Let’s live to tell about it

Please drink responsibly.

Whether by government decree, legal protections or social conscience, I appreciate the message brewers and distillers include in their advertisements and on packaging. It’s the most important message they convey.

Yes, please do drink responsibly. And never drink and drive.

This New Year’s weekend will be fraught with danger. As my dad always said, and I repeated to my children, nothing good ever happens after midnight. So get yourself home quickly after the ball drops. Avoid major highways. Drive slow and be very aware and alert.

Who knows what 2012 holds for all of us? Let’s live to experience it.

LiveJournal Tags: Happy New Year,don't drink and drive,designated driver,please drink responsibly,2012

Truth in advertising

Nothing galls me more than to hear or read exaggerated claims in advertising. I’m especially appalled when I suspect the misdirect is intentional. I’m taking Sprint and  Buick to task because I believe they produced commercials that mislead. Let’s take a look.

Sprint tells us “There are over a half-million apps and counting on the iPhone.”

WRONG!

There may be over a half-million apps and counting available for the iPhone, but there’s no way there are over a half-million apps on the iPhone. It’s simply impossible today.

I’m not splitting hairs here. There’s a significant difference between the two ideas. Consumers who believe there are a half-million apps on the iPhone may use that data point in their purchase decision. Apple, Sprint and the advertising agency understand this and it’s precisely why the copy is written this way.

It’s dishonest.

Buick tells us that humans have 3,000 thoughts a day. They then boast that the engine of the Buick Regal Turbo has 125 million thoughts a second.

WRONG!

A vehicle can’t think. The engine of the Buick Regal Turbo may execute 125 million instructions per second, but it can not think. It’s ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

Please don’t insult my intelligence. Write crisp, clear and concise copy that conveys the truth. Don’t deliberately mislead me with grandiose claims that you know few will challenge. It undermines your credibility, debases advertising, feeds an already cynical audience and infuriates those of us in the advertising profession who play it straight.

Precision in communication. It matters.

LiveJournal Tags: tv commercial,Apple iPhone,Sprint,Buick Regal Turbo,brand,quality,perception,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy,web content,freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media

The company you keep

I was reviewing AdWeek’s list of Top 10 Technology Stories of 2011 today. #4 is titled “A Second Act for Tech Luminaries” with the following summary:

The founders of some big successes in digital media have returned to the world of scrappy startups—but not in the traditional way. Instead, they're launching companies intended to embody the maxim that venture capitalists fund people, not ideas.

The maxim is not particularly insightful. Venture capitalists are like most bankers, and investors; they put their money behind people they trust and respect. I’m willing to bet that in most cases, VCs also like the people - in this case the tech luminaries - behind the ventures they fund.

I suggest this aspect of business relationships is sometimes compromised or ignored particularly by small and medium-sized businesses in favor of associating their corporate brand with a powerful name.

But at what cost? What have you gained if you have to sell your soul or cede some control of your business to keep Goliath happy? How is it a win for your company if you, your employees and/or your customers grit your teeth every time you have to interact with the big name partner? If customers, partners, employees or support personnel are unhappy, and/or you find your stress level at an all-time high, thereby putting your health at serious risk, have you really achieved a positive?

Approach business alliances and relationships in the same manner you approach friendships. Get to know your counterpart and ascertain that they are conducting themselves with openness, honesty and integrity. The most successful business relationships have  similar values and viewpoints and treat each other with respect. Furthermore, working together shouldn’t require a massive shift in processes or the way customers do business with either entity.

Speaking of, let’s not forget the customer voice in this business decision. Find out how they feel about your proposed alliance or partnership. Your customers do notice the company you keep. And if you want to keep their company, you need to be certain they don’t have strong reservations about this new allegiance. After all, any business partnership agreement is about serving the customer better, isn’t it?

Ideally, the sum of the whole truly is greater, strengthens each company and delivers measurable benefits to customers that enhances loyalty and your bottom line. And at the end of each day you will be able to look yourself in the mirror and smile, knowing you haven’t compromised your principles or ideals to grow your business.

LiveJournal Tags: alliance,partnership,business relationship,honesty,integrity,respect,principles,measurable benefits,customer relations,brand,quality,perception,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy,web content,freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

There’s no place like the mall for a holiday video

Many national and even smaller local companies produce holiday greetings commercials and videos as a way to thank customers for their business and express best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season. We’ve all seen them. Many are real works of art that engender strong emotional responses. Think Hershey’s Kisses. Budweiser. Coca-Cola. Macy’s.

T-Mobile, well known for their extravagant flash mob videos, outdid themselves this year. They created a “Home for the Holiday’s” music video in the Schaumburg, Illinois Woodfield Mall featuring 100 remarkable women in pink dresses. It is absolutely stunning. I suspect the video exceeded even their lofty expectations in terms of quality and artistic beauty.

The T-Mobile YouTube Channel has registered 3,774,628 views in just 22 days. The Comments section is overwhelmingly positive. People certainly love the lavish performance and applaud T-Mobile for producing it. Without a doubt, the project enhanced the T-Mobile brand. Bravo!

If this video doesn’t warm your heart and put you in the holiday spirit, nothing will. Enjoy.

Positively wonderful. One of the few times I wish I was at the mall.

LiveJournal Tags: T-Mobile,Home for the Holidays music video,Woodfield Mall,Schaumburg Illinois,customer appreciation,thank you,brand,quality,perception,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Customer appreciation (every)day

‘Tis the season to reflect on the year that’s closing and contemplate the year ahead.

As you wrap up the year, have you expressed your gratitude to your customers for their patronage? Did you call any of your top customers? Or did you send them a personal message? What did you say? How did you say it?

Did you make an exclusive offer to your best customers? What did you do for your newest customers?

Something to think about: while it is a tradition to give thanks at the end of the year, saying thank you and showing your customers appreciation for their business should be part and parcel of every interaction. This mindset should be ingrained in every employee.

That’s how customer loyalty is earned. You need to show and tell them again and again and again.

If customer appreciation isn’t standard operating procedure in your business, make it so in 2012. It’s never too late to tell your customers “I value you, thank you for your business, and look forward to serving you again in 2012.”

Precision in communications. It matters.

LiveJournal Tags: customer appreciation,thank you,brand,quality,perception,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Judging a product by its cover

Side-by-side product comparisons can come down to what’s on the package. That’s especially true for mature product categories where there are a multitude of choices.

When considering a product purchase, the information on the package should provide important insight. Features and benefits factor into the decision. The quality of the information speaks volumes about the quality of the product it describes.

Conversely, if the details are lacking, poorly conveyed, written in nonsensical language, or laced with glittering generalities, confidence in what’s inside is dramatically compromised.

Precision in communication. It matters.

LiveJournal Tags: brand,quality,perception,product packaging,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

The little things matter

When I see a website, advertisement or other promotional communication with misspellings or grammatical errors, mistrust sets in. I begin to question the quality of product or service the company provides. If their marketing is that sloppy, it suggests to me that attention to detail is not a high priority. It permeates their culture, I decide. What kind of “minor oversights” in their product or service might become a major headache for me? How can I have confidence in anything about them?

Precision in communication. It matters.

LiveJournal Tags: brand,quality,perception,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

So many questions, so little time

Only six business days left in the year. By now you should have your plans for 2012 close to complete.

Are you spending enough on marketing? How is your brand communications? Do you effectively articulate your value proposition? Are you telling your story in a unique and compelling manner? Are you satisfied with your tone of voice? Do you have a newsletter or blog or is 2012 the time to launch or revive one? What about social media?

If you welcome assistance answering these questions and/or you need a copywriter, contact me at briantbeasley@gmail.com.

LiveJournal Tags: brand,content,content marketing,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

The power of words

1,000 words paint a powerful picture. Yes indeed. Here are a few more writings that punctuate the power of words.

The National Anthem of the United States of America
How many words, can you guess? Of course it’s well short of 1,000, but such imagery and beauty it conjures! Did you know The Star Spangled Banner as originally scribed by Francis Scott Key consists of four stanzas? The first stanza is a mere 80 words. The entire poem is 312 words. You owe it to yourself to read it.

Paul Revere’s Ride
Written by perhaps the United States’ most famous poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Paul Revere’s Ride is 986 words spread across 13 stanzas. Have you ever read it in its entirety? It is a marvelous ode. I recall two classmates in middle school reciting the entire poem from memory to the awe and admiration of their peers. It was quite remarkable.

The Declaration of Independence exceeds 1,000 by a count of an additional 322 words, but I challenge you to find a photo that changed the course of human history as did this creed.

In closing, and in the spirit of the season, I offer a very famous editorial penned by Francis P. Church. It was first published in the New York Sun in 1897 in response to a query from 8 year-old Virginia O’Hanlon: Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus. With the title, it is 491 words of timeless wonder and wisdom for the ages. Click on the link and allow yourself to be 8 again and reading this letter from the editor for the first time. Epic.

LiveJournal Tags: The Star Spangled Banner,Francis Scott Key,Paul Revere's Ride,Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,Virginia O'Hanlon,Francis P. Church,New York Sun,editorial,adage,story,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

1,000 words paint a powerful picture

The origin of the adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” is generally attributed to Fred R. Barnard.  It describes beautifully how a photo can communicate a moment with intense emotional impact.

Author Scott Simon and his stepfather, author Ralph Newman countered it with a powerful adage for writers: “One picture is worth a thousand words? You give me a thousand words and I can give you:

• the Lord's Prayer,
• the Twenty-third Psalm,
• the Hippocratic Oath,
• a sonnet by Shakespeare,
• the Preamble to the Constitution,
• Lincoln's Gettysburg Address,
• the last graphs of Martin Luther King's speech to the March on Washington,
• (and) the final entry of Anne Frank's diary.”

Inspired by this short list, I’m confident others have added scores of writings that have exhilarated, entertained, educated and moved millions of people from multiple cultures over hundreds of years. (You’re welcome to add yours in Comment.)

You have a story to tell. It may take more than 1,000, but it’s important to communicate your message. All you need to do is think about why you started your business in the first place. What drives you every day to succeed? What problem do you solve? How are you superior to your competitors?

Let’s put it to words and motivate your market to action! And what the heck, we’ll throw in a few photos to assuage those with a penchant for pictures…and to mix it up a bit…and to show your product or service, which is always a good idea.

Are you ready get started? I am. Contact me at briantbeasley@gmail.com.

LiveJournal Tags: adage,story,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

When data visualization is a sinfographic

Seriously? This data visualization is supposed to make the complex simple? I think the artist reversed the terms.

This sinfographic is a crime and a prime example of creating something visually arresting – to a certain degree – that is daunting to read and nearly impossible to comprehend.

Sometimes, a couple of paragraphs with a few good old pie or bar charts is far more effective.

LiveJournal Tags: data visualization,infographics,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

The rise and fall of infographics

Data visualization, more commonly referred to as infographics, are the BIG thing these days, especially in social media. I get it because they are bold and beautiful. Moreover, they can convey a lot of data in a condensed and visually stylistic fashion. At times, they can make the complex exceptionally simple.

Now that the masses have discovered infographics and there are powerful software tools available that most anyone can use, their popularity has soared. Data visualization has gone mainstream.

As with anything that becomes wildly popular, infographics are all-too-often employed in a manner that leave critical thinkers scratching their heads. The first impression is “Wow! That’s really striking.” But after studying it for a minute, the second impression is “Wow! That’s really complicated.” 

There are plenty of examples of dynamic infographics that are artistically arresting, but dizzying to ready, practically bordering on incomprehensible. That hasn’t dimmed their popularity or discouraged anyone…yet.

The demand for infographics is high and this communications art form is apparently perceived as such a specialty that some have created businesses modeled after graphic design agencies. Here’s a prime example: Info Graphic World. Their value proposition: Infographic World is a data visualization firm, specializing in the creation of visually stunning infographics to help our clients communicate their message in a powerful manner. Check out their amazing portfolio.

Admirers of infographics will love The Infographics Showcase, an infographics design firm’s website that doubles as a repository for the “collection of the best infographics & data visualization on the Web!”  You’ll find some beauties here and examples that will make you scratch your head.

And here’s a blog devoted to the topic. Daily Infographics publishes a new infographic every day. They house quite a collection of infographics and data visualizations in 26 different categories. Some are incredible pieces of work. Click on the image to the left. It’s so large, I couldn’t possibly display it in this blog. Check the rest under Categories on their website. 

SIDEBAR: Imagine my surprise when I discovered the guys behind Daily Infographics are based in Austin Texas, the city I call home.That’s probably only interesting to me, but, what the heck, I just had to share.

Mashable loves infographics and employs them liberally and to much fanfare. They use them often enough that they created a section to house them, appropriately titled Mashable Infographics. In an unexpected twist, one of their contributing writers acknowledged that many aren’t to be taken seriously. To wit: “For a medium that leans toward the amusing, infographics can occasionally be enlightening or even helpful for later reference.”

“Amusing” and “occasionally enlightening” are not a powerful endorsements. I anticipate that sentiment, along with fatigue due to oversaturation and ill-advised and gimmicky implementations will eventually lead to some kind of backlash.

The infographic depicting the rise and fall of infographics might prove quite amusing and enlightening of itself.

LiveJournal Tags: data visualization,infographics,info graphics world,daily infographics,infographics showcase,Mashable,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

It’s a numbers game at Forbes magazine

I’m losing respect for Forbes magazine and it’s all because of their tweets. I know they publish dozens of articles daily and many of them cover the big news stories of the day in business, investing, tech, politics, leadership, science, education sports and entertainment for the world’s business leaders.

So why would more than 1/3 of their tweets be gimmicky articles by numbers*? Who decides what to post on Twitter at Forbes? Apparently that person doesn’t see the value in pushing their core stories. She or he probably has a perception of the most active Twitter users and adjusted accordingly. The result? Forbes appears to be a serial articles by numbers publisher.

From today’s Twitter feed:

6 Big Internet Trends To Watch For In 2012
10 Things You Didn't Know About Gay Travel
20 Brands That Help You Start a Business
5 Ways To Protect Your Money In 2012
5 Tips for Finding Your Life Purpose
10 States Aiming To Tax Internet Sales
10 Smart Money Moves To Make Before New Year's
5 Ways to Spot a Bad Boss In An Interview
4 Songs for the Donald Trump Debate
7 Reasons Big-Company Executives Fail in a Startup
10 Great Gifts For Travelers
5 Top Retail Success Stories for 2011
Top 10 Reasons Why Large Companies Fail To Keep Their Best Talent

And in a bit of irony…

How to Lie With Numbers: Alcohol and Health Care Edition

Now why didn’t they write this tweet with a number in the first position? Talk about missing the obvious. Here’s a better headline:

77,548 Ways to Lie With Numbers: Alcohol and Health Care Edition

Tweet that number, it’s 100% accurate. What? You don’t believe me? Tweet it anyway, the world’s business leaders love this stuff.

*13 of 38 tweets between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Central were articles by numbers 

LiveJournal Tags: numbers,articles by numbers,Forbes magazine,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Give me 5

Yesterday I wrote about the annoying trend of writing articles that educate, explain, convey, predict and share insights by the numbers. It’s the publishing gimmick for today’s attention deficit society.

Today, I decided to monitor my feed from 7 a.m. Central through 10:00 p.m. to see how many posts followed the numbers formula. Here are the results:

23 Reasons Inbound Marketing Trumps Outbound Marketing [Infographic] via @HubSpot
5 Easy Ways to Build Your Writer Platform
2 Straightforward but Underused #Social Program Amplification Strategies
5 Cloud Predictions for 2012
10 Compelling Reasons Why Your Business Should #Blog
5 Step Process to Roll out a Great Content Piece via Social Media
5 IT security breakthroughs ranging from predictive analysis to detection at the silicon level.
5 Brand Benefits of Twitter Brand Pages
34 Social Marketing Predictions for 2012
6 Secrets To Branding, Ripped From "Raiders Of The Lost Ark"
Top 6 Social Media Marketing Trends of 2011
5 Apps Banned From Apple's Store in 2011
9 Things That Motivate Employees More Than Money
4 teams on Dwight Howard's longterm wishlist
10 Biggest Virtualization Stories of 2011
5 Easy Ways to Build Your Writer Platform
3 B2B Uses of Pinned Tweets on New Twitter Brand Pages
140 Predictions About Social Marketing – 34 Experts on 2012
5 HTML5 Editors Developers Should Know
5 Tips for Finding Your Life Purpose

I’m following less than 200 Twitters users and the 80/20 rule definitely applies in my community. So, the most active users who populate my feed seem to have a love affair with articles by numbers. An analysis of the subject matter reveals that these same users aren’t much interested in weighty matters or content that provokes deep thinking.

Some numbers observations:

1. 5 seems to be the magical number leading off 45% of posts
2. 6 was second: 10% of posts
3. <5 must be discouraged; perhaps it implies the article offers too little?
4. 95% had the number in the first position of the headline
5. 95% were tweeted between 8 a.m and 5 p.m. Central

Isn’t that interesting? I ended up with only 5 observations and used the number 5 in three of the 5. This could be a good omen. Subway loves 5, as in 5 dollar foot longs. Subway is ridiculously successful. Perhaps I should quit trying to buck the trend and join the growing numbers who tweet articles by numbers.

Maybe I’ll make 5 my daily limit.

LiveJournal Tags: numbers,articles by numbers,Charles Demuth,I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold,William Carlos Williams,The Great Figure poem,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Bye the numbers

Human behavior is so predictable*, except when it isn’t. Someone somewhere somehow convinced writers and editors that if you can explain it in a 12 steps or less, do it. And write a headline with the number in the first, second or third position.

Now everyone is doing it. It’s the publishing gimmick that is beyond the ridiculous. It’s so prevalent in social media that it’s almost comical, if it weren’t so annoying. Every day, dozens of tweets stream through feeds teasing readers with posts like this: 6 Simple Steps to Becoming a Master of Social Media, or this: 7 Interview Tips That Will Get You Hired.

Here’s a sample from my Twitter feed today:

5 Easy Ways to Build Your Writer Platform
Credit Card Fraud Protection: 7 Instances When You Should Call Your Credit Card Company
5 Principles of Innovation
6 Marketing Myths
8 Bold Resolutions For Marketers
Top 6 Social Media Marketing Trends of 2011
10 Smart Money Moves To Make Before New Year's
Top 10 Small Business Predictions for 2012

Of course, most of these tweets link to articles in large publications. Not to be outdone, mass media followed suit (or perhaps it’s the other way around?). From mass media websites:

5 Ways to Winterize Your Salad
Top 5 Disappearing Places
12 smart ways to spend $1,200 in 2012
4 Ground-Floor Ways to Invest Globally

Whoever wherever and whyever wrote this unwritten rule needs to take it back.

*sorry about the sweeping generalization, Randy.

LiveJournal Tags: numbers,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Beware the writing hour

Is there a writing hour? There’s a witching hour. You know, that hour in the dead of the night when witches, spirits and other-worldly creatures awaken and are most powerful. If there’s a witching hour, why can’t there be a writing hour?

Perhaps it does exist. Perhaps there is that magical hour, perhaps different for most writers, but universal in the resultant behavior and other-worldly output, when a writer’s power becomes magical and takes on an almost mystical quality.

The writer in the writing hour

A silent observer might think the writer is in a trance-like state, parked in a seat at the desk in front of the flat screen LCD, head still, eyes rarely blinking, nary a facial muscle moving. The only physical exertion - if you consider typing exertion - is the rapid movement of fingers tapping keys on the keyboard. The body conserves power, diverting the flow of energy to the brain where the ideas and thoughts meld together and produce a continuous torrent of creative content that bursts forth on the screen.

What time of day or night could contain the writing hour? Could it be mid-morning, the brain jolted into high gear by caffeine? Or could it be in the deep of the night, when eerie silence stirs evocative emotions?

Beware the writer during writing hour. Writer interrupted could befall a terrible fate upon the guilty one.

LiveJournal Tags: witching hour,writing hour,magical hour,mystical power,trance,midnight,caffeine,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Stung by the spelling bee

Periodically I am compelled to write about spelling and proper grammar, topics many dismiss as trivial. In the grand scheme of things, they argue, it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. I ardently and fervently disagree.

I am dismayed by the prevalence of poor spelling and grammar in communication. One doesn’t have to look far to see the problem is widespread. Go to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, Google+, WordPress, Blogger, or any other social media site. Don’t stop there, though, you can find these same issues on company, media, and yes, even education web sites. In the case of institutions of higher learning, I find it appalling.

Lest ye is tempted to blame it on the generation recently out of school, allow me to set the record straight. I’ve seen these problems throughout my career. I’ve noticed that it cuts across all ages, economic classes and most every demographic. Clearly, it’s an epidemic.

Is it an important issue? Absolutely. Misunderstanding through miscommunication can lead to mistakes. Mistakes can lead to misery. Misery can lead to many things, none that are likely to have a good outcome.

Lose and Loser/Loose and Looser
When you are telling someone he or she is not a winner, you are calling that person a loser. It’s lose with an “r” on the end.

“He is a loser (not a winner) with looser morals than sailor who chases loose girls in every port and will soon lose his wife.”

Height and Weight
I’ve heard enough people say heighth that I’m beginning to wonder if it has been passed along from generation to generation. I always suspected the confusion was tied to the term width. Think weight, instead. You never say “They need to lose weighth.” Height is treated the same way:

CORRECT: It takes the whole program to a new height.

INCORRECT:  It takes the program to a new heighth.

Idea and Ideal
An idea is any conception existing in the mind as a result of mental understanding, awareness, or activity:

CORRECT:  I have a good idea.

INCORRECT: I have a good ideal.

An ideal is a standard of perfection or excellence:

CORRECT:  She is the ideal height.

INCORRECT: She is the idea height.

Could of / Could’ve
Here’s one that is commonly mispronounced in speech and misspelled in written communication.  While it sounds like “could of”, the proper term is the contraction for “could have”, which is spelled “could’ve”:

CORRECT: I could’ve gone all night.

CORRECT: I could have gone all night.

INCORRECT: I could of gone all night.

You can substitute “would of”, “would’ve” and “would have” above.

I could go all night with examples, but instead, I’ll close by extending you an invitation to share some misspellings and grammar errors you see and hear regularly. Please share them in Comment.

How To Win the Spelling Bee
If you don’t have confidence in your spelling or your grammar, or simply need a copywriter, I would be pleased to assist you in a consulting capacity. Contact me at briantbeasley@gmail.com

LiveJournal Tags: spelling,grammar,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Hark! The heralded product speaks

Upon acquiring all of the inputs from the client, the copywriter now has the data needed to formulate the appropriate tone of voice. While it may seem to many that the hard work lies ahead, in actuality, much of it is in the rearview mirror.

The copywriter’s final hurdle is to develop a creative and unique brand image and tone of voice that aligns with the internal and external perceptions of the company and the product. This is where the skilled writer thrives and excels. What’s exciting is that there is more than one creative execution at his or her disposal. It’s merely a matter of breathing life into the persona, making certain its tone of voice is authentic and sustainable, and securing the blessing of the client.

This is where it can get a bit tricky, though. After all of that work, the client may insist that the tone of voice for the brand be what they want it to be rather than what is rooted in reality. The copywriter must stay pat and explain the rationale for the chosen direction and tone of voice. The risks to the success of the product are too great. Their customers know if what they are reading and hearing about the company, product or service is consistent with their values and reasons for buying. If it rings false, they will call the company out by either inundating them with emails, tweets and messages on forums (and the client won’t appreciate their tone of voice). For a large or well-known company, the press and analysts may blast the the company in articles, editorials, and the multitude of social media outlets at their disposal. It could get ugly.

Okay, that may be a bit melodramatic, but it could happen.

In most cases, though, the copywriter will secure client approval and a new brand voice is born.

Hark! The product speaks and its tone of voice pleases. New customer acquisition and loyalty soars.

It all seems so easy.

Not.

LiveJournal Tags: tone of voice,corporate brand,product brand,brand image,brand perception,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

How to help a product find its voice

In business, injecting tone of voice in writing is infinitely more challenging than it is for characters in a novel. Ask any executive communications writer. Identifying the leader’s style and personality and flowing it into a speech, presentation, letter to the stockholders, press release or video script is not an easy task. The writer must make certain the tone meshes with the perception employees, customers, media, analysts, investors, competitors and other publics have of the individual as an executive of the company.

In addition, the writer has to make the executive at ease with the content and how she or he is being portrayed. Executives are used to giving direction, not taking it. Even at the top of the corporate ladder, human egos are fragile. Being scripted goes against their nature. The writer must make the person comfortable, which isn’t necessarily difficult for printed messages, but when it’s a video or public speech, that’s a different animal.

While it’s not easy being what is in essence a corporate ghostwriter, at least that person is representing a human being - a living, breathing person (we hope) -  someone who can give direction and provide qualitative feedback.

Try writing tone of voice for a product.

Now that’s not an animal at all; that’s an inanimate object. So how does a copywriter create a personality for a product? Good question.

It all starts with a thorough understanding of the product features, functions and benefits, the customer problem the product solves, and its competitive differentiation. The writer also needs to comprehend how the product is positioned in the market. This data all comes from marketing or the brand manager. If the assignment is with a small company that lacks these roles, the writer will have to interview the powers-that-be to acquire that information.

Discussions with those close to the product is vital anyway. The writer will hear how the executives and employees perceive the product and gain some insight into internal language. This will help ensure that the external brand communication is closely aligned. A disconnect between the two will likely undermine and diminish the branding efforts.

The copywriter also should take into account the character of the company. What are its values? What does it stand for? Read its mission statement to gain some insight here.

Other guideposts are the visual representations of the product. How does the product look and feel? How is it packaged? What are the colors and graphic style of its logo? This helps shed light on the image the company wishes to project for the brand.

The sum of all of this input gives the copywriter direction. And in most cases, that’s all this person needs to get the job done.

LiveJournal Tags: tone of voice,executive communication,corporate brand,mission statement,company values,product brand,brand image,brand perception,product features functions and benefits,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Watch your tone

“Stop shouting at me!”

“I wasn’t shouting, I was just emphasizing my point.”

When speaking, it’s absolutely clear when someone is reading you the riot act or giving you a piece of their mind, but when the exchange is in printed form, it’s not nearly so obvious.

Writers are well accustomed with the techniques of imparting a tone of voice. You’ve read many novels; how often did you miss whether the person was happy, sad, frustrated or angry? Of course, novelists have the advantage of using clarifying terms before or after a sentence:

“Oh sure, I’m just supposed to take that on faith,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Let’s use the exact same sentence, but change the context a bit:

“Oh sure, I’m just supposed to take that on faith!” she exclaimed, bitterly recalling how the man robbed her blind on the last deal.

And then again:

“Oh sure, I’m just supposed to take that on faith?” she hissed with more than a sliver of sarcasm underscoring her fury.

In each instance, the words didn’t change, but the reader quickly understood the character’s feelings and tone of voice.

Copywriters chartered with creating a tone of voice for a corporate or product brand have a significantly greater challenge.  They don’t have the luxury of using contextual descriptions in their messages. So how do copywriters establish and maintain a favorable and unique tone of voice for an inanimate object? I’ll endeavor to answer that question in my next post.

LiveJournal Tags: tone of voice,brand image,brand personality,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Who needs copy?

Content marketing. It’s the silver bullet. Be it transactional or informational web sites, content is king. The challenge companies and entrepreneurs face every day is keeping their content fresh. Competitors and others are constantly publishing gigabytes of new information. To be relevant and to maintain a high search engine ranking, it’s imperative you maintain the pace.

It also imperative your content be of high quality. Well crafted. Clear. Crisp. And precise.

This is why companies of all sizes are hiring copywriters (like me). At last.

LiveJournal Tags: content,content marketing,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging

Don’t interrupt my commercial break!

My wife learned before we were married that commercial breaks are not a time to converse with me. I absolutely love television commercials. This isn’t a passion I acquired over time; no, it’s something I recognized as a young boy.

I recall being enthralled with all kinds of advertisements in my pre-teen years. And I’m not talking about just the ones targeting kids, like cereals, fast food restaurants and toys; I was captivated by automobile, laundry detergent, soft drink, beer and paper towel commercials and even a few smartly constructed PSAs.

I believe what inspired me was that I was watching quick little skits: thirty and sixty second skits. It amazed and impressed me that a story could be effectively told in such a short time span. And executed in a variety of styles and creative deliveries!

Perhaps it’s no surprise I landed in the advertising industry, starting in media sales before landing my first agency position as a creative specialist. After stints at two other small full service shops I jumped to the client side presumably because it was more stable employment environment. I discovered my perception of corporate America was incorrect, but that’s a story for another post. I had many fantastic experiences working with some exceptionally creative people. Unfortunately, none involved writing or working in television advertising, but that’s okay.

To this day, my admiration for the thirty second vignette has not waned even a smidgen. When a commercial comes on, I am glued to the screen. Some of you may be thinking, “Well, if he loves TV commercials so much, why doesn’t he write a blog about them?” Astute question. I, in fact, do write a blog about advertising that is heavily skewed toward television. You can find it here.

While helping with packet pick-up today at the Ronald McDonald House-Austin for their spectacular Lights of Love 5K fundraiser tomorrow, someone referenced a Toyota television commercial that cracks me up every time I watch it.

It’s this kind of work that captivates me. I have so much respect and admiration for the creative people behind the best in television advertising. I’d relish the opportunity to work on a commercial of this magnitude. Maybe some day.

LiveJournal Tags: television advertising,tv commercial,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging