Marketing Writing Resources for Creative Copywriters

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

For many organizations, 'tis the season to shop for talent, especially copywriters. But it's awfully hard to look beyond the exterior to identify the talent who will really work for you. And while there are no fool-proof formulas for finding winners, you can take measures—right at the start of your relationship—that give you a much greater probability of success.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

The Web is not a great place to win hearts and minds. It is not a great place to convince people to do something they did not come to the Web already intending to do. Traditional marketing techniques, such as brand name repetition and the use of images to communicate brand attributes, don't work as well online. What works well on the Web is a useful Web site that wastes no time and gets straight to the point for your customers. Do you know what your customers want when they come to your Web site?

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

You've heard it many times: If you want your marketing materials to do their job, you have to stress benefits, not features. Ultimately, your target readers don't care about what your product does. They care about what your product does for them. But with all the focus on "benefits," it's easy to forget that benefits don't work in a vacuum. Whenever you write copy, there's more you must always keep in mind.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

Content management has been a fuzzy, poorly respected discipline within many organizations. Its related discipline, communications, is often seen as peripheral and non-strategic. But the truth is, there are quantifiable benefits that a quality public Web site or intranet can deliver.

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What's wrong with most blogs? They're too chatty. Too rambling. They lack passion. If you're going to blog, become an expert on something. This is especially important for blogging in the business world. Think content, not rambling comment. Get the full story.

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How can marketers write "human" email messages, that truly speak to the hearts and souls of your clients? The first step is to figure out a way, by hook or by crook, to say something. Get the full story.

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If there has been one constant in the ever-transient paradigm of marketing on the Internet, it is that "content" is the key to attract a steady stream of the uninitiated as well the converts. Good white papers serve to generate awareness about a product/service/organization, and more importantly, cause people to inquire and potentially buy the product/service in question. Get the full story.

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Every year Steve conducts a survey of his subscribers to identify ways that marketers are squeezing more sales out of their direct marketing. Here are some learnings from this year's report. The 10 tips offer new inspiration for direct mail campaigns.

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Mark Twain once said the rumors of his death had been greatly exaggerated. The same may be said for the press release. It's not dead—but its mission has evolved.

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If your company sells complex products or services, you may want to take a page from the high-tech marketers' book. Continue to use conventional collateral to differentiate your solution and demonstrate value. Then, see if you can create independent demand for your unique methodology or business processes. Like with white papers, for example.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

High-tech suffers from terminal seriousness. It's an insidious problem, and it means that most tech companies fail to take advantage of opportunities to stand out. Over 80 percent of everything we hear daily is filtered, and humor helps you to be heard in a crowded market. Get the full story.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

This week, read your answers to the previous challenge: What are the top secrets to creating great online content? Also this week, solve this problem: How does a speaker go about getting more engagements including meetings, conventions, seminars and tradeshows? Join the conversation! Get the full story.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

In competing for a piece of business not too long ago, the author's public relations firm was asked to supply three samples -- of recent clips, bylined articles, and press releases. For two of the three requirements, the issue was an embarrassment of riches. But for press releases, the firm was hard-pressed. These days, it writes fewer and fewer press releases. It just doesn't see them as being as important a tool for PR as they once were. Get the full story.

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Useful and sticky Web sites find out what's most important and relevant to their customers--and then customize their experiences in a meaningful way. By giving customers more of what they want (and when they want it), Web companies can use the power of personalization to increase customer engagement and retention. Here are some personalization principles that work, and Web companies that are doing a great job of applying them. Get the full story.

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This article is a Five-Minute Communication Test: Do you have connectors? In precisely five minutes, you can find out for yourself if your copy on your Web site/brochure/sales letter etc., will be read by your customer from start to finish. It's a simple, yet extremely powerful test.

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In the literary world, "good writing" may be notoriously difficult to define. But on the Web, good copy has two clear, easily understood objectives: It elevates your search engine rankings, and it attracts qualified traffic and holds the attention of your prospects and customers. On the Web, your words carry a lot of weight. Fortunately, you can build verbal muscle, fast. Following are five tips you can apply right now (with a minimum of time or technical hassle) to dramatically improve the effectiveness of your Web site writing.

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In the search engine optimization and marketing industry, there's been a rule of thumb: Longer keyword phrases have better conversion rates. But that's not the whole truth: conversion rates peak at four-word phrases. Here are strategies you should consider when developing keywords for your optimization and pay-per-click campaigns.

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Between getting caught in spam filters or being blocked by ISPs and disappearing in the sheer volume of email that's out there, it's tough to guarantee that your newsletter actually gets into the hands of your customer. Recently, the author worked with a client to improve his newsletter delivery rate by 22%. Read the following case study to see the small changes she made that made such a dramatic difference.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

The best Web sites get to the point. They ruthlessly eliminate waffle and happy talk. They focus on helping people complete key tasks as quickly as possible. The truth is, the Web is a selfish place. People don't have much time. They scan pages looking for something specific. Most people have absolutely no interest in links such as "What We Do" and "Who We Are." They only care about what you can do for them. As Jeffrey and Bryan Eisenberg write in their new book: "Virtually all Web sites have a persuasive purpose: to get someone to subscribe, to register, to inquire or to buy something." In other words, the crucial measure of success is the actions that have occurred.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

In a world where everything is becoming commoditized, the key to success becomes differentiation. That's becoming more difficult to achieve. Perhaps the biggest differentiation in building a business is service. That retains customers, gets them to buy again and inspires them to become apostles for you. But what kind of differentiation helps you acquire customers in the first place if your product or service appears to be a commodity?