Copywriting is a crucial skill for entrepreneurs and business owners, yet often overlooked. In a world filled with constant noise and distractions, the ability to craft compelling copy that sells your product, service or message is more valuable than ever.
That’s why every entrepreneur needs to either build their own copywriting skills or partner with a professional copywriter. Mastering this marketing art and science can be the difference between startup success or failure.
While hiring a freelance copywriter is ideal, it’s also essential for entrepreneurs to learn core copywriting techniques themselves. Understanding copywriting for entrepreneurs enables you to better brief and collaborate with writers. It also allows you to craft simple assets in-house when needed.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll cover everything entrepreneurs need to know about optimizing their copywriting. You’ll learn tips and strategies from crafting website copy to using brand voice, understanding your audience, and leveraging calls to action.
Follow these copywriting fundamentals, and you’ll be able to create content that captivates, converts and drives results for your business: good copy. Let’s Start!
What is Copywriting and Why Does it Matter?
Copywriting refers to the words used in marketing and advertising materials to promote a product, service, or message. This includes website copy, blog posts, ads, social media, sales collateral, newsletters, and more.
Effective copywriting is essential for entrepreneurs because it’s often the first touchpoint potential customers have with your brand. Your copy can make or break whether they engage further and ultimately convert to become paying customers.
Without compelling copywriting, potential clients won’t fully understand your offer or its benefits. Weak copy fails to build trust in your brand. And it does not activate the sense of urgency required to convince prospects to take action.
That’s why every entrepreneur needs to either master copywriting themselves or hire a professional freelance copywriter. Brands who optimize their copy reap game-changing results like higher conversion rates, increased sales and faster growth.
Basics of Copywriting: Tips for Entrepreneurs Just Starting Out
Let’s outline some key copywriting tips entrepreneurs should keep top of mind, especially when first getting started:
Remember Your Target Audience
Understand your customer inside and out. As an entrepreneur or founder, your copywriting is most effective when targeted directly to your audience’s needs, challenges, values and interests. Speak their language using terminology they know. Tailor your copy to how they think about and discuss your type of product or service you’re selling.
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes, and start writing from their perspective. Any business owner needs to master this skill of stepping into your audience’s mindset before crafting copy. When you start writing this way, solely focused on resonating with your customers, the quality of your copywriting immediately improves.
When you’re copywriting, every word you write should be tailored specifically to your audience. Directly address their pain points and desires. Highlight how your product or service delivers the exact solution they seek. This customer-centric approach is the foundation of impactful copywriting for entrepreneurs.
Focus on Benefits and Outcomes
Avoid getting bogged down in features or technical jargon. Instead, focus your copy on articulating the tangible outcomes and benefits customers get from your solution. Paint a vivid picture of how you make their lives easier. Help them visualize achieving their goals through using your product and its benefits.
This benefits-driven approach is at the heart of compelling copywriting. Your customers don’t care about your product features – they care about what those features enable them to accomplish. Always keep the end benefit you’re selling front and center.
Start by understanding your customers’ deepest desires and frustrations. Then clearly demonstrate how your product fulfills those needs. Your copy will resonate most when it focuses on the transformation you provide more than the specifics of how you do it. Sell the promise of their lives made easier in a way your audience connects with emotionally.
Directly Address Pain Points
What frustrations and pain points does your product or service alleviate for customers? Call those out directly and empathetically in your copy. Clearly articulate how you deeply understand the challenges your audience faces.
Describe specifically how using your product or service provides the perfect solution to address those pain points. Explain the tangible benefits it delivers to make their lives easier. Your copy will resonate most when prospects see that you truly get them and their needs.
When writing copy, put yourself in your customer’s shoes to vividly imagine their pains and desires. Then make your copy a conversation that says “I understand where you’re coming from, and here’s exactly how using my product can help.” This empathetic approach coupled with clearly conveying the benefits builds trust and connection.
Craft a Clear Call to Action
Every piece of copy should lead readers to take one specific, definitive action. Construct a persuasive, urgent call to action like “Start your free trial” or “Schedule a demo today” especially on your website and landing pages.
Remember, good copy is clear and concise. Don’t complicate your call to action language – simplify your writing to drive the desired behavior. Eliminate any vague or passive phrasing. Be ultra-clear on the exact next step you want viewers to take.
Guide readers seamlessly from your copy to an activated sale or lead. Make the path frictionless by removing any ambiguity around your desired call to action. Streamline your language so readers immediately know the precise action you want them to take after engaging with your copy.
Write Conversationally
Avoid overly formal or stiff copywriting. Especially at smaller companies, customers appreciate a conversational, human tone. Write in a way that feels like you’re speaking one-on-one with the reader. Use language you’d use explaining your solution over coffee.
Aim to make your copywriting feel like a personal conversation instead of a sales pitch. Write like you are simply talking to a friend or colleague about your product or service. Use natural language and a warm, inviting tone.
Craft your copy to come across as an authentic back-and-forth dialogue. Share honest perspectives and helpful stories as you would in a real human conversation. Let your unique personality and voice shine through. This conversational style makes copy engaging and relatable.
Turn Features Into Benefits
If you must cover features, immediately follow each by connecting it to a customer benefit. For example: “Our software centralizes all your business tools into one easy-to-use dashboard (so you save time switching between apps and workflows)”.
It’s generally best to avoid focusing too much on product features in your copy. But if you need to mention them, treat it like writing an equation: Feature + Benefit.
After stating a feature your product has, always connect it to the customer benefit it enables. This drives home why the reader should care about that aspect of your offering. They don’t care that you have XYZ feature – they care about what that feature does for them.
Keep your copy benefit-focused by pairing every feature description with a clarifying explanation of the tangible value it provides your audience. This simple tweak makes copy more compelling.
Brand Voice and Consistency Are King
Beyond writing copy specifically tailored to each asset and audience, establishing a consistent brand voice amplifies results. This is especially important when first starting copywriting before you have existing brand voice guidelines.
Your brand voice encompasses your tone, personality, speaking style and point of view. Elements like humor, simplicity, confidence, trust and passion come through in the language you use across communications.
When doing your first copywriting, focus on developing a brand voice that feels authentic to your company. Don’t force a style. Your voice should organically reflect your brand personality and values. This will help customers trust your brand as you keep voice consistent.
Maintaining consistency in your brand voice is critical for copywriting success. When writing copy, err on the side adhering to brand voice guidelines rather than getting too creative. Tone, style and messaging should align across assets so customers instantly recognize your content. Lean into what makes your voice unique.
Optimize Website Content Writing: From Calls to Action to Testing
Optimizing your website copywriting is a crucial activity entrepreneurs should focus on with nearly every content project. Your website copy often provides the first impression prospects have of your brand. That’s why mastering website copywriting is so essential.
As a startup founder or marketeer, treat website copy as foundational to your overall content strategy. Follow these tips to create compelling site copy that sells:
- Remember website copywriting is an ongoing process. Continually test and refine copy on every page to maximize conversions.
- Align website copy directly with buyer journeys. Guide visitors towards calls-to-action at each stage.
- Copy for your website should be used to clearly explain your value prop and showcase your brand personality.
- Prioritize copy on high-traffic pages like home, product, service, about, and blog.
Follow these tips to create site copy that sells:
Guide Visitors With Clear CTAs
Calls to action (CTAs) are buttons or links prompting visitors to take a desired action. Strategically place CTAs in website copy to guide visitors down conversion funnels. For example, “Learn More” CTAs move readers from high-level homepage messaging to detailed product pages.
Remember that CTAs are one of the primary purposes of effective copy. Your CTAs should clearly drive the next step you want visitors to take.
Streamline CTA language so there is no ambiguity around the action you want readers to take. Avoid vague, passive phrasing. Be ultra-clear and concise.
It’ll dramatically boost conversion rates if you strategically place highly-visible, benefit-focused CTAs throughout your site copy. Make sure each page guides visitors to the next stage.
Speak to Different Buyer Stages
Address visitors at different buying cycle stages across your site through tailored copywriting. Early stage visitors who are just discovering you need educational copy that focuses on explaining your overall value proposition, so they understand what your company does. This type of copy should aim to grab attention and interest them in learning more.
Product and pricing page copy should focus more on conversion, using benefit-driven language that motivates visitors to become buyers. This type of copy shows exactly how your offering can solve their needs using good writing that speaks directly to those pain points.
Blog posts, guides, and other educational content nurture leads by providing valuable information at each stage of their buyer’s journey. This content builds trust and affinity for your brand over time.
Ensuring you have the right type of copy tailored for each buyer stage and page is crucial to guide visitors towards conversion. Approach copywriting for early awareness stage, evaluation stage, and purchasing stage visitors differently across your site. Speak to their mindset and intent at each phase through targeted copy.
Use SEO Principles
When writing copy, incorporate relevant keywords and phrases that your target customers are searching for, so your pages have a better chance of ranking higher in search engine results.
However, avoid excessive “keyword stuffing” that feels unnatural or forced. The best approach is to seamlessly integrate SEO and keywords into compelling, benefit-focused copy.
For example, you may research terms potential buyers use when searching for offerings like yours. Organically work some of these keywords into your page headlines, subheads, opening paragraphs, and body copy. This natural on-page SEO copywriting helps search engines understand the topic and recommend your content.
But it should never compromise the reader experience. The copy still needs to maintain your brand voice, speak directly to the audience, focus on their needs, and drive them to take action. Seamlessly blending SEO and compelling copy takes skill.
Done right, SEO copywriting aligns with the reader’s intent while also catching the eye of search engines. It enhances findability without being promotional or packed with keywords. Think of it as writing for both audiences – potential customers and algorithms.
Optimize Navigation and Layout
Eliminate clutter and excessive blocks of text on key pages to improve readability. Use concise, benefit-focused headlines, bullet points, captions, and other elements to create a clean, scannable layout.
This easy to read formatting allows visitors to quickly skim and identify what’s most relevant to them. Short and simple copy in digestible chunks is less intimidating.
Also check that critical navigation menus and calls-to-action stand out clearly on the page. These should visually draw the eye so visitors instantly know how to find what they need, whether that’s your pricing, product details, or contact page.
An optimized page layout guides visitors smoothly through engaging copy toward conversion goals. It removes potential distractions and uses design elements like whitespace strategically. Copy should provide value but not overwhelm readers.
Test and Iterate
Leverage A/B testing to experiment with different copy variations and see what resonates most with your audience. You can test things like different headlines, value propositions, calls-to-action, page layouts, and more.
Measure the results of these A/B tests to understand which version helps visitors better reach their goals. Then double down on what tests reveal works best for converting your audience.
Don’t be afraid to continually refine and improve copy over time as you learn more about what your audience responds to. The ins and outs of copywriting take practice and experience to master.
Treat copy optimization as an ongoing process, not a one-time project. The more you test, the better you’ll get at creating copy that converts. Staying nimble and iterating based on data helps take the guesswork out of effective copywriting.
How to Get Started with Copywriting & Write Better
Once you feel you’re ready to dive in, here are some tips for entrepreneurs just starting out with crafting their own copy:
- Tap Free Learning Resources: Leverage free resources like blogs, online courses, newsletters, and Twitter to start grasping the basics of copywriting on your own. This can build foundational knowledge.
- Study Examples: Deconstruct successful copy examples from competitors and leading brands selling to your target customers. Analyze what makes their copy effective.
- Start Small: Don’t aim to tackle big projects like a website copy rewrite all at once. Begin practicing with smaller assets like emails, social posts and blog articles to build skills.
- Partner with a Pro: Consider pairing with an experienced copywriter, even just to review drafts initially. Their feedback will be invaluable before you publish copy live.
- Keep Testing: Continuously test copy variations and refine based on performance data. Treat optimization as an ongoing process, not seeking perfection immediately.
The key is to learn fundamentals first, then gain confidence through practice starting small. Be patient as skills develop over time through experience. Focus on digestible steps rather than big projects until you have a solid grasp.
Let’s dive deeper into each individual tip:
Tap Free Learning Resources
Leverage free resources to start grasping copywriting basics on your own. Sign up for helpful blogs and newsletters, take online courses through sites like Coursera, and follow copywriting leaders on Twitter or Youtube.
For example, use Google’s free Keyword Planner tool to research keywords your audience may be searching for. This can aid with search-optimized copywriting.
Many top copywriters like Joanna Wiebe and Sujan Patel offer free tips and guides to develop core copywriting skills. Build your research skills to find the most relevant resources.
Online learning platforms also have free or low-cost copywriting courses to choose from. Take advantage of these accessible resources to build a strong copywriting foundation before investing in paid programs.
With a bit of digging, aspiring copywriters can find quality blogs, ebooks, webinars, videos and more. Be resourceful and leverage free materials to maximize learning.
Study Examples
Deconstruct successful copy examples from leading companies selling to your target customers. Performing thorough analysis helps identify why their copy resonates and stands out.
Aim to reverse engineer what makes their messaging compelling by looking at elements like headline formulas, value proposition communication, flow, design, and more. Developing critical thinking helps spot patterns.
For instance, create a spreadsheet to catalog different examples of copy you want to analyze. Include columns for headlines, calls to action, imagery, tone, and takeaways.
Compiling a complete guide as you study gives you a framework to reference when creating your own copy. Identify any effective tricks or techniques you can borrow and put your own spin on.
Analyzing copy that converts customers similar to yours is invaluable for accelerating your learning curve. Lean on proven formulas that work for inspiration.
Start Small
Don’t aim to tackle big copywriting projects like a full website rewrite all at once early on. Begin practicing with small assets like social media posts, emails, blogs and ads.
These more manageable projects allow you to start building core copywriting skills with less pressure. You can test different techniques to see what helps make your copy more effective before applying them to larger assets.
For example, try drafting a few different Facebook ad variations and run A/B tests to determine which copy resonates most. Or work on perfecting the subject lines for your email newsletters.
Starting with bite-sized copywriting tasks enables you to hone skills on lower-stakes projects first. Once you have the fundamentals down, you can then confidently tackle larger website or landing page copy rewrites.
Think of it like learning to walk before you run. Be patient, start small, and build up copywriting expertise through practice over time.
Partner With a Pro
Consider pairing with an experienced copywriter – either in an official partnership or by simply having them review your drafts.
Gaining invaluable feedback from a professional copywriter before publishing your work can help accelerate your learning curve exponentially.
While hiring a copywriter full-time may not make sense early on, even an hourly consultation can provide expertise. Experienced copywriters can identify issues in messaging, flow, offers, and design that may be hindering conversion.
If budget is a limitation, you can post draft copy in forums or communities to get feedback from professional peers. Or search for pro bono opportunities with copywriters looking to build their portfolios.
Partnering with a copywriting pro, whether through formal training or informal review, gives you an expert perspective on how to improve. Their seasoned insights can help avoid easily missed common pitfalls.
So don’t silo yourself – leverage a professional’s expertise through a partnership arrangement that fits your needs and budget. Accelerating your copy skills this way pays dividends.
Keep Testing
There’s no downside to continuously testing new copy variations and measuring performance. Treat copywriting as a process of ongoing optimization rather than seeking perfection right away.
Run A/B split tests with different elements like headlines, value propositions, calls-to-action, image choices, and more. The key is to only change one variable at a time to determine what copy is able to grab attention and drive action.
Tools like Google Optimize, Optimizely and VWO make it easy for entrepreneurs to set up and run copy tests. Pay close attention to metrics like click-through rates, time on page, and conversions to understand what works.
Refine and update copy over time based on learnings. No copywriting is ever truly “done” – it needs to continually evolve based on data revealing how audience needs and behaviors change over time.
A commitment to constant testing and iteration will improve copywriting skills faster than any single writing course. Use data-driven insights to consistently upgrade copy that converts.
Copywriting Mistakes to Avoid to Become a Great Copywriter
While perfecting your copywriting skills, steer clear of these common copywriting mistakes entrepreneurs and small businesses make:
Forcing Jargon
Resist the temptation to overuse industry jargon to sound more “professional”. Clear, straightforward language performs better. Only leave in terminology widely known by your target buyers.
While it’s important to establish expertise, stuffing copy with niche acronyms and technical terms hides your message rather than highlighting it. The most compelling copywriting uses clear, simple language that makes concepts easy to grasp.
Aim to explain even complex ideas in a way that feels effortless to the reader. Write in a clear and compelling style that easily conveys information to your audience. Making concepts understandable empowers customers to make informed buying decisions.
So avoid overusing insider shorthand and lean language. Clean, crisp writing that speaks clearly and directly to customers in a compelling way will always win out.
Too Much "About Us" Content
Don’t dedicate too much copy real estate to company history, leadership team details and other insider info visitors don’t connect with. Keep the focus on positioning your value to customers.
Remember, the copy on your website and marketing materials isn’t going to you or your team – copy is going directly to potential customers.
With that in mind, avoid excessive focus on your founding story, team bios, awards, and other internal details prospects don’t find relevant. This insider information dilutes more important copy aimed at conveying your value proposition.
Keep copy focused squarely on addressing customer needs. Include only minor about us details that build credibility. Craft copy that keeps the spotlight on persuading visitors your company can solve their problems.
Not Having a Clear CTA
Every piece of copy needs one simple, action-oriented objective. Never leave readers unsure of the next step you want them to take after reading your content.
Crafting a clear call-to-action is crucial because it tells readers the immediate next step you want them to take. CTAs allow you to guide visitors in the right direction to help achieve key business goals.
Whether it’s signing up for a demo, downloading an ebook, or purchasing your product, the CTA prompts the reader to take action by clearly stating what you want them to do next.
Without a definitive CTA, readers don’t know what you want them to do. This risks them leaving your site or abandoning the purchase process. Don’t leave them guessing – write better copy that includes concise CTAs that advance your business goals.
Writing for Everyone
Trying to appeal to broad audiences dilutes copy effectiveness. Write directly to your target customer in a laser-focused way that resonates with their specific needs and interests.
When writing copy, resist the urge to water down your message in an attempt to attract everyone. Doing so results in vague, generic copy that actually appeals to no one.
Instead, really hone in on your ideal buyer persona. Get to know their precise pains, goals, and interests. Then craft copy speaking directly to that target customer.
Writing specifically for your best-fit audience may sacrifice mass appeal but gains devoted fans. Don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach – it’s a pleasure to work closely with the ideal customer in mind.
This tailored messaging feels like it was written just for them. That deeper connection and relevance converts visitors into delighted customers.
Getting Stuck on Features
Convey the “what” of your product or service, but immediately transition copy to address the “so what”. In other words, quickly pivot every feature to the customer benefit it enables.
A common copywriting mistake is focusing too much on product features rather than customer benefits. But features alone won’t convince visitors to buy.
Instead, get in the practice of mentioning a feature, then immediately following up with what customer goal that feature helps accomplish. This focus on benefits is key to building compelling copy.
For example, rather than simply stating your software has X feature, explain how that specific feature helps customers save time, reduce costs, improve work quality, etc.
Connecting features to tangible benefits builds a solid case for why your offering is worth purchasing. It shows customers what’s in it for them. Lead with the outcomes and transformations you provide.
Advanced Copywriting Strategies for Growth
Once you’ve grasped copywriting fundamentals, consider doubling down on the following advanced copywriting strategies:
Invest In Direct Response Principles
Leverage proven formulas used in sales letters, opt-in funnels, and other ultra-converting assets. Strategies like using urgency triggers, social proof, and scarce offers work.
Once you have the basics down, consider studying direct response copywriting principles to take your skills up a notch, it’s a great approach to sales.
Direct response copywriting focuses on driving immediate action and measurable conversions from readers. This high-performing copy is ubiquitous in sales funnels, landing pages, and email sequences.
Direct response introduces techniques like long scroll sales pages, aggressive calls-to-action, risk reversal offers, and scarce deadlines. Master copywriters utilize these advanced tactics to boost results.
While not appropriate for all copy, sprinkling in direct response strategies can improve performance. The more you test and refine, the better you blend these persuasive approaches into your copywriting for standout results.
Tap the Power of Storytelling
Weave in case studies, testimonials and anecdotes that customers relate to. Statistics don’t change behavior – stories and emotions do.
Stories and examples from real customers make copy more compelling. Rather than listing dry features, bring your copy to life by integrating case studies, reviews, and anecdotes.
These concrete examples help readers visualize achieving success through using your product. Stories tapping emotions are more memorable and persuasive than bare facts and data.
Of course, crafting engaging stories with professional storytelling structure requires skill. If this type of copywriting is new to you, don’t hesitate to bring in a professional copywriter to develop compelling customer stories.
With their talent for hooking an audience and weaving emotion into copy, a pro copywriter can showcase powerful examples of customers transformed by your product. Seek their expertise in tapping the psychology of storytelling.
Research Competitors
Analyze what resonates and falls flat in competitors’ copy. See what language and messaging you can make your own that aligns with your brand voice.
Performing competitive analysis gives great insight into what copywriting strategies your competitors are leveraging successfully with your target audience.
Study competitor landing pages, websites, ads, email nurtures, and other marketing copy. What messaging stands out? What offers or positioning compel you to keep reading? Take notes on any effective copywriting you spot.
Then brainstorm how you might adapt popular messaging or offers for your own marketing copywriting, while keeping it aligned with your brand voice and values.
For example, if a competitor’s educational content marketing strategy using guides and ebooks seems effective, consider producing your own versions tailored to your products and customers.
Doing this competitor copy analysis helps accelerate your copy skills by applying proven messaging that resonates with your audience. Just give it your own spin.
Prominently Feature Social Proof
Flaunt happy customer stories, testimonials, ratings, reviews, logos and satisfaction stats in your copy to provide confidence.
One of the most effective copywriting strategies is prominently featuring social proof like customer testimonials, reviews, and case studies. This builds credibility and trust.
In addition to weaving these examples directly into copy, also be sure to highlight ratings, endorsements and logos visibly. For example, public relations copywriting aimed at reporters should showcase prominently placed press mentions.
Don’t be shy about showcasing your happiest customers. Feature their stories and verbatim positive feedback. The more you can spotlight real people your audience can relate to, the more persuasive your copy becomes.
Just be sure to use credible, authentic examples that your target audience finds relevant. Avoid fabricated or outdated quotes and data that could erode trust. Social proof only works when it feels genuine.
Incorporate Video
Producing high-quality explainer, demo and testimonial videos is a great way to immerse prospects in your offer or service. The video medium allows you to vividly demonstrate your solution while a professional voiceover script explains the benefits.
When done right, crisp video copy often converts exceptionally well because it engages visual and auditory senses. But writing effective scripts for video requires copywriting skills distinct from crafting written content.
As an entrepreneur looking to incorporate more video in your marketing, take time to develop video-specific copywriting skills. Study what makes a compelling script that seamlessly complements the visuals. Learn how to translate your written messaging into conversational language suited for spoken videos.
Practice writing various video script formats, from demo narratives to testimonial interviews. Partner with a video production company experienced in optimizing scripts for maximum impact.
Mastering video copywriting and multimedia content production provides a major advantage in cutting through the noise. Combining strong copywriting skills with high-quality video greatly bolsters your ability to convert and engage viewers.
Overall, mastering at least the basics of writing effective, conversion-driven copy across mediums gives entrepreneurs an invaluable advantage in launching and growing a thriving business in today’s crowded markets. Don’t neglect the video domain.
Conclusion - Copywriting is an Essential Skill
Copywriting mastery is a journey, not a destination. But following core tips like knowing your audience, leading with benefits, and crafting clear calls to action puts entrepreneurs on the path to copywriting success.
Avoid common mistakes like using insider jargon, neglecting CTAs, and trying to appeal to everyone. Instead, write copy specifically for your ideal customers in a compelling, benefit-driven way.
Practice, iterate, and optimize your copywriting across all platforms. Leverage the expertise of professional copywriters when needed. Learn advanced persuasive writing strategies over time to continually improve.
Sharpening your copywriting skills delivers an exceptionally high ROI for entrepreneurs in the form of increased leads, sales and profits. In our digital world, copy is often the first touchpoint for engaging and converting customers.
That’s why copywriting is a capability every business owner needs to either build themselves or obtain by partnering with freelance copywriting pros. Compelling copy aligned to the primary purpose of generating conversions is essential.
Use the tips in this guide to create website copy, social media posts, emails, ads and other assets that attract your ideal audience and move them to action. With strategic copywriting continually refined through testing and optimization, entrepreneurs can achieve their business goals faster.
