By now you should be thinking about the actual words that you put on your marketing materials, be it postcards, business cards, your website, etc.  What you write is important, but one thing that every marketing expert will tell you is that the copy has to be exciting but effective.  Too often today, “exciting” has been replaced by “complicated. “

A recent post on the Branding Strategy Blog outlines how some big name brands have reworked their slogans, their copy, and their overall messaging, with mixed results. The reason? Most of the time, the messaging is too complicated, and has not truly reflected or embraced what the business does and really means to its customers.

Some of the better examples include Boston Market (formerly Boston Chicken) and UPS.

When thinking about your copy, make sure there is a good balance between exciting and accurate.  You don’t want customers thinking you do something you don’t, but you also want to entice them to buy from you.  Sometimes simple slogans and clear statements about who you are and what you do are the most effective. In fact, in today’s climate, it might actually make you stand out amongst the clutter.

Have you kept your marketing copy simple? Has it worked for you?