This brief is for an electrician client we have. This is what I sent the writer for redoing the content on the web site.
I thought I’d post it up here, not because it’s a great brief, but because some of the elements ring true in copywriting. Hope it helps.
The brief
We want to rewrite the copy for all pages on the site.
We want the content to be:
- Compelling
- Entertaining
- With call to actions
We need it short and sharp.
You gotta grab the reader’s attention and keep them interested enough so they keep reading!
Sneezing pandas work.
So do cats.
“Videos of cats have now overtaken selfies as the online content we love to post the most...more“
Harriet Potter, Telegraph
Whatever you do, don’t bore the reader
Avoid long paragraphs. No one reads them.
Make the reader want to keep on raediing.
Heh, did you nkwo it raeyll doesn’t matter too much when you have letters in the rongw place, people can mostly still read them!
It’s because people don’t really read.
They scan and assume what the words will be.
In the words of Billie Ellish…….”Duh!”
So, DUH!!, break up the text.
Because
people
scan
the
words
Things I hate about web sites – 101 by yours truly (that’s me)
- When the first heading (most important bit of the page) says “Welcome”.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
- When the site then goes on to tell you all about them. I don’t care about them!!
All I care about is:
“What does that mean for me? How can they help me?”
Brendon Sinclair, just now
- When they use “Why choose us?” and pick things I don’t care about:
What I care about??? Glad you arsed! (Got a swear word in there and made it look like a real word – which it kind of is….)
Where was I??
Oh that’s right.
When I’m looking for an electrician I care about a few things:
- they gonna make it easy for me and not be a pain in the ass
- they’re not going to kill me or my kids with shoddy work
- I’m not going to be robbed blind with their fees
Could you use this above image on their Home Page??
Maybe. People don’t buy unless they know they have a problem.
So you might say
“Shoddy electrical work is a risk to you AND your loved ones.
Don’t risk it. Get us to do the job.
Expert. Licensed. Experienced. 20 years unblemished safety record.”
Rewrite them so they’re all about solving the problems of the people coming to the web site for their services.
Remember, the biggest barrier to buying anything is the perceived sense of risk.
BUT……..
Don’t be too outlandish because:
The client won’t like it – they’re conservative
It’s about dull old electrical stuff, so we have to be a little serious.
- You’re a bright spark, you’ll sort it out.
- I’m positive.
- I’ll be shocked if you don’t get it.
- You know watts watt.
- When you’re finished, we’ll charge them.
People read the P.S at the end of documents
P.S: Pretty bloody sure this is the best brief ever.
Weird word “brief” – many meanings.
And not always accurate.
i.e. this brief isn’t brief.
If it was a short brief would it be a brief brief?
But I assume the word “brief” for a summary of what you want done is because it’s shorter than what’s to be done.
So that’s it for the not brief brief.
You’re welcome!
Cheers
