Getting started with writing copy can be quite hard – there’s a blank computer screen in front of you and so many ways to go – so where do you start?
Well, here’s what I do. This is a multi-step process, so I’ll take you through each step in detail and give examples of how each one works.
To work out what I’m going to say, I put myself in my customer’s shoes and think of all the questions they’d want to ask if they needed my product.
Here’s what I mean.
Let’s say you’re in the business of providing entertainment shows to schools. The first question you have to ask is – who’s buying it? Chances are it’s the teacher (we’ll assume it’s a female), and maybe the principal needs to approve the choice and sign the cheque.
So the next question is: what questions would the teacher have about choosing and buying a show like yours (and let’s assume that she’s never had to buy a show like this before, so she knows nothing about it)?
Let’s just brainstorm for a minute.
She’d probably ask:
1. Have the performers been cleared to work with children?
2. How many students can you perform for at any one time?
3. Do you have a DVD we can look at?
4. What grades is it suitable for: 1-3, 5-7?
5. Can parents attend if they want?
6. Is it accredited by the Department of Education?
7. Is it customised for your school, or is it ‘off the shelf’?
8. Is there a money-back guarantee?
9. What size space do you need?
10. How much will it cost?
11. Is the show tied to any aspect of the curriculum?
12. Do you travel to regional centres and how much extra would it cost to come to us?
And so on.
