MarCom Professional

What do you think is the the most important element of your copywriting? The headline? The benefits? Or the product itself?

Well, this was the topic of Eric Graham’s (aka The Conversion Doctor) recent video – ‘My #1 Conversion Boosting Secret Revealed’ – and I don’t think I’ll be sending any shockwaves by revealing that it’s understanding your reader.

In the rush to get websites live, emails sent and direct mail in the post, assumptions are often made about the target audience’s hopes and fears. But this can be a mistake, because copy is read by individuals, not a homogeneous group. More...

As you know, there’s an abundance of horribly written corporate websites out there – with too much back slapping self praise and not enough focus on the customer.

For us copywriters, this presents an opportunity: if you can point out to a company why their website’s copy is ineffective, they might ask you to give it a makeover. Many companies complain about how poor their websites are at generating sales - often weak copy is to blame.

Here are a few classic corporate web copywriting mistakes you might want to point out: More...

Based on these two examples, the new era of transparency might not be too far away and has serious implications for the claims you might be occasionally tempted to drop into your copywriting.

‘iPad sucks’ – 644,00 Google hits

Following the success of the iPhone, it’s no wonder people were expecting something special when they heard rumours about Apple’s latest gift to the world of technology. More...

Admittedly, you miss out on getting to know people face to face. But phoning can be a great time saver, with conversations more ‘to the point’ and productive.

Recently, I’ve been working on a number of case studies, which have involved interviewing people in various places. To avoid spending the time slot (and wasting busy people’s time) frantically scribbling down notes, I’ve been using a free MP3 Skype call recorder so I can allow the conversation to flow freely knowing I can play them back at leisure to pick out any juicy facts I’d otherwise miss. More...

Do we procrastinate because of our fear of success? Is it our fear of failure? Or are we just lazy? Whatever the reason, it’s a common problem amongst us freelancers.

Well, this year I thought I’d make it my resolution to try and kick the habit for good. ‘An impossible task’ I hear you say, but as with every bad habit I’m hoping it can be overcome with the right strategy and frame of mind. Otherwise that novel is never going to get written.

Here are a few procrastination tips that might help:

1. Switch off the internet – The internet is one of the biggest distractions known to man. More...

In the freelance writing world it would appear that we’re still struggling with the same sexist attitudes we snort at when watching Mad Men. This has been the experience of James Chartrand, anyway, who revealed on Copyblogger this week that he’s actually a woman, and felt forced to promote herself as a man to attract clients.

Whilst this is a sad indictment of outdated attitudes in 2009, it reflects how we’re free to promote ourselves however we like online. Her post is particularly timely because marketing under a different persona is something I’m planning on doing myself. More...

Email is low cost, multifunctional and a great tool for relationship building. But it can’t replace the physicality of a print campaign. An email is only a mouse click away from being deleted, whilst direct mail will sit on desks waiting to be read or physically thrown in the bin. More...

It might not be as sexy as its social media cousins. But email continues to be a reliable, trusty marketing tool for building relationships, delivering special offers and attracting website visitors.

And it’s popularity is set to grow.

According to a recent survey by Campaigner (an email marketing service provider) of 259 small firms: 46% are already using email marketing, whilst a further 36% plan to start in the next year. More...

What I now wile away the hours looking at when I should be writing

So, been living in Malta for two weeks now and loving it. Still feels like summertime here and I have a beach (of sorts) on my doorstep. Only problem is I have to constantly fight the urge to jump in a taxi and go exploring when I should be switching on my laptop. So I’m already having to make a few adjustments to the way I work.

For anybody else thinking of packing a bag and working from another country, here are a few tips you might find useful:

Buy a laptop – An essential piece of kit for the nomadic, remote writer. Even if you’re working from home, being able to change your location (even if it’s just a different room) can help kick start your creativity and break through writer’s block. More...

Whenever asked to write about a new product or service part of the copywriter’s job is to come up with ideas on how it can be pitched. The aim is to give it a USP (unique selling proposition), which makes it sound more appealing than the other options available.

A USP can be anything that suggests a sense of superiority or added benefit, such as extra speed settings, a wider range of accessories or free upgrades. It’s the copywriter’s job to use the USP to give people a reason why they should buy a particular product.

With this in mind, it seems odd that Kelloggs should announce plans to start laser branding Cornflakes as a way of differentiating them from cheaper imitations. More...