The building blocks for B2B clarity
Are you writing your copy on shaky foundations?
Greetings, word nerds 🖖
I’m beaming over the second in the series of groundwork exercises designed to help you lay down solid foundations to write B2B copy with more creativity, heart, soul and skill.
Last week, we looked at brainstorming questions to add depth to your copy. Now, we’re going to look at how to organise your information to make sure you’ve got all bases covered.
It may not be the most exciting or sexy exercise, and probably not what you expected from a newsletter promising to teach creativity. But getting creative without having clarity first is the quickest way to tie yourself in knots and write copy that’s all style and no substance.
Complete the exercise below to get the substance bit right, so you can then have some fun with the style.
Mission 002: the building blocks for B2B clarity
Writing sales copy is often compared to writing a narrative, but I find it more helpful to think of it like building an argument.
To be credible an argument needs to be clear, thorough and logical. Your points should support each other, build to the conclusion and bring your audience along with you. Any gaps in information or leaps in reasoning and you risk losing them.
The following framework is designed to help you collect the information and ideas you need to build a watertight argument.
The assignment
Here’s a Google Doc version of the framework for you to fill out as we go. As always, quick and messy is best at the start. Note down your ideas without judgement as they come to you and then go back later to refine.
The audience
Think of your best customer – how would you describe them beyond basic demographic information? What was it that made them the best – think about attitude, values, priorities?
The problem
What’s the main problem your audience has that you can help them solve? Why is this causing them such a headache? What’s happening that’s made them search for a solution?
The offer
This is a practical, functional and succinct description of what you offer (not a shopping list of products or services).
The value
What’s the big win of working with you or using your product? Can you provide concrete examples of this?
The proof
What’s the best evidence you have to support your claims?
The process
How do you take people from start to finish? Is this different from how others do it? What’s the “why” behind each step?
Why us?
Why should someone choose you over their other options? Think beyond generic givens here (e.g. expert, friendly service) to what’s unique about you.
It’s not unusual to find you have gaps as you fill out this framework – that’s the point! The value and why us sections are the most common sticking points, so the next two groundwork exercises focus on fleshing out these areas in more detail.
If this exercise has thrown up more questions than answers, I’ve opened a few more Copy Clinic spaces where I can help you find a way through.
Until next time 🖖
Felicity
P.S. If you’re a writer feeling disillusioned by *the general state of things* come and join the resistance ✊
Chief Tone of Voice Nerd
The Brand Language Lab
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