Sales Copy

Authentic Branding

Salesy Copy Is Out, Authentic Branding Is In

Ever see an ad that makes you raise your eyebrows a bit?

You’re far from alone in that. In fact, today’s consumers are inundated with salesy marketing campaigns in every facet of their lives. You can’t open your email, social media accounts, watch a video, or even drive down the street without some type of marketing coming into your peripheral. 

If something seems suspicious, the facts don’t really matter anymore. That potential customer is already lost and may forever affiliate that brand in a negative connotation.

This is why it’s time to ditch the salesy copy. Instead, focus your marketing efforts on authentic branding that will comfort your audience and help them remember you.

So how do you make your marketing stand out for the right reasons?

You need credibility to show that your brand messaging is authentic. 

Otherwise, you’re just another fish in a pond of baseless sales tactics.

What is Authentic Branding?

Simply put, authentic branding and marketing is when you prioritize building your know/like/trust (KLT) factors with your audience over sales. It feels like you want to develop a relationship rather than a transaction. 

Remember the phrase, people do business with people they know, like, and trust. This mindset is the starting point to create an authentic brand. 

4 Tips To Ditch The Salesy Copy For Authentic Transparency

Getting the right message across isn’t as tricky as it seems. Sometimes all it takes is reevaluating your business’s mission and values. 

Don’t have time or the confidence to write your own brand messaging? Leave it to the pros at FocusCopy. Schedule your discovery call with us today.

1. Keep Your Authentic Voice Consistent In Your Brand Messaging

Have you defined your brand voice?

If not, then it’s time to discover, document, and implement your business’s authentic voice.

Your business’s brand voice speaks to your target market. Furthermore, a consistent brand voice builds credibility and helps your audience feel comfortable with your brand. 

On the other hand, an inconsistent brand voice can wreak havoc on your business’s marketing.

A few questions to ask yourself when honing in on your brand voice include:

  • How do you want people to feel about your brand?
  • What voice, tone, and words do you absolutely want to avoid affiliating with your brand?
  • Who is your ideal customer and audience?

FocusCopy has a whole workshop we go over with new clients. Sometimes, the questions are a little surprising – like which movie characters you relate to, how your friends describe you, and so much more. But I promise, there’s a method to the madness. Each question gets us closer to defining a business’s voice for the most effective brand messaging. 

Once you identify your brand voice, use it genuinely, consistently, and transparently. Moreover, don’t be afraid to show the highs and the lows. People relate to real life problems, it doesn’t need to be all sunshine and daisies. 

Additionally, if you make claims – back them up! Backlinking to reputable sources not only builds your own credibility, but can also improve your SEO efforts. (Psst…backlink to your own blogs and web pages, too!)

2. Show Your People, Products & Services With Authentic Photos – Not Stock

Sure, stock photos are great when you’re in a pinch. However, you may want to keep them in the last resort file.

This case study on Harrington Movers in New Jersey shows just how powerful authentic photos can be. When they decided to do away with the happy couple stock photo and get real, the results spoke for themselves.

In fact, they ran an A/B test with 2 new, yet authentic, photos. The first is a simple photo of their moving truck. The second is a photo of their actual team of movers in front of a moving truck. With both of the newer, authentic photos, Harrington Movers saw over a 45% increase in quote requests than with the stock photo.

Overall, marketing is a science. It’s why we love A/B tests! However, it’s important to not lose the human element. You can chase all the analytics and statistics, but you need to always remember that a real living person full of emotions and personal experiences is on the receiving end. 

On another note, make sure your photos are true! Have you been introduced to a new skincare product complete with before and after pictures? But when you look at the photos, you realize the person in the “before” is raising their eyebrows to create forehead wrinkles. The lighting is different in both photos and you realize that if this is the best they can do – it’s not a worthy investment. 

Investing in a brand photo shoot was one of my favorite marketing projects for FocusCopy. I now have a plethora of images that I own and use for featured images in blogs, newsletters, website copy, and more. Plus, it was fun! The trick is to hire a great photographer that makes you feel comfortable and that you trust (meet our favorite photographer).

3. Keep Your Marketing As Genuine As Can Be

On the same thread of using genuine and honest photos, your copy should follow suit. In other words, practice what you preach.

For instance, there’s been a lot of talk around the lack of regulations in the U.S.’s skincare and cosmetics industries. The facts can be quite shocking. Unsurprisingly, a lot of companies have jumped on the bandwagon to promote non-toxic products. However, are the people pushing these products concerned about all the toxins in their lives? 

If not, how can you be sure they even care and that their products are as safe as they claim?

People in this particular niche industry can show their genuine care and interest by showing that they take the same approach to other parts of their lives. As an example, they may show that they use effective yet non-toxic household cleaners or are making an effort to replace plastic containers with glass. 

The gist here is no matter your industry, your marketing will be most effective when it is genuine. 

Do you know what you want to say but not sure how to say it? Writing is the most cumbersome task in marketing campaigns and FocusCopy will work with you to define your brand voice for the most effective messaging. Schedule a discovery call today to learn more!

4. Grow An Organic Following (AKA Don’t Pay For Followers Or Engagement)

Social media brings us into each other’s lives like never before. Whether you keep a crisp profile that only shows the positives or get into the nitty gritty behind the scenes real life chaos, it’s amazing what people want to see!

It’s called social proof. And if done right, it can tremendously increase your brand’s reach. 

Having trouble getting started? Challenge yourself to show up on social media for a month straight. Yes, every day of an entire calendar month. I promise it’s not hard. Plus, you can have fun with it!

Been wanting to show off your dance or lip syncing skills? There’s no time like the present to pick a trending TikTok audio clip and go for it. 

However, make sure to keep the content focused on your target audience. 

Moreover, ask customers to send you or tag your company’s social media in their own photos using your product or service! There’s nothing like seeing real people enjoying what your business offers to instill social proof.

FocusCopy Writes Authentic Copy For Brands Worth Boosting

While writing comes easy to some, we’ve found the majority of people view it as their most cumbersome task. However, simple and direct communication is also very often the most persuasive and effective marketing tool. 

Whether you simply don’t like to write or don’t have time to write, it still needs to get done. FocusCopy allows business owners like you to focus on running and growing your business while we handle the copy. 

Ready to learn more about what FocusCopy can do for your business (and stress level)? Schedule your discovery call today!

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Authentic Branding
Authentic Branding
Repetition In Copywriting

Repetition In Copywriting: The Key To Conversions

When you scroll through blogs and articles, are you really reading every single word? Or are you like the majority and find yourself skimming through the copy?

It makes sense. You are simultaneously very busy and have a world of knowledge at your fingertips. With so many options of content to read, it’s easy to get distracted. That’s why you find yourself switching from one line of copy to the next before you’re done reading the first one. 

Moreover, our attention spans are short. We may as well be goldfish in a pond forgetting everything every 10 seconds. 

So like most people, you scan. And depending on the writing style of the copy, you may or may not walk away with something that sticks.

This is where repetition comes into play. Copywriting needs to be constructed in a way that gets the message across. Furthermore, repetition in copywriting is key to conversions. 

Embrace Repetition In Your Copy & Watch Conversions Rise

When you write copy, assume your audience has the memory of a goldfish. Give them the information several times over throughout your copy. That way, as they scan through, they will leave understanding what it is you’re selling and why they should buy from you.

Chances are, you’ve read through the notes of the copy you write.

So much so that the keywords and USP (unique selling proposition) are second nature.

This is where writing copy can get tricky!

Keep in mind that your audience will be reading with fresh eyes. Don’t dismiss repetition in copywriting as redundant. Instead, embrace and craft repetition wisely to get your message to stick. 

To convert readers into paying customers, you need to do more than just briefly mention the benefits of your product or service. You really need to focus on becoming memorable. Re-reading similar phrases and keywords throughout your copy will put readers on the path to retaining your info in their short-term memory. 

Writing high-converting copy can be daunting when running your business already takes up all your time. No need to fret! Reach out to FocusCopy today to learn how we can get the right message to your target audience and convert readers into paying customers. 

Introduce Yourself To Customers, So They Remember Your Message

Imagine yourself in your target audience’s shoes. They’ve never heard of your business before, but your copy caught their eye.

With the density of information, chronic interruptions, and goldfish attention spans, it’s a safe bet they won’t remember every word they read. So with that in mind, remember – if it’s important, it’s worth repeating. 

Furthermore, you want to repeat for clarity. However, when we say repeat, we don’t mean to copy and paste the same phrase throughout your copy.

Instead, get crafty with your copy. Find ways to rephrase your USP, keywords, benefits, features, and more. 

For instance, consider you own a nursery that sells flowers. You’re certainly not the only nursery in town, and your prices may not even be the most competitive. So what makes you worth your audience’s time? This is where the USP becomes very important. 

The nursery doesn’t just need to tell people what they do and sell. You need to let your audience know your business is the authority. Your plants are better than competitors, bloom bigger, last longer, aren’t covered in bugs, and aren’t treated with toxic chemicals. 

So throughout the copy, you (the nursery owner) will touch on the various benefits and keywords repeatedly. Leaving readers knowing that you have the most knowledge, take the most care, and produce the best plants for your customer’s home and garden. 

Help Your Audience Get MORE Familiar With Your Business

Now let’s consider the audience that is already familiar with your business. They recognize your logo and have some idea of what your business provides. 

The pressure is on to convert these people into customers before they buy from your competitor. When they read through your copy, keywords signal their brain to remember your business for more than just the short term. 

The nursery, in this instance, will show its audience throughout the copy that they are the number 1 authority in flowering plants. If you want to add a touch of nature to your home, you know that this nursery is the best place to shop. Their experts can help you choose the right plants for your home based on wants, needs, and available sunlight. 

As the audience skims through copy, they are reminded over and over again of the many benefits of shopping at this nursery over the competition. It’s that repetition in copywriting that solidifies the customer’s opinion of the nursery. Without repeating keywords and phrases, the audience won’t remember exactly what benefits the nursery offers and why. 

Are you having trouble finding the time to write copy? We understand, and we’re ready to help. Contact FocusCopy today to start producing high-converting copy.

Provide Solutions To The Struggling Customer 

Now let’s think about the nursery’s (hopefully) future customers. They have purchased several houseplants and can’t keep them alive for some reason.

These audience members are wary of investing in more plants because they don’t know what they’re doing wrong. Is it the abundance or lack of sunlight? Too much or too little water? Are they using the right soil?

By skimming through your copy and re-reading the keywords, they are gaining trust in your business. They are starting to realize that the problem with keeping plants alive stems from purchasing them from the wrong retailer. 

But by now, they have read through your marketing campaigns enough that the answer is ringing clear. They know the solution to their struggle is something your business can provide. And why do they know that? Because they’ve read several different variations of your USP while simply scanning through your blog, newsletter, website, social media posts, or more. 

Keep Up With The Happy Customer

Once a reader converts into a paying customer, the challenge is to retain their business. While gaining a new customer is a reason to celebrate, it’s their repeat business that will aid in your business’s success. Furthermore, a repeat customer will eventually tell their family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and more about why they love your business. In turn, one happy customer who keeps coming back can result in a ten-fold increase in sales. 

So what’s the secret to this magic?

To put it simply, don’t put converted customers on the back burner. 

Instead, engage with them on a different level. For instance, do you have different marketing strategies for your target audience and for customers who have paid for your product or service? If not, it may be something to consider. (Pssst… FocusCopy can help!)

Most importantly, keep the repetition of your message going strong. The nursery owner would remind their customers that they are their best plant source. Moreover, don’t let readers forget about the valuable services you provide. Do you have experts on-site to help pick the best plants for their house? Or do you need to make sure you don’t expose pets to potentially toxic-to-them plants? There may be a thousand different things to consider. But here’s the clincher – no one knows them better than you!

So tell the world what it is you do. Show them that your product and/or service is helpful and valuable. Rephrase and reframe your USP throughout all of your copy. Rinse and repeat. 

Convert & Retain Customers Through The Power Of Repetition In Copywriting

Are you feeling ready to take on the world? We’re here to cheer you on!

But if getting started throws you for a loop, that’s ok because we have a solution just for you. FocusCopy works with small businesses (like yours!) to build your brand voice and craft finely tuned copy that really converts. 

Ready to do away with the blank page and the taunt of the blinking cursor? Schedule a call to discuss your copywriting needs and goals over a cozy cup of coffee. We can’t wait to meet you! 

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words