There’s a knack for writing sales and promotional copy that attracts customer attention. It’s why professional copywriters exist in the business world.
Yet many small business owners write their own promotional copy to save the expense of hiring a writer. Which is understandable, and one of the reasons why we’ve complied our “Top 5” list of copywriting tips to help you craft enticing promotions.
- Speak to the customer. Phrase your promotional messages to be about them, not you. (Top tip: write “you” rather than “we” in your promotional copy.) Avoid jargon. Use a conversational, enthusiastic tone – like you’re telling a friend about a great deal. Example: “Insider alert! Get half-priced fall and winter fashions when you shop this weekend. Click for your 50% discount pass” is more engaging than “We’re offering 50% off all our fall and winter merchandise, this weekend only”.
- Be clear about the offer. Write copy for clarity to avoid confusion on the part of customers. Use short, descriptive words to explain what people get out of your offer and how to take advantage of it. Keep in mind the three Ds – description, details, and deadline. Example: “Make Tuesday date night! Enjoy a large pizza with three toppings for half-price, Tuesdays only” is better than “Every Tuesday get 50% off a large pizza”.
- Focus on a single point. People have short attention spans. Don’t overload them with too much information crammed into one message. For each text or email you send to customers, include details only relevant to the specific promotion. Resist the urge to cross-promote other sales, events, products, or brand information. (Top tip: use Vicinity’s Suggested Promotions tool for proven promotion ideas and messaging.)
- Make your call to action obvious. Create a sense of urgency that encourages customers to act right away. Whether it’s a limited-time discount, a seasonal special, or an event they should attend, explain in six words or less exactly what action you want customers take. Make sure to use “active voice” rather than “passive voice”. Examples:
- RSVP now
- Claim your 50% off coupon today
- Shop today and earn 20 points
- Sign up for our “Deal Alerts”
- Review and revise your copy. Check for typos and punctuation errors. (Top tip: run your copy through Grammarly, a free spell-check editor from Google.) Remove unnecessary qualifiers – words like “very”, “really”, “extremely” – that lessen the impact of your message. It’s better to use one powerful word than two or three mediocre ones. Example: “Our VERY BIG SALE starts this weekend” is less potent than “HUGE SALE this weekend”.
What are you waiting for, login to your dashboard and send a Vicinity promotion today!