Marketing messages are of vital importance in today’s world, because they grab the attention of prospective customers. For those involved in marketing, message development activities revolve around messaging that can be lodged in marketing content, such as power point slides, banner ads, and web pages.
If these messages are not influential or powerful enough, they will fail to attract the right audiences and won’t deliver the outcome you need. Words are substantial tools when it comes to marketing. They carry a lot of weight, and you need to use them effectively. Experts such as copywriters can be hired for this purpose, but the problem arises when you can’t afford them, or have doubts about their skill.
The unspoken truth about marketing messages is that they are customer-oriented. For most marketers, this means classifying market segments you are trying to reach, along with the roles within prospective companies you are targeting with your message. However, in order to be effective you must also analyze customer needs, so your messaging can appeal to them as well.
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There are numerous theories and tools you can implement to give your messages weight, while ensuring the writer you’re working with is also delivering quality copy. Here are seven ways in which words can destroy your marketing, and simple ways you can fix them.
Using too many words
According to research, people have an attention span of just eight seconds, so you need to use your time productively while conveying a particular message. It’s even worse for younger audiences, because millenials supposedly have a five second attention span for ads!
The bottom line is that every unnecessary word should be deleted from your copy, or the money you’re spending on marketing will be wasted. People will tune out long before they see the call to action. Get to the point immediately. Here are three ways you can do it:
K.I.S.S rule of copywriting - unnecessary words like ‘very’, ‘that’ and ‘really’ should be removed without thinking twice to keep copy neat and orderly. This conveys a clear message to the viewers.
T.M.I rule of copywriting - don’t let your audience get bored or distracted as you spin an enchanting story. If your text does not support the objective of the marketing piece, eliminate it. Remember, you only have 5-8 seconds.
Red pen rule of copywriting - keep your copy concise, and it will always be more compelling. Once you’ve written your content, take your red pen and wipe out at least thirty percent. The aim is to delete a considerable amount of copy; what you cut off will not include your most dynamic messages. You will be left with something that actually gets the results you need.
Using the wrong pronouns
Efficient marketing messages not only talk about the company and services or products being offered, but also speak about the audience. Therefore, it is important to note that your copy should use second person pronouns (you, your, yours) way more than first person pronouns like I, me, mine, we, or ours.
People are not primarily concerned with you, but how the products or services can benefit their lives. This is the cornerstone of marketing. Constantly reviewing your copy and replacing suitable pronouns will help in the long run.
Use of Jargon
Fancy words and jargon are not appropriate in ads or the marketing industry, unless you’re in a highly regulated or technical field. You will appear as if you’re trying too hard, and your audience will prefer it if the jargon is left out. It is important to understand your audience more than anything else, and write copy that speaks to them.
If your audience does not respond to it in the way you expected them to, leave it out. You wouldn’t want your audience to cringe when they read or hear your messages. Think about whether those words truly enhance the copy and make it more meaningful. Ask yourself whether they interrupt the listener. These points will help you decide if they are required or not.
Use of passive verbs
The purpose of investing in an ad or marketing piece is that you want it to stir some kind of action from the audience. Making simple mistakes like using a passive voice instead of an active one could have negative effects on the results.
If you want to elicit an active response from the audience, you ought to use an active voice in the first place. Reading through your sentences and re-structuring them helps solve the problem. By adding a sense of urgency to your calls to action, you can boost results higher. Don’t suggest an action, but demand it – and do it now!
No use of emotional words
Remember, Donald Trump only won the U.S Presidential elections because he was a demagogue. He won the support of huge masses, because he triggered their emotions. In the same way, your copy should tap into the audience’s emotional triggers. If not, your results will be lower than expected. It is crucial to make your audience ‘feel’ something. This is because purchase decisions are ruled partly by emotional states. These include competition, fear, trust, guilt, comfort and more. Thus, it is important to determine what appeals to consumer’s emotional triggers, and incorporate messages directly related to those benefits and emotions in the marketing material.
You raised your voice, not words
Successful marketing depends on three things - your words, your body language and your tone. Your audience will always want to listen to someone who speaks in a calm and composed tone. Raising your voice will not influence the decisions made by your audience one iota. If you do want to add value or create an impact, emphasize the words you think will make a difference. By stressing these words, the audience will automatically come to realize the aim of your product or service, and it will remain etched in their minds.
Your words lied about the marketing campaign
Note that great stories don’t come wrapped up in a box. Successful campaigns demand clarity because they depict how features lead to benefits and deliver on a unique brand value proposition. The outcome is not in question, because products are ‘new and improved’ making customers satisfied. Thus it is necessary to speak about marketing campaigns in a truthful manner, and not just an idealized version of the truth.
Know your next steps
Even if you don’t have the means to invest in a great copywriter, you can keep these pointers in mind to make your messages more competent. You’ll be on your way to seeing bigger and better results in no time.
Do you have anything to share with us? Or are there any tips you would like to give your fellow budding marketers? If so, please do! Leave your advice in the comments section, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends!
