Don’t write like a lawyer
(Unless you are one)
Of all the copywriting hills I pledge to die atop, it's become a recent favorite. Because lawyers are exhaustive by necessity.
Language that leaves room for interpretation only causes problems. It's how we get classics like "including but not limited to" followed by a list of 24 examples of what constitutes intellectual property.
In a legal setting, being exhaustive is effective. Just about everywhere else, it's just exhausting.
And particularly in B2B marketing, it's easy to spot. Stuff like:
At Screwball Digital Marketing Services, we combine human insight, creativity and technical expertise to build holistic, forward-thinking solutions that deliver customer satisfaction, brand affinity and measurable ROI for growth-minded businesses seeking to expand their reach and increase their impact.
While fictional, ^ that's barely an exaggeration. You can almost hear the by-committee feedback that shaped the list-within-a list masterpiece.
"Let's specify that the ROI we deliver is measurable."
(It's 2024, are there other types?)
"Let's make it clear that we work with growth-minded businesses."
(Ah yes of course, wouldn't want those stagnation-focused companies evaluating marketing agencies to waste your time.)
"Oh and let's include 'human insight' somewhere, that was a big breakthrough in the newly aligned brand pyramid."
Writing like a lawyer usually starts with the priority of maximum clarity. It almost always ends with overstuffed run-on sentences that say nothing and resonate with no one.
How to fix?
For starters:
1. Don't underestimate the intelligence of your audience.
2. Cut what can be safely assumed.
3. Show, don't tell your audience that you understand them.
4. Go deeper. Say something true and worth reading. Which rarely includes the words "leverage" or "holistic."
Perhaps something like:
Your ideal customers are looking for you. At Screwball, we build ideas, experiences, and systems that bring you both together for good.
It's hard to nail without knowing more about our fictitious results-focused, data-centric creative marketing partner, but it's at least a step in the right direction, no?
Thoughts? To my lawyer friends, I love you.
Please don't sue me for slander.