George Beinhorn
WriteRemedy
240 Monroe Drive #514
Mountain View, CA 94040
(650) 248-9878 (Sample article)

The Art of Plain Talk
on the Web

What makes great copy?

How can you tell if your copywriters are doing their job? 

It isn't terribly difficult to sharpen your ear for great copy. You can start by watching your own reactions while reading your own and your competitors' marketing materials. Do you yearn to skip to the next paragraph? Are you reading each sentence twice? Bogging down is a sure sign of bad writing.

Any product, no matter how complicated, can be explained simply and clearly. The Double Helix, James Watson's famous book about his discovery, with Francis Crick, of the structure of DNA, remains in print thirty-three years after it was written. Although the subject is complex, the book still engages the lay reader, thanks to Watson and Crick's remarkable energy and enthusiasm, and the clarity of Watson's writing style. Your marketing materials should ring with similar energy and clarity, regardless of your products’ complexity.

One of the best and most enjoyable sources of advice on effective ad copy is David Ogilvy's autobiography, Confessions of an Advertising Man (out of print, but still widely available in libraries), followed by Ogilvy on Advertising. Also recommended is Gary Blake and Robert W. Bly's Elements of Copywriting: The Essential Guide to Creating Copy That Gets the Results You Want.

If the language on your website needs to communicate clearly, what does this imply about the site's design? Web usability studies prove that simple, clear designs work best. Three highly recommended Web usability guides are Roger Black's Websites That Work, Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think, and John Miller's Nobody Reads Anything. These sensible, interesting books will help you identify the graphic designers who know what works. Krug's chapter on home page design is worth the price of the book. Just don't let the usability experts blind you to the need for copy that sells. For a continually updated look at what your site’s copy should accomplish, see the excellent columns at ClickZ.com.

Should you try to write your own copy? If you can afford the time to learn by failing--sure, why not? You may possess hidden talents. On the other hand, don't be surprised if you end up tossing your efforts--the best copywriters spend decades honing their art. Learning to write simple English is an open-ended process--like learning to sink three-pointers in the NBA finals.

When it comes to hiring a copywriter, look for Michael Jordan attitudes: enthusiasm for the work rather than for impressing you; a track record of satisfied clients; and, above all, deep interest in the product. Ready wit, combined with clear verbal expression, may be a tip-off to talent, but not always--the best copywriters are, surprisingly often, verbally tongue-tied and socially shy.

Watch out for copywriters who rely too much on "intuition" and "creativity." A copywriter whose work is firmly grounded in advertising research--the factors that affect people's buying decisions--is more likely to deliver the sales. Master copywriter Rosser Reeves of the Ted Bates Agency said, "Do you want fine writing? Do you want masterpieces? Or do you want to see the [expletive] sales curve start moving up?" David Ogilvy sums up the qualities of great copywriters: obsessive curiosity about products, people, and advertising; a sense of humor; a habit of hard work; the ability to write interesting prose; and the ambition to write better campaigns than anyone has ever written.

If your product isn't easy to explain, consider telling a story. Write a "scenario" that describes how the product fills a fictional company's needs. David Ogilvy was fond of saying, "Nothing works like a demo"--a statement he illustrated with a TV commercial for a lawnmower. Watching the lawnmower do its job, we're more likely to believe its makers' claims. You can even ask your clients to do the explaining for you--ask them how your product solves their problems, then tell their stories on the Web. Actual case studies and sincere testimonials are the very best marketing tools.

If your product closely resembles another company's, says advertising exec Joel Raphaelson, you should emphasize what's "positively good" about it. "Don't try to imply that your product is better. Just say what's good about your product--and do a clearer, more honest, more informative job of saying it." And keep it simple. "Most campaigns are too complicated," says Ogilvy. "They reflect a long list of objectives, and try to reconcile the divergent views of too many executives. By attempting to cover too many things, they achieve nothing."

It's seldom wise to start off talking about yourself: "Our company is..." Customers don't care, straight out of the blocks, who you are. They want to know what you can do for them that your competitors' can't. Persuade them that your product will meet their needs faster, better, and cheaper. Then you can reassure them that your company is a really big deal.

Avoid too many abstractions. Words that end in "-tion" are one tipoff. Here's a sentence from a Silicon Valley 150 company's home page:

"Equipment manufacturers and service providers use [the company's] systems for the design, integration, installation and acceptance testing of a broad range of digital telecommunications equipment and services."

It’s not awful--but our brains burn fewer calories reading: "Equipment manufacturers and service providers use [the company's] systems to design, integrate, install, and test a broad range of digital telecommunications equipment and services." Abstractions create a dulled-down, impersonal effect.

Here's another example, a home-page snorer that's disguised to protect the guilty. See if you're still awake at the end of the paragraph:

"Acme, Inc. is a consulting firm specializing in widget application engineering, equipment specification and selection, implementation support, and project management. Our focus is on executing short- to long-term widgetization plans with our clients, for phased implementation, production, and enhanced volume potential."

They could have said:

"Let Acme solve your widget production challenges. With our deep expertise, we'll have you sailing safely through phased implementation plans that will take you to the next production level. Acme's technicians are the industry's leading experts, with unmatched experience in specifying, selecting, and installing hardware, including large-scale projects."

As a general rule, hardware is easier to write about than software. Thus, Asanté Technologies has little trouble touting the benefits of its broadband routers: "Start sharing your high-speed Internet connections with an Asanté FriendlyNET router. Our newest FriendlyNET Cable/DSL Routers are ideal for securely sharing your broadband modem."

These are the lessons we can all learn from the copywriting giants: keep it simple, keep it light, and show the client that you’re on his or her side.