There’s no point in putting together a wonderfully integrated marketing campaign if the words don’t ring bells for the readers. Writing good ad copy isn’t easy. The more I read other people’s marketing literature the more I realise that writing is a talent that not everyone has. There’s the architects firm which promises to “assist” its clients when I’m sure what the clients need is someone to carry out the job – not assist them. There’s the quantity surveyors practice that offers me the “best possible solution”. It’s so easy to fluff around the subject and not say exactly what you mean.
The secret of good copywriting for the construction industry – or I suppose any industry – is to have a mix of acquired technical knowledge tempered by a healthy disregard for the jargon that accompanies the subject. If you can’t afford professional help, there’s plenty of advice online. Here are ten points for writing magnetic copy. It’s written in US English and contains a split-infinitive but apart from that this copywriting advice is sound and provides a useful checklist.
