Copywriting 101: Writing a Product Description That Sells

1. Intro: Hey there, my name is Dahlia and thank you so much for checking out my class. I've been a copywriter for over 15 years, and I specialize in marketing copyrighting, including product descriptions. And I've written about everything from fragrance to gourmet foods to even a zombie cheerleader costume, which actually ended up being one of my favorites. I just really love the challenge of honing in on what makes a product special and happened . Customers understand with love having this thing in their lives, and I'm excited to help you learn more about why this often underappreciated art is so important. We'll look at some descriptions that I think work and some that don't. And I'll explain why, by breaking down each one, we'll also go into how the descriptions that don't work could ultimately be made better and then go over some tips to help you start writing killer descriptions of your own. Then we'll take what we've learned and white a practice description together, which I hope you'll share in the class project at gallery so I can check it out, provide feedback and just get to know you better. So with that and the help of my lucky T shirt, let's get started 2. Why product descriptions matter: So why is it worth really getting a product description, right? I mean, do customers really care? What is the point of going beyond a basic list of product specs like dimensions or materials? I mean, that would certainly be easier and less time consuming, writes well, true. But those are the details that really get a customer excited about product. The compelling product description can make the difference between a customer simply admiring a product they find interesting or appealing and actually becoming convinced that they want to buy it. And like, oh, message he related to your company. It's an extension and reflection of your brands, so give it some life. A great product description can give a product personality. It can give it a story, and it gives the customer a feeling for how it will enhance their life. Whether it's just up in their cool factor or genuinely solving a problem, they might not even know they have. Look at it this way. You're likely selling nice to have products rather than those that are essential for survival. You're not selling water in a time of extreme droughts or a heat source in the Arctic and if I had to guess. The product you're selling isn't totally one of a kind, so that means there are competitors that you need to distinguish yourself from. And even if your product is totally unique, customers might not have any experience with it and therefore might not know why they should want it. And that's why you need to tell them. So before we dive into some examples of descriptions I feel doing don't work. I want to go back to the brand element for a minute because it's critical and worthy of an entirely separate class. But it's so important, so important to keep in mind who you are when you're writing a description, and by you I mean your brand. Whether you've sat a more serious or sophisticated tone with your messaging or a more fun, conversational approach, it's important not to be or wildly from the voice of established. When you're describing your products now, that doesn't mean you can't push the limits a little if you genuinely feel like a product warrants it. But you don't want customers to read a description and feel like they've somehow landed on another company's website or picked up a different catalogue. It all needs to flow and fit together. So let's look at descriptions that do and don't work and identified places where companies really miss an opportunity to really customer in. 3. Glossier: Why it works: Okay, so let's start with the description I feel works really well. This is for glossy, a skin perfecting tent. Glossy A is one of my favorite brands for copy because they do a wonderful job of weaving product benefits into a compelling and fun to read story. So let's check it out. In the land between bare skin and makeup, makeup exists the imperceptible wash of color that is our perfecting skin tent. What does it do? Evens out discoloration and leaves your face looking toned smooth and DUI. The breathe herbal, ultra thin formula Auto fits to skin making. Application as simple is throwing on moisturizer. What won't do. Hide your freckles, spackle your pores or erase any other evidence that you are, in fact, a real human being. So this is a great example of how longer product description can work really well when it focuses on clearer, relatable storytelling while offering a solution to a problem you might not even know you have or you know you have it. You just haven't figured out how to solve it. Yet it starts by distinguishing the skin tent from the countless other beauty products out there and just a simple importantly by honing in on a very specific customer rather than try to appeal to everyone which just isn't possible, by the way there specifically writing to the person who wants a very wear a very natural product to even out their skins appearance. But without the heavy makeup look. It talks about the benefits and how easy it is to use, because they know that this customer is probably pretty low key when it comes to make up and isn't the type to enjoy spending a lot of time on their beauty routine, at least not every day. After all, what good is an ultra natural looking product? If it takes a ton of prep work and perfecting and they conclude with a little wit? What that helps drive home? How this product will deliver exactly the look the customer wants and what is a great tool for putting your customer at ease and helping your brand and your product stand out. And that's something glossy A does really well. So let's just the key points as to why this description works so well. There's a fun and easy to reach story. It speaks to a specific customer. There's a clear explanation of benefits. There's a clear presentation of a problem and its solution, and there's some wit that makes it relatable and memorable. 4. Moon Magic: Why it needs work: Okay, So before I begin, please know that I'm not trying to ragin anyone. This is a beautiful product that I happen to own, and the company's entire selection of jewelry is really pretty, in my opinion. But the product descriptions could use some work, so let's check out the description for the cosmic Love laboratory ring. The laboratory gemstone was faded for its glistening facade, caused by light that it was mainly used as accents will jewelry for jewelry and was depicted as dazzling objects like butterfly wings are cosmic love. Laboratory Ring draws the viewer in with its statement ring design and especially with its embellishments and rope like optic to your fingers Labrador. It can calm emotions simply by looking at it, but by delving into it and recognizing its innate healing powers, it's revitalising properties and timeless wisdom will also be felt. Well. I like the idea of weaving in the stones, multifaceted color and the detail ing on the silver hardware. In fact, I'd say those air really important details to include the method here just feels a little convoluted. It's like they're just trying too hard. There are so many words and visuals crammed in that the reader loses sight of what it is they're supposed to be focusing on. It was even a challenge to read out loud. By the end, I was thinking, Wait, what is the optic doing to my fingers? What's this about butterfly wings? So how could it be better? Let's take a quick stabat tightening and polishing that this description without losing the emotion they're trying to convey. Thanks to its glistening, multidimensional color, jewelers have historically relied on the laboratory to help recreate the appearance of butterfly wings in their designs. The Stones Beauty is also so so thought to be a common force for all who gaze upon it and may even be so wisdom and sharpen intuition. Okay, so it's probably pretty obvious that I'm not well versed in the mystical properties of stones, and if I were writing for this company, I would definitely do my research. But for today's purposes, I just wanted to give you an idea of how you could simplify this description while still making sure the important points were being made. To do this, I continue to focus on the rings aesthetics as well as the tie in to its historical uses and purported healing properties. But I kept the copy a bit simpler and more straightforward. One of the first rules of copyrighting and writing in general is whether it's product descriptions or a novel is that you want to avoid cramming and a bunch of throwaway words, and by throwaway words, I mean words that just don't need to be there and feel stuffed in in a misguided attempt to sound more creative or intriguing. I know how tempting it is to do this, because you want to tell customers all the reasons why this product is so very special. But remember, when you do that, it just confuses the customer and makes them work too hard to figure out what it is you're trying to get across. Which means that nothing is getting across, and that doesn't help your product or your brand at all. Now, please don't confuse this with length because, as we saw with the glossy a example, a longer description can definitely work. But you have to keep it simple so readers can easily follow your thinking and so that each new idea introduced feels like a natural progression. So let's break down what went wrong. There were too many ideas and unnecessary words. It was confusing to read on the benefits of the products. Uniqueness get lost. 5. Man Crates: Why it works: Now let's move on to another description that I think works really well. This is for a gift box of fishing supplies cleverly called the Bass Whisperer Crate. It's from a company called Man's Man Crates, which is another one of my favorite brains for copy. And I think you'll see why, with every catch and release we whisper and they're scaling little fish years. Go tell your friends there's a new sheriff in town. So I chose this description because it's a perfect example of how short and sweet can work just as well as a longer description in terms of really in. The customer, in part of the pun, couldn't help myself. It hones in on a specific customer and puts them right in the moment, and it promises and experience so epic they'll go from hapless weekend warrior to bonafide legend in the span of an afternoon, and they use humor expertly, making sure that even if you don't buy the product, you'll probably talk about it to your like minded friends just because the copy was so fun to read. And they're careful to add a clearly visible link to the full story where you can read the more fun stuff and get a full breakdown of the creates contents So all the bases are covered. This in glossies description are great examples of have a little wit and cleverness can disarm customers and make your products seem more relatable and fun and, more importantly, something customers will talk about and want to experience for themselves. So let's recap the reasons why this product description worked so well. It tells a fun story and a handful of words. It targets a specific customer and puts them in a moment clearly explains the how and why use our stuff up your fishing game, and it's memorable and something readers will talk about. 6. Rockabilia: Why it needs work: So let's look at one more description that I feel doesn't work so well. And then we'll move on to our class projects of writing our own descriptions. This is for a Firebird throw pillow from a company called Rockabilly A. Well, as you can see, they don't have much of a description at all. So let's talk about why that's problematic. So this is an example of a just the facts approach that Mrs a huge opportunity to really get a customer excited about a product and convince them to buy it. It's a statement piece if there ever was one. So if someone has gone so far is to click through to the product page, they want to be dazzled. So put them in a world where this pillow was on their couch, looking cool and bringing an edge to their homes. Appearance. Help them understand how this pillow will feel in their life. Will it elevate their cool factor broadcaster love of vintage cars to the world, our make their home stand out as a place inhabited by someone who rejects the status quo. Now I know that last part seems a bit over the top, but understanding who your customer is is essential to connecting with them. Think about it like this. Your customer is just like you, me or anybody else. They want to feel understood. They want to know that you care about what's important to them and that you're selling a product that's acknowledging who they are. And in the case of this pillow, celebrating what makes them different and unique is individuals. And because this bare bones description leaves the options wide open, let's use the Firebird throw pillow as the focus of our class project. 7. Getting ready to write: welcome to our class project. First of all, if you want to use a different product to practice with, that's totally fine. I just chose the throw pillow because it's begging for a great description, and it's a fun niche product with a very specific customer. But no matter which product you choose, there are some important questions that we need to answer before we start writing. So first we need to figure out who we're talking. Teoh. Remember how we talked about how important it was to pinpoint a specific customer rather than try to speak to everyone? Well, in this case, I think it's safe to say that the person drawn to this pillow isn't shopping for most of their decor at Pottery Barn, and neither do I. So no judgment there I'd say they prefer an edger look and one that's more of an eclectic gathering of cool stuff they've picked up over the years rather than a perfectly coordinated display. This customer wants to make a statement and let people know that they're different. And while this pillow would appeal to both men and women, I would give my description of more masculine tone to fit the vintage car vibe. So now that we have some ideas about our specific customer, let's figure out what this product will do for them and how they can use it. In this case, it's pretty straightforward, right? It's a decorative pillow for pretty much anywhere home office, Whatever. Put it on your couch or a bed, it can be the centerpiece in your living room or a cool add on in a guest room or an office if you have company chairs and couches on hand, and definitely two thumbs up if you dio. But to keep things simple, I think sticking to a home decor focus is probably your best bet, with a nod to other possible uses at the end. So now we need to figure out what our story angle will be. Obviously, this is a decorative item, so that's where we start. Now let's think about what kind of look it will achieve and who would want that Look, I suggest we go with the idea that this is a statement piece that were either help customers up their cool factor or boost the edge of your decorative feel already established in their home. It's a surprise accent, something nobody would expect. I mean, how many people do you know with Firebird throw pillows? Probably not many, but if you do, you're definitely doing something right. So here's a breakdown of what we learned about how to start writing. Who are we talking to? And remember, It's not everyone. What will this product do for them? Is it providing a service or just looking cool, which is a lot? How will they use it? And what's your angle? What story are you telling with and for this product? 8. Let's write!: okay, lets start writing to help get those creative engines revving another pond. I'm sorry. Let's start by quickly jotting down some ideas relative to the cool factor and the fire but itself. I found that brainstorming ideas that come to me while thinking about a product really helps build a springboard for my story. You don't have to use everything you bring storm, nor should you remember what we said about cramming too much in. But this exercise will help you start putting together what exactly you want to say when you start to write. So here are the ideas that I jot it down. Vintage old school engines revving, cool, can't be ignored. Standout, edgy, eclectic. And now look at this list in your own list of ideas and take a stab at writing your own description. Then come back and I'll walk you through what I wrote and explain my thought process. All done. Even if you're not, it's totally fine. I'll walk you through it. And before I share my description that please know that yours doesn't have to sound exactly like this or anything like this, your story angle could be totally different than mine. which is the fun of it. It's totally up to you. So here's the description I wrote for the Firebird Feel pillow. Bring some old school swagger to the cave you call home with these rad Firebird throw pillows. Perfect for bringing some extra cool to a couch guest room or any space that's begging to stand out. So here's my thought process. I wanted to start with something punchy that would draw customers in and let them know how this product would hands their life. Because it's more of a novelty item. I wanted to keep it more fun. If this was a luxury product or something more practical, I would have toned down the SAS and given it a more straightforward or sophisticated approach. But neither of those felt right here. And like we discussed, I gave the customers ideas of where this pillow would fit in their home and the impact it would have. So here's a breakdown of what we learned about how to start writing, brainstorm ideas and include anything that comes to mind. Pull your favorites from the list, determine the right tone for the peace, whether it's witty, serious, sophisticated, and then start writing 9. That's all, folks!: Okay, that's all for now. Thank you so much for checking out my class, and hopefully my lucky T shirt worked. And you weren't too bothered by my amateur production skills. And more importantly, that you now have a better feel for how to write a solid product description that entices customers and gets them to purchase. Remember that focusing on your specific customer base and helping them visualize a product in their lives is a must. So to recap here, this key steps for writing a successful product description be sure it's fun and easy, fun and interesting to read. It tells customers how the product will fit into their lives. It clearly outlines the product benefits. There is a problem and solution, that's clearly explains, and there are no throwaway words or ideas. Okay, so what's next? First, be sure to post your work in the class Project gallery so I can read it, provide feedback and just start getting to know you. And be sure to leave a review for my class, but only if it's good. No, just kidding. I want to hear it all so I can really nail it next time, Then go out and start exploring different brand sites, starting with the ones that you love. So you can start identifying what works and maybe doesn't work as well for you, Then start writing and keep writing.