PREFACE
At the bar on a breezy Friday night with a close friend.
It’s been good, but it’s starting to wear on me.
What happens next makes me feel like my friend’s done for the evening, too.
The conversation dead spot.
The buffering moment.
The unstable connection.
After hours of back-and-forth conversation, we are at a loss for what topic deserves our tired mind’s attention.
He grabs for ol’ faithful.
The career subject.
“So, are you still doing your creative writing work?”
Me:😒
He can’t be blamed.
Copywriting has a PR problem that extends much further than our half-cut ramblings.
Most people not personally involved in the field are clueless about what copywriting is, let alone the skills involved.
Since the essence of copywriting can be boiled down to using writing to drive a specific action, I wanted to focus on the skills side of this unawareness problem.
If you are like my friend and copywriting means very little to you, we’re about to uncover one of the key pillars behind this versatile business tool.
Failing to apply this pillar correctly is one of the biggest reasons for alienating your reader and your message being ignored.
Read on to learn how to apply grammar and style correctly.
THE THREE FACTORS
On one end of the grammar and style spectrum is “write how you speak.” This method focuses on creating a conversational flow within your writing.
You can relax on the high school grammar rules (Sorry, Ms Stephens).
For example, consider how you may write in an internal email to a colleague you ACTUALLY like 😝. Short sentences, jokes, quick stories and slang are expected.
On the other end, you have a formalised style. You write with an official tone and follow traditional grammar rules. This can be seen in how a reputable institution, like a University, may choose to announce a new course on offer.
Both spectrum extremes have their use cases.
The casual approach is excellent for building a personal connection with the reader. On the other hand, a more professional format adds to the perceived value of the goods and services on offer.
How do I decide on the approach to grammar and style that best suits my business?
I hate to give you a wish-wash answer, but there are no definitive rules to it, although there are considerations.
My recommendation is to use these three factors to help you decide on the best approach for your business:
- Industry expectations.
- The current level of credibility held by your business.
- Ideal client selection.
INDUSTRY EXPECTATIONS
Some industries are suited to a more uptight approach to grammar and style.
Possible indicators of industries that fit this mould are those where people who work in them are expected to hold degrees or high-value transactions are taking place.
Consider fields like medicine, funds management and luxury car manufacturing.
If you were in the market for one of these goods or services and at the point of choosing a provider, you would likely be highly critical of all aspects of their offering.
If a provider you were reviewing released long-form material that was less than textbook perfect, that would likely negatively impact your opinion of that provider.
THE CURRENT LEVEL OF CREDIBILITY HELD BY YOUR BUSINESS
Recently, I was building a landing page for someone about to start a solo business endeavour in a “serious” industry (financial services). They had no practical background in the industry; they only had their education.
This indicated that the written content needed to act to give this entrepreneur credibility, so I selected a formal approach for the grammar and style of the copy.
If someone with significant experience in this line of business required a landing page, I’d consider making a less formal selection.
The seasoned individual’s testimonials and track record could be enough to establish credibility. This would allow the grammar and style of the copy to be focused on providing a conversational flow to increase reader engagement.
If this experienced individual had a thriving public persona established through regular conversation-style online posting, it would be even more of a reason to opt for a less formal approach.
This is because it would make sense to continue using the same method of grammar and style that the audience had responded to.
IDEAL CLIENT SELECTION
Like many pillars of copywriting, it is vital to consider who your business’s ideal client is; style and grammar are no different.
In failing to consider your business’s ideal client, you risk alienating them from the message. For instance, if you start detailing your service using technical jargon, it can be off-putting to the portion of the audience unfamiliar with the terminology.
Similarly, if you describe a complex service using layperson’s terminology, a segment of your audience can discount your business’s capabilities in a particular field.
Poor copywriting is often the result of getting overly complex and causing confusion for the reader. However, it is helpful to be aware that failing to display high levels of knowledge through industry-specific terminology can be a problem.
Whilst rare, the highly aware and critical portion of your business’s audience can become disconnected from your message if it’s not advanced enough.