It used to drive me crazy when clients would tell me, “I showed your ideas to my spouse, and…” Or “Let me get back to you, I just want to show the ideas around and see what people think.” I’ve kind of come to grips with the fact that a lot of clients are going […] Continue Reading →
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 […] Continue Reading →
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 […] Continue Reading →
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 […] Continue Reading →
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 […] Continue Reading →
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 […] Continue Reading →
World’s Best Subject Line – the Exciting Conclusion
How to write subject lines that draw readers in deeper. Hope you had a relaxing Memorial Day – and didn’t check your emails too much. Okay, maybe just the ones with the really great subject lines. Speaking of which, here is the follow-up to Part I of my list of tips for writing subject lines […] Continue Reading →
The Truth about Drinking and Writing
Will drinking help your writing, or will it just make people think you’re drunk? You ever wonder whether there’s any truth to all that Hemingway, Bukowski lore about liquor somehow lubricating the creative process and making you write beyond your potential? Well, I have a few “valuable insights” gleaned from my experiences writing, drinking, and […] Continue Reading →
The Beaucoup Benefits of Working with a Professional Copywriter
Even designers who write, can benefit from working with a copywriter. Are you one of the designers who can write? They do exist—I know, because I’ve worked with them. But no designer is an island, especially when it comes to words. Even if you know how to turn a phrase or crank out a post, […] Continue Reading →
The Nine Steps to Great Naming: Part I
Congratulations, you have a new product or service. You’ve poured years of effort and experience into it, and it’s just what the market needs. But, your baby has no name. So, how do you pick a memorable, distinctive and meaningful name–without making yourself crazy in the process? Here are the first four of my nine […] Continue Reading →
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Nine Steps to Great Naming: Part II
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The Nine Steps to Great Naming: Part I
- The Beaucoup Benefits of Working with a Professional Copywriter
- Sell Sheets: Meet the Diamond in the Rough of Marketing Materials
- Put Your Marketing Materials to the SUD Test
- Tips for countering the Great Resignation in transportation and logistics.