Category Archives: copywriting

business consulting copywriting entrepreneur freelancing

Just answer the question, already!

May 16, 2013 – 10:04 pm

A workaholic works away on his computer late into the night

Today, I’m going to take a moment to answer a question I’ve been getting a lot lately. It’s a sort of back-end question, not related to marketing per se, but one that’s been coming to me quite often. This is possibly because it’s the time of year when all those newly minted English majors are hitting the streets with their resumes and finding out what the job market’s really like.

How did you get started as a freelance writer?

The backstory is this: I’ve been in technology marketing since the 1990s, when I realized that marketing for the arts, publishing, and entertainment industries—while cool and a lot of fun—was just not going to do it for me financially in the long term. I managed to get a contract gig at a computer magazine, which led me to a small software firm, which ultimately led me to. . .Microsoft.

When I left Microsoft in 2003, I had built up great contacts all over the area, but I opted out of the direct-hire path, and that is what got me where I am today.

Which isn’t an entirely bad place to be at all.

Getting started was like looking for a job

When I thought about it, I realized that although I am not adept at executing the perfect sales call, I am pretty good at interviewing for jobs. And based upon that, I approached my quest for clients as I would a job search—literally.

I started by submitting my resume for all the available jobs within my service niche. I went into the interviews as a direct-hire candidate, fielding the usual questions about my background, education, and experience.

The spin came in conjunction with the job offers. From my first round of interviews, I ended up with two really strong offers from great companies. Over the weeks of the interview cycles, I had been able to develop good relationships with both of the hiring managers, so when the time came to respond to the offers, I got down to business.

Essentially, I offered each company the alternative of starting out with a freelance relationship, and both accepted. It was a win-win situation, as I had the flexibility of freelancing, and my new clients reaped the benefits by avoiding added employee overhead (office space, taxes, insurance, etc.).

So those were my first two clients, and I worked with both companies for the better part of two years. Having those organizations on board from the outset made a huge difference, providing me with a safety net so that I could reach out and make connections with other companies to build my business.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Hope this helps anyone out there who is considering a freelance career path, and demystifies the whole “how to get started” thing. Of course it’s only one way of doing things, and YMMV. :)  Back to business next week!

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copywriting messaging

One reason your copy sucks (and what to do about it)

May 2, 2013 – 7:10 pm

Young man vomiting garbage

A certain World’s Largest Software Company (for which I used to work) at one time had a reputation for doing what was called “Show Up and Throw Up.” This name originated from the fact that for a time, the company’s appearances at industry events were basically platforms for whatever they wanted to talk about. It was never about addressing customer needs, or even about being willing to hear what customers were saying.

All this resulted in the public perception that the WLSC was an arrogant and out-of-touch behemoth. Not a great marketing strategy.

When you get so wrapped up in your own agenda that you no longer care or acknowledge what your customers want, you’ve got a big, stinky problem.

Don’t’ get me wrong: Knowing what you want to tell customers is smart. You just need to know how to put that in context of what they need and are asking for. When it comes to marketing copy, developing your product or service messaging is only half the picture; you need to know (and write for ) what the customer needs and wants. Otherwise you’ll lose them at ‘hello’. Get this:

Copy that works is copy that helps your customer to see what they’re feeling
reflected back at them, and how you can fix it.

For the record, WLSC did eventually extricate its head-part from its ass-part on this, and today is a much more accessible, customer-centric organization. Do they still miss the mark from time-to-time? Of course. We all do. But if you compare the company’s image from 15 years ago to its image today, you’ll see an overall shift for the better.

And relatively little barf.

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case studies copywriting marketing social media Web

Marketing wisdom from an 11-year-old

April 19, 2013 – 6:57 pm

text-heavy

Today marks the end of Spring Break week for my kids. This morning after breakfast, my 11-year-old was on her laptop at the kitchen counter, and I asked her, “Have you checked your email lately?”

She looked directly at me, and said something brilliant (she is my child, after all): “Mom, email is POINTLESS; everyone either texts or uses Instagram now.”

BOOM. She’s right. And this applies to more than just email. Long-form web copy, datasheets that go on more than one page, textbook-size business white papers, and case studies that take more than 5 minutes to read through are just over. People don’t have the time, patience, or desire to be marketed to in that way anymore.

So what to do? I think the key is, in whatever kind of content you’re developing, to Think Social. Put things into perspective by thinking about how you might say the same thing with a Facebook post, a snapshot, or a tweet.

Looky at a couple of places that get this right:

  • IBM – Check out their website: Nothing but crisp, digestible content nuggets as far as the eye can see.
  • OpenText – Great case studies that combine brief text and (ooooh) video. Long Story Short scores!

So next time you’re tempted to develop a marketing deliverable in the form of the Great American Novel, stop and Think Social instead.

And speaking of social, are you following my fascinating (and brief) Twitter posts?

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copywriting

Giving as good as you get

February 7, 2013 – 11:28 pm

When they first meet me, many of my new clients are a bit taken aback. OK, so are some people who are NOT my clients—but that’s another story for another blog. . .let’s stay on topic.

It’s often surprising to clients when they find out that they can’t just hand over a bunch of files to me, run off into the sunset, and come back in 4-6 weeks when I’ve made everything pretty and fun for them. I know that’s what some imagine working with a consultant is like: Less stress and more free time to focus on other projects, getting twice as much done in half the time, and being able to leave the office at 6—or maybe even 5!

You see, the thing is, I always want everything in writing. Just as I provide clients with proposals that outline the scope, timeframe, and cost of their project, and detailed emails and status reports so that they can understand where we are in the process, I need them to put some things down on paper as well.

The primary thing I’m talking about here is draft feedback. I always insist on getting consolidated written comments from all stakeholders who have reviewed copy, and this is why:

  • Owning your sh**: If it’s in writing, both the client and I have a record of exactly what they have asked for
  • No surprises: Having feedback documented also ensures that the client can see and understand what they will be getting when the revised draft comes back to them
  • Heading off conflict: By consolidating feedback from all reviewers into a single document, each stakeholder can see the comments of those who have previously reviewed, and any conflicting feedback can be resolved internally prior to handing off a draft for revision

Now, this all may take a bit more work on their part than the client had initially envisioned. The payoff in time saved, confusion eliminated, and quality of the end product is immeasurable, however.

Working with a consultant is not like going to a spa: They are not here to pamper you. But they are here to make you look unbelievably good, and doing your part to make sure that everyone understands expectations is key to ending up a hero(ine).

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copywriting Web

Update or die

September 6, 2012 – 11:11 pm

The other day I was surfing around looking for some information, and I ended up quite randomly on the site of a medium-sized tech company. I clicked around a bit, but after I had also checked out their Twitter and Facebook pages, I realized that their corporate website was INSANELY out of date.

Why do companies do this? It’s not the first time I’ve discovered that an organization has completely neglected its primary web presence in favor of social media platforms. If I go to a web site and discover that the last press release they posted was dated 2010, there’s a problem—and you can bet I’m not the only one noticing.

If a potential customer visits your website and gets the sense that the content is, shall we say, less-than-fresh, it definitely will make them wonder what ELSE you’re letting slip through the cracks.

Bottom line here: If you can’t keep your web content updated, either hire some help, or just take the site down and drive to your favorite social media page. Got it? Good!

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copywriting

Developing a hot relationship–with your writer

August 29, 2012 – 7:11 pm

I often get approached by organizations that want me to take over projects from a writer who “didn’t work out.” When we discuss why the previous copy failed, I usually hear a combination of any of the following:

The copy was too dry

It wasn’t what we expected

The voice didn’t match our other content

It was costing too much

The schedule was slipping

Now, I will be the first to admit that yes, there ARE some pretty crappy writers out there positioning themselves as experienced, professional copywriters. But often, the copywriter is solid; it’s the situation that’s less-than-ideal.

Here’s how you can make sure you have an optimal working relationship with your writer from the get-go, to get the copy you really need:

Get it in writing – In trying to get an urgent project up and running quickly, many companies press vendors to bypass the SOW/proposal process, but this is big mistake. If you don’t have it in writing, you can’t hold anyone responsible for it. So slow down there, Mister Rushypants, and get the paperwork in order.

Pay for it – I hate to tell you this, but the kind of experienced, professional writer you need for copy that’s gonna pop and get you the results you want DOES NOT CHARGE .02 PER WORD. Do your research on the going rates, get recommendations from colleagues, and stay away from the “enthusiastic intern” who just really needs a chance to prove herself.

Have messaging in place – If you don’t know what you want to say to customers about your company/product/service, don’t make your writer guess—or worse, figure it out through (expensive) trial-and-error.

Keep schedules realistic – Here’s another hard fact for you: Your entire 25-page website re-write cannot be completed in the four days before you launch the new site at a major event. Start early, and work with your writer to make sure that there is ample time to concept, execute, and complete the project.

Provide smart feedback – Make sure you track your changes inline, and be very specific with your input; avoid vague comments such as, “I don’t like this,” or “This needs more.” If you have more than one reviewer, consolidate all feedback into a single document so that every stakeholder can see everyone else’s input—this avoids conflicts and redundancies, and enables the writer to make all the correct edits.

Meet your deadlines – If you blow past your feedback deadline by four days, don’t just assume that those four days will come out of the writer’s subsequent revision time. If you miss a deadline, understand that the production schedule will have to creep as a result. Your writer should not suffer the consequences; if that happens, the only thing that will really suffer is your content.

Looking to engage a professional copywriter to develop your content? Make sure you’re prepared to provide an optimal situation in order to facilitate their best work. You’ll end up with the content you need—and hopefully an ongoing relationship with a great creative resource!

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blogs copywriting marketing

A blog title with no numerals in it

August 24, 2012 – 7:12 pm

HEADS UP, CONTENT PRODUCERS!

We get it: You think we’re stupid, right? And we all have the attention spans of the average squirrel. That’s why all of your blog posts and articles start with “5 Ways to. . .,” “Top 10 Reasons. . .,” and the like.

But the backlash has started, so pull up your panties and seek higher ground. In this recent post from my pal Erika Napoletano, she writes, “Stop wasting my time with metric-free random conglomerations of people on a list in the hope of getting a linkback or a retweet.”

Now don’t get me wrong, when the first two or three people used the list format, I’ll be it was DAMNED effective. Probably got a boatload of hits, Likes, and tweets.

But now, BAZILLIONS of people are doing it. It’s not unique, and the effectiveness and ROI of this technique has slam-dunked right into the toilet. Lists are no longer The New Black.

So what can you write about now to get your audience’s attention, since they’re all numerical-listed out? Here are a few thoughts:

  1. Success Stories – People like to read stories they can relate to. They can recognize their own challenges, and get some insight into how their peers have addressed them with good results. Short, crisp customer profiles with clear business challenges and actionable solutions.
  2. How-To Articles – Demonstrate your expertise and establish yourself as a subject matter expert by sharing the basics with your readers. And yes, you can include a short list of steps here—just don’t focus your title on it!
  3. Lists Without the Lists – What if you’ve just finished a STELLAR “list article” and don’t want to waste it? Take a tip from this article on the Copyblogger site. The author could easily have titled it, “Seven Steps to Better SEO,” or something equally gratuitous, but she didn’t. Instead she chose to craft a snappy title that is also a compelling headline, and ditch the list format.

Now, just so we’re clear: Lists are OVER. Let’s move on.

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copywriting marketing strategy

Pranking Your Customers

August 16, 2012 – 6:59 pm

Lets’ face it; there are a LOT of great marketing and promotion ideas out there. Lots of folks are really breaking new ground and creating an impact, visually, with copy, and delivery-wise. Some of them may even be your competitors. Wouldn’t you love to get a piece of that? Of course you would.

But there are mistakes to be made, oh yes there are.

Merely taking a proven format (however fresh, edgy, and hip) and inserting your messaging and branding into it, while not necessarily a recipe for disaster, isn’t doing much to differentiate and grab mindshare, either.

So I’m going to take a page from Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters and make the following recommendation to those thinking about leveraging a proven marketing format:

Do it, but take it FURTHER. (You see what I did there?)

Don’t just look at it as (oooh, cliché alert!), “Hey, let’s not reinvent the wheel,” but more along the lines of, “Let’s take that killer new wheel and make it KICK ASS!” This involves knowing three key things:

  1. What pains your customers and how they articulate it
  2. How your offering takes away the pain
  3. How your offering goes above and beyond your competitors

Now it’s time to leverage that format you’ve chosen to prove to your customers that you not only “get them,” you SUPER get them. Reach out to them via polls, face-to-face meetings, and events. Find out what they really need, and (this is important) capture their exact words.

Now you need to start by taking your customers’ words and turning them back around on them—speaking their language right back at ‘em. This changes the dynamic from “telling them what you want them to know,” to making them feel that you’re very nearly reading their minds. And that’s a powerful impression to make.

Now develop your messaging and write your campaign copy (Need help with that? Ping me!), Plug it into your chosen format, and deliver it to your target market instead of the same old show-up-and-throw-up, one-sided messaging.

You’ll get results, and the prank may actually be on your competition!

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copywriting

Writing Out Loud

July 31, 2012 – 6:44 pm

Have you ever gotten some fresh campaign copy in from your copywriter/agency/freelancer, read it, and wondered why it didn’t work? It should have been perfect:

  • It incorporates all your messaging
  • It targets the correct audience
  • It includes all the features and benefits of your offering

And yet, it sucks. Why, why, WHY?

Well, take a minute, close your office door, and read the copy. Out loud.

Do you sound like the robot from Lost in Space?

If so, you’ve found your problem: Your copy is not conversational. Your copy is not warm. Your copy is not “listenable.”

In general, people tend to tune out things that are dry and not engaging (“Bueller. . .Bueller?”). The mind sits up and takes notice however, when it identifies a more human element in what it’s reading, hearing, or seeing.

Once your customers can “hear” what they’re reading and identify with it, your days of copy that is only great on paper may just be over!

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copywriting

Dun-dun-DUN!

June 29, 2012 – 11:06 pm

Hey, here’s your web copy (or brochure text, blog post, email newsletter, or whatever)! Isn’t it beautiful? It incorporates all your marketing messaging and SEO keywords, and is really well-written. It flows, it sings, it SPEAKS to your customers!

And guess what? It only took us 234 drafts and THREE deadline extensions to get here. Oy.

Yes, you know this happens. In fact, I’ll bet you have (or someone on your team has) been the cause of it a few times, haven’t you? Haven’t you? Be honest. Uh-huh.

Perfection is a beautiful thing. There’s always going to be a reason to second guess a word choice, a verb tense, or a capitalization.

But.

While you’re niggling around with semantics, guess what? Opportunity is passing you by. WHOOSH! Hear that? There it goes. Right over to your competitor, who may have been more decisive than you, and has had its web copy (or brochure text, blog post, email newsletter, or whatever) completed and released into the wild three weeks (or months!) ago.

Here’s what we used to say at Microsoft when things started to get out of hand with review cycles:

Sometimes, done is good.

Whether it’s not knowing what you want in the first place, too many cooks in the kitchen, or whatever, beyond a certain point, going round and round and round with endless revisions isn’t going to make your copy any better. Or make or break your business.

Here’s how we do it here at The Pop:

  1. Content outline sent to customer for client review and feedback
  2. Revised outline  rolled into first draft for client review and feedback
  3. Feedback rolled into second draft for client review and approval with any final tweaks
  4. Finalized, approved content handed off to client (or designer, or whomever gets it next)

Four steps. Easy. Can sometimes been done in a week, depending on stakeholder schedules. Yes, done is good.

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