Nothing can turn strong copy into a 97-pound weakling faster than a flawed review process. The result is severely handicapped marketing efforts and, alas, fewer sales.
How can you avoid this dire marketing situation?
By having a smart and consistent review process that preserves the selling power of your marketing communications. Following are 7 essential tips for reviewing and approving copy.
1. Review the copy from the customers perspective.
On the first pass, read the copy (all of it) without your red pen in hand or editing hat on. Thats how your customers or audience will read it. Now, what do you think? Does the concept work? Did the headline grab your attention? How was the tone? Does the copy flow? If you begin by editing the first sentence or sweating the details, you will do your clients or customers a disservice.
2. Dont get hung up on grammar and usage.
If you think the copywriter broke a writing rule, 9 times out of 10 there was an excellent reason. Copywriters are sales people in print, so if we take liberty with the English language, its for effect. Plus, be aware that copywriters (and proofreaders) review...