7 Tips to Optimize Your Content and Build Your Brand--Fast

(Originally posted on copybycarrie.com and Medium.com)

As a business owner, you’ve got?a lot to juggle.?Taking care of customers, bookkeeping, and evaluating the market is more than enough to keep you stressed. But is it all doable? Totally.

Revamping the copy on that outdated, desperately-in-need-of-a-makeover website, on the other hand, on top of everything else you've got on your plate? OVERWHELMING.

Every word you write for your business is an opportunity to get new leads and convert casual browsers to buyers. So, if those words aren’t chosen carefully, you’re going to miss out on A LOT of opportunities (read: you’re going to?lose a lot of money!)

It doesn’t matter how awesome your product or service is.?If your copy isn’t snappy and persuasive,?if it doesn’t engage your readers and inspire them to take action…they’ll hit the back button, toss your brochure, or change the channel faster than you can say, “money-back guarantee.”

So, use these copywriting 101 tips when writing all of your marketing materials. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll be converting casual readers to raving fans — and paying customers — in no time.

1. Decide how you want them to feel.?

Humans don’t buy strictly based on need. We buy what we want because of how it makes us feel. So, effective copy connects with consumers on an emotional level.

Do you want to inspire them with the opportunities your service makes possible? Or unsettle them into buying your product for the sake of their health and safety? Identify how you want your readers to feel and write with that in mind.

Bonus tip: brainstorm “power words” that evoke the emotion you want your customers to feel and sprinkle them throughout your copy. This will kick the emotional aspect of everything you write into high gear.

2. Utilize the power of “you.”?

The harsh truth: no one cares about your company. (Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but it’s true.) They care about themselves; they care about what your products or services can do for them.

So, stop talking about yourself and your accomplishments. Address your customers directly. And tell them what’s in it for them to buy from you. Better yet, SHOW them. Focus on benefits over features and show them what their lives will be like with your product or service in it.

3. Write the way you speak.?

If your copy reads like a scientific paper or textbook, it’s either going to turn your readers off immediately or go right over their heads. Great copy has a casual tone and uses short, easy-to-understand words. It’s your salesperson on paper (or computer screen, or mobile/tablet.)

So make it sound like a human being. It’ll be far more convincing and engaging to your readers. Use contractions. It'll make you relatable. Use sentence fragments. Not a problem at all--trust.

Be down to Earth. Let your customers know you understand them and they can count on you to solve their problems...because you're a human being, and you get it.

4. Be concise.?

We’re all being flooded with so much information on a daily basis, our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter by the minute (practically.) According to Oracle.com,?studies show the average human attention span dropped from 12 seconds to just 8 seconds between the years 2000 and 2015.?

So get to the point--fast. Great stories are engaging but try to say more with less. Make your stories clear. Cut out any and all fluff.

5. Create urgency and/or scarcity.

You don't want your customers to take in your info, tuck it away, and save it for a rainy day...you want them to take action, now, of course. And you can do this in any number of ways. One way is to create a sense of urgency.

You've seen these tactics all over the place, even if you don't realize it. You know, that closing spiel that goes, "For a limited time only; doors close tonight at midnight!" That's urgency. Yep; those marketers knew what they were doing.

By creating a sense of urgency, your customer's FOMO (fear of missing out, for the acronymically challenged) is activated, and they feel compelled to hit the "Subscribe Now" button before it's too late and they've missed their shot for good.

Don't have an urgent end date for your offer? Create a sense of scarcity. "Only 100 left in stock. Buy now before they're gone!" Creating a sense of scarcity also draws on your reader's FOMO, creating a sense that if they don't act now, they'll never get another chance.

Of course, you don't want to lie. But if you can even slightly spin your offer in a way that urges your customers to take action sooner rather than later, without spouting complete untruths...you'll be headed for success.

6. Create a clear Call-To-Action (CTA.)

It might seem silly but you'd be surprised how many businesses don't actually get around to asking their readers to make a purchase in a clear and direct manner. Don't miss this extremely crucial piece of your business writing...or your sales will suffer. You need to go out on a limb and urge them to buy, click, subscribe now in no uncertain terms.

And there are lots of catchy, persuasive ways to get your customer to make a commitment, rather than a boring, old, rather-gross-feeling, "Submit." The word, "submit," has negative connotations, gives the impression your customer is not in control, and really is too vague to command action.

Swap out ambiguous, overused words for strong, commanding verbs and inspiring phrases like, "Join 10,000 subscribers and counting!" Or, pull a Joanna Weibe and swap your pronouns to put your CTA in the first person. Something like, "Give me my free quote" can be highly effective. (You can see Joanna's thoughts on the subject in this Copyhackers post. Check out the rest of their blog for other incredible copywriting help, too!)

7. When all else fails, hire a professional.?

OK — obviously, this isn’t a tip for writing your own copy. But it bears including in this list. Because, sometimes, writing is just not your thing. And that’s ok--it's not for everybody.

Writing great copy takes time, hard work, and loads of practice. So, if you don’t have the time or energy to invest, outsource your project to a pro.

Look for a writer with an eye for detail, an affinity for clear, crisp language, and an obsession with proper grammar.

In Conclusion

Copywriting for your business is not an easy task. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll be one step ahead of your competitors. But, if you’re short on time or just don’t have the inspiration, let someone like me (or me!) do the heavy lifting for you.

You deserve to be raking in the cash — not wracking your brain over how to reach the right people.?No more worrying about turning your features into palpable user benefits, using proper grammar, or sounding too sales-y.?

And?no more burning the late-night oil, trying to complete yet another task you don’t have the bandwidth for.

You deserve to work with a writer who uses?a tested, tried-and-true approach to copywriting and content creation. Your copy can light up your readers and make your business sparkle in brilliant technicolor...and a professional writer may be just the thing to make that a reality.

I’m an expertly-trained freelance health and beauty writer and certified word nerd with 2 years’ freelance copywriting experience, 7 years’ blogging experience, and over 14 years’ sales experience under my belt.?

But no matter who you hire, make sure they have a passion for your industry and can speak your customers' language. And if you think we’d be a good fit, DM me or click over to copybycarrie.com and let’s get to it!