9 Tips to Better Catalog Copy
From time to time, it's important to check the shelf life of your catalog product copy. If the copy isn’t fresh, engaging or sales-driven, chances are it's outdated and you're probably losing sales. So why not take a few minutes to examine your copy and be honest with yourself: Does the copy sell the product?
Industry giants such as Herschell Gordon Lewis have revolutionized writing trends for the catalog industry. Original, persuasive copy has the power to outperform simple product description and function. Sales-generated copy keeps customers hooked from the first few words to the final bulleted dimension.
Nevertheless, how do you know if your copy is a sales generator? Keep the following nine tips in mind to make your copy sparkle, increase sales and ultimately strengthen your bottom line.
1. Get personal. First and foremost, know your customer to determine the tone of your copy. Age demographics, income and lifestyle all play into the mix. Your customer base is constantly evolving, so it's important to keep communication lines open. Listen to what your customers have to say.
2. Benefits strengthen copy. The intro sentence in copy is most important. Customers tend to skim copy, so the intro sentence should draw them in immediately with a benefit. The product must offer a convenience, solve a problem, improve lifestyle, alleviate a fear or provide some other customer benefit.
The introductory sentence of a “forearm crutch” copy block, for example, reads, “Gain an extra dose of confidence and stability with every step.” In this example, two benefits are stated — confidence (reinforces self-worth) and stability (alleviates a fear).
3. Retire “obfuscating” vocabulary. Your copy should converse with customers in an easy-to-understand manner. Don't force them to drag out the dictionary. Unless you're targeting a specific audience, you stand to lose a much broader customer base.
