Copywriting 101

When it comes to the list of things we all hate to do, we’re pretty sure writing is at the top and right alongside public speaking. But unlike public speaking, writing for and on behalf of your business is an absolute must for every wedding pro out there, since it touches almost everything—branding, marketing, sales, even your client experience and service delivery! The thing is, writing is often what we feel the least competent at (read: stresses us out) and blog posts, social media captions or website copy are either written in haste without a plan or over-thought to the point they never get published. Today, then, we wanted to give you a crash course in copywriting in hopes that it helps you not just become more confident at the keyboard but that you learn how to write copy that converts! Read on for our easy-to-implement writing tips.

How to Write Copy That Converts

Step 1: Set a goal 

Every effective piece of copy has a goal, whether it is as straightforward as informing people about your availability or as complex as writing a sales page; you have to know your end goal. So, the first thing you need to do before writing anything (seriously, anything) is to understand what your objective is to set your course. Here are some common copywriting goals:

• You want to establish or build your reputation as an expert
• You want the reader to take a specific action (ex., click to a certain page, leave a comment or complete a form)
• You want to inspire the reader with an idea
• You want the reader to think about something in particular

Step 2: Identify the problem and get them worked up about it

Once you know your goal, the next — and crucial — step in writing compelling copy is to identify the reader’s problem. Now, this won’t always be a problem the reader is actually aware of—sometimes you have to expose it for them. And, almost every wedding pro is helping to solve a problem a newly engaged couple doesn’t know they have. From learning how many bottles of wine they need to create a wedding timeline that doesn’t leave them trying to take portraits in the dark, you have firsthand knowledge and experience with the many problems engaged couples face—and knowing how to write copy that makes them aware of it is a must! 

After you’ve identified the problem (and this might make you cringe) you have to get them worked up about it. Not to the point that they feel so overwhelmed they think it is an unfixable problem, but just enough that they understand the potential consequences if they were to take no action.

Step 3: Introduce the solution

Now to the part you’ll feel better about doing—telling your reader about the solution to their problem! And, when it comes to effective copywriting, the key here is to position yourself, your services or your product as the solution. For example, if you were a caterer writing a blog post or social media caption about the problem of “how many bottles of wine do you need for your wedding,” you would get to a point where you start talking about how your catering manager is there to help calculate that number and then place to order for the correct number on the client’s behalf. 

Pro-tip: In addition to talking about how you are the solution to your reader’s problem, you can (and should) also be writing about the benefits of working with you! How you talk about benefits is how you can differentiate yourself from other pros your reader might be considering as well as cover your bases when trying to write strong sales copy.

Step 4: Show them how to get it

This perhaps is the most forgotten step, and it is one we don’t want you to miss! Because after you have shown your potential client a problem and discussed all the ways you and your team can address it, you must give them a clear path to take some action (think back to your goal). And whether it is as quick as leaving a comment or sending a DM, or a more pointed call to action that encourages them to schedule a consultation, you cannot assume your reader knows where to go or what to do—so be explicit about the next steps.

A few more writing tips to get you writing like a pro:

• Focus each piece on one problem and one customer type to avoid confusion
• Tell a story if that helps you communicate what you are trying to
• Don’t be long-winded—especially if you are practicing your writing skills. Keep things concise so you can be confident it makes sense and you sound great
• Include a deadline or talk about scarcity (if applicable) to encourage people to take action sooner rather than later
• Include a call to action (CTA) so the reader understands there is a next step to take
• Use Grammarly to make sure what you write is grammatically correct

Feeling inspired to write a few things you have been putting off for a while? Read this piece to learn how to write your about me and bio!

Photo Credit: ColorJoy Stock