“So what’s the best trick for making copy work well?” she asked. I didn’t hesitate for a second, because the answer was obvious.
Effective copy is conversational. No matter whether you’re writing a web page, a white paper, a print ad, an email, or a letter, copy that’s conversational will invariably do a better job of connecting with the reader and convincing him (or her) to do or think whatever it is you want.
When companies decide to hold some kind of prize giveaway, whether it’s a simple drawing, some kind of contest, or an all-out sweepstakes (and yes, there are legal differences between all three), one of the first decisions is what will be given away.
Typically, the big question is whether to give a single glorious prize, or multiple smaller prizes. There’s no single answer, but a key consideration is your objective in holding the giveaway.
… is one of the oldest in the book. I’ve always been a fan of direct mail (the targeted kind, not the mass junk mail version). And my clients will tell you that I’m quick to recommend it in this age of tweets and suites. In fact, I’ve told audiences that direct mail may even be more effective today, simply because so few companies are using it.
But don’t take my word for it. Lois Geller has been one of the doyennes of direct marketing for decades, and in a recent blog for Forbes, she shares her thoughts on why direct mail continues to outpull most other marketing channels.
A study from market researchers Ipsos MediaCT released this week found that fewer than half of Indiana’s small businesses (companies with fewer than 250 employees) have a website. The state’s percentage was 47 percent, surprisingly ahead of the national average of 42 percent.
If that alone doesn’t sound like a big deal to you, consider that coverage of the study also noted that 97 percent of consumers will search for local businesses online. A business that doesn’t have an online presence essentially doesn’t exist anymore.
In a recent blog entry, I mentioned a pet peeve regarding the non-word “alot.” And I mentioned that I have many pet peeves. One that many businesses make involves a homophone that carries three different spellings and three entirely different meanings.
The biggest misuses of it these days show up when companies establish a presence on the Internet. Those presences are what are known as “websites,” and yes, that’s one word, no hyphen, and no space, thank you. People who should know better (and don’t) will often use “web cites” or “web sights.” Those are bad, bad things, and if I were emperor, they would carry lengthy prison sentences and perhaps just a smidge of torture. (I’ll ignore the fact that some readers are thinking that a lecture from me on the subject would qualify as both.)
When people are naming a business or a service, they frequently struggle with finding the right name. In many cases, some private joke provides the inspiration. But be careful, because what strikes you as funny might not have the same impact on prospective customers.
I recall a restaurant that opened up under the name Crazy Chef. Somehow, I got past the apprehension and went in, where I had a pleasant lunch. I inquired about the name, and the server said the owner was known as “Crazy Nick” among his friends, who thought Crazy Chef was the perfect name for his place.
Planning to mail or email a survey to your customers or other stakeholders? Want to increase the percentage of recipients who will respond?
The best way to get a longer list of respondents is to start with a shorter survey.
I admit it: writers can be picky creatures. We see language in much the same way a carpenter sees his or her prized circular saw: a tool we wield to accomplish challenging tasks with a certain level of quality.
That’s why writers cringe … or even scream … when they encounter misuses of words. Every writer I know has his or her pet peeves. I have a collection of several pets, but one that really gets me riled up is the non-word, alot. Yes, I said non-word, because the ever-growing English language still does not recognize “alot” as a word. Nor should it.
Sometimes people need to give thoughts to the placement of their signage. Take the convenience store I passed recently that had two of those temporary yard signs placed side-by-side on their wide green lawn. Being a well-trained human, I first glanced at the sign on the left, which said “Take ‘n’ Bake Pizza $5.99,” but any appetite that created vanished when I looked right and read “We have live bait.”
Can snack foods feel insulted? That was my first thought during a visit to a Target store, when I saw an aisle sign pointing the way to “Jerky Snacks.”
Over the years, I’ve encountered many situations that were either amusing or bemusing when trying to complete projects. I’ve learned that many people don’t grasp the basics of marketing … and others seem to have missed the most basic lessons of — well, life.
For example, there are several folks who have asked me to add more information to copy while simultaneously making it shorter. Graphic designers know them as the people who want the type size larger and the type to take up less space without cutting anything.