By telling the reader how everybody else is behaving, it makes them want to conform. This idea is known as social proof and it can be more persuasive than simply asking someone to do something.

Do you think the sign would be as strong if it read:

Please shower before entering the pool

It’s shorter, but it’s very plain and formulaic.

By including some detail (the areas are hygienic because of the showering) we understand that everybody is taking a personal responsibility for the group’s benefit.

The “(Don’t you!)” is a little bit cheeky (exclamation mark rather than question mark – which could feel too accusatory), it singles the reader out and makes them consider their own behaviour and it ends the message on a light note.

Using social proof is a great way to let people know how you want them to behave, without sounding too bossy about it.

Read: The five website copy crimes you should avoid committing.

(This was a guest post I wrote for the The Business Blogging Network website, published on December 7, 2011.)

Having written some copy for Boots, and being a girl, I was interested to find out how a huge brand like Boots uses the internet. Is it different to how I do it? In a nutshell – no.

Here’s their online plan for users:

ATTRACT – ENGAGE – CONVERT – RETAIN

They want to attract people to their site, grab their attention so the user will engage and convert into a sale. Once they’ve done it once and had a good user experience, they’ll come back (retain).

How do they attract users?
Several ways, including:

• online display advertising (think banner ads)
• pay-per-click
• links on affiliate sites
• competitions
• offer free samples on their website.

So once they’re on the site, how do they engage them?
Listen closely, this is the best bit:

• With quality, original content.

It’s as simple as that. The content can range from information about products (the third most-popular reason people use the internet, according to research cited by Matthew. It can include rich media such as video and audio. Understand what your customers like to do online – are they looking for reviews? Do they want to see lots of pictures? Are they here to get something for free?

If you don’t know what your customers want – then ask them.

Boots conduct 25,000 feedback interviews every week. Every week!

Converting sounds tricky…
Well, yes it is. That’s why some sites are more successful than others. It has to be well designed and properly written by professionals. But that’s just the start.

• What’s the user journey you’re taking someone on?
• What action do you want to them to undertake?
• What are the barriers to this?

If you don’t know then you need to ask for some help – ask an honest (and preferably innocent) bystander what they think when they look at your site. What are the key messages? Are the pictures useful? Is the copy meaningful and does it speak to you in the right tone? What do they naturally want to do on the site (e.g. buy a product, pick up the phone, look at a video)?

Once you know what you want your user to do, you’ll be able to craft the site’s architecture, design and content to convert the user.

At least retaining’s easy, isn’t it?
Actually, that’s the hardest part. You’re trying to keep someone interested once they’ve done the thing they came to do! So how could you do that?

• You could ask for a review/testimonial/recommendation
• Send a newsletter
• Show options for cross and up-selling

Social media and site socialisation
Sites are starting to add little buttons onto content – ‘like this’, ‘tweet that’. This is a great way to get your users to share your content for you. Of course, it must be useful and engaging for them to want to do that!

Want to attract some new users with some killer content? Get in touch!

Initial thoughts scrawled in red pen

This morning’s work was a classic case of copywriting.

New client Mark Grey from Blue Nectar Design Consultants had designed a gorgeous brochure to hand out at a forthcoming exhibition, all he needed were a few words to go in there.

We spent some time discussing his company’s USP, who he was planning to hand the brochure to and what he really wanted to say about his company.

Copywriters need a clear brief

Mark jotted down his thoughts and sent me the brief:

1. Keeping the lengths approximately the same, review my attempt at the copy, ensuring that the text reads well and addresses the point in question.

2. Ensure the tone of voice is consistent and fits the Blue Nectar method of approach – personable, efficient, yet accurate and precise.

This is a great brief as it’s very clear what he wants from the copy.

Screen showing amends using track changes

Copywriters love red pens

I printed out Mark’s words and picked up my new red rollerball pen. I wrote down ideas and sentences I felt he was trying to express. I also crossed out anything that wasn’t necessary so out went how many years of experience and any awkward phrasing.

Now that the initial thoughts were done, it was time to do the real writing. For this I moved onto the computer and turned on track changes. I find this useful as it helps me work through ideas without losing any.

Mark had also emailed me the PDF of the brochure design so I could gauge how much space I had. Screenshots, PDFs and other artwork are always really helpful as it helps the copywriter get a feeling for the tone and pace required.

A couple of final amends

Copywriters drink a lot of tea

Once the main body of work was done I rested it for a couple of hours. I probably had several cups of tea.

Time for the best bit. I printed off the new copy to read through and made some final amends.

Copywriters need feedback

Then there was nothing left to do but send it to Mark to see how he felt about it, whether the tone was right and if the message had been captured correctly.

A short while later he called. His first words were: “I love it, I’m not changing a thing”. Hurray!

Want to see the booklet?

How does a copywriter actually write copy?

1. By listening to you talk about your business
2. Finding out who your target market is
3. Clarifying the message
4. Taking out extra or confusing bits of information
5. Choosing words and sentence structures that suit you and your brand.

And drinking a lot of tea.

Consider that badly-spelled communication risks your reputation and could damage your brand. The packages below have been put together after working with graphic and web designers over several years and identifying the common elements that need a professional writer.

We’ll look over newsletters, write your Google ads, talk you through social media and more:

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• Get your newsletters proofread by a professional
• Same-day service
• Just £25/letter and re-writes from £20*/letter (*introductory offer)
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• Writing for brochures / flyers / POS / catalogues / vouchers
• Tone of voice writing and development
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Website designer package

Web writing:

• Writing for web
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• Social media advice
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Tailor-made packages made to suit. Prices vary depending on volume of work needed. Flexible payment terms or retainer an option. Send enquiry using the contact form.

I wonder whether that’s always the case? Yesterday I was writing a blog about wedding dress trends – quite easy for me as I am recently married and so I write it as the target audience. I’m also writing the copy for a photographer’s website. That one’s more tricky as it’s (a) from a male perspective and (b) I have to feel that he would say what I’m writing.

I think as a copywriter you spend quite a lot of time in a ‘preparation zone’. You read emails from your clients, you look at sites they like, you talk to them in person and on the phone. You sneak your way into their mind! Then you sit down, channel said client and write. You don’t feel it comes from you but them.

In any case, here’s the site and if you’re in Derbyshire do treat yourself to a meal there!
The Bay Tree Restaurant

Christine can work for you as part of your team when you need content producing for a website. She can meet the client directly or work to a brief supplied by you. If there’s work for more than one person, Christine has a network of reliable copywriters she can call on.

Copy takes time to get right and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Christine is experienced in handling all sorts of clients and getting the right information to produce cracking copy, on time and to budget. See Crocstar’s clients, find out about services Crocstar offers or get in touch.

Christine has been writing for the web for several years – from breaking news stories on the BT Yahoo! homepage when she was an intern, to producing features during her time on the BBC Local websites to business-to-business and business-to-customer content for company websites.

Christine’s experience encompasses brand voice, calls to action, padding, editing and complementing other elements such as audio, video and images.

Crocstar Media works as an ingredient brand. Christine works with you as part of your team to get the website completed on time and on budget.

I’ve been proofreading, copywriting and getting lost trying to find people in their huge building. It’s great fun and I’m expanding my experience all the time. The main thing I’ve noticed is that the style guide is king.

With this is mind I’ve tracked down a guide on how to create your own style guide. Any good web copywriter will create a bespoke one for your site when they send you the words for your site. Even a basic list to keep you consistent is a good place to start.