Copywriting UK | TENFOUR blog

Oh no, the unique selling point (USP)… that old marketing chestnut.

We’ve all been told a zillion times that, in order to sell our services or products, we need to find something unique about them. What do you do differently to other businesses? Why should someone buy your idea over someone else’s?

Now, here’s a thought. What if that unique selling point is you?

TENFOUR was talking to a painter and decorator the other week. He told us that the way he generally gets business is down to his absolute attention to detail. No paint overflowing from door frames onto walls. No missed spots on skirting boards. The finishing is always spot on.

Then, a hypnotherapist: she told us that what was unique about her is that she used to be a nurse. That means she is a little more down to earth about the whole hypnotherapy thing, allowing her to be realistic with patients. She can also sit with them in their most difficult times.

So, what about you?

Perhaps we all need to look closer to home for a bit of inspiration?

We’ve always said it… the most difficult business to write about is your own.

As a business owner - one of the insiders - it can be particularly tough to highlight the benefits of your company and what it does. What are the selling points of your service or product? What will customers really be looking for? What do they need to know? And in what order?

The challenge is to step away from what you do for a moment and look at it all from the sidelines. And it is a challenge, because you’re sat right in the middle.

TENFOUR doesn’t think it’s all bad news though.

As a business owner, you have the best seat in the house when it comes to understanding the ethos of your company: the personality, its aims, and why it was set it up in the first place.

For this reason, we often advise small business owners to have a go at writing their own marketing copy before we get our hands on anything as copywriters. Even if this is stream-of-consciousness writing, more often than not there will be some gems to be found.

So, the moral of our story is: have a go. Then, pass it by someone and ask them questions.

Ever thought about writing a blog, newsletter or regular e-mailer to customers?

TENFOUR recently presented some thoughts to a business group: why do it, what should it be, who should write it and the like. Here are the points we made. Let us know what you think.

Why (do it)?

1. It’ll remind people you’re around
2. It’ll give people a taster of what you do
3. It’ll give people an idea of who you are and what you think
4. You should sell more of what you do

What (should it be)?

1. It must be interesting
2. Comment on new ideas and initiatives
3. Are there opportunities for readers?
4. Any offers, deals or seasonal things to note?

Who (should do it)?

1. Written by a name, not a company
2. What’s your audience interested in?
3. Be a hub (a site that people can contribute to)
4. Be interactive

How (should it come across)?

1. Short and sweet
2. With character and feeling
3. Don’t be afraid to voice an opinion
4. Accessible to Jo or Joanne Public
5. Informal

Where (to go next)?

1. Links to your site, if appropriate
2. If someone wants more, where will they find you?
3. Be impartial and recommend others, why don’t you?

Oh, and if you want to find out more about what TENFOUR writing does, take a look at our website at www.tenfourwriting.co.uk.

See what we did there?!

Two spanking new freesheets have hit London streets over the last month. One of them, The London Paper, is everywhere. Or its salesforce is anyway, thrusting copy after copy into the hands of passers by…even targeting drivers stuck in the evening pile-up.

The London Paper is Rupert Murdoch’s first venture into free news. Now, TENFOUR’s heard on the grapevine that this fella knows a little about the information market, so what’s going on? Is a trend developing around giving away news, thoughts and ideas for free? Has the print media’s hand been forced by the internet, where you can get everything from events listings to knitting patterns without spending a penny?

Newspapers get advertising revenue, so their editorial efforts are not strictly given away for free, of course. Though, perhaps businesses like yours and ours could still gain something by following the trend even without advertising income.

Take this blog, for instance. We like writing - TENFOUR offers copywriting services, so we should like writing. But there’s more to this blog than putting pen to paper (or whatever the electronic equivalent is). We think there are benefits to our business. These might include:

• promoting copywriting as an important ingredient in the marketing mix
• presenting our skills and specialities
• showing a bit of our personality
• creating traffic to our website, so search engines like us; and
• reminding people we’re still here.

We’re not strict Buddhists, but we also believe in the principle of karma. Give a little business advice and you might get some right back. You could also think of it in terms of trading in an old-style community way. You fix my tractor and I’ll repay you with a year’s supply of carrots. Well, maybe.

So, with all this said, why not think about your business and whether giving away something could work for you. You could be writing articles and getting them in the trade press or online. You could be doing the odd job here and there without charging. Or you could be giving away muffin tasters when commuters order an Americano in your coffee shop - we really need to go back there and buy a few of those…yum.

If nothing else, it’s fun to be creative with it. And, you might even make someone’s day in the process.

Want to read more TENFOUR articles?

When it comes to buying, most people love a company with a bit of character about them. You might travel a little further to buy from the local butcher in your old neck of the woods; the breadrolls only taste right from the bakers on the corner; and then there’s the local candlestick maker…err, you know him.

The personal touch certainly helps when marketing a business. And many of today’s successful brands create bonds and form relationships with their customers. One or two companies that spring to TENFOUR’s mind are Amazon, Lastminute and Egg (when they were launched, at least).

Egg: When Egg hatched into the world of finance, there was certainly something compelling about them. Backed by financial giants, The Prudential, customers knew their money was probably in safe hands. But the Egg brand was new and fresh, and this made punters think they were trying something exciting - something that said a little about the type of person they were. The brand personality rubbed off, and that was the attraction.

Amazon: Although a monster brand nowadays, in our eyes Amazon will always be one of the first ever garage start-ups. We can orders books, CDs, electronics, and your breakfast soon (no doubt). And we always get the comforting feeling we’re dealing with a company that still listens - that hasn’t got too big for its boots.

So, what does this mean to you? Of course, we’re not suggesting you should aim to be the next Egg or Amazon. But you can use a few of their models to your advantage.

• Be clear and easy to understand.
• Be approachable.
• Be focused on customer needs.
• And show some of your personality.

Most people would prefer to do business with a friend rather than a stranger. The butcher, baker, tailor…or the friendly yet comfortingly professional copywriting consultants you can find out more about at www.tenfourwriting.co.uk or by emailing enquiries@tenfourwriting.co.uk.

OK, perhaps that was over ’egging’ it a little.