It’s not for me to decide what’s boring or not. There are many things I think are boring which you won’t think are boring and in 90% of cases work which initially seems like it might be boring because the subject matter is, not quite your usual easy-to-promote-and-sell product or service, it actually turns out to be more interesting because of the research involved. Did I mention I love research? It is one of the best bits of this job.

Anyway, THAT copy is something all copywriters and I’d say many eCommerce shop owners and other online business people come across all the time. The copy that needs writing but it’s a subject which seems impossible to make exciting, interesting or even promote in anyway at all. Something which may be considered boring or difficult or hard to market isn’t impossible though. It can be done. Before I explain how I think it can be done I’ll just mention an event I got involved with.

Don’t Be Unlucky in Marketing

In the middle of February I went to a marketing event (Don’t Be Unlucky in Marketing) which targeted social care organisations and looked at many different aspects of marketing and how it can completely change the fortunes of an organisation when done properly. It was really interesting, although I couldn’t stay long and there were a couple of key points I picked out which I think are relevant to this topic. I’m in no way saying the social care sector and many of the companies and charities within this sector are boring but they are subjects which can be difficult to write about. I thought this tweet was a fantastic example of how there are ways of grabbing the attention of your audience without being ostentatious and going too far out of your comfort zone and therefore the comfort zones of your target audience:

How do you make what we do sexy? Ask #socialcare providers – you don’t need to says @USPCreative – make it interesting #mxc2015

— Nicola Wass (@nicolawass1) February 13, 2015

The second point and whole presentation actually, of Duncan Craig from Survivors Manchester, basically sums up what I’m going to try and say here, marketing the (seemingly) unmarketable. There are plenty of tweets out there which summed up how fantastic what Duncan had to say was but I’ve nabbed this one which is just one of the many which highlighted the essence of what he had to say:

Duncan Craig talking about “Marketing the Unmarketable” – “Do the Wizard of Oz, jazz it up” #MXC2015 — Joanne Lee (@JoanneLee_YA) February 13, 2015

In a nutshell, anything can be made to sound exciting and anything can be sold and for me, as a copywriter, it’s the words that count. Other media maybe involved but I’m mainly interested in using words to make THAT copy, those “boring” (though I’m trying to get away from this word) topics more palatable. Now, to my tips, which I hope are useful.

Make THAT Copy Stand Out & Get Noticed

So, there are many ways you can make copy more interesting when it seems like it can be anything but. First, ask yourself:

• WHAT am I trying to say?
• WHY am I trying to say it?
• WHY should they want to listen?

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you need to say and who you’re saying it to and most importantly why, here are some other points to keep in mind.

1.      Think like a Tabloid

OK, so you can’t think like a newspaper but you can think like a tabloid journalist. Vibrancy is at the heart of tabloid writing, however sensational it can be, but you can glean ideas and utilise the same strategies to attract attention and bring vibrancy to your copy.

2.      Tell a Story

If you have enough words to work with then tell a story. People relate to and enjoy stories, the personal touch really works and if you can draw people in with a story relating to the product or service, chances are they’ll stick around to read the rest.

3.      Share a Stat

Statistics, reports and scientific evidence are a great way of attracting people’s attention. If you can say that 90% of your customers said they’d shop with you again, and have a data to prove it, then share it. Equally if you can find a study which backs up the usefulness or need for your product or service, link to it, mention it and increase the authority in your brand.

4.      Avoid Cliché

There are tried and tested phrases (much like tried and tested) that you’ll see again and again in marketing copy and if you can avoid them, avoid them! There are stock phrases which do nothing but make your copy generic so if you feel yourself drawn toward cliché or common similes and metaphors, step back and think again.

5.      All about Them

You’re writing about your business and what you can offer but really your content needs to be about them. Your audience, your potential customers. Every point you make should give the reader something which makes them want what you’ve got to offer, it should solve a problem for them. You and your should be amongst the most-used words in your copy.

Boring copy does nothing for your business. It doesn’t attract the attention and it won’t encourage your customers to engage or keep reading. Facts are great, information is great but it needs to presented in a way that means your customers can connect with it and therefore, with you. Don’t let THAT copy defeat you and you can always ask me for advice if you’re not sure what to do with it.