A few years back, I got hired to write a home page for an innovative company.
They were selling “European-style” windows to Americans.
These windows could be opened in all sorts of ways… they offered better sound and temperature insulation… and they looked hella European.
In other words, this was a superior product that would sell itself if described in detail.
So I wrote up the home page to explain the main advantages of these windows, and to back them up with facts.
“It’s ok,” the client said when I delivered the copy, “but I was hoping you could make the copy more like what I see in ads for Apple.”
This is one of my pet poofs.
I understand the temptation to want to imitate Apple. Apple products are everywhere, the company is hugely successful, and there’s a mystique to their marketing.
But none of those are reasons for a tiny business to try to ape Apple’s copywriting or advertising. I think many of the arguments why are obvious, so I won’t drag on the point here.
I just wanted to bring this story up because of an interesting article I read recently.
The article was written by copywriting and marketing legend Mark Ford. Mark is one of the people responsible for making Agora the giant direct response business that it is today.
He’s also the author of many books on business and marketing and copywriting (including Great Leads, which I highly recommend).
Anyways, Mark was asked how copywriters should come up with a USP — a unique selling proposition — to help them position and market themselves.
After all, every business, even a one-man service business, needs a USP, right?
Maybe, and maybe not.
If you’re a copywriter — or you have any other kind of small business — then I think Mark’s article is worth a read.
It tells you where you can shove your USP, though of course Mark doesn’t use those words, because he’s a very classy man. Here’s the link to the article: