You’ve seen it–the stiff and proper guy on the brochure cover in a 3-piece suit, (I mean, who even wears a 3-piece suit anymore) horn-rimmed glasses, reading the Wall Street Journal. When you turn the page and read the opening paragraph, you think snoozeville. Many companies struggle with this when writing copy and putting together a marketing piece. Can you use an informal style of writing and still get respect from your customers and potential customers?
Absolutely.
But (you knew there was one coming) it may depend on the type of business you are in.
Can you be punchy and fun if you…
Many companies struggle with whether or not they should hire a professional copywriter to create marketing collateral, write print or online articles, or the sales letter that goes to their clients. Especially in a time when many companies are number crunching, this becomes a big debate–usually between the marketing manager who understands the significance and the CEO who doesn’t.
Here are 5 reasons why you should hire a copywriter.
1. You’re not a copywriter. First and foremost, you are not a copywriter. Copywriters are wordsmiths who know how to word things ways that you may never think of on your own. You probably…
Just to dispel any myths, even professional writers have to turn to their resources sometimes to check a grammar rule. Most of us have grammar reference books lined up on our bookshelves or sitting on the desk in our office. I have also found some great online tools to utilize when in need or just to keep fresh on my grammar skills.
One of the most entertaining and, at the same time, useful resources that I have run up against is Grammar Girl. The Grammar Girl site allows you to subscribe to her podcast or RSS feed, receive the transcripts to…
It’s an odd phenomena, but the more I write, the harder it gets. It’s not that the words don’t come, it’s that they come out the same.
While some repetition is expected — because advertising, like any kind of writing, has its own set language — too much of the same thing means your writing becomes dull and ignorable.
I read a lot of advertising books in search of good copy, like Luke Sullivan’s Hey Whipple Squeeze This, and I regularly peruse the advertising annuals, but I also read a lot of other kinds of writing to keep myself from falling into…
