Copywriting sounds easy, right? Well, it’s a little trickier than you think, and getting it right can be critical to your business.
Your website or social media pages or marketing materials is likely the first point of contact your customers will have with your business. So not only do you need to ensure these touchpoints are glossy and professional-looking but that the copy on these pages is top-notch too.
This means that it’s free from spelling and grammatical errors, the copy is relevant and sounds professionally crafted. Having these elements on point, in a customers eyes, builds your businesses credibility and puts your best foot forward.
Our content team have done the hard work for you and digested all the tips and tricks around, to provide you with the top FIVE copywriting must-dos for any trade business.
ONE: Is this right for you?
If you’re not a writer, don’t be a writer. The first rule of copywriting is you need to love it, have a passion for words and a solid understanding of how to craft a copy.
You’d be surprised at the volume of text a trade business needs;
- Your website needs to be updated regularly with offers, services and team profiles.
- Most websites host a weekly, or monthly blog for your SEO needs.
- Flyers, pamphlets, call converting scripts, marketing materials.
- Social media pages require a constant stream of copy to promote your business.
Having these customer touchpoints professionally crafted gives your business credibility. Suppose you DIY and there are spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, rambling copy and so on. You’re doing your business a disservice and lowering its credibility — and therefore, your chances of landing clients.
TWO: Download writing tools.
If you do have a flair for writing, download professional writing tools like Grammarly, and they’ll be your proof-readers. This is an absolute must-do, no exceptions!
Sites like this allow you to input specific parameters (like tone of voice checking) so that your work can be consistent and sound professional. Or send your work to a professional writing team for review. Depending on your copy’s length and how quickly you need it proofed, it can cost as little as $20. BARGAIN!
THREE: Consider what you are saying and why.
Now that you’ve decided you’re the person to craft a copy for your trade business, and you’ve set yourself up with the tools for success… you need to consider your content.
You need to be incredibly clear on what you want your audience to do (the call to action), as this will drive what you are saying and why.
For instance, in a plumbing business, flexible hoses in a home can burst and flood a house if not replaced regularly and often aren’t covered by insurance.
It would be valuable for a plumbing company to craft content around this issue, to inform customers of this hidden issue. The piece’s call to action is to ‘book in today’ to check for potential damage before disaster strikes.
To craft your deliverables for social media specifically, check out our ‘Content Twister’, Social Media For Tradies’ guide to start populating your content plan. This calendar helps you see on a page exactly what you want to say and allows you to consider your CTA’s for each piece of content.
FOUR: Scheduling tools
Scheduling is paramount to success; ensuring that your content goes out regularly and during peak times is critical.
Market research suggests the best times to post are:
Facebook: Thursday 1pm-3pm, Friday 1pm-3pm
Instagram: Mon-Fri 11am -1pm, Evenings 7pm-9pm
Blogs: Weekly or monthly, always midweek —midday to early evening.
When scheduling, double-check that your SEO is formatting and producing results. SEO (Search engine optimization) is tricky business; essentially, its keywords embedded into your content’s text that drives website traffic to your website when these keywords are searched for. If you’re not completely sure what SEO is, check out this beginner guide HERE.
FIVE: Time & effort VS engagement.
Copywriting takes considerable time and effort to produce. Not only do you need to plan what you are saying and why, as noted above, but the time it takes to craft, proof and publish can be considerable.
You need to understand that the amount of effort, money and energy you put into your work will likely not be reciprocated online. Trade business pages often have low engagement levels across social media, blog pages and marketing materials — even when crafted professionally.
The simple truth is that you are not creating this content to receive a tonne of likes and comments. In 2021 people align your social media and webpages’ quality to the quality of your trade work.
If they feel your online presence is sloppy and half-baked, they will assume your trade work is the same. It sounds crazy, but it’s true! Check out our blog: Social Media Made Simple for a breakdown of how to craft your social media presence.
