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Entries Tagged as 'Copywriting'

What we can learn from SPAM

by Drew McLellan

August 18th, 2009 · Copywriting

Spam Remember when the word SPAM meant that meat substitute in a can?  Today, it seems like there is no escape from the relentless barrage of junk e-mail.  

Every day, electronic hucksters offer us investment opportunities, Nigerian fortunes to be shared, PayPal and bank look-alikes who want us to update our credit card information, Canadian pharmaceuticals and enhancements of every variety.

Annoying?  You bet.  Expensive?  Just ask any of the major corporations who have spent millions to build firewalls.  But let’s remember one thing. The odds are against them and yet they keep at it. The spammers wouldn’t keep sending the e-mails if they didn’t work.

What can we learn from their tactics?

Your headline is vital.  In this case, it’s the subject line of the e-mail.  If it isn’t compelling, you’ll get no further.  Tell them why they can’t afford to stop reading.

Brevity works.  You don’t need to pack every fact into each effort.  One key message per marketing piece should be your rule of thumb.

Frequency is critical.  Sending just one piece is a waste of money and time.  On average, it takes 8-13 impressions to really catch someone’s attention.  So don’t stop short.

Know your audience’s heart.  Headlines like “we won’t say no to your loan request” and “be the man she wants you to be” play on the recipient’s deepest emotions – fear, worry, insecurities.

It’s not about you.  SPAM e-mails never wax on about their company’s history or tout their depth of industry knowledge.  They cut to the chase and talk about their product and what it will do for the recipient.

Naturally, I am not endorsing you start sending out SPAM.  But there’s no reason we can’t borrow from their techniques.  Just remember, use your knowledge for good, not evil!

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Stories stick and sell

by Drew McLellan

April 26th, 2009 · Books, Copywriting, Marketing, Passion

60049803 Stories are a part of our lives from the time we're babies. 

  • Dad read stories to us at bed time. 
  • Mom tells us the story of the little boy who bumped his head because he didn't put on his seat belt. 
  • Grannie's stories about growing up and getting her first TV set teaches us about innovation.
  • Papa regals us with his tale of how his stage kiss brought down the house in high school connects our generational passion for theater.

Then, we get to school.  In just about every class we are taught via stories.  Whether it's a history lesson wrapped up in the Gold Rush, a humanities study woven into haunting Holocaust stories, or a sociology primer on how people around the globe practice their religion — school is filled with stories.

When we date…what do we do to learn about the other person?  Exactly….we tell stories.  Whether they're sad, funny, heartwarming or ego-boosting — human beings teach and learn via stories.

Recognizing all of that, doesn't it make sense that we would use stories in our marketing?  The truth is…the tactic is already all around us.  Jared is thin, thanks to Subway.  eHarmony couples want you to be as happy as they are,and average Joe John Erlendson wants you to know that Lipitor is keeping his heart healthy.

Dandy…you're sold.  You now believe that stories can help you strengthen your brand, sell more and reinforce your customers' buying decision.

Now what?

Creating stories to use in your marketing, especially if you are going to use real customers, is no small task.  Fortunately, there's a book out to help.  Casey Hibbard has written Stories that Sell, which is literally a step-by-step playbook of how to create incredibly powerful marketing tools from customer stories.

In the book, Hibbard covers everything from planning the campaign, to finding the best stories (even stories you didn't know about), getting your customers to say yes to letting you tell their story, and how to create compelling stories that really stick.  There are 9 steps in all and she explains each one in detail so you can't possibly go astray.

This is a very practical and yet inspiring book.  You'll read it and know with confidence that you can hunt down the right stories and create amazing marketing materials from them.

Want even better news?  I have three signed copies to give away. Just leave a comment and we'll randomly select three lucky winners!

In the meantime…how are you using stories today in your marketing?  Or, how would you like to?

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Are you real?

April 21st, 2009 · Copywriting · 9 Comments

How many times have you listened to a radio commercial and started laughing out loud because “no one talks like that!?”   We all have a certain style in how we talk and write. As individuals. As a society. As an age group. As an income bracket. As a profession. Getting the idea? One of the [Read more...]

Does your bank want to check your indent?

April 4th, 2009 · Copywriting · 2 Comments

I laughed out loud when I saw this sign outside a bank's drive-up window.   And, they're so worried about your indents, they had an identical sign in the adjacent window.  Let this be a reminder to all of us — for the love of all that is holy — PROOFREAD! Related articles by Zemanta Proofread [Read more...]

Juicy words stimulate the senses and the urge to buy

December 29th, 2008 · Copywriting · 10 Comments

I have to credit my daughter's 2nd grade teacher Bonnie Brockberg (many moons ago) with the phrase "juicy words."  She was teaching the class about adjectives and that's how she described them. I've stolen the phrase and used it ever since. Juicy words.  Succulent words.  Words that add both a flavor and a sound (or [Read more...]

10 words to avoid in 2009

December 22nd, 2008 · Copywriting, Current Affairs, Marketing · 25 Comments

Good friend to the Marketing Minute, Susan Gunelius (author of Harry Potter, the story of a global business phenomenon) has a great article on Entrepreneuer's website.  In the article, Susan reminds us that the normally jaded and wary consumer is even more so after the economic struggles of 2008. I think her list will surprise [Read more...]

The more important your message, the less you should say

December 8th, 2008 · Branding, Copywriting, Marketing, Strategy · 22 Comments

My daughter will be 16 next summer.  Which means she sends a lot of text messages.  It also means I send a lot of text messages.  When in Rome… One truth I have discovered is that even in that abbreviated medium, it’s easy to be long-winded.  For every sentence I text, her retention and response [Read more...]

Are you choosing your words carefully?

October 13th, 2008 · Copywriting · 4 Comments

"I once used the word "obsolete" in a headline, only to discover that 43% of housewives had no idea what it meant. In another headline I used the word "ineffable," only to discover that I didn’t know what it meant myself." The brilliant David Ogilvy had that to say about his own copywriting. When was [Read more...]

Are you expecting too much from your marketing?

August 25th, 2008 · Copywriting, Customers/Clients, Marketing · 13 Comments

Did you read the paper today?  Or watch TV?  Spend any time on Facebook or some other website?  Did you see an ad for something you wanted?  Or read an article about a service provider you’d been considering? Did you leap up from your chair, rush to the car and go immediately to that store [Read more...]

The back story for the most brilliant outdoor campaign ever

August 21st, 2008 · Copywriting, Innovation & Creativity, Marketing, Media · 17 Comments

Many of you, in the comments section and via e-mail, have been asking about the back story of this campaign.  Quite honestly — I didn’t know it.  I had stumbled upon the creative years ago and used it as an example of "go ahead, break the rules" kind of thinking. But, all of that has [Read more...]