Copywriting Archives - Page 7 of 13 - McLellan Marketing Group

How to write an outstanding blog post

August 4, 2007

Late this Spring, Liz Strauss tagged me, asking what makes an outstanding blog post and I've been letting my answer cook until now. Which is a fancy way of saying…I'm finally getting to it.

Maybe it took me this long because I'm not sure I have the answer for this one. Honestly, some of the posts that I still love the most and touch my heart are ones that you hardly noticed. And sometimes a post that I think is just okay draws a huge response.

So clearly, I haven't a clue.

But…I have recognized some patterns. Maybe there's a hint or two in them for all of us.

It's all about you.

The best blog posts are reader centric. They respect your intelligence, your time and your need for something fresh and different. Rather than being intent on teaching you something new, they are intent on generating a conversation by acknowledging that we both have something to say on the subject, whatever it may be.

It's not all about you.

When I first started blogging, I fully intended to offer tips and commentary on the world of marketing and branding. I didn't plan to share or show you my heart. After all, this is a business blog. But, I discovered that when you write every day, you can't really avoid that. And that's when people beyond my parents and my employees started reading my blog. So, while it can mostly be about you. It actually has to be about me too. Sort of like a conversation perhaps?

I'm not you.

Some days, I find the blogosphere pretty intimidating. I read all these smart and insightful things and wonder…what the heck am I doing at this party? Thank God I am smart enough to know that I will never be as sassy as CK or as poetic as Gavin or eloquent as Liz or helpful as Mike or inspiring as Christine or as prolific as Lewis. My blog is never going to look like David's or have a subscription list like John's. I can't draw like Tony, share wry observations like Cam or connect people like Phil. And I sure can't cuss like Paul. And that just scratches the surface of the bloggers I admire and wish I could be more like.

And to try would only serve to embarrass myself. Like it or not, I've got to work with my talents or you'd recognize me as a fake and rightfully call me on it. So I offer up what I've learned over the years, in my own native voice and hope that it will resonate with you.

I only come back because of you.

Talking to myself every day would bore me to tears. I love to write but I really love the conversation. I think the biggest tragedy of blogging is that most people read the posts and never dig into the comments. That' s where the real meat is. I can serve up a topic but I promise you, the real "a ha" comes in the interaction below the surface of the original post.

So back to Liz' question. What makes a great post?

I think, for me anyway, my posts stretch towards greatness when I draw the outline of the picture and then you color it in. When I don't know all the answers, but I have a pretty good idea of the questions. When I don't think too long or too hard, but instead just toss it out there. When I don't worry about how pretty the words sound, but instead enjoy your words. My best posts are when I look around the room, marvel at the interesting people gathered and just pull up a chair.

So in the end…it seems that what makes an outstanding post for me….is you.

How about you? If you're a blogger – how/when do you create an outstanding post? And if you're a reader, what makes a post noteworthy to you?

Beating Writers Block

July 31, 2007

We all experience writers block now and then. Here are some tips for breaking through a block and getting the job done that seem to work for me.

~ Start in the middle. Write your intro last, so you’ll know just what you want to emphasize.

~ Just write. No matter how rough or bad you think it is. Just get something down on paper. That leads right into tip #3.

~ Editing is easier than writing. Go through your rough copy and circle what you like and keep going. It’s much easier to rewrite than it is to start from scratch.

~ Think out loud. Work through your ideas with a co-worker. Words flow easier in conversation. And their feedback might give you a new perspective.

Most of us don’t have the luxury of waiting for the muses to strike. Check out this laundry list of other good ideas from Maartje Van Hoorn at Behind the Page.

Can you add to the lists? When you just can't seem to string two sentences together — what do you do?

No one is a demographic range: How to actually talk to people

July 27, 2007

Are you a 25-54 year old male who wants a motorcycle?

I'm pretty sure that there's never been anyone who is 25-54. Maybe 27 or 39. But not the whole range.

And yet…most marketing plans talk demographics. We describe our target audience is such broad terms that at best, they are a blur. No wonder most marketing copy (brochures, radio scripts, web sites) is vague and uninspired. If I asked you to say three things about a motorcycle that would appeal to a 25-54 year old, how in the world would you know what to say?

But, what if I said: you are talking to a 52 year old man. He's a white collar professional that just dropped his youngest off at college. His 50th birthday hit him pretty hard. He's been at the same company for 8 years and he and his wife get away for 2-3 long weekends a year and they take one family vacation a year, to the family condo time share in Boca.

This past year, he and his wife celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and he surprised her with a diamond eternity band. They like to entertain at home or go out for dinner with friends.

He likes to read thrillers and spy stories. He putters a little in the garden and plays poker twice a month with some old college buddies. He enjoys a good cigar and scotch at the poker game and is often heard saying "life is not about the destination, it is about the journey."

Now…could you come up with three things about a motorcycle that would appeal to this man? I bet your copy isn't vague any more.

Rather than trying to talk to shadows…and demographics, try creating the perfect customer. Every business has one. That doesn't mean every customer will match all the criteria, but the closer you can come, the better.

So it stands to reason, the more specifically you can talk to that target audience, the more likely you are to attract the right customers.

How do you begin to create the perfect customer? Grab a piece of paper and a pencil/pen and let's get you started.

Ready? Quickly write down the names of 3-5 of your company's best current customers.

Now, again without mental editing, list characteristics of this customer. These might include things like:

If your customers are companies:

Size of company (employees, locations, etc.)
Industry
Gross annual billings
Structure (partnership, corporation, non-profit, association, etc)
Type of work
Frequency of work
Amount of annual revenue for your company from this one
Type of day to day communication (do they need hand holding, have you ever met in person, are they a golfing buddy)
Market position (leader, #2, newcomer)
Personality of key customer contact

If your customers are individuals:

Age
Education
Daily Habits
Kind of work they do
Where they shop
What causes they are passionate about
Where in the life cycle are they
How do they dress
What kind of car do they drive
What's their leisure time look like
Attitude about work, family, life etc

Now look for trends. What do your best customers have in common? Begin to build a profile. Fill in the blanks as you can. If possible, make this multi-media. Are there colors, visuals, songs, smells etc. that you associate with this perfect customer?

Let this profile evolve over time. Tweak it as you begin to use it. If it helps, give your perfect customer a name. Aim your marketing right at that person. Write/design as though you are talking directly to them. And watch your results rise.

What do you think? If you've already done something like this, tell us about it. If you haven't yet…how might this be helpful to you?

Newsletter No no’s

July 24, 2007

Newsletters are a popular marketing tool. Done well, they can be incredibly effective. Unfortunately, most people's efforts end up in the circular file before anyone has bothered to read it. Why? Because they committed too many newsletter no no's. If you're the editor-in-chief of your company's newsletter, be mindful to avoid these mistakes. MMG's is hot off the press.

No grand plan: Your newsletter needs to have a vision. Without it, it's just a hodge-podge of articles that has no continuity. It's hard to build reader loyalty without it. Make sure you identify your key audiences and what you're trying to get them to do/know.

Too much ego: Sure, your newsletter is a sales tool. But be careful that you don't toot your own horn to the point of arrogance. Celebrate your product/service's excellence but do it with case studies or client testimonials rather than in the first person.

Not providing value: We live in a "what's in it for me" society. Your newsletter is fighting for your audience's most precious asset – their time. So make it worthwhile. Give them new information or insights so they look forward to receiving your newsletter.

Inconsistency: Hitting deadlines is tough and to let them slide. But, if you promise a quarterly or monthly newsletter, then it needs to come out on time. Every time. What do you think it says about your business if you don't keep your promise on newsletter deadlines?

Lack of interaction: Give your readers a chance to talk back. An e-mail address, a contest, a bounce back card, a URL that solicits feedback. Make it a conversation rather than a monologue.

Newsletters are a lot of work. Make sure all the effort you put into your publication pays off. Avoid these newsletter no no's and you'll have loyal readers for life.

Want to read a little more? Here are some good tips. And a few more.

What newsletter do you always welcome into your e-mail in box? What makes it a must read for you?

Do your words caress your wares?

July 21, 2007

It's human nature. When someone loves something, we are drawn to it as well. Maybe it's a borrowed esteem thing. But, when someone is that gaga over something, you just know there has to be something to it.

And that love cannot be faked. It's in their eyes. And in their words. They don't just describe the object of their affection; their words actually caress it. Let me give you an example.

The J. Peterman Company catalog is a copywriting lesson in and of itself. Each item is artfully displayed but it's the description that enraptures the would-be shopper.

Listen to how they describe an item called Floral Silk Dress.

Just a few hundred intimate friends on hand for a good cause, canapés among the rosebushes.

Castor Swilling and Mia Culp have flown in from the coast.

All the power couples have showed up – the Bagbalms, the de Kays, the Thralls, the fun-loving Audibles. There's the cream of the Beltway too, from Justice Hardly and Secretary Spinner to the indefatigable Snapper Balding.

But it's you, my dear, who carries the day….the first woman to sell one million dollars worth of raffle tickets.

You know how to dress for these things. Floral Silk Dress (No. 1865). Sleeveless, mid-calf length confection of gossamer 10mm georgette lined in silk charmeuse (satin side against your body). High Empire waist with cummerbund pleats. Decorative self-covered buttons down the front. Eight godets for sweep and flutter.

Or…the Malaguena skirt.

The impulse to flirt is inborn, which is a good thing. Social life with flirtation would be a bowl of very dull porridge.

Unfortunately, political correctness et al. has created ambivalence about flirting. Clumsiness. Confusion.

People attend courses with titles like "Get What You Want Through Flirting." They text each other across a crowded room.

May I suggest a more organic approach?

Start by putting on this skirt. The gentle motion of the silk tiers draws attention, stirs imagination. Life warms up without bursting into flames. Lines of communication tend to open naturally.

True flirtation isn't a preliminary. It's a preliminary to a preliminary. Malaguena Skirt (No. 1586), four soft, flowing angled tiers of silk georgette. Ankle-length. Easy-fitting elastic waist. Georgette lining. Inspired by a flamenco dancer's dress at Rosa de Triana in Old San Juan, just up from the city gate.

That is pure decadence. Love shimmers off every word. You get a sense of affection and a dash of reverence.

In a world of USA Today bullet point or colorful graph ads….this is remarkable. You can't love something with bullet points or a bar chart. It's just too efficient. Love isn't efficient, it is effusive.

I liken this kind of writing to cotton candy. Do we technically need it? No. But its sticky sweetness melts in our mouth and creates an experience unto itself.

Do your words caress your wares? If you don't show the love, how can you expect your customers to?

If you could only use one sentence…

June 21, 2007

…to market your organization, what would it be?

(Draw a blank? E-mail me.)

Is US produced advertising dumbed down?

June 10, 2007

Here’s a little different spin from Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam, made for the UK market. My question….how do you think this would play in the US? Why do you think we don’t see more spots with this kind of humor?

And a tip of the hat to Little John at Advertising for Peanuts for pointing me to the spot.

A bagful of ideas: 06/07/07

June 6, 2007

From time to time, I’m going to share a mixed bag of ideas, marketing tips, brilliant writing and sometimes — something that just made me laugh out loud. Here’s today’s offering:

This one had me pumping my fist in the air: Tom Vander Well hit the nail on the head when he said okay does not drive customer loyalty or word of mouth. Right on Tom! Why are so many businesses slow to understand this?

This one had me applauding my peers: Sabina shares some really creative work. Reminds us all to stretch a little.

This one had me taking notes: Get it in Writing shares the top 20 words that when/if you misuse them make you look stupid. Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t need any help in that arena!

Is being long-winded hurting your communications

June 1, 2007

We seem to live in what I call a USA Today society. "Give it to me short, sweet and if possible, in a colorful graph. Otherwise, I’m going to ignore you."

Do you get that same sense? Dr. Taly Weiss did some research on her blog TrendsSpotting that shows that of the top 100 blogs — most of them routinely have posts of less than 500 words.

As communicators, we often have complex issues to discuss or complicated products/services to explain. How do we accurately and adequately get the message across in this short and sweet world?

Here are a few ideas I had but I’d love to hear yours.

Chunk it. Break up your content into bite-sized pieces. If the reader is willing to invest in the first paragraph…and it’s relevant, they’ll keep reading.

Visually trick the reader’s eye. Use lots of white space and color to break up copy and to create the illusion that the copy is shorter than it is.

Divert them. Use your initial pieces (direct mail, blog post etc.) to give your potential customer the highlights and then provide them with repositories of information. Point them to your website, blog archives, more detailed collateral, etc.

So….how do you combat the USA Today mentality?

Analogies = sales

May 30, 2007

If you’ve read this blog for awhile, you know I believe in the power of storytelling, especially analogies.

If you want to talk about the importance of your employees understanding/believing in your company’s brand, why of course you’d talk about little red wagons.

If you need to convince someone of the importance of repetition and consistency, wouldn’t you naturally talk about toothbrushing?

The importance of planning? Why getting to Cleveland silly. How marketing should feel? Hello…campfire. You get the idea.

Analogies work because:

They break down the complex and make it simple
They turn the unfamiliar into something relevant
They are very memorable
They’re viral — you can tell the story and watch it spread
They take the abstract and make it tangible

But don’t just take my word for it. Check out this article at RainToday.com. What Jill’s selling is no fish story!

Think of the most complex aspect of what you sell. If you could make it tangible, relevant and easy to understand — do you think you’d sell more? What analogy could you use to vividly describe it?

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