Just because the words sound nice, doesn’t mean they’re adding up to effective copy. And just because they say what you want them to say, doesn’t mean they’ll hold your audience’s attention. It’s a tricky lesson to learn—and an even trickier balance to strike.
Simply put, the best writing tackles aesthetic and strategic objectives. Only when both standards are met does compelling language reach into a reader’s heart and inspire real action. Here’s how to do it.
The false choice between looks and substance
Looks or substance? It’s a well-known dichotomy, the perceived trade-off between the first date with a part-time model and one with someone who makes you laugh. The new-build house with a fresh coat of paint and the fixer-upper with great bones.
But when it comes to copywriting, you don’t have to choose. In fact, prioritizing just one of these values could severely weaken the piece.
Too flowery and you lose your message. Audiences may finish reading satisfied and impressed with the quality of the work but will quickly move on to whatever they were doing before they started—unchanged and unwilling to take action. Too utilitarian, however, too forward about your business goals—buy our product, sign up for a demo, or talk to a representative today—and audiences will feel pressured and turn away from the path you want them to take.
The ideal piece of writing sits somewhere in the intersection of the two attributes: words that flow easily off the tongue while generating enough emotion to inspire change. Unfortunately, all too often businesses satisfy themselves with the former while missing out on all the advantages that the latter provides.
The siren call of shallow support
Say a business signs on with a few freelancers. These writers know how to string words together into pleasing and even beautiful sentences but have no insight into how the writing might flow better. They deliver work on time but are blind to whether the writing is accomplishing—or even pursuing—the right strategy and reaching the right audience. They are not well-versed in the craft of creating effective copy.
The result is that your company is left with a readable website and snappy blogs but few clicks and even fewer leads. Your communications don’t say the right thing to the right people at the right time. Pretty words that lack deep meaning or an emotional edge do not drive people to buy, to try new things, to act. And if lovely sentences go unheard, did anyone really say them at all?
The strategic partner at the center of it all
For companies prioritizing the perfect combination of writing excellence and strategic insight, it all starts with the writers. More specifically, the task demands an investment in more than solitary creatives. It requires a strong content partner with a proven system for generating ideas, refining messaging, and aligning effective copy with big-picture business goals.
Individual writers and even some copy and content agencies tend to focus solely on delivering nicer-sounding versions of what their clients already want to express. These writers, while able to deliver on day-to-day asks, lack the resources and perspective to optimize messaging on a micro- and a macro-level, day in and day out, as content needs accumulate.
A partner that prioritizes strategy and quality control at every stage provides just the in-depth support companies need to delight and persuade their audiences. That’s what MarketSmiths delivers: a scalable, unified content workflow to perfect any campaign or initiative. By refining content messaging then executing on it with strategic oversight, the MarketSmiths process ensures that each piece of copy emerges precise, engaging, and on-target.
Get in touch today to see how you can start making the most of every writing opportunity.
