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Writing copy that sells
Good advertising copy is not clever. It is specific, short, and about the reader. Six rules that survive every format.
Key points
- Every sentence about you should be rewritten as a sentence about the reader.
- Specific numbers beat adjectives in every measured comparison.
- Read it aloud; anything you stumble over gets cut.
Advertising copy has one job: to move a specific person one step closer to a decision. Everything that does not serve that is decoration.
Rule 1: write to one person
Copy addressed to "our customers" reaches nobody. Copy addressed to one identified person reaches everyone like them.
Before writing, name the reader in a sentence: "A homeowner whose boiler failed last week and who is afraid the work will take a fortnight." Then write to them.
Rule 2: specific beats superlative
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Fast delivery | On your site within 48 hours |
| Long experience | 340 roofs since 2009 |
| Excellent quality | 12-year guarantee, in writing |
| Attractive prices | Bathroom renovation from £9,400 |
| Many satisfied customers | 4.8 from 211 reviews |
Superlatives are free and therefore worthless. Every competitor can claim excellent quality. Only you can claim 340 roofs.
A number is a claim that can be checked. That is exactly why it is believed.
Rule 3: the first sentence earns the second
Nobody is obliged to keep reading. The opening line must either name the reader's problem or say something they did not know.
Openings that fail: "As a leading provider…", "We are pleased to…", "In our company…". All three are about you and none give a reason to continue.
Rule 4: cut the throat-clearing
Most first drafts do not start until the third paragraph. Write the piece, then delete everything before the first sentence that says something.
The same applies within sentences. "It is important to remember that our team is able to offer" becomes "We offer". Four words instead of thirteen, and nothing is lost.
Rule 5: one idea per sentence
Two clauses joined by "and which" contain two ideas competing for the same attention. Split them. Short sentences are not simple, they are readable, and readable copy is read.
Rule 6: read it aloud
This is the single most effective editing technique. Anything you stumble over, run out of breath in, or feel embarrassed saying, gets cut or rewritten.
Advertising copy that cannot be spoken naturally will not be read naturally either.
The check before publishing
Four questions. Is it clear within five seconds what is being offered? Is there one concrete reason to choose this over the alternative? Is there exactly one action requested? Would the reader recognise their own situation in the first two lines?
If any answer is no, the copy is not finished, however polished it reads.
Frequently asked questions
How long should advertising copy be?
As long as the decision requires. A £20 purchase needs three lines; a £30,000 one needs a page. Length is not the enemy, padding is.
Should you write it yourself?
Write the first draft yourself, because you know the facts. Have someone else cut it, because you cannot.
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