Why Most Techies Don’t Write Good Web Copy
I have noticed a disturbing trend lately. Many websites are using their techies to write web copy. Writing web copy like music requires some talent, and some folks are just tone deaf. I should know, I'm an amateur guitarist whose inherent musical talent lies somewhere between Mozart and Roseanne Barr, singing the National Anthem.
The following story is about an incident that occurred in September 2008 when the economy and the stock market were just beginning to slide into recession. Around Sept. 2008, I joined a certain linked, social networking website in order to promote my writing. Having no big business experience, I was lonelier there, than a hermit with body odor. So, I joined a certain E Marketing Club.
Postings on this E Marketing club’s website mostly reflect the flavor of the month issues, like social networking and search engine optimization strategies. In the member profiles are pretentious titles for people who make their living staring at computer monitors. Behind the fancy buzzwords are member postings that feature a lot of shameless hustling that would put Fast Eddie Felson to shame. This group has been pimped more than a hooker at a Las Vegas Shriner’s Convention.
A Woeful Tale
On the club's bulletin board was a woeful tale. It went something like this: “I just launched my campaign for an oldies cruise, in the midst of all this Wall St. turmoil, the timing couldn't be worse, boo, who, what am I going to do?”
I cruised over to this oldies cruise website. At the top of the page was a message like this, “Due to all the turmoil on Wall St. and the economy, we are extending our refund period, blah, blah, blah.” There's nothing like reminding people that their retirement nest egg is in the toilet when you're trying to sell them a cruise. Further down the homepage were warnings that, travel insurance was extra. There were warnings that, “if you don't book through such and such travel agency you won't be admitted to the concerts.” This is for cheapskates, who would book the cruise cheaper elsewhere, and then crash the concerts.
I then fired off an email that went something like this. “Don't worry about Wall St. It will recover eventually, and I don't believe it will affect the demand for this Oldies Cruise, too much, etc. Now the bad news: The copy sucks. Who wrote it, Donald Trump's barber? Take out the stuff about Wall St.”
There returned an angry and outraged email that went something like this, “I have gotten compliments on the copy and the website. And we have gotten so many thousand hits. The bit about Wall St. was our kindly attempt to be relevant to our customers during this dire national tragedy. Sir, you are a blood sucking scum and furthermore, I needed emotional reassurance, not your piss and vinegar, etc. etc.”
I had detected the pride of authorship. Further analysis told me that this individual was a professor of E Marketing with specialties in Geekdom, with a gaggle of initials after his last name.
How could a marketing professor be so clueless about salesmanship and copywriting?
How could a marketing professor be so clueless about salesmanship and copywriting? This guy couldn't sell me an umbrella, if I was caught during a downpour wearing my best suit. So here's what’s going on: Geeks with pocket protectors have taken over the asylum. Many companies have left the
web copywriting chores to the techies.
Copywriting is an art that differs from general writing. If money is changing hands than your website requires copywriting. Copywriting is salesmanship, and the art of persuasion. I’m not suggesting that you need to use the hard sell or the written equivalent of a carnival barker in a loud polyester suit, to get people to purchase your product. But you do need to persuade.
It’s common knowledge in Geekdom that you can attract more visitors to your website by providing objective information about a topic and becoming an uncompromised information resource. But, the professor had misapplied the idea of being a great information resource and used it to undermine his sales pitch.
Since, the bible first advertised the Garden of Eden; travel copy extols the virtues of an idyllic place, an exotic beach, and relaxation. Likewise, the oldies cruise website needs to promote the most attractive features of the offer. If you were shopping for an SUV the salesman wouldn't remind you about the high price of gas, or make insensitive remarks likely to turn you off. It's the same for copywriting.
The primary goal of copywriting is to entice the casual reader into reading your copy. You do it by creating compelling headlines. Headline's are like the Dating Game Show. You need a good opening line. Lead with your most attractive offer.
Once a good headline attracts the buyer, research proves that they will read long copy and you can provide all the information that she needs to make a purchase. Extra information, or anything that might dilute your sales message, should be at the bottom of your web page, or at a linked page. Why include it at all? You want to make an honest representation for people who are only comfortable making a purchase after they have exhausted all the facts. On the oldies cruise website, refund policies and extra charges were listed near the top of the home page where they discouraged readers from developing an interest in the first place. If your potential customer is not enticed by a good headline and copy, they will never get to your extra information. They will be gone!
Another common problem with web copy is that many web sites discuss the technical features of a product without first enticing the customer with the benefits of using the product. So, what is the judge of effective copy? It's what percentage of visitors are purchasing or making further inquiries, not web hits.
Recession Marketing
People still travel, go on cruises, and buy products, during a recession, although demand slackens. Here's what advertising maven David Ogilvy said about advertising during recessions: "Studies of the last six recessions have demonstrated that companies which do not cut back their advertising budgets achieve greater increases in profit than companies which do cut back." The companies with great recession marketing and advertising skills will emerge from this recession stronger than their competitors.
Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. Pay a professional writer to write your ads and web copy. Once you have great sales copy, you can put it on your website, into a brochure, sales letter, logo, etc It’s like a utility man on a baseball team. During a recession it's more important than ever to use good copy to attract more business.
Since publishing this article in Oct. 2008 I have been to the oldies cruise website and noticed that there is new copy there. Most of the copy I criticized has been removed and replaced. No doubt the original copy didn’t create enough sales. The lesson for me: I need to be more tactful when marketing my services. Being a wise ass seldom pays off.
What do I think about an oldies cruise? It’s a great business idea. The possibility of making new friends, and bonding, through a common love of music, will entice a lot of people to take a cruise. . However, watching three old guys with trusses on, trying to harmonize to the Duke Of Earl, will never be on my to do list.
Steve Schuster is a freelance business writer and advertising copywriter from Philadelphia PA, for CopyAce Communications
http://buswriter.com/index.htm, More ad tips by Steve at –
http://buswriter.com/adtips.htm
