The Tribe Discovers the Three Secrets of Effective Copywriting

Last time, Fire Enterprises, Inc. (FEI) lead marketer Marka and Brandy the branding expert discussed how to use your company’s logo, slogan and outbound communications to create a compelling brand presence. This week, copywriting guru Cecil gives a lecture on how to craft engaging marketing communications. Remember, fire = print.

“Who could Brandy be bringing back?” Marka wondered to herself.

Brandy returned to the counter along with an eight-foot tall, shirtless colossus. His bald head shone with the sweat of a night’s drinking and a single eye stuck in the middle of his forehead like a seed in a patch of soil.

“Hello,” said the giant man. “I’m Cecil, copywriter extraordinaire.”

“A Cyclops!” Marka shrieked.

“Don’t worry,” reassured Brandy. “He’s a nice guy.”

“Well, OK,” Marka said, turning to face the huge one-eyed creature looking friendly enough. “Cecil, what tips do you have for creating written communications that will cut through the clutter? We want customers and prospects to look forward to our O-mails and Fire! newsletters each month.”

“Presenting, my three secrets of effective copywriting,” Cecil announced. He fished three signs out of his baggy pants pocket and held up the first one:

Cecil’s First Secret for Effective Copywriting: Lead with Benefits, yet Stay Honest and Believable

Cecil began, “People read business communications to stay up-to-date on technology, products and services that will make their business and personal lives easier. When writing promotional materials for FEI, we need to always remember that our customers want peace of mind and a good night’s sleep. They don’t want to worry. They want access to fire when they want fire. It’s really that simple.

“Yeah, they should associate the FEI brand with technical proficiency—like how fire is made and where it comes from— but we must clearly say what’s in it for them," Cecil continued. "Avoid making nectar-in-the-sky promises that our sales and production teams can’t keep. In fact, under promise and over deliver. Let our company’s actions speak louder than words.”