• What Do Copywriters And Annoying Kids Have In Common?

      Copywriters are just like annoying kids. Why? Exactly. Huh? OK, let me go back to the beginning. My kids are all grown up now, but one of their most annoying traits (there weren’t many; they were little angels – honest) was their constant questioning. Practically every sentence that left their mouths started with ‘why?’ […]

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  • Why Are Professionally Written Words Best?

      Words. You use them every day. You send emails to customers, create marketing materials, produce content for your website…the list is endless. How much thought are you giving to the words you use? What you write will have a significant impact on how people perceive you and your business, which is why professional writing […]

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  • Contractions In Your Marketing Copy – Right or Wrong?

      Should you use contractions in your marketing copy? That is a question that causes divisions. One camp thinks the use of contractions makes writing come across as natural and friendly. The other camp thinks they lower the tone and are sloppy. After browsing through the many blogs I have written over the years, I […]

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  • How To Make Your Content Irresistible

      Before I launch into this post about how to make your content irresistible, I want to point out I’m making a few assumptions: You are a fair writer with a good grasp of grammar You have a deep understanding of the topic that you’re writing about You know the audience you are writing for […]

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  • Copywriting Done In-house Can Be Unsanitary And Flamboyant

      Hang on a minute; writing is writing, right? It doesn’t matter what format it takes – advertising, marketing, fiction, and academic – its just words on a page or screen. Oh boy – that’s the kind of idea that’s responsible for all the terrible sales copy out there. Why? Because everyone thinks they can […]

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  • How To Hire A Copywriter

      Hiring a copywriter – or rather the right copywriter for you – can be a lengthy process. Not only do you want to be sure the person you’ve found has the right skills (i.e. is a professional copywriter rather than a content writer), you also have to be sure you can work with them. […]

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  • A Feature Is Not A Benefit

      Not so long ago, I wrote a blog post about features and benefits. I was back on my soapbox again talking about the difference between features and benefits. Just to remind you: A feature is what something is A benefit is what something does So why am I writing about this again so soon? […]

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  • Features and Benefits – Yet Another Review

      Features and benefits are something I’ve looked at many times in the past. Why am I writing about them again? Simply because I am still seeing advertising and marketing materials that are missing the point completely. A while ago I wrote a blog post in which I stated: What are you really selling? Shall […]

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  • Why Writing Copy Is a Lot Like Cycling Up a Mountain

      Having returned after a two week cycling holiday in Gran Canaria, I was reminded of a blog post I wrote four years ago after cycling in the Alps. For many, placing ‘cycling’ and ‘holiday’ in the same sentence might seem peculiar, but for me, they go together. Admittedly, having not ridden my bike for over […]

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  • Why Copywriters Make Great Listeners

      “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand. They listen with the intent to reply.” – Stephen Covey   A note to all copywriters out there – if you’re not prepared to listen, your copy will suck, big time. Active listening is a skill not everyone has mastered. A lot of ‘copywriters’ […]

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