“There’s an app for that.”
The tech revolution is well and truly upon us.
First Hawking, then Wozniak, now Musk and Bezos… The overlords of tech entrepreneurship are rewriting the social narrative at the speed of light. And if you’re not keeping up, then frankly, you’re lagging behind.
Wherever you look, there are opportunities for shining copy ready to entice even the most tech-averse. Ready to fill another widget folder on your phone screen, and another void in your life that you didn’t know needed filling.
Need to drink more water? There’s an app for that.
And it won’t just help you with your H2O quota, it will energise your mornings, inspire your lunch breaks and sync with your Fitbit while it sells you the dream. It’s marketing gold, and a copywriter’s dream, if done correctly.
Fail to stand out, and your “life-enhancing” product could end up in the deep, dark abyss of tech trash.
Great. So, how do you make sure you’ve got the winning product?
Nail your marketing with the right copy.
Here are 4 tech copywriting samples that grab even the most casual skim-readers:
Evernote
SaaS’ answer to the classic Moleskine notebook… Because, who needs stationery any more?
Why this works:
- The 80 cents of your dollar rule: The marketing world may be constantly evolving, but while your product needs to be ahead of the curve, there are some “old but gold” copy rules worth hanging on to. (Tip: headlines.)
Legendary advertiser David Ogilvy taught us that five times as many people read the headline as the body copy, so it needs to pack a punch, with staying power. “Tame your work…” emphasises the chaos note-taking and project management can be, tugging at the customer’s pain point subliminally, and effectively lining up Evernote as the ultimate solution.
- Selling the lifestyle, not the product: By using command words (imperative verbs) in the features list, Evernote’s copy addresses the customer’s aspirations, rather than focusing on their struggle. Choosing a benefit-driven approach, packed with energy and action, the customer reads the product features as if they are reading the features of their new and improved lifestyle, upon subscribing to Evernote.
Selling a lifestyle might sound familiar when you think of your favourite consumer brands, but it’s the perfect B2C marketing tip worth stealing for B2B. Remember, tech is meant to make work/life easier, so sell that productive lifestyle like it’s gold dust!
On that note…
According to a social media study by scientist Dan Zarella, action words – verbs/adverbs – drive a higher click-through rate than nouns, so make the most of their power in your web copy!
Zapier
Zap! And the automation is done.
Why this works:
- Getting real specific: That’s right, being the annoying one who times everything down to the minute and knows all the details inside out pays off… especially when selling a SaaS product. Why? Well, as they say: “Time is money.” And Zapier’s audience are busy people who need things done fast, and are being slowed down by cumbersome workflows. So, selling them time is practically promising ROI. Clever, right?
Actually, it goes beyond that. Being specific with statistics and data adds credibility to your claims and provides a metric by which you’ve “tested” your product’s/service’s effectiveness. Essentially, it de-risks your customer’s decision to choose you, gives your prospective customer factual proof to buy into and builds trust.
- Positive peer pressure: Ever bought a product because EVERYONE on your Instagram feed won’t stop raving about it? Or, asked a friend for a recommendation on the company they used on their brand-spanking new kitchen? Well, as humans we’re fickle and emotional creatures, and when faced with multiple options, we tend to choose the safest bet, i.e., the product chosen by the people we trust and relate to.
Zapier’s use of testimonials provides its customers with reassurance and the much-needed social proof to push them to action. The power of influence at its finest. (Let it be your marketing weapon of choice.)
- How else could you do it? Review pages; star ratings; case studies; statistics; testimonials that include specifics; showcasing your awards and accolades; highlighting your social media presence; or featuring an existing customer section peppered with your best clients’ logos.
Still need convincing? Check out this headline experiment testing the use of specifics against website conversion rates.
Serene
The laser-focus app whose name is an instant workload stress-buster.
Why this works:
- Taking the robots out of the tech: Yes, Serene features a healthy dose of social proof with an existing customer section that would make most SaaS companies blush. And yes, we’ve already mentioned logo social proof with Zapier. So, what’s the special copy trick you can learn here? The ‘people’ part.
Tech brands sell tech, yep. But behind every tech supply, and every tech demand, is a human being tearing their hair out with a problem and dreaming of a solution. My point? Serene could have said “Used by successful organisations”, especially when referring to such notable brands. But instead, they humanised their giant clients and reminded us that they’re people just like us. Another subtle touchpoint for building a connection.
- The aspiration trick: Here, the human factor also adds to the aspirational quality of the app. Suggesting customers who choose Serene may also reach the productive powerhouse heights of brands like Facebook.
Zendesk
Why it works:
- The About page: If your Homepage is your storefront, your About page is your store assistant. While the perfect product at an amazing value point may almost sell itself, it sure helps to have that friendly till talk should you choose to engage with it. And today, it matters more than ever.
Seventy-one percent of customers want to buy from companies who align with their values and who they can trust. So building the right brand personality and communicating in the right tone of voice is super important.
- Feel free to get creative: There may be many providers fighting for your customer’s attention. They may sell a product very similar to yours, at a similar price point too. So you’ll need to think outside the box to win your customer’s attention. Think long and hard about your UVP, and the way you sell yourself. Tell your story, no matter how quirky.
Final Thoughts
Yes, it’s a tech rat race out there. But, no, marketing your tech product doesn’t need to feel like a chore.
Where there is a problem, there is a solution. And where there is a product, there is a chance to educate, automate, excite and convert your target audience silly.
And you can do it without an ounce of soulless jargon in sight.
Follow in the footsteps of these SaaS gurus, and you’ll do Ogilvy proud on your way to millions.
Good luck,
Konrad.
Want more? Of course you do. Why not check out our other blog post on the tips and tricks behind SaaS copy that converts? Click here, go on.