The Devil’s Marketing Dictionary (or, 30 Reasons to Read Bad Language)

April 10, 2007, by 1 comment

The UK’s Matthew Stibbe writes one of my favorite copywriter blogs (and I don’t think it’s just the accent).

He recently posted the “Devil’s Marketing Dictionary Part 2 ” — a fairly hilarious look at marketing jargon, and what it really means.

Some samples:

  • Focus group. Feedback disguised as strategy.  For example, a Volvo is an Aston Martin designed by focus group. Here’s what they said: “I like the looks but it’s really expensive,” “It would be better if had a bigger boot and four seats.” “Wouldn’t it be dangerous to drive that fast?”
  • Survey. A series of carefully crafted questions that generate the answers the PR company had in mind when they pitched the idea to their client.
  • Tipping point. The moment when a concept goes from being a conceit to a catchphrase.
  • Paradigm shift. When everybody agrees with an idea that is about to be disproved.

    • Read the rest of the Devil’s Marketing Dictionary at: Bad Language / Devil’s Marketing Dictionary Part 2

    My addition to the list?

    Net 30: Don’t hold your breath.

    Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

    [tags]writing, marketing, humor[/tags] 

    Quick: Name the Seven Writing Tools You Couldn’t Live Without

    April 9, 2007, by 18 comments

    Writing’s a relatively simple gig.

    Pen and paper will get you going, and a purist could make a cogent case for keeping the exercise exactly that simple.

    Naturally, that’s not what happens when you add commerce to the mix — and humanity’s unquenchable desire to complicate life.

    I’ve been copywriting long enough that I wrote my first bits on a typewriter, but it wasn’t long before I was using a computer and that most amazing of inventions: the fax.

    Today, writers have choices far beyond “manual or electric?”

    I love the flexibility. But admit to sometimes wondering if we’ve truly liberated ourselves, or simply created a set of flashier, more-acceptable restraints to creativity.

    To that end, I’m always interested in other writers: how they work, what they do to make it work, and any weirdnesses they bring to the table (I once stumbled across a pair of writers arguing about the color of ink they use).

    In that vein, I’m offering up the Seven (perhaps little-known) Writing Tools I Can’t Live Without. You might find a gem in here. Feel free to offer something better.

    Copywriter

    This little-known free text editor (Windows) opens immediately, consumes little memory, and actually displays the current line’s character count. Simple and absolutely free of useless clutter, it’s simply the best tool for writing character-limited work (like Google Ads). Using cut and paste, it’s also a great way to remove embedded formatting from text written in a word processor.

    Then there are the days I simply can’t face another toolbar, and this is what I fire up, eventually pasting the finished copy into my copy form (running on a graphically correct word processor).

    A Sketchpad

    I compose copy on a computer, but when I’m noodling ideas in my head (messaging, ad concepts, etc), nothing mirrors my thinking faster than a sketch pad and a pencils.

    It took me years to get past the fact my thumbnail concepts and doodles were atrociously drawn (and I read “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” to help). But there’s something inherently creative about drawing on paper – perhaps the way the act itself links one thought to another, creating a chain of ideas.

    Does anyone else still do this?

    Sugarless Chewing Gum

    I’m a grinder. My teeth, that is. In fact, after a couple hours of really being in the groove, my jaws hurt. Gum helps.

    OpenOffice Writer

    Sure, MS Word is the Windows (and writer’s) standard, but after Office 2000, I grew tired of the feature bloat and expensive, pointless upgrades. So I downloaded OpenOffice, fired it up, and never looked back. An office suite that largely mimics the functionality of MS Office, it exchanges files with MS Office (pretty seamlessly) and runs nice and fast.

    You can extend OpenOffice with plug-ins (I just added one that allows me to blog directly from OpenOffice Writer). Plus it’s available in Windows, Mac, and Linux versions, so if I eventually decide Vista’s not for me, I have choices.

    There’s even a blog dedicated to OpenOffice Writer. So let’s summarize: compatible with MS Office but faster, more extensible, and… free (I donated to the cause). Is it better? I can’t say, but I do know it satisfies the populist streak in me far better than Monolithic Software’s Word.

    Walking the Dog/Fly Fishing/Backpacking

    Had all your best ideas at the keyboard? You need to get out more. There is a world of conflict, beauty and intrigue out there (three elements of a good story – itself an element of good copywriting), and if you let all that just-outside-your-window inspiration die, your writing will be the poorer for it.

    I recently wrote a company tagline while walking Wally the Wonderdog. While fly fishing, I got clear about the clients I did (and didn’t) want to work with. Clarity like that isn’t found in conference rooms.

    Blog Editor

    Because I write more than one blog, I’ve found a desktop blog editor an invaluable tool. Right now, Windows LiveWriter is my choice, but that’s only by default; I can’t get the much-faster BlogDesk software to work and I’m still testing my way through the alternatives.

    I tried to love Performancing FF (now FireScribe—a fast, handy Firefox extension that I use for short posts) but couldn’t. LiveWriter is easy to use and relatively powerful, but exhibits Microsoft’s typical interface clunkiness and sluggish response. My “ultimate” blog editor has yet to be built.

    Image Editing with PhotoFiltre

    I’m a former photojournalist, so I shoot a lot of images for my fly fishing blog. And while I use a high-end photo editor, it’s overkill for simple photos destined for online use. A great solution is PhotoFiltre; a freeware image editor that opens fast, operates faster, and does what most of us need done. There’s also a more-powerful, 25 euro version that I’ll try shortly.

    I often scan concept thumbnails to show clients (along with reference materials, other ads, etc), and PhotoFiltre allows me to quickly make them presentable. It’s an online world, but there is plenty of offline material that can help you succeed. PhotoFiltre helps you – quickly and cheaply.

    Also-Rans

    Google Notebook makes recording online resources a click-and-save affair. But I could live without it. (Ask me again in a year.)

    My 13 year-old IBM keyboard is absolutely the perfect keyboard, and it doesn’t belong in the “also-ran” category. It’s indispensable. I’m just preparing myself for the inevitable.

    Then there’s FireFox 2.0, which – and it’s about time – actually checks your spelling for you. (Ranks right up there with the fax.)

    What are the tools you couldn’t write without?

    [tags]writing, copywriting, writer, copywriter[/tags]

    Carson of Content Done Better Goes Legit: Expect More of Same in the Future

    April 5, 2007, by 13 comments

    Carson of Content Done Better took a regular gig. You can read his post here:

    Several weeks ago, I was approached about an employment opportunity. I sort of laughed it off, assuming the offering party wasn’t completely serious and/or had no idea of just how crazy my demands would be.

    This morning, we actually sat down and talked about it in detail. Surprisingly, the numbers made sense, the circumstances and requirements of the position are inviting, and my other demands weren’t rejected out of hand. We quickly reached an agreement in principle, contingent upon my formal acceptance.

    I wish Carson all the best. And I believe we’ll see more good freelancers lured away in the future. Why?

    The World Has Tilted On Its Axis

    Qualified freelancers have always been “hire bait,” but the need for fulltimers was limited; most businesses simply didn’t have extensive “content” needs.

    And if they did, younger, less-experienced (and cheaper) talent was a better target.

    Those days are behind us.

    Nowadays, it’s not enough to create a few ads, print a brochure, scribble a few press releases and throw together a static Web site — intermittent projects easily handled by freelance talent.

    Today’s aggressive business needs more.

    They’ll want to engage customers via a blog. Create a steady stream of case studies and white papers. Constantly test new creative approaches to online advertising.

    Participate in relevant message boards? Place articles on industry portals?

    A big yes to both.

    A freelancer’s job? Plenty can handle the work, but not many can handle the workload — and few experienced writers get excited about depending on a single client for a majority of their income.

    Instead, I predict a rush on experienced, knowledgeable in-house talent.

    Look for higher salaries for copywriters (it’s already happening). And look for e-mails from corporate recruiters (I’ve received several the last two weeks).

    And if you consider a fulltime gig, don’t go cheaply.

    There aren’t many like you. And you’re going to be very, very busy.

    [tags]content done better, copywriter, freelance copywriter, writer[/tags]

    The Friday Fifteen Minute Pitch Post: Stuff vs “e-nformation”

    March 30, 2007, by 1 comment

    This week’s Fifteen Minute Pitch Post is hardly cutting edge, but then, most of the things we do in marketing aren’t.

    A large client – the Marketing Director of the industry’s biggest player — has always used a merchandise offer to build his e-mail list. A plausible approach – and one that’s stood the test of time – but I wondered if he couldn’t update his methods.

    My suggestion? Test an information-based offer against his merchandise offer.

    Call it a short e-book, or his market’s equivalent of a white paper, but I pitched an 8-12 page Acrobat file jammed with information his prospects would find useful.

    Of course, this is hardly new to most marketers, but my research suggests no one in my client’s market has done it.

    The pitch?

    It included benefits like:

    • Instant gratification (online fulfillment) for prospects

    • No hard product fulfillment costs

    • Ability to customize the e-book for specific markets/regions

    • Ability to promote his brand in the e-book

    • Higher response? (Information is often worth more than goodies)

    (And probably a few others I’ve forgotten.)

    The moral? Even successful marketers can run a few steps behind the leading edge. If your client is one of them, take the chance to add value to the relationship – and secure a little extra paying work for yourself.

    Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

    [tags]writer, copywriter, freelance copywriter, freelancer, marketing, new business, fifteen minute pitch post[/tags]

    Why Teaching Marketing is Better Than Learning It

    March 28, 2007, by 5 comments

    The old saw about learning more from your students than they do from you is likely true.

    Last night I guest-taught a class of small business owners (or soon-to-be-small-biz-owners) about “The Messaging Platform” — the statement that provides a foundation for all of an organization’s marketing messages.

    The idea is simple; these small business owners have devoted considerable time to researching their target markets, customers and competitors.

    It’s time for them to market.

    But what are they going to say?

    Focus on the Message

    Small business users often seize on unimportant or undifferentiated messages — or worse, market a different message every day.

    My solution is the messaging platform.

    It’s how I get clients focused on a message (and keep them on it). It’s a good example of the kind of service I like to offer my clients as a value added copywriter – the concept of which I prattle on endlessly about here on my blog.

    The messaging platform is a great tool for small businesses, and these entrepreneurs were hungry for the information.

    So I explained the concepts, outlined the five characteristics of the successful messaging platform (Unique, Real, Provocative, Consistent and Benefit-Oriented), and showed them a few case studies from my own practice.

    For the final exercise, we broke the class into groups of four, gave them information about me, and let them develop my messaging platform.

    The results were startling. This group learned fast.

    Teaching & Learning

    Of course, I learned more than they did. The simple act of creating the presentation dramatically improved my understanding of my own messaging process.

    It forced me to transform my largely “in-brain” messaging process into something understandable by my students (and ultimately my clients).

    Next week I teach the “Internet Marketing Overview” — a subject I couldn’t cover if I had a solid week of classes.

    Still, I expect to learn a lot.

    [tags]teaching, marketing, messaging, value added copywriter[/tags]

    What I Learned After 90 Minutes With Five Top Copywriters

    March 26, 2007, by 10 comments

    Talking to other copywriters is a treat — especially when they’re all good at what they do.

    Sunday evening’s BlogTalkRadio “Nuts & Blogbolts” discussion left me with a page of scribbled notes, a brain buzzing with ideas, and a deeper appreciation for the vision of my fellow copywriters.

    It’s not every day you get to sit down and talk copy with the likes of Michel Fortin, Ryan Healy, and Roberta Rosenberg (not to mention hosts Mike Sansone and Wayne Hurlbert), and if you don’t take something meaningful away from that discussion, it’s probably because you forget to turn the sound on.

    You can still listen; click the button below:

    I was struck by our similar focus; we were a diverse group of writers — with widely varying specialties — yet we connected with each other’s comments.

    There was discussion relevant to newer copywriters, but most interesting to me was the talk about the changes occuring in our craft. Interesting stuff indeed.

    Don’t miss it.

    The Comforts of Copywriters

    Blogging is popular among freelancers for many reasons, one of which is the sense of community it creates.

    I wanted badly to live in a remote, thinly populated part of Northern California, but one of the downsides is a stunning lack of copywriters to call for lunch.

    I imagine there isn’t one within an hour’s drive in any direction, so talking to a handful of real pros was an refreshing exercise.

    In truth, good copywriting is often about connecting with your readers, and I’m thankful there’s no rule barring a connection with my fellow copywriters.

    Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

    [tags]copywriting, copywriter, blogtalkradio[/tags]

    Learn What Top Copywriters Are Thinking on BlogTalkRadio

    March 24, 2007, by 6 comments

    Listen Live

    I think I became a writer for a reason. One of those is that I’m not the most glib guy on the planet, and while I’ve given my share of presentations and pitches, there’s always a chance I’ll launch a brick every time I open my mouth.

    So if the chance to hear what top copywriters like Michel Fortin, Ryan Healy, and Roberta Rosenberg think (plus hosts Mike Sansone and Wayne Hurlbert) won’t get you tune in to our live BlogTalkRadio broadcast, consider doing so to hear me trip up… 8-)

    What: BlogTalkRadio podcast on Copywriting
    Who: Roberta Rosenberg, Tom Chandler, Ryan Healy, Michel Fortin, co-hosts Mike Sansone and Wayne Hurlbert
    When: 8 EDT Sunday, March 25
    Where: Click the button below
    Why: Are you kidding? Michel Fortin? Mike Sansone (business blogging specialist)? Scheez.

    You can listen live over the Internet, or even call 646-652-4643 and ask questions.

    Listen Live

    [tags]blogtalkradio, podcast, copywriter, copywriters, michel fortin, ryan healy, roberta rosenberg, mike sansone[/tags]

    This Week's Friday Fifteen Minute Pitch Post: Landing Hard

    March 23, 2007, by 3 comments

    The Friday Fifteen Minute Pitch Post is one of my favorite ideas — investing 15 minutes each week pitching a new project to an existing client — but I’m realizing Fridays might be a little too hectic.

    Next week, this could become the Thursday Fifteen Minute Pitch Post.

    I write, I learn.

    Today’s Pitch

    Today’s pitch project is no mystery to online marketers, but a lot of medium sized businesses overlook this effective tactic.

    It’s the Landing Page.

     Let’s say a prospect responds to a Google ad, or perhaps a banner ad you wrote for a client.

    Landing pages allow you to carry on the dialog you started in the ad, and better market your offer.

    It’s far more effective than simply shuffling prospects to the company Web site.

    It’s a well-known tactic, but one overlooked by — I’m just going to say it — a surprising number of mid-sized company marketing departments (and a few large ones too).

    The pitch itself? Easy. Consider something like:

    “You’re investing your precious budget developing these leads — so don’t waste a single prospect. A landing page between our banner ads and the company Web site would allow us to continue the dialog we started with the prospect.”

    “Plus, we can market the offer from a stronger position. Not only will we see a higher conversion rate, but we’ll gather prospect data in greater depth.”

    Working on a response-generating project, but the client’s overlooking the landing page?

    Don’t let ‘em. Add value to the relationship by helping to improve their bottom line.

    Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

    [tags]marketing, copywriting, fifteen minute pitch, landing page[/tags]

    How To Turn a Messy Desk Into a Successful Book Promotion

    March 22, 2007, by 4 comments

    The debate rages (in fact, it’s raged for years). But the “messy desk” folks (yes, that sometimes includes me) can now hold aloft a book that validates their somewhat disordered experience.

    From Extreme Tech:

    Sponsored by publisher Little, Brown and Co., the competition promoted “A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder,” by Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman, a new book that argues neatness is overrated, costs money, wastes time and quashes creativity.

    “We think that being more organized and ordered and neat is a good thing and it turns out, that’s not always the case,” said Freedman.

    “Most of us are messy, and most of us are messy at a level that works very, very well for us,” he said in an interview. “In most cases, if we got a lot neater and more organized, we would be less effective.”

    Sure, I now have a written excuse for never, ever straightening my office again. But take a second to look beyond the clutter — and recognize the genius of the promotional contest.

    This one has all the elements of a good story. Competition. Humor. A near universal appeal to those tagged as “messy” (most of us at one point or another).

    There’s even conflict:

    Barry Izsak, head of the National Association of Professional Organizers, disputes the authors’ claims, saying they oversimplify and confuse mess with disorganization.

    Boooo! Hiss! (Meet the bad guy — and who among you visualized the Odd Couple’s Felix Unger?)

    The Promotional Contest? It Works.

    I admit to a checkered past with contests.

    Years ago, an art director and I worked on an internal campaign for a high tech company. They wanted their employees to file more patents, and the art director swore a vacation contest was the answer.

    Naturally, I knew better.

    Just as naturally, I was dead wrong.

    Posters, e-mail, newsletter stories and ads — all were effective. My “Patent Today, Tan Tomorrow.” poster — combined with an inviting picture from a cruise ship (hint: sex sells) — worked particularly well.

    We even pitted departments against each other.

    To a bunch of stressed high-tech workers — people always under the gun of intense industry competition — the promise of an all-expenses paid vacation was just too much to resist.

    Patent applications skyrocketed. The Intellectual Property office was dumbfounded. We were heroes.

    The moral of today’s post?

    Don’t overlook promotional contests. (A good one could even go viral.)

    And don’t bother to straighten up your desk.

    Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

    [tags]contest, promotional contest, messy desk[/tags]

    A Mini Case Study: "Know Thy Audience"–and the Benefits of Having Fun

    March 18, 2007, by 7 comments

    I’ve done many pro bono projects over they years, and while most were not big jobs (fundraising letters, brochures, etc), they were often fun.

    Three years ago, I agreed to help market the Mount Shasta Summit Century. It’s a very challenging bike ride/fundraiser in a mountainous Northern California area.

    The ride raises money for youth sports in my rural, economically undeveloped area–a cause I can’t help but support.

    I enjoy working for clients who let you do your job without interference, and making the world an even slightly better place to live is not a bad use of your time.

    Step One: Who was I selling to?

    Customer profiling has existed since man first walked upright–and decided to market the concept.

    Brian Clark covers the blogger’s version in his “Who Do You Think You’re Talking To?” post, and Michel Fortin pretty much nails it in “How to Target Your Perfect Customer.”

    I’d love to detail the painstaking steps I took to uncover my audience, but in truth, the Summit Century’s 135 mile distance and leg-killing, mountainous terrain did the heavy lifting for me.

    Only committed cyclists would dare participate, and anyone paying money to do so clearly welcomed a challenge.

    Bingo.

    “Challenge” became my creative target, and once I latched onto that happy little fact, my marketing was half done. My research on the rider list revealed few surprises.

    Almost 40% of the riders were women, and 76% of the ridership lived more than two hours away (too far to drive here in the morning).

    The last figure was hardly surprising, but it made it clear that youth sports weren’t the only to benefit; the local tourist economy enjoyed a substantial boost in visitorship that weekend.

    My other research (questionnaire review, online trolling and e-mail surveys sent to a random sampling of riders) revealed no surprises. I was ready to have fun.

    Humor Drives the Creative

    So how did a “challenge” theme play out creatively?

    For once, the creative work was easy. This was about recreation, and I wanted to use humor. It’s a powerful advertising tool, provided you’re actually funny.

    I even had good photographs to work with (courtesy of the area’s stunning scenery).

    I sat down with a pencil and sketch, and rapidly plowed through a couple dozen concept thumbnails. From those, I selected a fun pair of concepts:


    This headline occurred to me years ago–after a forest fire had affected the ride.


    We pondered the idea of a “group discount” (rejecting it), but the idea stuck with me.

    In addition to the ads, I re-worked the Web site content to emphasize the “challenge” of the ride, using testimonial quotes from riders.

    Our small, tri-fold brochure was badly in in need of an overhaul, so we started from scratch, though a greater emphasis on online marketing allowed us to reduce the number of brochures printed.

    I also pitched the “challenge” idea to a leading bicycling magazine, who ran a photo essay focusing on the Riders of the Summit Century (the people willing to accept the challenge).

    The Results

    Three years ago, the ride hovered just over 400 riders. After two years of a minimal level of “challenge” marketing, our 2006 ridership has grown to 630 riders, and we were able to double the funds we gave away.

    And we did this without increasing our marketing budget.

    In fact, we’ve only barely begun to tap into online marketing, but we’re holding off because we may have to cap the ridership at 700.

    Still, better than 50% growth is an excellent return for what amounted a couple ads, new Web site content, a revised brochure and a pitch letter.

    And in truth, I had a lot of fun. Between the relentless parade of deadlines and the pressure to be “great” on a moment’s notice, copywriting for money can become a pretty grim business.

    Writing good creative for a great cause offers a relief valve, and in this case, the results pretty much speak for themselves.

    Our lessons? Know your audience. Do your research. Decide which areas will generate the biggest return for your effort (and budget).

    And finally, do some good work for a charity near and dear to your heart. You might even get a portfolio clip out of it.

    [tags]shasta summit century, ads, advertising, copywriter, marketing[/tags]

    A Little Sleepy Lately at the Underground? That's Changing…

    March 17, 2007, by No comments yet

     
    Photo by Daniel Deak Bardos.

    Things have been a little sleepy around the Underground lately. I’m swamped with work, and I’ve been making some long-overdue improvements to the other facets of my marketing process.

    Still, I haven’t forgotten my readers.

    I’ve written a mini-case study featuring pair of fun ads, and have another post ready for final editing.

    They’ll both “go photonic” early next week. They’re worth the wait. See you in a day.

    Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

    [tags]blogging[/tags]

    Atlantic Media Looking for "300 smartest human beings" to Write Essays for the Atlantic Web Sites

    March 13, 2007, by 2 comments

    One media outlet “gets it.”

    That’s my conclusion about David Bradley (Atlantic Media owner), who is looking to revitalize the “Atlantic” media brand, and he’s looking to online talent to do it for him.

    From Poynter Online – Romenesko :

    Atlantic Media owner David G. Bradley wants to recruit a group of uber-experts to form what he calls the Atlantic Society, “where we will find 300 of the smartest human beings across the main intellectual terrains we’re likely to cover and to go out and ask them, would they be essayists for the Atlantic [websites]?” He tells Thomas Heath: “I love the process of creating a culture of great talent. That’s what I do for a living.”

    Most traditional media are looking to incorporate online media as adjuncts to their existing properties–about the same way you’d set up a “kid’s table” next to the grownups at holidays.

    Bradley (whether from desperation or vision) is looking for online talent to sit at the very core of Atlantic Media, and–in an interesting turn–he’s using his online brand (the cerebral Atlantic magazine) to attract it:

    He aims to expand the media company by using Atlantic’s brand for serious journalism as a magnet for online talent.

    “Success here is going to turn on our ability to spot and attract talent,” Bradley said. “I’ve always thought that my personal gift is I’m good at spotting gifts in other people. I can see when people are really gifted, and I want to be part of making this a great talent destination.”

    Many of my clients suffer from a form of temporal tunnel vision; they don’t see online media channels as the emerging core of their marketing efforts, but a runny-nosed adjunct to their existing efforts.

    Where will those clients be five years from now? Ten?

    And where will Atlantic Media be five years from now? Recovered from unprofitability and sitting atop the media world?

    The new online version of the Algonquin Roundtable?

    [tags]romenesko, atlantic media[/tags]