The most effective marketing message exudes personality, expresses clear benefits, and speaks directly to the target audience, and, through engagement, encourages visitors to take action.

The key to conversion success is solid copywriting—copy that gets to the point without wasting the reader’s time.

Everything else is just fluff.

In order to create marketing copy that interests and informs readers, keep your message relevant and informative with sentences that illustrate problem solving.When you create a clear message, you’ll draw visitors in and hopefully get them to take action.

Read on for three strategies to keep yourself on track and your copy fluff-free.

1. Map out a solid plan before you begin writing.

 At its core, copywriting hinges on strategy. If you don’t write with a clear blueprint, you risk rambling without a focus. To avoid fluff copy, create an outline of the key points you need to stress beforehand.

Doing this ensures that you eliminate filler copy and that your message stays informative. We suggest you start with pen and paper and write out notes, thoughts, and ideas that will keep yourself on track.

2. Keep the copy consistently relevant.

Who isn’t guilty of easily getting distracted? Think of the last conversation you had, and chances are something grabbed your attention, and then you switched the topic…and down the rabbit hole you went! While that doesn’t necessarily hurt a conversation, tangents will harm marketing copy, because you’ve entered an irrelevant area.

Imagine you are writing a sales page for a new restaurant. You work diligently to describe the delicious dishes, the romantic atmosphere, and the great service. And suddenly you begin writing about how the restaurant passed its health inspection with flying colors. Though it’s related (sort of), it won’t make prospects come in for lunch. Instead, stay focused on the clear objectives you need to elaborate on.

3. Give your reader some credit.

 One objective a sales rep, entrepreneur, or copywriter always has is to communicate value. In your marketing copy, if you repeat yourself, or elaborate on common knowledge, the reader may get insulted.

You may also run into the dreaded repetitive problem when you try to create content for a broad demographic. When you try to speak to everyone, you get no one. It’s always good practice to focus on a key market segment or your ideal client and write for him/her.

Effective marketing copy attracts a target audience that shares similar traits and experiences.  Though your writing should be always accessible, it needs to speak directly to the intended audience.

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At Sūmèr, we actively look for motivation and inspiration to create compelling copy for our clients. In order to get our creative juices flowing, we often rely on music to become more focused and come up with new ideas to engineer the perfect message.

Yet, each copywriter has different tastes. For the most part, we pick artists that help clear our minds and get us into the copywriting mode. But sometimes, we simply want to dance, be silly, and have a good time. (Come on, don’t you have a few guilty pleasures?)

The next time you’re stuck in a mental rut, check out some of the following artists to get your synapses firing. Read on for our teams’ musical choices to streamline the workday (and have a little fun.)

Michelle Salater Sculpts for Success: Anytime I need motivation, inspiration, and a boost of energy, I put on one of the Sculptations Success Songs, and am instantly in a positive state of mind. I’m officially addicted to Paul Hoffman and Lacy Arnold’s MindSculpting Tracks. 

When She’s Rocking and Rolling: Okay, I have to admit that my guilty pleasure is 2Pac’s “Picture Me Rollin’.” Or if I’m in the mood for something especially cheesy, I’ll listen to some really bad 80’s power ballads. 

Catherine Campbell Keeps It Smooth: I love jazz. Anything without lyrics or else I start to tune into the lyrics instead of what I’m reading on my computer screen! Jazz albums such as Charlie Byrd’s “Byrd’s Word,” John Coltrane’s “Blue Train,” Art Pepper’s “Intensity” help keep me work with energy and clarity.

But Sometimes She Kicks It Up a Notch: When I want to change it up, I love Balhmorea or Bjork to kick things into gear in the creative department. Their albums are all over the place: layered beautifully and with unpredictable departures. This music sends me into an optimal state for switching mindsets. I simply close my eyes and dream up projects and campaigns for clients.

John Owen Focuses with Radiohead and Philip Glass: Ever since high school, I’ve been a diehard Radiohead fan. I especially appreciate how their style evolves from album to album. When I need to visualize on a project, I’ll put on Philip Glass, who I discovered accidentally. When I realized a lot of films I love featured richly textured music, I decided to find out who was responsible, and I haven’t stopped listening to Mr. Glass since.

And Sometimes He Dances in The Purple Rain: When I met my partner, we instantly bonded over our mutual guilty pleasure, Prince. When I feel like listening to an over-the-top performance, I’ll pop in Purple Rain and get my fix. Check out the movie of the same name, too.

Travis Mossotti’s Got The Blues: My favorite music to listen to while I’m writing is anything Blues. I love listening to the Blues, because the musicians revel in the everyday melancholy and promote an empathetic response. After all, the blues are nothing more than a communal grievance of what it means to be human. I love it all, from R.L. Burnside to The White Stripes.

Though He Likes To Space Out: My guilty pleasure will forever be trance music, because it’s full of verve and yearning and seems to have a tempo influenced by the pulse of a star or an electron or some other charged entity.

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Effective copywriters create SEO-rich sentences that read naturally. While it’s important to craft an easily digestible message that reads elegantly, you need to exercise caution with transitional phrases.

While your prospects scrolls, they need to understand the benefits in a short period of time before they convert. In the world of online marketing, 5 seconds can be detrimental for your conversion rate.

As your prospect scans the page, make it a point to not waste time in getting your message across clearly. To ensure your website or landing page survives the quick scrolling process, steer clear of 10 phrases that halt your message. Here’s why you should avoid the following:

1. All things considered: No matter if you’re a fan of the NPR show or not, this phrase fails to tie content together. The reader will see this phrase, and click the back button.

2. As a matter of fact: Instead, try using a phrase such as “studies show” to establish more credibility with factual data.

3. As already stated: If marketing copy repeats itself, the message needs to be reinforced in the beginning.

4. As far as I’m concerned: Opinions matter in marketing copy, but you need to make it obvious that your sentence is opinion-based without this phrase.

5. At the present time: This phrase fails to accurately set a time frame for the reader. Instead, try using something more detailed, such as “In light of the recent announcement that…”

6. In a manner of speaking: Writers use this phrase to frame a different method of describing or explaining an idea. If you have to do that in the first place, it’s time to rethink your message.

7. It goes without saying: This phrase serves as a classic example of filler copy. Because prospects scan the page, you need to stay on track at all times.

8. It is important to note: The next time you’re tempted to use this phrase, try showing the importance of your content with illustrative examples.

9. The field of: Using scientific studies reinforces credibility, but these three words waste time. Try using only “Biology” instead of “The field of Biology.”

10. To be sure: One function of effective marketing company is that the message gives the reader a sense of certainty about a product. When writers use this phrase, they lessen that feeling of confidence.

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Ah, the Frequently Asked Questions page. It’s an outlet for you to address questions and concerns from your prospects before they ever contact you.

And it’s a very important page on your website.

Not only does the FAQs page allow you to educate and inform your prospects (and save you a ton of time answering the same questions over and over), but it also helps you overcome objections and escalate your conversion rate.

Once you set up a FAQs page that quickly answers common questions, alleviates concerns, and shows the benefits of your business, you’re golden. Keep reading for six strategies to make your FAQs page sell.

Always Remember the Rule of KISS (Keep It Short and Simple).

KISS isn’t just a 70s rock band with face paint and spikey costumes. It’s also a way to make sure you don’t overload your visitors with information they do not need. When you get the point across quickly, you give your prospects clarity on why they should buy from you.

Allow Your FAQs to Sell with Contact Information.

Convert more prospects and list your contact info throughout the FAQs page. When appropriate, embed a link to your contact pageand list your email or phone number.

Plan for the Inevitable Scan.

Yes, prospects don’t always read everything word for word. But prospects still need to get clear on your message, even if they glaze over the content. To make your message clear, use effective headlines that stand out and are easily digested.

Know the Focus of Your FAQs Page.

The old adage says the customer is always right. An even better idea is, the customer is always the focus. When you create a FAQs page, write client-centric copy. Even if there are no calls to actions on the page, the message needs to be tailored toward your client base and the solutions you offer. Oh, and don’t forget to include relevant links to service or product pages.

Longer FAQs Page? Search Is Your Best Friend.

If the FAQs page stretches beyond more than 10 questions, consider a search button. People are looking for specific answers, and they want that info fast. When you implement a search feature, prospects will find what they’re looking for quicker. The sooner they find the answer they need, the sooner they will take action.

A Well-Organized FAQs Page Is a Happy FAQs Page.

List your questions by category with clear headings. Once again, people who visit FAQs pages are searching for something. Help your prospects find the answers they need by ranking your questions strategically.

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When you scour the Internet to find relevant information about your customers…well, sometimes you simply don’t know where to look. So you turn to the trusty survey email, but there’s little to no response.

No worries! There is one place where your target market gives you information without you having to ask for it: Reddit.

Reddit is a community discussion forum where the content is generated purely by users.Do a quick search on Reddit, and you’ll uncover exactly what’s on your target customers’ minds.

Reddit gives businesses and marketers the perfect opportunity to gather important data on their target market. With vast users ranging from high schoolers to retirees, you can search the various forums and see exactly what’s buzzing in your market.

The topics you’ll find enable you to clearly identify with your customer base and create relevant marketing copy. Keep reading for 3 tips on how use Reddit to your advantage.

1. Use Reddit’s AMA to find important information.

Start by typing “AMA” into the search box on Reddit.com. Once you do that, you’ll see a host of topic threads where Morgan Freeman, Jose Canseco, Louis C.K., and a host of other celebrities invite users to “Ask Me Anything.” But this function goes beyond celebrities; often employees will host an AMA forum.

Chances are, if you type in terms that match your market, you’ll find an AMA that will give you the answers you need to communicate better and discover new ways to market. Or you could even reach out to your market by doing an AMA yourself. Take a look below for an example of an AMA done by Bill Gates.

2. Use Reddit to know what content is trending.

Since the content is user-generated, Reddit gives you fodder for discovery. Even though you may be looking to get higher search rankings, don’t look at the Reddit version of data collection as a way to achieve better SEO. Instead, look at it as a way to see what topics are trending, and use that data to communicate.

When you communicate with clients, you want to go beyond boring and predictable conversations, whether that’s on a sales call or in a marketing email. Reddit can help you engage your clients with relevant topics that they care about.

See below for a post that identifies exactly what a key demographic is looking for.

 3. Use Reddit as short-term field research.

Reddit won’t give you long-term strategies. Sorry to burst your bubble, but what’s trending today could be old news tomorrow. But knowing what’s going on in real time enables you to create quick marketing content that makes your prospects take notice.

Try sending an email with a subject line that closely mirrors a popular and appropriate Reddit post. You may be surprised at the results.

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In your marketing copy, storytelling functions as more than a method to get your prospects to pay attention. It’s a way to show the reader how conflicts get resolved, and why your business is the best choice to do it.

While it’s tempting to point toward novels as a model for how to present conflicts and resolutions, you don’t have that much time to get your prospects to take action. And there’s no better example of condensed storytelling than movies.

While you have to persuade, inspire, and nurture in a short space, you can turn to the following 3 films for inspiration. Keep reading for 3 copywriting lessons from the big screen.

Seventh Seal: Present the Problem and Identify the Struggle

Ingmar Bergman’s iconic film chronicles the plight of the Bubonic Plague, but that’s merely the background. The story revolves around the challenge Antonius Bloch faces with the Grim Reaper. If Antonius can beat Death in a game of chess, he lives.

In this way, Bergman presents the problem, but goes further in identifying the struggle. When you communicate with your prospects, go beyond showing them you understand their problem. Instead, go a little deeper by detailing what that problem causes, how they struggle, and the solution to overcome it.

Forrest Gump: Play to Your Strengths and Don’t Overthink

Life is indeed like a box of chocolates in that we can’t always see what’s coming. But despite setbacks, Forrest Gump became a brilliant entrepreneur by simplifying his thinking processes and his message.

Over the course of two hours, the film shows Forrest use his strengths to achieve personal and financial success. When you create your copy, take a cue from him. Detail your strengths, and don’t move beyond your best abilities. Forrest simplified his message to the world and remained focused on his goals, and became a smash hit because of it.

Annie Hall: Create Copy That Helps Manage Relationships

Woody Allen’s Oscar-winning Annie Hall has something important to show us about writing marketing copy. The story is about a failed relationship that includes a retrospective on what should have happened.

Your copywriting should establish or reinforce the relationship your reader has with your business. Especially when you write a nurture sequence or landing page, make it a point to establish a foundation with the reader so the benefits are clear. No matter what you sell, you want your copy to highlight the product or service as an ally to the buyer.

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In an effort to modernize and “get hip,” Parker Brothers decided to reinvent one of their flagship board games, CLUE. One of the most beloved and recognizable brands in history, the game moved from antique charm to a culture of the iPhone and Instagram.

In 1949, the original CLUE brought together a host of characters with over-the-top personalities that players couldn’t get enough of.

Everyone had a favorite character.

Children loved to sit around the table with family and friends to figure out “who done it.”

Adults reminisced on great memories that they shared with their kids.

And then in 2008, it happened…the beloved murder mystery game altered its branding completely. Professor Plum became a video game designer, Colonel Mustard became a retired football player, and Mrs. White changed to a former child actress.

Wait, what? (Yes, we’re still speechless.  I mean, who would turn the pipe-smoking professor into an ultra-hip, thirty-something game designer? Please, bring back the tweed jacket!)

So what happened with this new marketing effort?

The audience hated it.

Parker Brothers had forgotten the core appeal of its product, and the audience reacted. (Oh, don’t worry if you’re a CLUE fan. When players spoke, Parker Brothers listened. CLUE has now gone back to its original appeal.)

Since CLUE’s changes exemplify what can go wrong with rebranding, business owners can learn three things to be aware of before they start the process.

1. Don’t forget your audience.

CLUE wanted to appeal to a younger audience. In the days of Justin Bieber and the Disney Channel, it’s hard to say that the tween demographic isn’t a huge market. But when Parker Brothers tried to tap into that market, they forgot their original audience.

In your business, don’t forget whom you sell to. Especially if you have a wide market like Parker Brothers does, stick with what works. Improvements are important in business, but proceed with care when you upgrade or reinvent a product people already love.

2. Memories and nostalgia sell.

The murder mystery game has always been popular with kids, but adults love it as well. In rebranding, Parker Brothers forgot that good memories sell. CLUE already produced memories of fun and laughter, but Parker Brothers pushed nostalgia to the side.

Think of this in terms of your relationships with customers. Whatever products or services you provide give them memories that may last a lifetime. When you rebrand without strategy, you risk sacrificing your customers’ comfort level.

3. Be true to your business, no matter what.

Plain and simple, Parker Brothers neglected their core appeal. When the game was originally created, players loved the archetypes and the classic array of weapons. After modernizing the image, people felt as if the original personality had been erased.

When you rebrand, make it a point not to change what your business represents. Upgrading your products may be necessary, but never forget why you started in the first place.

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Though copywriting was born as a marketing tool to persuade an audience, these days, web copy has to do more than simply persuade. It has to inspire.

Thanks to the interactive nature of the web, customers can quickly evaluate products and move on. That means you can’t expect the same old marketing tropes to capture the interest or excitement of prospects.

But with interactive copywriting,you engage the reader in ways that ads and commercials cannot. You dissolve the divide between brand and buyer.

Here are a few tips to make your web copy more interactive and hold the long-term attention of prospects and customers:

Interactive copy understands user experience.

Before you ever write a word, be sure you understand site maps and how information is delivered to the viewer. Ignore this, and you ignore your ability to orchestrate an experience that plays off your words and invites the reader to continue their journey.

Think of your CTAs as the GPS that tells them where to go next. Build this map to create a delightful adventure for your prospect.

Interactive copy is brief and confident.

You have seconds to capture your prospect’s attention and interest so don’t waste word-time. When you communicate clearly and directly, users will respond. That’s because brevity does one powerful thing: it communicates confidence. If your copy is long winded, it can misfire and feel like you are trying too hard to prove yourself.

Interactive copy utilizes social proof.

You can guarantee there’s one thing every user who is considering making a purchase will click—reviews, case studies, and customer testimonials. When creating CTAs and hyperlinking, keep this in mind.

Interactive copy tells your audience what to do.

Yes, traditional copywriting includes calls to action. But the aim of interactive copy is foremost to engage the user. This means you must eliminate guesswork and name action steps clearly and compellingly. Tell them to sign up for the ezine, download the app, or share the link. And don’t make them guess where the link will lead them—if they don’t know, they won’t click.

Interactive copy lets your audience tell YOU what to do.

Interactive copy isn’t just a way to bombard your audience with your message. Instead, it’s about changing the nature of branded conversation. Your audience wants to take part in your creations. Allow them to ask questions, give feedback, and connect with other users. Give them space to speak up.

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It’s amazing what a difference a revamped website makes. From the look of the layout to the feel of the web copy, a new website is a game-changer for your brand’s image and your business.

And Marita Lynn Catering’s brand-new website is a prime example.

Marita Lynn, the owner and visionary chef behind the New Jersey and New York City catering company, creates unforgettable corporate receptions, weddings, and holiday soirees through her gourmet cuisine and event planning expertise.

Yet when Marita Lynn came to us, she was struggling to create web copy that illustrated what clients experienced when they hire her catering company to plan, manage, and prepare food for special events and occasions. She needed a brand message that inspired the confidence, ease, and trust clients experience when they work with Marita Lynn Catering. And most important, the catering company needed SEO-optimized web copy so their clients could find Marita Lynn Catering in the sea of the Tri-State area competition.

In order to craft a marketing message that also projects the brand’s values, Marita Lynn Catering approached us to write SEO web copy that targets their ideal market.

“What I like most about Sūmèr is that they helped reflect my authenticity to my clients! Thanks to Sūmèr, we are getting calls every day inquiring about catering jobs. It is so amazing—we went from no calls to a phone that rings all day!”
–Marita Lynn, founder of Marita Lynn Catering

Our copywriters crafted a brand message that captured the experience of hiring Marita Lynn Catering to handle the details of any special event. We crafted web copy that not only invokes desire and inspiration, but also invites the readers to picture their perfect day with all the details taken care—no worry and no stress.

We also optimized the web content, making the site very SEO friendly and easy for the visitor to navigate and explore, right down to the downloadable menu PDFs. Working alongside the web designer, we even helped plan the best layout for the SEO web content so that viewers have fast access to the information they are looking for.

As a result, Marita Lynn Catering has a beautiful website that is fully optimized, speaks to their target audience, and inspires visitors to contact the company for their next event. Best of all, visitors can now easily find the company through a simple Google search, and the website content invokes an emotional connection with prospects that encourages action.

Check out Marita Lynn Catering’s new website here!

Genius entrepreneur and author Seth Godin once said, “If your email isn’t personal, it’s broken.”

It’s no secret that successful email marketing goes beyond plugging a product or service. The best marketing emails speak to the audience with relatable content.

Many marketers use template emails that they can resend over time. While this technique may cut down on copywriting time, your audience won’t react to the same message sent over and over again.

To break this trend, you have to stay relevant all the time. And to make that happen, you can use current events to your advantage.

You can use a funny headline as a subject line. Or you can try using a quirky news blurb to relate to your product. No matter how you use the news in your emails, you need to know which steps to take. Read on for 4 tips on how to use current events to your advantage.

1. Know what the audience wants to hear.

 Whether you use data collection or you talk with your customers one-on-one, you need to put your feelers out to know what they want to hear. When using current events in your emails, make it a point to use news items that your customers want to talk about. To gather this data, you can try sending a survey email out to discover more about their interests.

2. As always, the subject line is king.

The subject line draws the line between opening and deleting. When you use current events as a subject line, make certain it piques the recipient’s interest and ties in well with your message. Try something along the lines of “Why Product X reminds me of Brad Pitt.”

3. Prime your audience to hear your message.

 Using current events to draw them in should not be the endgame. Since the point of your email is to get the recipient to take action, use current events to prime the audience to hear your message first. Try using the first sentence or two relating your product to a current event, then shift gears to discuss benefits. For example, you can begin your email by mentioning the newest Super Hero blockbuster, and then relate the main character’s powers to your product.

4. Be personal, but not controversial.

It may not seem like it, but the news isn’t all politics. You want to stay away from anything that can be construed as controversial. Personalize your message with current events that people talk about, not argue over. Identifying what’s controversial can be tricky, because even the slightest mention of an election or piece of legislation can send people over the edge. However, it’s hard to get angry at a dog who saves her owner’s life.

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