifying the foundations of your copy, that is, choosing a target audience and figuring out where they like to spend their time.
CHOOSING A TARGET AUDIENCE
As you're writing your copy, imagine what you're writing as having a conversation with one person and one person only. And that person is your ideal client. Who are they? Ask yourself the following questions and take a moment to write them down so that you can reference your answers as you go about writing copy for your business.
What does she look like?
What are her struggles?
What kind of business does she run or what is her current job?
What are some of her biggest dreams?
What do you have in common?
How can you help carry her away from her problems and closer to her dreams?
Answering these questions is the number one way I recommend deciding on a target audience. If you're already an established brand and web designer looking to niche down, then there are a few more things you can do to figure out who your dream clients are.
Option 1 - Think about who you have worked with in the past. How can you group these clients together? Do you notice any patterns? Once you look at the brands you've worked with, you might notice some similarities. Maybe the majority of past clients are photographers, in the food industry, coaching and teaching others, and the list goes on. By looking at who you've worked with in the past, it will be easier to target these people in the future because they are likely in your audience on your main marketing platform already.
PRO TIP - Reach out to the brands you've worked with that are inside the demographic you desire to reach. Offer them an incentive if they refer others within the same niche or ask them for a testimonial. Use these testimonials to prove to your dream clients that you are the designer of their dreams.
Option 2 - Go through your audience on your main marketing platforms and see what kind of people dominate it the most. Who is constantly interacting with your posts? Responding to your stories? Voting in polls? These people are your warmest leads, and if you notice any patterns in who these types of people are, then you can target them when marketing and pitching your services.
PRO TIP - Keep a spreadsheet or similar tracking method to manage all your leads in one place. Who have you pitched to? Who has inquired about your services? Who has answered your market research questions? All these people are potential clients and if you stay on top of this list, you can identify patterns to build a clearer picture of your ideal client avatar.
PICKING A MARKETING STRATEGY THAT REACHES YOUR IDEAL CLIENT
Depending on who you choose as an ideal client, there are going to be better platforms to find them on than others. For example, if you're wanting to work with brands like Honeybook, Dubsado, Asana, Trello, etc. the Upwork might be the place for you.
On the other hand, if you're targeting local businesses, then flyers, ads, and in-person visits to the businesses around you might be the best way for you to sign clients.
The list can go on and on, for example, I work with brand and web designers and have found all my clients on Instagram. You can use Instagram if your dream clients are business coaches, photographers, VAs, Etsy sellers, and so on.
Other places you can find clients include LinkedIn, Facebook groups, and websites. So now that we have the technical foundations out of the way, it's time to actually start the copywriting process!
TURNING YOUR IDEAS INTO WELL-WRITTEN COPY
One of the biggest struggles I've noticed as a copywriter for brand and web designers is that you have a ton of content ideas but stare at a blinking cursor for minutes when the time comes to write it all out.
The first thing you can do is keep a running list of ideas and phrases that you want to use. I'll even let you in on a little secret - that's how this blog post started! All I wrote down was a phrase I wanted to use and the subheading topics I wanted to cover. And now it's turning into an educational story for you to use in your own business!
Next, you need to think about the purpose you want to serve. What are your brand values? How can you use those as a unique selling position for all your offers to turn hot leads into happy customers? Is what you're writing intended to convert readers? Educate your audience? Promote a product or service? All these things require different skills and methods (more information coming in a future blog post!).
The third thing I want you to do is to think about your brand voice. What words or phrases do you find yourself using the most? What characteristics of your brand does your audience immediately associate with your business name? What are your values and most used emojis? Make a list of all these things, then pick out a few that you can use with the content idea you've decided on.
Chances are that once you start writing, the process will get easier. And if you think of any more ideas as you're writing, make sure to have your content marketing list handy to write down all your ideas! Now that you have a plan to turn your ideas into well-written copy, let's talk about how to write it originally and stop using those cliche phrases that everyone and their biz besties are using.
HOW TO WRITE ORIGINAL COPY
It all starts with brainstorming. The original ideas start flowing when you stop thinking about your competition. Ask yourself questions like...
What makes my product different?
Why do people want to hear about this topic from me?
What is my audience interested in?
Why do people enjoy following along and working with me?
What do people think of when they heard my voice, read my writing, or see my designs?
Some of these things may be hard to learn on your own, but market research can be your best friend! Hop on Instagram or the social media platform of your choice and ask people these questions - especially the last three.
When you can get the inside scoop on an outsider's perspective, you can translate that into the tone of voice your online persona portrays.
Here's an example of what I mean: people enjoy following along with my business and working with me because I'm efficient, always positive, and full of ideas. When people see my branding or read what I've written, they think of words like "adventure", "spontaneity", "happy vibes" and so on. I can use this knowledge in my content to speak specifically to the person who wants to work with me.
I know that writing in a positive way that makes people feel good about themselves and comfortable around me will increase my sales and have all the inquiry emails rolling into my inbox.
The key to writing original copy is to know what your audience wants to see from you and then serving it and more to them on a golden platter. When you don't write original copy, you run the risk of appearing less professional in front of the reader, thus giving your competition a chance to grab the attention of someone who was interested in working with you first.
PRO TIP - If you're using or are tempted to use one of those "buzzword" phrases that we hear all the time in the online entrepreneurial space, think about how you can put a spin on the phrase and "rebrand" it so that it fits your business. This could mean turning your "client love" heading in your testimonials section into something that fits your business and brand voice better.
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