5 Essential Copywriting Principles to Use in Your Marketing

Copywriting is written text that is primarily used for the purpose of marketing. Copywriting is identified separately from general content writing because it is written with the aim of influencing a person to take a specific action. For most businesses, this action by a consumer would be purchasing a good or service from the business.

In its most basic form, copywriting has a goal to sell your product or service by highlighting the benefits that your product/service can deliver to your customer.

On the surface, copywriting may sound like manipulation if the sole purpose is to influence your reader to ‘buy’ from you.

For a therapist, this may conflict with your principles of transparent and helpful communication for your clients. However, the most important aspect of copywriting is that it should always reflect you, which includes your principles.

Copywriting is an effective tool that you can use to build trust and credibility between you and your potential clients. Copywriting provides the space for you to speak directly to your client while connecting with their own unique story so they understand the approach you take in providing therapeutic services.

The copywriting you use on your website can give your potential clients insight into the type of therapist you are and how you work with your clients.

There are many tips and tricks that are involved in effective copywriting. We’ve listed five key principles to keep in mind when creating any copywriting content.

These principles are essential to helping your client understand that you can help them and how they can take the next step to get that help.

1. Create a compelling headline.
This headline might be the title of your website page or a title of an article that you write. It may be the leading headline of an advertisement you create. No matter the context the title is used in, your headline should be compelling and catch your potential reader’s attention immediately.

2. Empathise with your reader.
Show your reader through your copywriting that you understand the position they are in and that your service can help them from that position. This will help your potential reader feel that you understand them, their problems and that you don’t judge them.

3. Use language that connects.
As a therapist, your treatment models and understanding of human behaviour are often based on psychology terminology and theory. Using this jargon won’t connect with your potential client. To connect, you need to use the language that your client uses when describing their own problems.

4. Solve a problem.
When people are searching for a service or product they most likely want to solve an existing problem they have. Readers who visit a therapy website are usually looking to solve emotional problems that have left them confused and uncertain. Initially resolving this confusion and uncertainty should be important when creating copywriting content for your website. Specifically, your copywriting should address the confusion and uncertainty by providing the reader with the way in which you can help them and the next few simple steps they can take to contact you to address their problems.

5. Make your call to action clear.
A call to action is a suggested action that your client should take after reading your content. Consider if you want them to subscribe, or follow, or call, make contact, or stay connected with your website. Make it easy for your potential reader to stay connected and take the next step to contact you.

The content of this checklist can be downloaded as a free pdf at the end of this article.

DESCRIBE YOU

• What is your role?
• What is your background?
• What attributes do you bring to your service that make it unique?

DESCRIBE YOUR SERVICE

• How would you describe your service?
• What is unique about your service?
• What are the benefits of your service?
• What problem does your service solve?

FIND YOUR IDEAL CLIENT

• Who currently uses your service?
• Who is the ideal client of your service?

OBSTACLES YOUR CLIENT FACES

• What are the obstacles your client currently faces?
• What are the obstacles to undertaking therapy?
• What obstacles might your client have using your service?

WRITING HEADLINES

• Is your headline unique and avoids using clichés?
• Is your headline specific?
• Does your headline convey a solution to a problem?
• Does your headline contain jargon?

WRITING CONTENT

• Is your content conversational?
• Does your content contain short paragraphs?
• Have you edited your content?
• Has your content identified your client’s problem?
• Does your content contain an actionable call to action?
• Does your content help to reduce confusion and uncertainty about therapy?
• Does your content help to reduce confusion and uncertainty about using your service?

SIGN UP below to download the FREE Copywriting Checklist to guide you when creating written content for your therapy practice.