Thursday, November 02, 2006
Halloween: Case of the Haunted Copy
When I lived in a small New Mexico town, Halloween meant stocking up on treats for a parade of small visitors who would show up on my doorstep, dressed in costume. Now I live in a well-guarded highrise in Seattle, a city with more dogs than children. The only costumes I see are worn by bank employees. No haunted houses in my neighborhood. But prowling around the Internet I’ve seen some copy that I could swear was a haunted piece of virtual real estate. Here are 5 tips to keep your own site warm and welcoming even on the coldest winter nights, which we are experiencing already. (1) Create a comfortable space. Haunted houses are famous for floorboards creaking and lights going out suddenly. In normal, happy houses, we don’t notice the floor or the lights. We just walk around comfortably. And that’s what copy lets website visitors do, too. Copy gets haunted when copywriters call attention to their own words. That’s why humor usually kills sales: prospects remember the joke but not the benefits, features or marketer’s name. We’ve all done it at least once: we fall in love with an image and build copy around a metaphor. But readers will feel most comfortable with a conversational tone and familiar language. And they’ll actually enjoy an occasional cliche. (2) Say good-by to the Ghost of Your English Teacher. As you write a set of bullet points, do you find yourself thinking, “Mrs. Fussy told us never to begin a sentence with ‘and.’” Or “Sister Mary Aurelia would take a ruler to these phrases.” They’re ghosts. Real English teachers don’t care about copywriting and they couldn’t care less what you’re doing these days. Open the windows and watch them waft away into the dark damp winter nights. (3) Clear the cobwebs. Cobwebs brushing against your face? Not a great way to say “Come in! You’re going to love it here.” Some openings rub their readers the same way: stiff, stilted, self-conscious and just plain creepy. Create an opening that’s fresh and inviting. Get visitors hooked, so they stay focused on what you’re selling. (4) Leave the lights on. Haunted houses tend to be dim. You’ll find weak light sources that create long, creepy shadows. Good copy needs lots of white space, punctuated by bold and colored type. It’s easy to read. Crowded type makes your reader feel suffocated...wondering if they’re in a dark closet with no way out. (5) Make sure everyone can find the way out – and the refreshments. Every so often I see copy that appears to be created by demons. I want to buy...and I have no idea where to sign up. Sometimes I can’t even figure out what’s being offered for sale. And these days, I believe good website copy begins with an irresistible freebie to motivate visitor sign-ups. Your freebie should be a tempting as a serving of strawberries with cream, a chocolate cupcake or a double shot latte with extra whipped cream. Well, almost...”Ten secrets” or “5 critical steps” will drive away the most determined ghosts and make your visitors feel they’re on the way home. Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. offers strategic copywriting and communications consulting for small biz owners and solo professionals who want to sell themselves without sounding sales-y. Ask about her three-step Strategy-->Message-->Copy system. Begin with a visit to the Copy-Cat website. |
# posted by Cathy Goodwin @ 3:59 PM 
