Marketing Strategies - How to Make a Marketing Phrase
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Marketing phrases are some of the most challenging content a copywriter is ever asked to write. It entails taking the central messages of a company and placing them into one succinct sentence, sometimes entailing no more than three to four words. But a perfectly crafted phrase can drive business and inevitably put that company on the map.
Researching Provides Returns
Start off by doing some research. Get to know the audience for the intended piece by asking yourself what’s important to consumers. Determine what motivates them to invest in one product or service over another. How do these people think or talk? What might spark their interest and make them take notice? From there, identify the features and benefits of the company, product or service and then the attributes of the company, product or service that sets it apart from its competitors. Most of this information can be gathered from previous marketing collateral, such as brochures, website content, advertisements and catalogs, as well as product specs, market research and internal memos. You should also look at direct competitors to see how they speak to their audience.
Defining Goals for Direction
With a handle on the marketplace itself, turn your attention to the overall objective or objectives of the phrase. Is it to build name recognition? Does it need to establish credibility? Or, is it intended to launch a new product or service? Are you hoping to elicit some sort of feeling in your readers, such as excitement or fear of missing out? Is it there to establish customer loyalty? What about build upon the historical image or reputation of the company? Maybe even reposition a product or service for a new audience? The list can go on and on, but it’s essential to define the goal to give the writing process a direction.
Finding the Key to the Phrase
After defining the goal or goals of the phrase, create a list of keywords -- and key phrases, for that matter. There’s no right or wrong way to develop this list, but reviewing your research and objectives is a good place to start. From there, look at the competitor’s marketing collateral for “buzz” words. Ask customers for their opinions of the product or service, and then draw out the most common words used to describe it. Of course, a little brainstorming on your own can help fill in the qualities of the company, product or service you hope to promote through the phrase.
Placing Pen to Paper
Once you feel confident that you’ve covered all of your bases, sit down to write the phrase. Using the objectives and keywords, jot down everything that comes to mind. Try using creative association, where you compare and contrast keywords with the features and benefits of the company, product or service in question. Map out your ideas by using the central feature of the company, product or service, and then branch out with related ideas and phrases. Eventually, you’ll begin to narrow them down to a phrase that works for the company, product or service.
Put the Phrase to the Test
After compiling a list of phrases you like, test them in a number of different ways. Asking opinions from consumers is probably one of the most common methods of testing. But you should also “test” them for your intended marketing channels. Does the phrase work on a brochure as well as a website? Is it appropriate for business cards and trade-show signage? If a phrase isn’t able to cross marketing channels, it may not be the best option.
Tags:
Marketing, Marketing Strategies
Researching Provides Returns
Start off by doing some research. Get to know the audience for the intended piece by asking yourself what’s important to consumers. Determine what motivates them to invest in one product or service over another. How do these people think or talk? What might spark their interest and make them take notice? From there, identify the features and benefits of the company, product or service and then the attributes of the company, product or service that sets it apart from its competitors. Most of this information can be gathered from previous marketing collateral, such as brochures, website content, advertisements and catalogs, as well as product specs, market research and internal memos. You should also look at direct competitors to see how they speak to their audience.
Defining Goals for Direction
With a handle on the marketplace itself, turn your attention to the overall objective or objectives of the phrase. Is it to build name recognition? Does it need to establish credibility? Or, is it intended to launch a new product or service? Are you hoping to elicit some sort of feeling in your readers, such as excitement or fear of missing out? Is it there to establish customer loyalty? What about build upon the historical image or reputation of the company? Maybe even reposition a product or service for a new audience? The list can go on and on, but it’s essential to define the goal to give the writing process a direction.
Finding the Key to the Phrase
After defining the goal or goals of the phrase, create a list of keywords -- and key phrases, for that matter. There’s no right or wrong way to develop this list, but reviewing your research and objectives is a good place to start. From there, look at the competitor’s marketing collateral for “buzz” words. Ask customers for their opinions of the product or service, and then draw out the most common words used to describe it. Of course, a little brainstorming on your own can help fill in the qualities of the company, product or service you hope to promote through the phrase.
Placing Pen to Paper
Once you feel confident that you’ve covered all of your bases, sit down to write the phrase. Using the objectives and keywords, jot down everything that comes to mind. Try using creative association, where you compare and contrast keywords with the features and benefits of the company, product or service in question. Map out your ideas by using the central feature of the company, product or service, and then branch out with related ideas and phrases. Eventually, you’ll begin to narrow them down to a phrase that works for the company, product or service.
Put the Phrase to the Test
After compiling a list of phrases you like, test them in a number of different ways. Asking opinions from consumers is probably one of the most common methods of testing. But you should also “test” them for your intended marketing channels. Does the phrase work on a brochure as well as a website? Is it appropriate for business cards and trade-show signage? If a phrase isn’t able to cross marketing channels, it may not be the best option.
