If you read the last post here, you’d know that poor spelling reflects poorly on your business. (And hopefully learned a trick or two to avoid this problem.) And so, the reverse is true: that good copy is good public relations.

Good copy goes well beyond the niceties of spelling, grammar and punctuation. It is an experience. A customer service experience, no less.

In real terms, your copy — whether that be online or in print — is your first point of contact with a potential customer.

Ask yourself: Is your copy friendly? Easy-going? Simple to get answers from?

If you could answer yes, then you’ve pretty much nailed the issue on the head. If you’re not sure, a good test is to review your text as though you’ve never seen it before.

Think about whether:

• you can make sense of what is written, on the first fast scan
• parts that you are potentially interested in grab your attention
• the material is in an order that makes ‘innate’ sense
• the text answers any questions you may have
• there is an easy way for you to get more information, if necessary.

If you struggle with any of the above, consider how a first-time reader might feel. Quite likely they’ll throw your printed material in the recycling, or simply close your webpage.

But if the experience of interacting with the text is seamless, you are so much closer to winning your reader over.

Let’s take Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages as an example. So often, FAQ pages don’t answer questions, don’t answer real questions, or are argumentatively or aggressively written.

Should you turn an FAQ page like this into a customer service role-play scenario, things start to look nasty. Quite likely the customer ends up frustrated (at best), or angry (at worst). You are certainly not doing them or yourself any favours.

Any interaction with a potential or returning customer is a public relations exercise. Just because you may have words standing in for your charming personality doesn’t change this fact. Good PR is good PR regardless of where it is, and your copy is going to do that work in your absence.

At least, that’s what it should be doing.

Tags: copywriting, good copy, public relations
Filed under: Marketing