Conversational writing
So, what is this Conversational Writing all about? It’s a unique copywriting style designed to do one thing:
Increase your sales.
These days, consumers are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages daily. Your message needs to break through the noise and grab their attention. It needs to engage your reader, so they stay on your site longer (or continue to the end of the direct mail piece.) And it needs to keep their attention until your offer and the close (you do have something to sell, after all. Right?)
The best way to do this is with Conversational Writing.
Conversational copywriting
Conversational Writing, or more specifically, Conversational Copywriting, connects with people. It’s the best voice to use when getting your message out, because it speaks to your reader as a regular person.
Conversational Copy stays away from big, fancy words. This isn’t The Atlantic Monthly, The Economist, or The New England Journal of Medicine (all very well written, though.)
The purpose of Conversational Copy is not to impress people. Aside from pretentious people and intellectual academics, no one speaks in paragraph-long sentences sprinkled liberally with $5 words. Average folks speak in sentences that are about 7-12 words.
First trust, then a sale
Conversational Copy puts the reader at ease, because she’s not intimidated or bogged down in prose. It shows that the writer is a regular person, too, someone your reader can easily relate to. When there’s trust, a sale is much more likely to follow.
This conversational voice is key in writing strong, compelling copy. It understands what keeps your reader up at night, and what she thinks about when she first wakes up. It addresses her concerns in an honest and sincere way. Understands her worries, needs, hopes and fears.
The “Coffeeshop Test”
Conversational Copy passes what some marketers call the “barstool test”. Here at Conversational Writing, LLC, I call it the “Coffee Shop Test” (yes, it’s a term I coined.) It sounds the way two friends would talk over coffee at the corner coffee shop if one was trying to convince the other of her position on something.
Natural conversation with good flow. Thoughts and ideas connected to each other in a logical way. An easy-flowing, conversational tempo.
Conversational Copy (or “Coffee Shop Copy”) is a respectful, intelligent, convincing style of winning people to your way of thinking.
23 years of direct sales experience
Since 1986 I’ve been in direct sales, dealing one-on-one, face-to-face with consumers. It’s taught me a lot. I’ve learned that people buy when they feel they know you and trust you. When there’s a reasonably good offer. And when they feel they aren’t being “sold”.
That’s not as easy as it sounds.
Most copywriters are more concerned with writing “killer copy” and bombarding the reader with one benefit after another.
Other copywriters promise “hypnotic” writing that will “mesmerize your readers”. If you want someone like that, there’s plenty who fit the bill.
My approach is more subtle, more genuine, and more often than not, gets better results.
Bottom line: results
Conversational Copy always convinces the reader to take action. It just does it in a very skillful, conversational style (versus a heavy-handed, “telemarketer-ish” way.)
Most likely, your prospects are already somewhat interested in your product or service. They don’t need to be sold from square one, but they do want to be convinced.
You’ll have a lot easier time convincing them if your copy is upbeat and easy to read. And that can only happen if they’re comfortable with the tone of your letter. And if they like and trust the person who’s writing to them.
When I write Conversational Copy for you, your prospects will like you. They’ll trust you. And most importantly, they’ll buy from you.
