Copywriting Is Critical To Your Success – Don’t Hire Newbies And Wannabes To Do It!

David Ogilvy, one of the legendary figures in advertising and copywriting said this, “Advertising agencies are infested with men and women who cannot write.  They cannot write advertisements and they cannot write plans.  They are as helpless as deaf mutes on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.”

OK Dave, tell us how you really feel.

Copywriting is both a science and an art.  It takes talent, training and experience.  Sadly, too many small businesses – and some sizable ones – place their unique messaging (a crucial aspect of marketing) in the hands of relatively inexperienced juniors who, like a bland meal, need a lot more seasoning.

I am a long-term professional copywriter who’s worked with international agencies and small businesses alike.  My tip for today is to find a very good marketing copywriter, pay them by the project and get far better work for far fewer dollars.  They’ll even spend time training and mentoring your “juniors”.

More Marketing Consultant Advice

As a veteran marketing consultant offering professional copywriting services, I love sharing my marketing tips, insights and secrets.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to http://www.moneywordsmarketing.com/alans-blog/.

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Good Copywriters Sometimes Break The Rules – Intentionally!

Who Are You Trying To Communicate With?

If I were writing for a bunch of English professors, I’d say, “With whom are you trying to communicate?” Sometimes proper grammar is a necessary casualty of good copywriting.

Don’t get hung up on blindly following the rules. Know when you can throw away the stylebook and write in the voice of your reader and when you can’t.

I’m sure some purists out there may see it differently. They may even note that in this one short piece, I commit a number of grammatical faux pas of my own. Note the sentence ending in a preposition, the sentence fragments, imperfect and some debatable contractions. I assure you, this is purely intentional. I am a copywriter.

If It Ain’t Broken…

Throughout the history of marketing and advertising, copywriters have always chosen what works over what’s perfect. Copy has to read right. It should be Clear, Concise and Conversational.

Let’s take a look at some great, winning ad copy that displays some not so perfect grammar.

“The Few. The Proud. The Marines.”

Three two-word sentences in row? Bad! Bad! Bad? No! Good! Why? It’s Memorable. It’s Easy. It Works.


“Winston Tastes Good Like A Cigarette Should”

If we were in Mrs. Mercer’s English class, I’m sure we’d lose points for saying “like” instead of “as”. Trouble is, most people use “like” because it sounds more natural to them. Moral: Don’t mess with Mother Nature.

“Think Different”

OK, I know.  It should be “Think Differently”.  Good catch.  But that’s humdrum and uninspiring.  For some reason “Think Different” tested out much better.  What can you expect from a computer company named after a fruit?  A lot, as it turns out. 

“Raid Kills Bugs Dead”

Spawned in 1966, this overly redundant tag line is still in use today.  (Happy 50th Anniversary)  Check out Raid’s website URL (www.killsbugsdead.com).  Great copywriting is a gift that keeps on giving.

If It Works, It’s Good Copywriting

The most telling test of your talents is not in the awards you may garner, not even in the title on your business card.  The most telling test is can you write copy that sells.

Fellow copywriters, maybe we’ll never write the great American novel.  (I tried once, but being trained to write tight, all I came out with were nine short stories.)  But y’know, I kind oflike it better this way.

Many business owners need help in crafting their marketing, advertising, online web copywriting and content, press releases and the like.  I encourage you to find a good marketing strategy consultant or professional copywriting servicewho can take what’s in your heart and your head and put it in a way that will let you reach your goal of educating your prospects, allowing them to conclude they should do business with you.

For more details visit: professional copywriters services

Related Post: Write Like Your Customers Talk

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The Copywriter’sThree C’s Of Effective Communication

You won’t succeed in marketing if your message can’t be easily read and understood.  Follow the example of the great communicators and craft your messages using these three C’s of Effective Communication.

Why Do People Communicate?

Simply put, it’s to convey their thoughts to others and achieve a certain result.  So why do so many make a hash of it all?  Perhaps because no one ever told them how easy it is to do it correctly.

Have you read the writings of Thomas Jefferson?  Listened to speeches by FDR, Churchill and Reagan?  Have you heard Jack Welch or Lee Iacocca speak? 

They are confident, direct and easy to understand. They don’t lead you through a hazy maze and challenge you to find the meaning.  The same is true when you read great copywriters like David Ogilvy, Rosser Reeves and Bill Bernbach.

All of these master communicators have one thing in common.  They follow the rule of the Three C’s Of Effective Communication.

Clear Ÿ Concise Ÿ Conversational

Clear – Use simple, familiar words whose meanings are universally understood.  This leaves little room for misinterpretation.  President William Taft said “Don’t write so that you can be understood; write so that you can’t be misunderstood.”

Too many people speak or write to impress others.  They use ten-dollar words and obscure jargon.  Don’t do that.  It negates the entire reason for communicating – to be heard and move people to action.  Even Einstein tells us, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

Concise – Use short words and simple sentences.  Convey one concept at a time.  Tell your whole story but do it in as few words as possible.  Thomas Jefferson said “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” I agree.

Conversational – I like to think of copywriting as talking to a friend over my kitchen table.  It has to flow like a good conversation.  Sometimes, strict rules of grammar have to be bent. Churchill was once admonished for ending a sentence with a preposition.  “Madam” he replied, “that is a sin up with which I shall not put.”  Message received, Sir Winston.

When marketing you need to tell your customers about the benefits of doing business with you.  Good marketing communications – based on the Three C’s – can be the difference between just getting by and being a roaring success.

Many business owners need help in crafting their marketing, advertising, online web copywriting and content, press releases and the like.  I encourage you to find a good brand strategy consultant or professional copywriting service who can take what’s in your heart and your head and put it in a way that will let you reach your goal of educating your prospects, allowing them to concludethey should do business with you.

Read more »