Writing correctly is a primary function for communicating the message that we want to share with an audience; whether it has to do with social campaigns, corporate advertising and more, if something goes wrong with the channel or content, then our objective is compromised and the recipient will be confused, or simply won’t pay attention to it.
In the world of advertising, copy or ad phrase, is one of the most important characteristics for connecting the advertiser with the public that it wishes to impact.
There are people who are born with talent for many things, but just as with art and other disciplines, copy also has rules and they should be learned to use them well.
Following are the seven steps of David Ogilvy about how to write good copy:
1. Go big or just go
Do not aggrandize your product, don’t sell smoke. This is the beginning of a lasting campaign.
2. Do your homework
Do your research. The publicists who ignore this function are as dangerous as the generals that ignore the signs that the enemy is sending them in the battle.
You can’t write copy unless you know:
- Who are you writing it for?
- How does this person think?
- What does this person need?
To write great copy, you need to understand your audience perfectly.
3. Never treat your customers with contempt
The consumer isn’t stupid, don’t insult their intelligence-this way you guarantee that they don’t let their anger out on you.
4. The title is 80% of the copy
On average, the proportion of people that read the title over the body of text is 5 to 1. When you have written the title, you have saved some precious cents in your campaign.
5. Don’t get distracted from your objective: to sell
If you don’t sell, you aren’t creative.
6. Explain why they should buy
If your advertising is the most informative, it will also be the most convincing.
7. Your copy is important. Treat it as such.
As with a stork, I make a living bringing babies to the world, so are new campaigns the food of advertising.
Javier Machain is Community Manager en Mijo! Brands, a leading creative agency in CDMX and Puerto Vallarta. Visit us at www.mijobrands.com or contact us.
