There’s an art and a science to crafting good communications. Let’s take magazine ads for example. Flip through any publication; the really great ads have stopping power. Why? Because the writer and art director knew exactly what they were doing, working off a sound strategy, finding the central truth about the product and not closing the circle for the customer. Remember your customer is smarter than you think. She won’t believe you unless she knows what you’re saying. She won’t know what you’re saying unless she listens to you. And she won’t listen to you if you’re not “interesting.” She won’t be interested if it’s not fresh and original. She’s rewarded for her intelligence and you’re rewarded because she’s staying with your ad.
Here are some best practices to help create communications—whether it’s advertising, collateral, interactive or guerilla—with stopping power:
1. Avoid “see/say.”
That’s when the headline tells you what you already see in the visual. There’s nothing to engage your audience. You’ve closed the circle for them. They move on. Also, if your visual is doing the heavy lifting don’t let the headline flex any muscle. Best to keep the line straight.
2. Throw the visual and verbal clichés on paper.
Then throw them away.
3. Simple is better.
Simple visual images, crisp short copy. Simple is hard to miss. Simple is easy to remember. Simple breaks through the clutter.
4. Something needs to dominate.
Whether it’s a big headline, large visual or lots of white space you need something that draws the eye. That’s where you want your reader to go first.
5. Find your voice.
Make it proprietary to your brand. Write like you talk. Then write like you talk if you were the brand talking to the customer. Copy should reflect concept of the communications: one concept, one voice, one style.
6. Have a structure in mind before you begin writing.
Start with the headline and then hit points A, B and C. Don’t repeat the headline in the first line of body copy-get to the point, it’s time for details. Always put your most persuasive point first. Be as clear as you can. Use transitions to flow one benefit to the next. When you’re done, read the copy aloud; awkward sentences tend to reveal themselves quickly.
Keep these fundamentals in mind and there will be no stopping you.
