The idea that better copy means more money in your pocket has been done to death by bloggers in the copywriting industry.

By now, I think you know that better copy will get you more money, but the big question on everybody’s mind is exactly what the phrase “better copy” really means. We’ve been guilty as an industry of dancing around this idea of “better copy” — defining the concept has been like trying to nail Jello to a tree.

So, let’s put this thing to bed once and for all — I’ll give you a recipe for good copy.  It’s not a hard formula, and it’s certainly not “rocket science,” but so many companies and sales teams get this so impossibly wrong that it’s high time someone tell you all the truth.

Clarity + Accuracy + Consistency = Successful Sales

When was the last time you saw a Snickers commercial that got in your face and demanded your attention?  Have you ever been accosted by a General Mills salesman in a supermarket?  Of course you haven’t — and that’s because these giant companies know that in your face selling isn’t the answer.  It never has been, but for some reason so many marketers seem to think they need to shout to be heard.

When it comes to sales, there are three ideas that will carry you all the way through your copy:

You must be clear.  State what your product or service does in a way that your demographic can understand. Use proper punctuation and grammar to avoid any miscommunication and say exactly what you mean to say.

You must be accurate. Hype is so 1980. Don’t waste words on empty promises — instead, share actual product features and benefits and collect customer testimonials and published studies, if any exist. Instead of screaming that your product is new and better, quietly show what’s so new and awesome about it.

You must be consistent. This one’s a little harder, but try to remember that your brand image should carry through everything your company does.  Whatever personality you’ve developed for your company speaks to who will be attracted to what you’ve got to offer — and ultimately, whose trust you’ll earn. A company that seems unsure of itself, flip-flopping its brand image regularly, is doomed.

Today’s customers aren’t any different than they were 20 years ago — they still want what they’ve always wanted: information on your product or service. That’s it. It’s really that simple. Giving it to them with gusto and style is the trick to success; in your face selling only serves to make useless noise.