3 Ways To Write Authentic and Persuasive Business Content

Writing for a business seems simple … at first.

You hit publish and then, you wait. And you wait.

And then, you wait a little more.

Weeks go by without any response, until eventually you hit “delete” and start again.

It is shocking how little engagement we business owners get from all the hard work we put in when we don’t get it right.

Articles and experts advise that we outsource the work to professional copywriters; however, it’s an extra expense most small businesses want to avoid, if possible.

While hiring a professional to write copy for your site is proven in most cases to lead to more sales, you don’t have to break the bank in order to get good copy.

The good news is, you can avoid the expense of hiring someone altogether by writing it yourself.

In this post, I’ll share with you all the things I learned through my personal experience with writing for my business: what worked, what didn’t. 

I’ll give you concrete tips on how to be authentic and persuasive and get tangible results from your efforts.

How To Write Killer Copy for Your Business: My Personal Story

To write for your business, you just have to learn how to take up the art of writing and be really good at it. 

Sounds simple enough, right?

The trick to writing killer copy for your business is to appear authentic and persuasive while:

• creating engaging content for your clients.
• crafting genius ad copies for your products and services.
• attracting the kind of sales you require, the following you desire, and the lifetime engagement you dream of.

Take it from me. I’ve been in the business of selling sneakers for three years now. 

In that time, I’ve learned how to write persuasively and authentically because I paid attention to what others were doing and learned from them.

If you have someone to show you the way, it’s easy to learn.

Let me tell you my story. It starts in my hometown of Ibadan, Nigeria.

My business was to adorn my clients’ feet with the best quality sneakers that inspired them to:

• put their best foot forward.
• put both feet on the ground.
• walk toward their goals fearlessly at all times (at a fair price, too).

In my opinion, I gave it all I had. Let’s just say I didn’t expect what I got.

People barely responded to my adverts; meanwhile, my competition, who sold the same brands of sneakers as mine (at outrageous prices), made better sales. 

To say the least, I was frustrated.

A turning point came for me in my second year of business when I heard about two ladies in my university, Aramide and Chioma, selling hardcover notebooks wrapped in local fabric named Ankara at almost double the price of a regular hardcover note.

And what do you know? They were making impressive sales! 

What was their secret?

Their major audience was Africans in diaspora who wanted to have a reminder of their African roots,and the hardcover notebooks wrapped in local fabric was just the right thing to have.

Their social media pages were filled with African anecdotes, proverbs, and snippets of festivals. 

This deeply resonated with their audience, as could be seen by the engagement in the comments section.

And least to say, these ladies were cashing in big.

I learned a few invaluable lessons from their business model and applied them to my business. 

Because of these tips, my business started gaining new clients.

If you implement the following three key tips, you will become more authentic and persuasive when creating copy for your own business and reach the same levels of success that we did.

So let’s get into it.

Tell Stories Your Audience Can Relate To

This includes recent happenings in your city or, in Aramide and Chioma’s case, continents and ancestral roots.

Their clients were Africans in diaspora who missed the feeling of culture and would pay for anything that had an African resemblance.

In my case, I decided to incorporate something new that involved looking inwards to my unique perspective as a lady and a young undergraduate to appeal to my customers.

I started sharing stories about the undergraduate life centered on the subject of footwear (usually sneakers), painting footwear as a depicter of social status, department, and state of origin among university students in Nigeria.

I also did a feature on “Sneakers ladies wear in their different moods.”

It worked.

I got more engagement from fellow ladies and undergraduates because they resonated with the storyline.

They were also eager to contribute and were a source of inspiration for subsequent posts.

It also fetched me a considerable following on my social media platforms and more purchases, which was my goal.

Now over to you, what unique story does your audience relate to? 

What common experiences does your audience have in common?

You can shed light on the experiences of your audience, bringing them together to fight for your cause—and buy your product.

You can make them feel as though you understand them and that your products are the best choice for their individual concerns.

All it takes is a story they can relate to.

Tell a True Story About Your Product

Eight out 10 books I read on advertising hammered on this point: Sell the benefits and not the features. 

Aramide and Chioma had a weekly special called “what I miss about Africa,” where they talked about unique African cultures and practices.

They made their clients relive the African experience by offering symbolic pieces like local jewelry and accessories to keep around them.

You should focus on selling the emotional highs your client will get from using your special package; don’t stick to just listing the features.

You have to craft your product’s story in a compelling way that portrays an improved lifestyle for your clients after using the product. 

Just like Coca-Cola’s famous ad campaign “taste the feeling.” 

They make their clients feel that the sense of happiness they experience is from the bottle of Coca-Cola they have in their hands.

You need to involve your clients in this story; take them behind the scenes of how their lives will play out with your product in their hands.

Communicate and Project What Your Clients Care About

One mistake we make as business owners and entrepreneurs is thinking we know what our clients want.

Most times, we are wrong. 

Aramide and Chioma were able to launch a new line of products that gave them more market share by simply listening to and working on the suggestions of some of their clients.

Easy money if you ask me.

In order for you to find out what your clients care about, let there be a flow of open communication.

Let your clients feel free to tell you what they want and how they want it. You’ll be surprised at how they flock to you for their solution.

Identify the Essential, Eliminate the Rest

A quote by Leo Babuta captures it best: “Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.”

The three tips I shared with you are essential. They are gold when carried out because they work.

I can testify to that.

My sales are increasing, and my engagement is picking up. People relate to my work, and they invite their friends to do the same.

It will work for you too. Trust me. It’s not the large marketing budget that counts as much as the ad copy itself.

Remember: 

• Integrate recent happenings in your local community in product ad copies.
• Make your clients imagine how better their lives will become because of your product.
• Open a channel of communication for ideas to pour in from your clients.

Follow these tips, and you’ll start reaching your goals in no time.

Cheers to becoming more authentic and persuasive!