As I was doing a copywriting review today, I began to notice a disturbing trend in the copy of a particular site. It was filled with arbitrary and overused tidbits of copy including phrases such as, “ABC Company is your source for the best widgets.” Ugh! As a copywriter, part of your job is to differentiate your clients’ products and services from their competition. Including unfounded words and statements such as “best” and “your source for” hardly does that. Why? Because the competition could easily say the same things… and they’d be as true for them as they are for you.
What do you do instead? Define yourself or your client in the eyes of their clients. Make it easy for customers to choose you. How can you be more definitive?
- Use Specifics – dates, numbers, percentages, statistics, etc. that apply only to your company, products or services.
- Differentiate Yourself – processes, ingredients, history, inventory, availability, client list… anything that sets you/your client apart from other options in the marketplace.
- Use Testimonials – let others explain why you’re so great! The words of others are far more powerful about such things than your own words.
Unless you have proof (such as awards, reviews, statistics, etc.) avoid arbitrary words and phrases such as:
- the best
- nobody beats…
- takes it to the next level
- proven
Simply put: Specifics are good. Randomness is bad.
