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Beyond best practices in white papers: let’s talk best propositions, preoccupations and prospects.

Given how many manifestations white papers have today, talking about best practices can be a challenge. It seems like the lines are becoming more and more blurry among white papers, e-books, case studies, research papers, and even brochures. So what are the best practices today? Rather than lay down a rigid white paper template and […]

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Pre-note to TMSA2019

The Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) annual conference just unofficially kicked off in Florida tonight. Media biggies, JOC, SupplyChainBrain, Supply Chain Dive and AGILE are all in attendance. Editors from each will be panelizing tomorrow.  This is my second year and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to learn more about the transportation and […]

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How copywriting contributes to a great customer experience.

No one wants to do business with a computer, or have a relationship with a robot. It’s creepy.  That’s why it’s important to keep your web copy, content, case studies and email communications personal.  That’s not an easy task as companies become more digital and virtual. Nevertheless, making your writing personal is my number one […]

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Award shows are about more than winning.

  Awards shows play a crucial role in inspiring us to open our minds to new possibilities, they fuel the competitive spirit to perform to a higher standard and they teach us how it’s done. The “textbook” of my first copywriting class was a One Show awards annual—the book that displays all of the winning […]

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What does it take to become a “shipping partner of choice?”

Use referrals, case studies, and video to demonstrate proof of performance. Perhaps the greatest takeaway I received at the recent Transportation Sales and Marketing Association conference came during the shipper panel. It was the opportunity to listen to a panel of prominent decision-makers live and unfiltered. The panel members are part of a very elusive […]

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Discovery in the copywriting process.

Whether you call it “discovery” or “research” – consider it an essential part of the copywriting process.

A few months ago I attended the AdAge B2B conference in NYC. One of the attendees, a marketing director at a small or midsized company, asked a question that befuddled the panel of agency luminaries. She asked why every agency she came in contact with insisted on going through a lengthy discovery process of uncovering […]

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Give your website’s About Us page a big guy look.

Make a great big impression with an About Us page that tells a story.  When you’re 5’7” or so, it sometimes helps to know a few tricks for making yourself seem more imposing than your height allows you. Years ago, my friend Scott came up with a simple solution for when he was driving in […]

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Crank out ideas by the bucket.

My time-tested approach for coming up with lots of ideas in a short time frame. You know, there as a time not too long ago, when clients would actually give you two weeks to come up with concepts for an ad. Yup. One ad, two weeks. These days, you’re lucky if you get two days […]

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Why won’t you let me read my copy to you?

It’s important for copywriters and designers to present their work in person (or over the phone anyway.) I encounter almost universal resistance to presenting my work to clients. And just so you know, when I say, “present” I mean read my copy aloud to you over the phone as opposed to just emailing. I think […]

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World’s Best Subject Line – Part 1

Learn to write email subject lines that readers can’t resist. If you’re like me, you probably strain over what to put in the subject line of your e-blasts. You ask yourself: “What will compel people to open it and not delete it?” “How do I make sure my email passes safely through spam filters?” “Is there […]

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