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How to be a Spotty Zebra: Standout Marketing
Creating Standout Marketing Before talking about creating standout marketing, I want to clear one thing up. I know that zebras have stripes, not spots. And that is precisely my point. When writing copy for your marketing strategy, you must create something different if you want to stand out from the background noise. Which is why […]
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9 Elements of Great Copywriting
Great copywriting? Not all copywriting is great. Some is mediocre. Some is downright tragic. So, how can you make sure yours is great? The following nine elements are essential for great copywriting. Together, they create an overpowering force that will leave your reader in no doubt that your company is the one they want […]
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Stop Trying to Turn Your White Papers into Brochures
White papers and brochures are two very different animals; do not get them confused. However, before I step onto my soapbox, I want to mention one thing – white papers are not just for large corporations that do complex stuff. White Papers are a marketing tool used to help potential customers resolve challenges they are […]
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Copywriting Brief – How to write a good’un
What is the most important rule you should follow when writing a copywriting brief? If you’re not sure, let me tell you a story. First thing on Monday, you’re called into your line manager’s office. “There’s a bit of restructuring happening at the moment,” you’re told. “We’re repackaging some of our services, so we need […]
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6 Grammar Rules Copywriters Should be Breaking
Grammar rules – an archaic set of instructions that allows us to structure sentences. But does it fit today’s language? Granted, there would be chaos without rules, but following grammar rules to the letter can make your writing stilted and unwieldy. It’s commonly accepted that the most effective form of copywriting is natural, i.e., closer […]
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Trust Me. I’m a Professional Copywriter
Why You Should be Open-minded When Working with a Professional Copywriter You’ve decided it’s time to call in a professional copywriter. Yes, it will stretch your budget, but you understand the importance of focusing on the long-term benefits of professionally written content. You’ve been smart, done your research and realised that offshore content mills are […]
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How Copywriting Overcomes ‘What if…’ Syndrome
Overcoming objections is one of the many focuses of copywriting. If your business sells goods online, your ‘shopping experience’ must be exceptional. Why? For many people, shopping online is still dabbling in the unknown. If they buy something from a High Street store, they can speak with staff, see the product, pay for it, and […]
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What Exactly is Copywriting?
You know, during my copywriting career, numerous people have asked exactly what do I do? Some think my profession is legal – i.e., a copyrighter – wrong. Some are under the impression that I copy things out for a living – also wrong. Copywriting is all about persuading someone to buy something or influence […]
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Copywriting Agency or Freelance Copywriter – which is best?
In the red corner, we have a copywriting agency. In the blue corner, a freelance copywriter. Which one do you hire to do your copywriting? Will it be the marketing agency that does your design and web work, or do you find yourself a professional freelance copywriter? Let’s look at them in detail. Copywriting […]
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Copywriting Should Reflect Customer Needs, Not Your Wants
Customer needs is a typical conversation I have with clients. They tell me what they want me to write about, and I tell them that’s rubbish (ok, not in those exact words) and that their copy must give their customers want they need. In other words, background about your business, comments like ‘industry-leading’, ‘cutting-edge’, ‘state-of-the-art’ […]
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