It doesn’t matter how good your product or service is. You need to be able to get that over to potential customers if you’re to sell it to them. Good content writing can be one way to do that.

Here are a few simple, straightforward tips really can make your own content writing much more powerful and successful:

1. Keep it simple.

Readers frequently just pick through content and, even if they’re smart, don’t have time or can’t be bothered to digest clever and complex arguments. So keep it all fairly down to earth.

2. Talk to your target audience in a language they’ll understand.

Are they male or female? Young or old? What interests do they have? Put yourself in their shoes, and talk to them on their terms – not yours.

3. Think of the one single feature that makes your product different to or better than any similar product.

Is it cheaper? Newer? Does it do something their product doesn’t do? Choose one thing and push it in your writing. This is called a USP or unique selling proposition by the way.

4. Talk benefits.

This is probably the single most powerful copywriting secret ever!

Talk about not what the product is or what it does. But what it can do for the customer. Will it save them money? Will it help them do a job faster and so on.

Writers often describe this technique as ‘selling the sizzle not the sausage’! It’s a technique that works for almost any product you can imagine.

5. Solve your reader’s problems.

Customers buy solutions to problems not products. Think what problems your product is designed to solve and write about that. Will it take away their hunger? Will it sort out their leaky roof? Will it take away their aches and pains?

6. Have a strong headline. Something that makes the reader stop and read the rest of your copy. Tip. Your USP or your strongest benefit often makes a very good headline.

7. Include facts and figures about the product.

They make your copy seem more real, and more honest.

8. Lastly, get the length right.

The truth is, there is no right or wrong length for a piece of content. There have been some great pieces of copywriting of just 100 words long, and some great sales letters of over 5,000 words long. Just write as much or as little as you think you need to sell the product.

Break up long copy with sub headings and bullet points. They’ll make it easier for your customer to read. And, just as importantly, easier for you to write too!

If you’d like individual advice on your copy and suggestions for making it better drop me an email at mark@markhempshell.com