I’m finishing up some client work this week and then unplugging for a week to spend time with family and friends. Writing well never takes a holiday, tho, so please enjoy reading the Get Great Copy blog archives until I return on Jan. 5.
No CommentsYears ago when I first heard the word masstige, I could barely contain a small snicker over what I thought was a ridiculous, made-up word.
I’m so glad I kept my composure because though it is a made-up word per Merriam-Webster, it’s very much a part of the lexicon of cosmetic to car marketers.
Thanks to BuzzWhack you, too, can privately learn (and perhaps laugh) over today’s super-hot buzzwords.
Now if only I could get them to add my personal favorite buzzword … Jantastic!
1 CommentThe answer is simple. Irrelevancy.
Self-serving blog posts (and other types of internally focused interactive content for that matter) do nothing to engage and inspire.
Now I’m not saying that corporate bloggers can’t talk about themselves at all; I’m simply saying that when they do talk about themselves or their products, they must do it in a way that’s real, transparent and relevant to their readers. Only then can they build relationship and boost credibility.
Read this AdWeek article for a recap of a Forrester Research study that found less than 20 percent of consumers trust corporate blogs, then share your thoughts here.
No CommentsAs I was driving to a client’s today to present my 1/2 day workshop on turning ordinary people into extraordinary interactive writers, I saw a white van with these words printed on the side: “Animal Care and Control.”
Back in the day, we would’ve said, “There goes the dog catcher,” or perhaps, “There’s animal control.”
So I was struck by the evolution of the term and the addition of the word “care.” You know, part of the job of that agency is to rescue abused animals, which is certainly a form of care. “Care” is such a humane word and a far cry from “dog catcher,” yet it’s also more attuned with how we think about and speak of pets in this age of animal rights.
I’m impressed that this agency has listened to the changing voice of its constituents and adapted its verbiage to be more current and more caring. If it’s been awhile since you’ve listened to what your audience is saying, stop and listen. They may be telling you something about your product, service, organization or business that you need to hear.
No CommentsI love the Discovery Channel show “MythBusters” in which a couple of science geeks test the validity of rumors, myths and urban legends.
So I thought it would be fun to bust some of the myths I encounter when businesses and organizations make false assumptions about web copy.
First, let’s talk about what great web copy is NOT.
Now, let’s bust some of those myths …
Myth: It’s okay to use marketing-speak or filler copy … everybody does it. Besides, it’s the only way to get our message across.
Busted: First, not everybody does it — just those who don’t take the time to think through and write great copy or those who focus on the organization instead of the people they’re trying to reach. Second, visitors to your web site despise, distaste and disdain fluff. Today’s business owner or consumer is savvy, demanding and short on time. Lose the fluff and make an impact instead.
Myth: “We’re almost done with our site so it’s probably time to start thinking about copy.”
Busted: Those who scrounge together copy at the last minute look like they scrounged together copy at the last minute. It shows. Writing effective and compelling copy takes time. Writing is a creative process that requires brainstorming, thinking, writing and rewriting. The earlier you include copy in your overall plan, the more on-point your messaging will be. And, when you allow adequate time for the creation of great copy, the more fluid, concise and compelling it will be.
Myth: “Our admin (or my nephew, neighbor, friend) is pretty good at writing. Everyone loves her annual Christmas letter so let’s use her (or him) to write our web copy!”
Busted: Although not rocket science or brain surgery, writing is a profession. Most people write better than they claim to — but not as well as they think. And a fun-to-read Christmas letter is hardly the same as results-producing web copy. And that’s the biggest difference between a professional writer and an amateur … results. Can your admin/nephew/neighbor/friend write copy that creates a sale, improves conversion rates and builds brand loyalty? If so, then hire ’em. And make sure you give them the title ‘copywriter.’
Myth: “We’re tight on budget but the good news is we don’t need to spend any money on copy.”
Busted: Ain’t nothing free. Regardless of whether you do it yourself, have an in-house writer, work with an agency copywriter or use a freelancer, there’s still an investment of time and money in editing, adapting, writing and rewriting. Always include a line item in the budget and an hours estimate for copywriting.
Myth: We only need to worry about copy for just one project, product, or channel at a time.
Busted: Yikes! Like the rest of your web site, great copy should be strategic. It should be an integral part of your launch strategy AND your overall business objectives. Note that I said integral … as in “essential to completeness.” Remember: Vision demands a strategy and strategy demands a plan. For best results, include copy in your plan and leverage it to create a consistent, relationship-building message across all your marketing channels.
Myth: “Once the copy is done, we’ll never need to touch it again.”
Busted: Egad! Copy that’s never refreshed? Perish the thought. Unless your business — and the world for that matter — stays exactly the same, then even so-called static copy needs looked at and updated from time to time. Further, if you’re watching your metrics and monitoring keywords (shame on you, if you’re not), then surely you’ll want to update the copy to continue to improve search rankings. If not, you can bet your competitors will.
Are you harboring another myth? Post a comment and tell me about it.
Or contact me and well get together so I can share more insights in my presentation: Everything you always wanted to know about great web copy but were afraid (or didn’t know) to ask.
No CommentsIt seems that a lot of companies make a December push to get their e-newsletter in front of customers. Perhaps its because they have a sale they want to advertise or it’s a slower season for them and they have the resources to put out a newsletter. Unfortunately, this is completely the wrong way to go about it.
Useful content. Consistent delivery. Relevant timing. All these things play into creating an effective e-newsletter strategy. Note, I said “strategy.”
Too many companies jump into sending out e-newsletters without thinking through the who, what, when, where and why of it all.
Why create an e-newsletter strategy? How about 18 of them? I suspect you’ll have much more than one reason, but any single reason listed here should be enough to shift you from thinking about launching an e-newsletter campaign to actually executing one.
Is it ever wise NOT to create an e-newsletter campaign? Absolutely … but only if you’re unable (or unwilling) to commit the necessary resources for creating and delivering a relevant, thoughtful e-newsletter in a consistent and timely manner.
1. Reach new customers
2. Deepen existing customer relationships
3. Create top-of-mind awareness
4. Promote an event
5. Introduce a new product
6. Demonstrate expertise
7. Educate a target audience
8. Create a new customer touchpoint
9. Provide detail about a product, service or benefit
10. Remind an audience about important dates, events or milestones
11. Build trust and credibility between the brand and the consumer
12. Drive traffic to a web site
13. Generate referrals through forwarded emails
14. Create customer engagement
15. Generate sales
16. Promote a thought-leadership platform
17. Become a valuable information resource
18. Communicate about urgent issues and current events
I was reading something this morning in preparation for a presentation I’m doing next week and I came across the word “scrounge.”
According to Merriam-Webster, scrounge is “to get as needed by or as if by foraging, scavenging, or borrowing; to search about and turn up something needed from whatever source is available.”
Can you picture it? “Scrounge” is a much more visual word than, say, “look” or even “dig.”
So I’m starting a list of Great Copy Words and scrounge is at the top of that list. (I’m so using it in next week’s presentation, btw.) The next time I’m looking for a not-so-business-as-usual word, I’ll consult my Great Copy Words list.
Start your own and then post some of your favorite descriptives here.
No CommentsI’m so excited to share that I’ve put together a dozen of my best writing secrets in a very special report. These 12 techniques are the very same ones I’ve used for over 20 years to write copy for some of the biggest brands in the world, like Wendy’s, HP and Restoration Hardware.
With my 12 Shortcuts to Get Great Copy, you’ll find out how to break writer’s block, jump-start any writing project and inspire the creative process in you — even if you’re a non-writer who needs to write for your job.
And, because I value my blog readers so much, I’m making this $12.95 PDF offer available to you for just $6.95 today through this Friday ONLY. It’s such an early release that I don’t even have a shopping cart page ready to go, so you must contact me to order. Remember, this special offer is available only through Friday, Dec. 5, 2008.
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