The pen is mightier than the sword, but the art of wielding one is often lost in the hustle of today’s hyperactive marketing. And what a shame! The power that well-crafted copy can bring to your marketing efforts is nothing short of amazing. This is never more true than with products that go beyond pure utility to provide an emotional experience for the consumer - products like fashion, travel, and especially food.
About four years ago, I happened upon the website of Golden Moon Tea and was struck by how incredibly seductive and artful their product descriptions were. Just look at this description of their Sugar Caramel Oolong Tea:
The Inspiration At a restaurant in the Sablon Square in Brussels, I was once lucky enough to enjoy one of the most remarkable meals and cups of tea I have ever had. Upon complimenting our chef, he insisted we enjoy tea “his way.” He coated our glasses with sugar and then took a crème brûlée torch to caramelize it into sheer goodness. Then came the oolong tea and an experience I will never forget. Try our Sugar Caramel Oolong and you'll count yourself lucky, as well.
The Flavor Premium quality green oolong leaves, tightly rolled and carefully hand-crafted, infused with sweet essences of rich caramel and burnt sugar. Crystal clear, jade liquor. Mellow and aromatic, yet slightly free spirited. Complex balance of subtle, lingering floral notes and a deep sweetness. Poet’s cup.
If you’re not sitting there fantasizing about a cup of this tea right now, I’m inclined to believe you either don’t read English, or you were manufactured by IBM and are now connected to a wall socket. In a crowded tea industry, Golden Moon tells a story, blending detail and context, setting the stage for us to imagine each product in the ideal way. When photos of loose tea look largely the same from one merchant to the next, Golden Moon's poetry sets them apart.
Can you say the same about your product descriptions? Were they individually crafted to romance the consumer, or were they rushed through as just another chore on the task list? Unless you’re the only game in town (and very few are), you know the consumer will be choosing between your product and someone else’s. Don’t you want them to long for yours? Don’t you want them to say “Maybe that other one’s a little cheaper, or I could get it a little faster, but I want THIS one!”
So go on. Whisper more sweet nothings in my ear. You may think actions speak louder than words, and a picture is worth a thousand of them, but you’d be amazed at what the right words can accomplish.