Before beginning to draft copy, whether it be for a website, an ad, company brochure, social media content or a press release the first question to ask is, “Who is my audience?” When we talk about brand, most clients and consumers think immediately about the visuals—logo and colors. While a logo may be the first thing that comes to mind, the visual elements may form the initial image, it is the words that tell the brand story.
Essentially, when we are writing for a client my mantra is start with the end user in mind. Who is that consumer we are trying to reach? What is it we want the audience to do? The next step is determining the core message for the client and adapt it accordingly, depending on the medium we are writing for. This is something marketing writers often struggle with.
So, how do you make the necessary adjustments and share your core message, while changing the voice or your writing style to make it appropriate for a specific marketing medium or to reflect various clients you may represent?
Here a 5 tips that can help you:
1. After identifying who you are writing for—the company or industry you represent—develop a clear picture of who you are writing to—the customer you are trying to reach or influence.
2. Determine what it is you want your reader to know and to do. Remember to include a call to action!
3. Consider the medium you are writing for. If it’s a press release, make sure you’ve covered the who, what and where clearly, you’re writing in AP style and the editorializing is kept to a minimum. If it’s copy for collateral or the website, grab the consumer, make it interesting, informative and easy to digest.
4. Research the market. Understand the industry and read what the company’s key competitors are saying – then hone in on what makes you different and share it.
5. Think about tone. If you are tweeting for your business you only have 140 characters to catch the attention of your audience and engage, so a grabbing question, statistic or something appropriately humorous can be a good way to go. If you are drafting a presentation to potential investors, the tone will be more businesslike and take on a more serious tone.
As the voice of many clients working for various companies, in a variety of industries, our job is to learn to speak their language and then translate it to the public. If you have a company or represent a brand that needs to find its voice, let’s talk. We just might be able to help.