No matter what you set up your online store for – to sell products, services, to blog or vlog- you will be writing copy for your customers and readers.
This could be a simple email, a newsletter, product descriptions or website copy.
If you want to connect with your readers and build trust with them, avoid looking bad by watching out for some very common writing mistakes that undermine your credibility.
Top of the writing mistakes list includes –
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Incorrect spelling–
You have NO excuse for this! Learn to use spell-check software to correct your spelling errors. This might seem like a simple detail but it contributes heavily towards making you seem unreliable.
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Long words-
These make your writing harder to understand. Simplify and use short words and short sentences to communicate your point.
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Passive Voice-
Do you see the difference between “ The range is inspired by nature” and “ Nature inspires this range”? in the first the passive voice is used and in the second, the active voice is used. Avoid the passive. Use the active. Connect more directly with the reader.
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Using the wrong word-
Some words like ‘their’ and ‘there’, ‘advice’ and advise’ are often wrongly used. If you are unsure of your copy, have it proofread by someone qualified for it, or try checking your sentences and word usage online.
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Formal Style
It is confusing and unnatural! Have a conversation like you would with a sincere friend instead.
Inject your personality into your writing
- Use the words “You”, “We”, or “I” rather than the name of your store or brand all the time. A great tip to remember when you are sending out email newsletters, filling in your ‘About Us’ page, Shipping information or even FAQ page.
- Use ‘you’re’ instead of‘ you are’, ‘can’t’ instead of ‘cannot’ and other contractions as you would naturally use when talking yourself. This applies for all pages on your website as well as the emails, chat messages or product updates you write directly to customers.
- Pretend you’re addressing one single reader and write your copy for him/her. That way your content will be more specific. An immense benefit of this is that you will gradually begin to fine-tune your exact target audience in your head, which will, in turn, bring more definition to your brand identity as well.
- Engage with your readers and draw them in with rhetorical questions or add “isn’t it?” to some sentences. It’s charming!
- Develop the skill of telling a story in short sentences and simple words. Statistics and generalizations do not act on our emotions the same way a story about individuals does. Use this to write interesting product descriptions or manufacturing process details
- Find something to create urgency or keep them hanging. Like “ sale coming soon” “sale ending soon” or any other announcement that brings your homepage come alive with anticipated action. On Shopmatic you can use the banners to do this easily.
Don’t overdo it!
Imagine your stories getting too long, imagine you using emotional appeal for all your product descriptions, imagine creating urgency all the time; your readers will get jaded and frustrated!
Like all great techniques that work, remember it is too easy to overdo and overkill. So be judicious and don’t dilute the impact of your writing.
Also, read –
Are you a writer? Consider setting up your online store
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Useful post, It’s best to learn from other’s mistakes than to feel the urge to commit one by oneself & then think of learning. I think we’ve all made some of these mistakes to some degree or another.