Harsh, but true. Your copy is your most important communication with your customers, and it’s not as good as it could be. It’s not even as good as you think it is. No matter how much success your control has and is seeing, it can be better. I’ve often heard Direct Marketers stating “I’ve been using the same control year after year and just can’t beat it”, but I refuse to buy into that. People change, markets change, and copy needs to change too.
Over the last 8 years reviewing copy, writing copy, discussing copy, and in some cases eating copy (oh, they were that bad), I’ve come to learn that I’ll never get it 100% right. No one will, but the key is to constantly be moving, trying new things, and questioning even elements that appear to be working.
Next time you’re in a position of reviewing copy, think about some of the following traps you yourself may be falling into:
You could be the problem. Think about it. Who reviews the copy before it goes live? Is it you, or the same individual or group making “necessary” changes? Are you always making the same changes, effectively “conforming” all your packages?
Whether you realize it or not, you may be standardizing your copy in ways that may not allow your test copy to be reaching its true potential, so is that a fair test? Take a step back and assess whether the changes being made are really necessary, or are they habitual or out of personal preference? Do your tests represent a true departure from your control? Although brand consistency is vital (more on that later), there is something to be said for taking a fresh approach. This can still be done within your brand strategy, but it will allow you to break the mold. In testing, a mold shouldn’t exist.
Your copywriter could be the problem. Often you find one or two good copywriters and stick with them, and why not if they deliver good product? Time after time they are able to produce pieces that meet your expectations and modestly (if you’re lucky) beat your control. But ongoing success lies in continuing to test new copywriters.
In the list business we are advocates of working with multiple brokers – we don’t want to be your only broker, just your favorite. This gives you more chance at success by finding untapped gold (new lists) that may not be available to everybody. The same applies to your copy – different copywriters have different skills and tricks. Who knows what hidden talent that new copywriter has that you haven’t seen. Settling on a limited number of copywriters limits your potential. They’re not all going to be winners, so test carefully, but a new copywriter every few months could be the secret to unlocking your next copy breakthrough.
You only think you’re testing. Incremental changes aren’t testing. I’ve heard stories about mailers making incremental changes and having success or breathing new life into a package by adding in ‘FREE’, or changing a colour, or throwing in a new insert. Minor changes like this are not testing, that’s tweaking. Don’t get me wrong, tweaking is important and can help you keep a package fresh and increase its longevity at a fraction of the cost of a new test, but really you’re just maintaining status quo.
Occasionally you need to do a real test that represents a significant departure from your control. Massive change can mean massive success! Obviously this means more cost, thus in many cases this can’t be a regular thing, but from time to time you have to push the envelope, take a chance, and spend a little bit extra. Then you are testing.
You don’t know what you’re selling. I’m not talking about your actual product or service. If you’re selling credit cards, or entry in a sweeps, or even cutlery for that matter, you know what you’re selling.
The real question is what message is your brand communicating? You should always be selling a brand that represents who you are in the eyes of your customers. Is your message consistent with your product, both as a stand-alone communication and as your overall strategy? Is your branding consistent with messages you’ve done to this point and everything you will do onwards? A disjointed communication will affect your copy’s chance of success. This is because your clients have a sub-conscious expectation of how you are to communicate with them. If you or your copywriters aren’t aware of this, chances are your copy is not going to meet with those expectations. Regardless of whether you’re engaging in ongoing communications or even a one-off, it’s essential to understand your brand, your brand’s positioning, and your customers’ expectations. They are entering a transaction with you based on that message.
‘It’ is missing. This is my favorite one. We’ve all heard about the ‘It’ factor in the entertainment industry – some indescribable quality that makes a person a star. The same holds true with your copy – copy is your star.
Every copywriter knows, and you probably do too, that there are key elements to copy (the attention grabbing headers, the flow, the use of emotive words, etc.). That’s true, but overall it all has to work together. Having one of those elements, like the word FREE in big bold red letters, won’t work nearly as well as if it is part of a whole. Does every element of your communication work together? The thing is, you’ll know ‘It’ when you see it but may not be able to put your finger on it. It’s more about the feeling the copy creates, and of course the action it spurs. When you’re reading a piece where ‘It’ exists, you’ll know it. Here’s the tough part though: if ‘It’ is not there, don’t push the piece through, rework it. Take the time to go back to the copywriter, or rework it yourself, so it conveys the message that you, and your customers or prospects, will respond to. The last thing you want to do is simply push a piece through that is destined to fail, just to meet your quota or deadline.
There you go, some advice to keep your creative fresh and testing on track. I hope I’ve provided you with a bit of food for thought, and I will be happy to discuss any copy needs you may have. After all, maybe I’m your next winning copywriter.
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