Making vague promises in your copywriting is easy but they don’t do much for your credibility. In fact, watered down statements water down your reputation, as savvy shoppers are naturally suspicious at the lack of detail.
“What are you hiding?” they ask.
Being specific in your copywriting might mean that you don’t get to talk about every aspect of your business. Being specific makes you choose what’s important and spell it out. Being specific makes you keep your promises.
Because being specific means you’re telling the truth, or you’re a liar.
Words like lots, more, many, great, better, quickly, faster and cleaner (just to pick a few) make you sound like you might deliver but, in truth, they don’t say much at all. If you want to turn up the dial on your credibility, you need to be more specific.
You can save lots – tell me how much.
You can save up to 17% off your next bill.
You can save up to 25% off the total order which, on average, is more than $125.
You’ll save seven minutes on each load of washing, which is a day each year. A day you could be doing something much more fun.
We have more chocolate chips in our cookies – tell me how many more.
There are two tablespoons of rich dark chocolate chips in every cookie.
There are 65 chocolate chips in every cookie, making it the chocolatiest cookie in town.
Fast call-back – tell me how fast.
We guarantee you’ll get a call-back in 4 hours or fewer.
Our team responds to your service request in 30 minutes.
Bottles are washed during brewing – tell how many times.
Our bottles are washed four times in water kept at a constant 83C so all you get is the delicate flavour of our fruity floral pale ale.
When asked, most people agreed – tell me how many people, in actual numbers.
52 out of 70 people plus one very smart dog agreed that…
See what I mean?
More detail = more believable = more credible.
Turn your business into the one that tells the whole truth rather than the one that talks in mores and manys.
Belinda
19 Responses
Great post, Belinda. I love when copywriting clients can quantify their claims and, as a consumer, I’m drawn to businesses that do so. They create a stronger value proposition and can knock the competition flying with a single specific phrase. What a shame that so many businesses self-limit by their fear of being “called out” on their claims, so never get to test (or taste) the benefits of being specific. I’ll be using your post to convince my clients to get measuring. Thanks!
Thanks Sheryl. You’re absolutely right of course but so many businesses get the heebeejeebies about putting actual claims on the line to be tested. If you can’t stand by something worthing claiming, you’re committing to being all kinds of beige.
I hope they believe you!
They might not believe me but I’m SURE they’ll believe you. 🙂
OK won’t be shy. Thanks for that- very timely reminder as I am re-branding my business and pinpointing what I can deliver with ease and enjoyment!
It’s a fun process Elizabeth. All the best with it and thanks for stopping in!
Thanks for the reminder. I often fall back on the non-specific words you listed there. Drop in some detail or don’t say it at all! I like it.
Hey Kylie, you’re welcome and thanks for taking the time to stop in and say hi!
Terrific post Belinda!
Very timely for me seeing I’ve been rewriting a website for a company who, like most of their competitors, was claiming to be ‘environmentally friendly’ when they were actually quite the opposite 🙁
Well that’s just fibbing!
I have a similarly awkward project at the moment where I’m actually having to make general statements because there is nothing specific to say. They got nothing!
And it just backs up the idea that big, vague marketing claims are nuthin but hot air.
Really great advice. As a newcomer to copywriting I often wonder about things like this.
Thanks Sam. Making vague claims is ok, and they wouldn’t trigger red flags in most customers, but those kind of claims will never stand out to people – and that’s what we’re trying to achieve!
Super duper post. 99% Awesome and something I must remember to do myself.
Can I just ask, why the random picture of a knight clutching a sword in front of his wiggly bits?
I think when I chose it, I had some idea about protecting your reputation (with the armour) or something but in truth, I think I just liked it. A knight protecting his wiggly bits? I had to use it somehow.
Bang on as always, Belinda. I think it’s easy to forget to do this because so often clients are reluctant to give specifics (“Well, MOST cookies have 65 choc chips, but what if they only have 63? Our reputation will be destroyed!!!”)
But I do need to print this off and stick it somewhere obvious as a reminder.
Great fabulous awesome article thanks for giving this article