Copywriting vs General Writing

by Monica Di Santi

July 20, 2021

All your marketing communication needs copywriting techniques to turn your business efforts into highly- converting messages that will attract lots of prospects ready to become your regular customers.

But, maybe because you have created your business, you know how much you sell and who your customers are and you have gone through difficulty times and overcome many obstacles since the first time the idea of entrepreneurship churned around your mind, you think it’s a good idea to write your advertising yourself.

After all, you are an educated person who knows how to read and write properly, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t write your advertising, your website pages or your social media campaign.

If you use general writing in your marketing material you are in for a rough awakening because the results will be poor and you’ll feel frustrated.

You may fascinate your prospect with highly entertaining texts and provide them with useful information but it’s unlikely they buy from you.

Why? Because your messages don’t intend to sell. Their only purpose is to entertain and inform your audience.

So, the money you’ve saved not hiring a copywriter will bring you more loss than profit and that’s something you really want to avoid.

Let’s see what’s the difference between copywriting and general writing.

What is Copywriting

Copywriting is the art of writing to sell.

Yes! In the era of digital marketing you have to write your web pages, emails, paid ads, social media posts, landing pages, video scripts, catalogs and brochures in such a way that you grab your reader's attention immediately.

Each one is an opportunity to engage new leads or convert those who already know about your product but they 're not sure yet you're their best option.

At the beginning of last century, a young and not well-known copywriter, expressed his idea about copywriting:

Advertising is salesmanship in print. --John E Kennedy

Texts that sell are gems. Your well-written marketing material has to work as a sales person 24/ 7 to bring more leads and conversions. You’ll earn money even when you’re sleeping. Lovely, isn’t it!

Copy is a direct conversation with the consumer. – Shirley Polykoff

Polykoff explains that the copy your prospect reads has to sound like a friendly and personal chat.

Tell them something of interest to them, show them how your product will transform their life. Also, speak about the benefits of your product and anticipate their objections, turning them info benefits for the reader, which in turn will boost your credibility and trust. A win/win rhetoric.

Most Important Copywriting Features

1. Targets specific audiences
2. Engages prospects in a friendly and chatty tone.
3. Mirrors the audience’s language
4. Uses simple structure and vocabulary
5. Appeals to emotion and reason
6. Always sells

   Copywriting Example

What is General Writing

General writing is the kind of writing every educated person can produce and it’s what is used in everyday English communication.

General Writing always targets the general public.That means that even if you write about finances, health or astronomy, the language has to be clear and concise with simple grammar and vocabulary.

General writing’s goal is to inform or entertain and you always have to consider the background information the public has about a topic and fill in the gaps. Everyday English is not the technical language you share with colleagues and experts in a given field.

I'm not so arrogant to think I'm the only guide someone needs ... but I might be the guide that someone needs.” ― Laura Anne Gilman

Letters, magazines, self-help and do-it-yourself books, recipes, and even jokes display all the power of general writing.

All literature is gossip. - Truman Capote

General Writing Features

1. Target the general public
2. Informs and entertains
3. Lacks jargon
4. Explains complex topic in a simple way.
5. Uses simple words and structure
6. Appeals to logic and reason.

General Writing Example

Final Thoughts

The creation of messages with copywriting or general writing techniques always has the purpose of engaging and delighting.

Both types of writing develop their ideas in a logical fashion and use simple and clear language in structured sentences and paragraphs.

On the other hand, copywriting and general writing have two different goals. The first one is to sell your product or service and the second to inform and entertain.

So, it's clear now that anybody can write a note, a report or a letter of complaint but only a copywriter can create great sales letters that would present your offer in an attractive way to bring you profit.

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