Selling vs storytelling
The difference between content writing and copywriting and why you need both.
The easiest way to explain the difference between the two is to think of content writing as “storytelling” and copywriting as “selling”.
So, storytelling content writing is generally all about welcoming people into your world. It’s about sharing what you care about and connecting with like-minded people. It could include posting educational blogs and newsletters aimed at growing reach, writing thought leadership articles that establish you as an industry expert, and sharing content that demystifies what you do and highlights how and why people should use your advice or product.
Storytelling content
Storytelling is soft, creative, whimsical, and fun. It’s not pushy. You might post regular tips, hacks and stats or share problem-solving content that brings you closer to your audience. Understanding who you’re talking to here, what their pain points are, and how your product or service offers a solution is key here.
But, obviously, we’re all in the business of selling, no matter how icky that makes you feel. Eventually, you have to ask people to part with their cash in return for your product or service. That’s when promotional copywriting comes into play.
Copywriting that sells
This is where you sell, so the copy needs to be sharp and compelling. This sort of copy might include reviews, testimonials, results and wins, but most importantly, it's where you tell your audience how they can buy from you, work with you, book an appointment, and get your resources. Always include a strong call to action and keep the copy short, unambiguous and concise.
You need both types of writing across your business, but depending on your personality or business needs, you may need more of one than the other. I like to balance any sales or promotional copywriting with plenty of storytelling content writing (which I inherently find more interesting). But it’s worth highlighting that whenever you connect with someone, you’re getting closer to a sale.
You might think this blog, for instance, is an example of storytelling content writing, but it will also help improve my SEO and raise awareness about my services, so it’s promotional copywriting as well. Clever, right?
So, if you’re interested in discovering how storytelling content writing can help your business and when to sprinkle a little copywriting magic to drive that sale, click on the handy button below to book some time in my diary.
No obligations, just a 30-minute chat about what I do and how I could craft the words you need to thrive.
