A jumbo taboo for freelance marketing writers is trying to nab a gig using a crummy resume. Resumes can be the greatest selling point for freelance marketing writers, showcasing how well they can sell a person on hiring them. A stellar resume won’t mean automatic success, however, as a few more Dos and Don’t can be equally as vital for effective marketing writing.
Don’t call it sales. People are too swift these days to fall for a “sales call,” “sales pitch,” or any other tactic that has the world “sales” in the name. It’s not a sales call or sales pitch; call it marketing communications, or marcom. Keep this subtly in mind throughout your writing as most folks get turned off by blatantly obvious sales stuff.
Don’t use complicated language or cliché. Complex words, wording and lofty lingo can only serve to confuse and annoy, Inc.com says, while cliché can just annoy. Instead, be direct, to the point, and write like you talk. Unless, of course, you swear a lot or talk in cliché. Replace cheesy phrases with specific details. “Our new and improved formula will make your life better,” doesn’t cut it. Go for something like: “Our upgraded formula contains 22 percent more oxygen, making it easier for people to breathe.”
Dos
A trio of “Dos” come from VisualThesaurus.com, and each should be done before you even put the first word on the page.
Do figure out the marketing objective – Simply wanting “more sales!” is too vague. Determine a specific action you want readers to take. That’s where those calls to action and questions you put on the end of your blog posts come in. “Call now for a free estimate.” “How many times have you been the dentist this year?” “Like us on Facebook for a 10 percent discount.”
Do define the target audience – Young or old? Corporate or artistic? Highly educated or in need of a GED? Writing to your target audience helps set the tone, style and word choice of your article. You don’t want to tell a target audience of late-career executives that something “really sucks.” But that may be just the wording you need for a mid-20s, creative crowd.
Do outline the product pluses – Here’s where you figure out how the product or service can benefit the customer, how it can get rid of their “pain points,” and what makes it stand out from similar products or services. Let’s use a hypothetical example of an app that automatically reminds you of people’s birthdays. It can benefit people by making them better at friendships or kissing up to their boss. It gets rid of the “pain point” of keeping track of birthdays on a messy calendar or getting yelled at by a spouse for forgetting one. It may stand out because it’s free, it’s yellow, it’s animated or whatever else makes it unique.
Ryn G is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
