What not to do when writing your copy

It?s all very well being told what we should be doing. Sometimes it can actually help.
But quite often we?re concentrating on all of that and forgetting another aspect of writing copy. What we shouldn?t be doing.

It?s not always easy to see where we might have gone wrong. Especially when we?ve invested a lot of time and effort into getting it right. Maybe a simple checklist can provide the answers.

For example who you?re writing it for. Apart from the obvious that is. Of course you?re trying to sell what you?re offering in the best way possible. But best for who? It?s customers who?ll decide if it?s what they want. And if you?re the one they want to deal with.

In which case it makes sense to give them equal consideration. Think of what they want and why they want it. Their criteria will differ from yours in that they?ll only be looking at what?s best for them.

Which includes not having to work too hard to get it. It doesn?t matter how technically wonderful your site is, if it isn?t user friendly it won?t work. People just want to get it all done and dusted as quickly as possible.

Something they won?t find easy if they have to decipher your copy first. You might think technical language and specifications make you look clever. They might think you?re simply showing off.

Plain and simple will be what they?re looking for. If they?re in any doubt about doing business with you, failing to understand what you?re talking about is likely to send them swiftly on their way.

Don?t forget they?ll be placing a lot of trust in you. They?ll need assurances it won?t be misplaced. Safety online is something no one should take for granted these days. Your customers certainly won?t.

You don?t have to treat them like idiots. Even if they are. Just take out all the complications and ambiguity and they?ll be more willing to stick with it.

It all comes down to balance in the end. Copy that works for you and your customers. If it does that you really can?t go wrong.