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May 14, 2012
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I used a rather jaunty tone of voice to make this electrician’s website a little more fun than the standard approach.

http://rawlingselectrical.co.uk/electrician-bournemouth

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No nasty surprises

…only nice ones

Don’t worry, everyone groans when they have to get a workman in. I’ve been in your shoes; all you can think about is the noise. The mess. The cost. The inconvenience.

I think about that stuff too. And because I do, you’ve got lots of nice surprises in store.

For a start, I’ll turn up when I say I will. The right time, as well as the right day.

I’ll give you a very reasonable price up-front. And stick to it.

I’ll even take good care of your carpet, try not to scare the cat, and won’t keep you chatting while you’re trying to dash out of the door for work, or to pick the kids up.

I’m good like that.

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May 04, 2012
FC Douch Funeral Directors - web copy

Here’s an example of a little something I’ve been working on, thanks to the lovely agency A Thousand Monkeys. The commission was to re-write the Home, Guidance and About Us sections for the freshly designed website.

The tone of voice (TOV) for a funeral directors’ website is something that you need to get just right; friendly but professional, natural but not casual. Here’s a sample of what I came up with (under the watchful eye of TOV genius, Richard Spencer):

“When someone dies, it can be hard to think straight. Add to that all the decisions you need to make about the funeral and it can feel overwhelming. Just remember, call us any time and we’ll help you decide what to do for the best, at every step.

We’ve been looking after bereaved families in our community for many years. So when you make that call, there’ll be a friendly, experienced person on the other end who understands just what you need, and when.”

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February 16, 2012
What’s the difference between bad writing and good writing? Bad writing rushes in and grabs a handful of arrows. It flings them at the target. Bad writing grabs at handfuls of words. Without a clear idea of what it’s trying to say. It talks a lot but says nothing. Good writing is thoughtful. It selects the right arrow and nocks it on a bow. Aims. Releases. And hits the Bull’s Eye. Good writing selects the right idea and the right approach to hit the target. Good writing is a powerful weapon.  So what’s your target?

What’s the difference between bad writing and good writing?

Bad writing rushes in and grabs a handful of arrows. It flings them at the target.

Bad writing grabs at handfuls of words. Without a clear idea of what it’s trying to say.

It talks a lot but says nothing.

Good writing is thoughtful.

It selects the right arrow and nocks it on a bow. Aims. Releases. And hits the Bull’s Eye.

Good writing selects the right idea and the right approach to hit the target.

Good writing is a powerful weapon. 

So what’s your target?

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February 07, 2012

Why good copywriting is essential.


Because visiting a website is like going on a blind date.

Imagine I’m a woman who’s just arrived at a bar for a blind date.

My date’s chosen a great location – a sophisticated wine bar in the centre of town. And there he is, in the right place at the right time. He’s dark and good-looking; smart in an expensive, charcoal-grey suit. It’s a promising start.

I say hello and sit down next to him at the bar. He stares at me blankly. This is awkward. I order my own drink. Then he starts talking. Apparently he makes widgets. He goes into a lot of detail about how widgets work. I don’t even know what a widget is.

He doesn’t ask me any questions about myself. But he looks gorgeous, I’ll give him another chance. “So tell me,” I smile, leaning towards him slightly, “What can your widgets do for me?”

He doesn’t smile back. He repeats his speech about widgets without once changing the pitch or pace of his voice. I start to wonder if he’s had a personality by-pass. I stop listening.

What a waste. He looks amazing but as soon as he starts talking, it’s a total turn-off.

The first guy is your gorgeous website without good copywriting.

Behind him is another good-looking guy in a grey three-piece suit. He smiles at me and hands me a glass of wine. I’m impressed; it’s a Pinot Grigio. He’s noticed what I’ve been drinking and ordered me another.

I go and sit next to him. My first date doesn’t appear to notice I’ve left. I talk to the new guy for a while, he asks me where I live and what I do. He listens attentively. It turns out he’s an expert in widgets too. I say I don’t really understand why I need widgets. He names three ways that widgets would improve my day-to-day life. Now I’m interested. When he asks me out to dinner, I say yes. Now this could be the start of a long-lasting relationship.

The second guy is your gorgeous website with good copy.

 Make sure you sound as good as you look.  

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January 28, 2012
I remember the days when I used to be a 1. (shakes head sadly) Now, I am a 4. (shakes head sadly). (Thanks to Shaan Haider for this. Click on photo to see original article.)

I remember the days when I used to be a 1. (shakes head sadly) Now, I am a 4. (shakes head sadly).

(Thanks to Shaan Haider for this. Click on photo to see original article.)

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January 23, 2012

Writing Tip #12: Inspiration is inconvenient.

Waiting for the kettle to boil. In the shower. Walking the dog.*

That tends to be when ideas find us.

Or about 3 minutes after you press ‘send’ on the email. 

The conscious mind, the logical mind can crank out some kind of ideas at just about any time of day, including office hours. We like that. We trust that. It’s convenient.

But it is in the swirling depths of the subconscious that the true inspiration swims. It watches you patiently. It waits til you’ve stopped trying to ‘logic’ your way to the answers.

That’s when the subconscious throws up an idea. Like the sea tossing a beautiful piece of driftwood onto the shore. That idea just drifts into your thoughts. 

That’s why you need time. Read the brief. Research. Jot a few ideas down.  Sleep on it.

And let your subconscious go to work.

Job done.

*Don’t do these at the same time.

 

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January 20, 2012

Writing Tip #37: Be concise.

Use the fewest words you can.

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January 20, 2012
91 notes
vintageanchor: “And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise.  The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath

vintageanchor:

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise.  The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
– Sylvia Plath

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January 19, 2012

Writing Tip #34: Write badly

The blank page is intimidating. Don’t let it stare you down. Instead, get something down. Anything. As quick as you can. Write badly. Spell every word wrong. 

If you try and produce the perfect first sentence, the perfect idea, you will intimidate yourself into inertia. Give yourself permission to create utter drivel. 

Keep going and don’t stop. Let the words and ideas pour out. Only after this stage go back and sift through it. Amid the dross you will find gold. Maybe a speck, maybe a nugget. Look for the golden spark of something you can work on.

Then work on it. A lot.

“You can fix a bad page. You can’t fix a blank one.” Nora Roberts 

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January 15, 2012
Writing direct mail for Barclaycard was a good opportunity to invent some eye-catching headlines and hooks as well as body copy. 

Writing direct mail for Barclaycard was a good opportunity to invent some eye-catching headlines and hooks as well as body copy.