| >> Have you ever noticed how very perceptive sayings are often attributed to more than one person? For instance, ‘There are lies, damned lies, and statistics,’ is attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, the British prime minister, and Mark Twain, the gloriously funny and perceptive American writer. If you ever get a chance to read a book of his essays, you will be delighted and educated. You’re probably wondering what the hell this has to do with ways to improve your copy. Well, there are three ways you can do this. The first one is simply by the application of some basic arithmetic. I’ve written about this before, but it’s so effective I cannot refrain from mentioning it again. If you simply read through the copy and count the number of times the word you is used, as opposed to the number of times the word me, I, and ours and similar are used, if the number of yous do not exceed the number of mes, ours, and blah, blah, blah by three to one, your copy is probably not very good. The reason for that is very simple. People are interested in themselves. One of the many reasons why almost all emails you get are lousy, especially if you read them on LinkedIn, is that they start by the person talking about themselves, which they’re interested in, rather than you, which you are interested in. I’ve given this recipe before and about what words make a difference and how long your sentences should be (short). And I was amused yesterday to receive an email from Jon Law, who had been checking up on me. And he says, ‘I’ve been through your copy to see whether you practice what you preach. And this is what I discovered.’ So there you are. That’s one way to and discover whether your copy is as good as it should be. There is another, which is, if anything, even simpler, and it is based upon the number of times clichés are used. Clichés are expressions that you frequently hear, and the worst of all clichés are the ones that copywriters use, I sometimes think. But look through the copy of anybody who purports to be able to do a good job and watch out for clichés such as…”??” The thing about expressions like this is they crush curiosity in the reader, thus curiosity to know what’s coming next. And the whole trick to writing copy is to keep people wanting to know what’s coming next, right until the end when you ask them for their money. The third way, unfortunately, is rather more expensive, and it’s to hire me to go through your copy. Does this work? Well, I do this for a particular firm regularly. I sit down for an hour with their copywriters, online usually, and go through everything that they’ve written. On one occasion, I actually spent most of the day doing this. I don’t know about you, but I’m very insecure. I like to feel that I’m doing a good job and be reminded that I’m doing a good job or prodded if I’m not doing a good job. So I asked the client what he thought about the money he had invested with me in going through his copy, and this is what he said “We require all new copywriters to study Drayton’s work for one reason: it’s unbelievably effective. With him you get a lifetime of experience in creating control campaigns. Every interaction has paid for itself many times over. If you’re serious about writing a world-class copy that converts you should get in touch and listen to what he says.” So there you are, dear reader. That is my helpful contribution for today. And I know I keep on banging on about copy, but quite frankly, better copy may well be the best way you can improve your sales and profits without spending a small fortune. The reason being that good copywriters very often cost much the same as bad copywriters. Only, most people can’t tell the difference, but now you can. If you’re interested in the last thing I mentioned, having me motivate your copywriters or go through your copy and see how it can be improved, just drop me line. I’m always here sitting patiently, twiddling my thumbs and waiting for something useful to do that will pass the time. Best, Drayton |
Lies, damned lies.
About the Author
In 2003, the Chartered Institute of Marketing named Drayton one of 50 living individuals who have shaped today’s marketing.
He has worked in 55 countries with many of the world’s greatest brands. These include American Express, Audi, Bentley, British Airways, Cisco, Columbia Business School, Deutsche Post, Ford, IBM, McKinsey, Mercedes, Microsoft, Nestle, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Unilever, Visa and Volkswagen.
Drayton has helped sell everything from Airbus planes to Peppa Pig. His book, Commonsense Direct and Digital Marketing, out in 17 languages, has been the UK’s best seller on the subject every year since 1982. He has also run his own businesses in the U.K., Portugal and Malaysia.
He was a main board member of the Ogilvy Group, a founding member of the Superbrands Organisation, one of the first eight Honorary Fellows of the Institute of Direct Marketing and one of the first three people named to the Hall of Fame of the Direct Marketing Association of India. He has also been given Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Caples Organisation in New York and Early To Rise in Florida.