The Connection Between Starting a Business and Copywriting

This is it, you’re taking the plunge, following the dream, have done the research, made the investments and are doing the work- now what?

Now we get personal.

Hi, I am Tanitia: Marketing professional who absolutely loves the written word.
When I am not writing for my clients or my business I spend time penning down poetry and working on my tragic romance novel.
Why am I telling you this?
Because, for me, copywriting stems from a higher drive and when you decide to start a business it’s the thoughtfulness that makes the difference.

In this article, I aim to

• break down what copywriting is
• how copywriting affects your business
• Using it to connect you to your ideal clients

But if you don’t have the time, let me break it down into one simple sentence:

Copywriting is the difference between being seen and being remembered.

Engaging in a conversation with the sales clerk behind the counter is bound to resonate more with a potential customer than if they were walking past someone holding a megaphone and ranting on about discounted prices- why? Because the latter is showing no interest in you as a person, but rather viewing you solely as a potential consumer. The same goes for your copy, if it’s simply used to sell rather than engage your reach might be more but your impressions won’t be lasting.

To say it in its simplest terms:
Copywriting is the words that your business uses to communicate.

It is also so much more, so let’s dive in!

Copywriting is a form of marketing that relies on gaining the customer’s interest through providing valuable and informative content. The words used in this content is known as copy, and it can be used to persuade, interest and inform.

Copy is not only referring to the words used in your promotions and online ads but includes all the words written in all of your marketing efforts- yes, that includes the ones you put all over social media and even the words on your website homepage. The copywriting works together with your visual content to attract potential customers, gain their interest and leave a lasting impression.

In order for your business to reach the right audience, this content:

• Needs to be aimed at a specific target audience
• Has to provide this audience with new information
• Be integrated with SEO to ensure that it is searchable
• Be sustainable- all of your content needs to be up to your standards, always.
• Be shareable, because that’s the best way to get in front of your ideal audience.

Ultimately copywriting uses persuasion in such a subtle way that the consumer does not feel that they have to purchase this product or service, but that they want to.

The importance of copywriting does not grow as your business grows, in fact, copywriting is (dare I say it) even more important at the start-up phase of your business- because how you write your copy at the start sets the tone for all of the content that follows.

Great copywriting is based on research, this means that the effort that goes into crafting the perfect copy starts not with a few words here and there, but by first analyzing your audience to understand what it is that they are looking for. You should be just as knowledgeable about your product and service as you are about who will be the person looking for what your business has to offer.

By incorporating thoughtful copy from the very beginning, you’re giving your brand a voice that your customer can not only listen to but talk to. You want to sound genuine, you want to sound knowledgeable, you want to convey the pros of your product while not lying about the cons- you want to be trustworthy.

Think about how we start to second guess someone’s integrity when we see them change their behaviour in front of certain people, like if your significant other acted less interested in something they love just because they’re surrounded by friends. The same goes for how your brand appears from an outside perspective, if one day you’re talking about all things yellow and the next you’re saying you don’t like yellow people will start to lose interest and (most importantly) trust.

This brand trust develops over time, as a marketer at heart (and I am sure all marketing professionals will agree here) I am here to tell you that marketing is not about making the sale today, it’s about showing up, building brand awareness, which generates brand trust, thus paving the way for you to become the brand that your consumer thinks about when the time is right.

The Recall Function

Not everyone is going to want to buy what you have to offer the very moment you pop up on their screen (or on a flyer, or a billboard) but it’s about them recalling you when they are finally ready to spend.

Think about your go-to coffee shop, you go there because the coffee is great but a lot of places have great coffee. You chose to make that one your go-to because it makes you feel comfortable, maybe you’ve gotten to know the barista, or they always have a new inspiring quote hanging in their front window- there’s always more to your favorite brand than what you realize. We think it’s only because it’s on our way when in reality the deciding factor was not its proximity, but the fact that when we think of good coffee and a comfy place to pass the time they’re the brand we recall, time and time again.

So engage with them, inform them, be the brand whose content they’re interested in- but most importantly keep it consistent.