I bet youâve heard these common phrases a million times, on TV & radio ads, on websites and in print:
âWeâve got all the products for all your electrical needs…â
âWeâre your one-stop-shop for all your hardware requirements…â
âOur friendly staff are here to help…â
Feeling sleepy yet? I sure am.
Here in the Copywriting Department we have a self-imposed ban on clichĂ©d phrases like needs, requirements, one-stop-shop, and âfriendlyâ staff.
Why? Well to start with; what does âall your electrical needsâ really mean? Does your life depend on that new iPod or television… probably not, although the members of Generation Y may feel differently. And âfriendlyâ staff; the fact that your staff are nice people who will treat customers with respect shouldnât be a drawing card, it should be a given!
When youâve heard something a million times before, you just switch off. When weâre writing an On Hold production we try to be as succinct, effective, ear-catching and original as possible. Words like âneedsâ and ârequirementsâ donât grab peopleâs attention. They turn people off. You only have a few moments to impress your callers, so donât waste your time with meaningless drivel like âfor all your insurance/financial/shopping needsâ.
These clichĂ©d phrases don’t grab people’s attention because we hear them so often weâve conditioned ourselves to stop listening. Like when you hear âThank you for holding, your call is important to usâ; it doesnât really grab your attention does it? You know in your heart of hearts that itâs an empty sentiment. If you avoid these clichĂ©s, you dramatically increase the odds that people will listen, and then act.
This time can be put to better use.
Instead of writing:
âFor all your insurance needs…â
Why not focus on a benefit:
âFor award winning insurance and the expert advice that comes from decades of experience…â
By reducing the amount of empty jargon on your On Hold you can increase the amount of time spent talking about the real benefits you offer your customers.
What if a restaurant ran with the slogan:
âfor all your nutritional support needsâ?
That doesnât sound very appetising. Donât just tell your callers what you do; tell them why & how you do it better than everyone else:
âUsing only the freshest ingredients and inventive recipes we guarantee your dining experience with us will really satisfy.â
So get in touch with us and put the Copywriting Department to the test. We can ensure your On Hold production focuses on what makes your business better than your competitors⊠and keep your callers listening to boot!
P.S. If youâre after more copywriting tips, watch this Copywriting for Results Mastering Marketing video.
– Emily