“The more your copy sounds like a real conversation, the more engaging it will be.”
-David Garfinkel
B2B marketing is a structured process and it needs to communicate with its target market at every juncture in the customer journey. This is primarily due to the nature of deals, repeat customers cross selling and upselling. To nurture the customer relationship, each B2B marketing organization focuses on B2B copywriting. If content is the king, then copywriting his army.
But have we ever thought about the top copywriting qualities which rule the world of the Internet? Let us discuss the tips and tricks which can lead us to some amazing copywriting habits.
1. Define your target audience
Before you start writing copy you should visualize your target audience. In the field of marketing, this process is also popular as defining user persona.
When we design any copywriting strategy, we should always try to understand who we want to cater to. This approach will help us serve our audiences better.
It’s all about sharing knowledge with someone. But that someone will only indulge into the content if it solves their problem. The idea when you are writing a copy is not to draw attention to yourself or to your own words. Your job is to see things from your client’s point-of-view and argue the best case you can possibly make.
2. Prepare well before you start
Copywriting needs a structured approach where the writer develops content in an organized manner.
It is always good to prepare a layout before we start writing. This practice makes it easier to develop high-end copy content quickly and more effectively.
The reader also gets fixated to the content if it is easier to understand. Remember, a half-prepared war is a half-lost war from the beginning.
3. Alignment with the sales cycle
B2B copywriting involves different tactics when compared with the B2C copywriting process. This is mainly because the sales process and the funnel dynamics are different in both.
An ideal B2B copywriter will keep in mind all the junctures in B2B marketing funnel like Top of the funnel (TOFU), Middle of the funnel (MOFU), Bottom of the funnel (BOFU) and the other funnel stages down the line.
Approaching a customer needs customization at each level and generic copywriting can not generate the desired results in B2B marketing.
4. Become an industry expert
An ideal copywriter will always focus on one industry which he thinks is his right niche. By focusing on a single industry type, the copywriter will always be able to keep a tab over the ever-updating industry norms and trends.
In B2B marketing, the customer is always looking for long term solutions. Attaining domain specialty will always help the copywriter in developing engaging copy content and the customer will always feel comfortable to get engaged with people specialized in a similar domain or niche.
5. Values first, process second
One must make sure that the B2B copywriting is engaging enough to keep the customer within the sales funnel. For this, it is important that the copy should not be boring and complex.
It should be straight forward and focusing on the values of the B2B organization rather than the business process. Trust is the most valuable commodity in B2B marketing. Don’t make things complex and talk only about developing trust among your customers.
Some points to ponder here:
- Do not start explaining the process unless it gives you a unique edge over the competition.
- If targeting technical experts, focus on the features and USPs of your product rather then process.
- Use videos and graphics to give an overview of the process if required.
6. Keep it simple, avoid jargons
Sometimes copywriters try to be extremely specific with the customers and start using industry specific jargons. They forget that jargons can be misleading or difficult to understand for customers from diverse geographies and markets.
7. Telling brand stories
We must make our copywriting more engaging and interactive. Some common mistakes people make are by stuffing heavy content and making it difficult for the customer to keep himself engaged to the copy.
Try to tell brand stories to customers. Stories help the customer to visualise himself within the story and he finds himself finding solutions to his problems.
Storytelling can be done through videos, testimonials, and case studies. An ideal copywriter will share these as links on the sales pages.
8. Perfect formatting
Formatting of your copy is the most important element which can even cover other shortcomings if implemented properly.
Give careful thought to the structure of your information. Make it intuitive—first describe what exactly your product does before diving into its benefits, for instance.
Always use headings and subheadings so that scanners can get a feel for what is on the page. Try to keep your paragraphs brief and specific to the topic. Incorporate style elements for easy screening, such as bullet-point lists, bold, italics, and “quotes.”
But make sure that you do not stuff too many styles in your copy so that it does not lose its class.
In this blog, we discussed various practices that you must follow while copywriting in a B2B marketing environment. These small but important tactics can help you win more deals and clients in the long run.
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