I started taking drum lessons in seventh grade. We were taught “rudiments” which are like scales for other instruments. Learning these rolls and triplets prepared me for band and orchestral music but not for jazz and not for improvisation. I didn’t realize I needed a different perspective, one with rhythm and passion. A friend who was a jazz musician gave me The Drums of Passion by Michael Olatunji. He thought it would give me that new perspective. I have never lost this rhythm. Listen and you’ll understand.
Passion and experience
Many a night have I tossed and turned with words scrolling through my mind trying to find the right headline or a different arrangement for a sentence. Obsessive? No, exacting. This is the kind of passion I’m talking about.
Expressing the right idea, touching someone else’s heart, creating interest and value for the reader, that is writing with passion – regardless of whether I am working on a TV commercial, a video script, a website or a brochure.
A good copywriter can climb right inside the mind of the reader and that takes experience. A huge part of copywriting (and Internet marketing especially) is being able to strike a cord with a particular audience. What motivates my audience? What makes them angry, frustrated, happy or hopeful? That is always in the forefront of a good copywriter’s mind. How can I move them to action?
I am more inquisitive than most people I know. I am called on to write about photovoltaics, free-range chicken and cubicle furniture. I am challenged endlessly to come up with new angles on the same products and services. Without a genuine lust for learning, and a healthy tolerance for research, I would not be able to understand the mechanics of everyday objects (the crux of copywriting). Good copywriters crave knowledge, are tickled by trivia and love knowing the inside story.
To write marketing literature that really connects with people and drives them to action, I need to understand, and more importantly the reader needs to understand, the values your business holds dear. All of this information forms the foundation of your business branding but rarely can you articulate those details, with passion. I need lots of details and I need to hear you express why you are in business.
This appreciation for what you offer is fundamental to transforming routine promotional language into a heartfelt brand identity. If done well, the copy in a sales letter or a newsletter or a speech will take the prospect on a small journey. The story will help the customer know exactly what they are buying and why they are buying from you. This is the voice of your brand which lingers in the subconscious of your audience because it speaks their language. A good copywriter will breathe life into your brand, creating a personality that your audience will value. Before you tell them what’s in it for them, you have to explain what’s in it for you.
So I am an editor, headline writer, technical translator, researcher and improviser — all of which require passion and experience. The first is inbred; the second is only gained over time. It takes a lot of practice to get it right and hours of rehearsal to make it blend together.
As you are crossing out and drawing arrows on your to-do list today try approaching the process with outsourcing in mind. See if this chart helps:
While you are racing to accomplish Column One, be thinking about Column Two. It will give you more time to work on Column three.
| What you do best or have to do | What you need help with – Outside talent | What I want more time to do |
| Sales | Blog writing | Recruiting |
| Customer relations | Videos for YouTube | Seminars |
| Project management | Web design | Research |
| Financials | Speechwriting | |
| Accounting |
Finding creative writers, photographers and web designers is easier than you might think. Start by posting a job on some of these Denver resources:
When the emails start coming in, ask for samples of their work. Better yet, do they have a link to a website or blog they have developed.
Another idea is to test the creative. Send them something you have done and ask for their ideas and suggestions.
Some creatives work on an hourly basis, others will quote a flat fee for the work. Many will want to start on an hourly basis until they trust that you can articulate what you want rather than “keep showing me ideas until I see something I like.” When the collaboration is working well between you, the rates become more predictable.
Give it a try. The idea is to get more done with less of your own time, enjoy life more and make the TO DO list shorter.
Related links
Chas. McNamara - SHOW&TELL
Phone: 720-951-0001. Email: cmcharlesmcn@gmail.com
Also take a look at The advantages of outsourcing and Why use a freelance copywriter
Research indicates that the majority of buyers conduct their own research using the internet and then contact you, not vice versa. Do you know what your customers/prospects are searching for in relation to your business?
When is the last time you used your “yellow pages?”
The Internet is the first place they turn for information and they do it nearly 18 billion times each month. Your website is unlikely to be the first thing they find. You can engage them earlier with stories, fact sheets and case studies using the technologies of connection rather than waiting for them to find your website.
Q1: What are the three most important buying criteria for your prospects?
Start talking about these criteria on line. Become “needs focused.”
Q2: What are the three biggest challenges you’re having with your prospects?
What are their worst fears? What do they think might go wrong? Describe what you do in your business to relieve their fears, besides promises. Develop recommendations to help them avoid these problems.
Producing interesting, non-promotional content is critical. It is more than offering product or service information. It is understanding what customers are looking for when searching. What problems are they trying to solve? If you publish solutions, answers and guidance you begin to look like the best choice.
If you struggle with writing, or the time to do it, hire a professional writer to do some of the work with you. Have a publishing schedule.
Chas. McNamara – SHOW&TELL
Phone: 720-951-0001. Email: cmcharlesmcn@gmail.com
If our ideas aren’t worth a nickel, you won’t owe us a dime.
Also take a look at Five Content Marketing Tips.
The phrase Publish or Perish was coined to describe the pressure in academia to continuously publish new scholarly work to sustain, or further, one’s career. The effort built credibility, a following and a reputation.
The importance of building credibility and trust in today’s marketplace cannot be overstated. Your new “weblog” is the “library” which stores and organizes your features, fact sheets, news and ideas. It quickly becomes the customer’s reference center, the press’ resource center and employee information center.
Blogs are also much more search engine friendly than the average website because recent changes by Google to its search process penalizes stale websites and rewards constantly updated sites such as the blog. The result is increased traffic to your website homepage, or specific pages, through links.
Every posting to your online publication uses new words and phrases meaning you are constantly anticipating what prospects may be using in their search phrases.
The range of articles you develop not only provides more value to your readers, but also demonstrates that you are a reliable resource in your field. The world is full of facts, promotions and advertising. People don’t want more of the same. They want something they can believe in, enjoy and engage in. They would also appreciate some guidance from reliable sources; someone to explain; to keep them up to date; someone they trust.
A blog can easily be added to your existing website and it allows you to gather instant feedback from reader comments. A good blog should be updated no less than once a month and can be updated as often as hourly. The content you develop can then be adapted for use on other search-friendly platforms such as Box.Net, SlideShare, YouTube and Email marketing.
Finally, don’t forget to let the local press know about your blog. They will appreciate having a resource on your industry and background information for story ideas.
To explore the purpose and content of your weblog, contact Charles McNamara at SHOW & TELL.
If our ideas aren’t worth a nickel, you won’t owe us a dime.
Phone: 720-951-0001. Email: cmcharlesmcn@gmail.com
Take a look at: Seven Content Strategies to Build Trust and Measuring Blog Influence
Why photo (c) Shashi bellamkonda
