Copywriting & Courtman CopyWorks

Press releases. Easily the bane of marketing personnel who have better–and more interesting–things to write, these little one-pagers are often looked upon with exasperation and a degree of boredom.

The result? Press releases that are boring, lifeless and–too often–riddled with corporate speak. How many times have you read a release that begins with something like, “XYZ Corporation is pleased to announce its newest acquisition, ABC Widgets”?

Yawn. How boring is that? The problem is there’s no news angle, nothing that a tired journal or newspaper editor hasn’t seen a thousand times before. But what if your release starts with something like, “When XYZ Corporation CEO John Doe took a chance meeting with Joe Deaver one morning, he had no idea he’d walk out with the future of the widget industry in his hands.”

Immediately, you’re drawn into the story–well, because it’s now a story. There are people involved, and people are what connect in a story. The news of the acquisition–in the right writer’s hands–unfolds gracefully, and interestingly, throughout the body of the release. Now if you’re that tired news editor and you have space in Widgets Monthly for only one story–and you receive another that leads with the first example—which do you think he’s going to run?

More important, which do you think might be a catalyst for future stories run by the same editor, stories for which that editor might ask you for quotes or for which you could serve as an expert? Because, at its essence, that’s the function of a press release. Not to be run verbatim as a story itself–though that certainly happens–but to spark ideas for tired editors who run out of ideas every day.

So the next time your business has something to announce, call Courtman CopyWorks. We understand the function of a press release, how to make it interesting, and how to make sure it gets picked up–again and again and again.

This little-used tool is a savvy way to recycle a successful sale into a marketing piece that can help seal the deal for a prospective client. Here’s how to do it:

- Interview your satisfied client
- Review the service provided
- Talk to others on your team
- Write up a short, article-style piece that will
- Highlight the problem your customer had and how your company solved it.

Don’t have time to tackle it? Hire Courtman CopyWorks. We’ll do the interviews and the research, then write up a compelling case study you can post to your site, send to prospects and include in your print collateral and marketing plan. Email us for a sample today!

Persuasive copywriting is all about playing on the reader’s emotions - and a new study by Jane Ebert, marketing professor at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, tells us that people routinely predict how they’ll feel about a future experience using something called forecasting/backcasting. And smart copywriters and marketers CAPITALIZE on this kind of emotional fortunetelling to beat customers to the predicting punch.

So here’s what it is. Forecasters predict how they’ll react to an event, and then consider how they’ll feel in a future period. Ebert’s example:  I’ll be very unhappy if the Red Sox lose today. That’s the event. And the secondary thought goes: But I’ll probably feel better in a few days with my birthday coming up. That’s the future period consideration.

Backcasters first consider how they’ll feel in a future period: I’m going to be happy in a few days because my birthday’s coming up. And then they think about how the event will impact that emotion. And if the Red Sox lose today, it won’t change that much.

Now when you approach an ad from a copywriting standpoint, try to consider your prospect’s emotions in relation to what you’re offering. Let’s try it. Say you own a new gym, and you want your copywriting to reflect a free week’s worth of gym membership to boost interest. Instead of “Get A Week Free at Atlas Gym!” do a little forecasting:

“Worried about starting - and failing - yet another fitness regimen? Imagine the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel after you’ve made it to the gym five days in a row. Suddenly, signing up - and sticking to a new regimen - seems more than just doable, it seems easy! And Atlas Gym makes it even easier to stick to, with FIVE FREE DAYS of membership! Don’t look back at this free trial and wish you would’ve had the courage to try. Just think of how unhappy - and bloated - you’ll feel. Instead, look back on it five days later, with your new healthy - and confident - perspective. Here’s how to sign up!”

Get it? If you don’t, no worries - Courtman CopyWorks understands that copywriting has to play on a consumer’s feelings, since most buying decisions are based on emotion. For your next promotion, don’t struggle to find the right words. Instead, imagine how satisfied you’ll feel when you’re reading over Courtman CopyWorks’ standout copywriting, and filling order after order of your product or service.

Get in touch today, and let us get started crafting your message!

One thing effective copywriters understand is the importance of choosing words with impact. You know, the kind  of writing that transforms passive reading into instant reaction, that creates a visceral response the moment a reader’s eye passes over them. At Courtman CopyWorks, we call that “vigorous English.” And most times, you can create it yourself. Just take any boring and invisible words and swap them out with those that are evocative and descriptive, for expert copywriting that’s strong and compelling.

Here’s a couple of examples. Selling B2B? Don’t tell them your service will help them “Move Past the Competition.” Arm yourself with a stronger word and tell ‘em how to “MUSCLE Past Your Competition!”
Just one tiny word-swap and your copy’s moving. It’s active, immediate - and stronger. And it only took one new word!

Here’s another chestnut that pops up all the time: “Conveniently located.” You’ll find that in all kinds of copywriting. But what on earth does it mean? Convenient for who? Convenient how? Have a lot of locations that make it easier for a customer to find you? Just TELL THEM that. Get rid of “conveniently located” - it’s an invisible phrase. Ironic right? Meant to tell them how to find you - yet the phrase itself disappears into uninspired copy. Swap it out: “Five Mid-Town Locations: Take Your Pick!” is stronger. “Ditch Traffic with Two Buckhead Locations”? Even more descriptive.

So the next time you’re writing a headline, some product packaging text, a press release, report - or even an email - swap out the dull word and pop in a sparkler. Instead of merely persuading your customers, you’ll SHATTER their resistance. Get it?

No? See, that’s why Courtman CopyWorks is your #1, go-to writing resource. Move over, and let us do the writing for you - so you can get back to developing that killer product or service. Remember, be invigorating!

No, really. There is a resolution you can make right now that will make your life easier - and it’s easy to do. It’ll reduce your workload and stress, and up your productivity and satisfaction. In fact, it’s so basic that experts like the Mayo Clinic and Franklin Covey always add it to their Top Ten Time Management strategies.

Ready to tackle it? Actually, have someone else tackle it for you. In a word: delegate. Hands down, this tiny little time saver makes a BIG impact on your day. It just takes a little bit of planning. This article will show you how delegating tasks makes life easier from a workplace perspective. And this one from the Mayo Clinic talks about it in a little broader terms (but note it’s still in the top five tips), from a work/life balance perspective.

The best part is you can get started right away. Got a nagging little writing project sitting on your desk? Don’t spend an hour just figuring out where to dive in. Send it on to the copywriting experts at Courtman CopyWorks and move on to something that really deserves your time. Got a huge annual report sapping your energy? Delegate it to us. Need to come up with a new angle for that ad? Pass it on. Entire website need a textual overhaul? You know what to do.

Contact us, and then get back to work. Your *real* work. You know, the stuff that you do best. Happy New Year!

If you’re looking for a freelance copywriter, then you know typing those two words into your search engine will net you hundreds - HUNDREDS - of copywriter websites.  The market is cluttered with all kinds:

• Those who manufacture hype in big, red block letters
• Those whose sheer number of squeeze pages equals more than their actual number of clients
• Those who peddle online articles low in quality, but high in obnoxious keyword count
• Those with boastful/comic/self-deprecating homepages that focus more on themselves than you
• And then those who truly offer smart, effective and affordable copywriting.

So how to pick? It’s not too difficult to find the latter, if you bear in mind three things:

1. A good copywriter knows SEO. Not just that keyword stuff mentioned above, but the necessity for balance, keyword phrases (not just the same word repeated over and over again; three per page is ideal), keyword placement (titles, top of page copy, meta tags, etc) and, above all, smooth and compelling writing. Good keyword use draws the traffic to your site, but only great copywriting will compel your buyer to ACT. A page full of bad writing with loads of keywords tossed in will only turn your readers off of the site - and off YOU and your service.

2. A good writer knows you have a budget - and expects you to know they have a limit. Crafting effective, persuasive copy that closes the sale takes time, creative energy and skill. When combing the ‘net for copywriters to write articles to drive traffic to your site, for instance, you’ll want to avoid those that offer 10 articles for $20, or some other ridiculously cheap cost. Good writers understand their worth, and will put in the time and energy to create professional, polished copy unique to your business. Look for those who charge at least $35/hour, and have a standard rate sheet (most will negotiate so that you both come away pleased). Then be prepared to receive stand-out copy, not rehashed, trite and poorly-written text - which is what you’ll get from those $2 articles.

3. Finally, a good copywriter knows YOU. Take a look at the language on a copywriter’s website. Is there plenty of ‘you language’? Or do they start with how compelling, slick, or creative they are? A good copywriter knows that good copywriting should improve your day, and he/she will tell you how their services will benefit your unique situation. Finally, look for those writers who really seek to understand you. A good copywriter should be willing to spend time - on the phone and in person - working closely with you to first understand your unique selling proposition, your company, your background and target audience before the writing is even considered.

Want an example of a trustworthy, reputable and affordable copywriter? Check out Courtman CopyWorks.

If you own or manage a small local business, then you already know times are tough. You’re likely fretting about the budget, trying to find ways to trim excess spending to stay afloat during this recession.

While one of your first impulses may be to cut back on ad spending, that’s actually one of the worst things you can do right now. A recent report found businesses that cut ad spending continued to lose profits even after the economy improved. Those that increased ad spending? They continued to increase profits.

“Advertising in a down economy is even more important than advertising during the good times,” says Joyce Gioia, president of the Herman Group, a strategic business futures firm. “That’s when you can build market share…and have less competition for share of mind.”

The reason you have less competition? Other businesses—including your competition—are scaling back. That means there will be less ads competing with yours, which means more customers will see it, and it will have greater impact (think increased market share). That leads to increased customer confidence in your brand, and increased sales over time.

Learn ways to advertise cheaply and more effectively in our free report: “Using the Recession to your Advantage.” Available for free download at www.courtmancopy.com/freereport.html.

…from our FREE report by the copywriters at CourtmanCopy.com: The Economy: Bad for Your Competition, Great for You…get your copy here.

It’s a fact: online advertising gets you great bang for your buck. But the very traditional and always popular direct mail still remains a successful tactic. In fact, according to a study conducted last year, direct mail averages $10 in sales for every $1 invested. So how to make this time-tested way of reaching out to your clients even more cost-effective? In a word: postcards.

Called the “workhorse of direct marketing,” postcards are MUCH cheaper than a $1,500 direct mail package (first-class postage is only $.27 per piece), and still generate some pretty good numbers. You can get them to work even better by using a few best practices:

HEADLINE: Develop a punchy headline that’s all about the benefits—not features—of your product or service. For example, don’t write, “Xtreme Cable Offers High-Speed Broadband Service.” Instead, try, “Your Page Will Load Faster Than You Can Read This”, with a subhead like “Xtreme Cable Gets You Online in Seconds.” Play around with a few headlines until you get it just right. It’s important. This is what determines whether your target will keep reading, or toss your postcard into the trash.

LAYOUT: It sounds obvious, but it bears talking about—make sure the image you select matches the offer. For instance, if you’re running a yoga studio, select an image that projects calm and bliss. For Xtreme Cable? Lots of bright, energetic colors with a tech industry image.

CALL-TO-ACTION. Before you write your postcard copy, think about what it is you want your readers to do once they’ve finished reading. Do you want them to visit your site? Call your toll-free number? Place an order right away? Then don’t leave them hanging. Craft your message so that it’s direct. And make sure your offer is truly something of value you customers can’t resist.

TARGET YOUR MAILING. Make sure you go through your customer list and populate it with as many qualified leads as you have. Don’t have enough? Turn to a list broker like InfoUSA.

Think postcards are the way to go, but not sure if you’re ready to write it yourself? No problem. Postcards require a MUCH smaller block of copy - which translates into a really inexpensive copywriting project for you to outsource.

In reviewing existing copy for a few clients, I’m noticing the same problem over and over again. Jargon. No benefits. No call to action, or, in one memorable case, no phone number or email for customers to use - ANYWHERE on a client’s website!

It got me thinking. With the absolutely mind-boggling range of copywriters who are clogging the internet with writing tips, free reports, downloadable white papers and blogs–just like this one–how can it be that some of the most basic elements of copywriting are STILL being missed?

Because the majority of small business owners out there aren’t copywriters. Okay. So here’s how to start thinking and writing like one:

1. It’s about them. Not you. Don’t start off with the chest-puffing greatness of your company. Start by talking directly to your client, identifying their problem and how you will solve it.
2. Now start applying a whole lot of ‘you’s. In your copy, talking directly to your customer means just that. Use the word ‘you’ often.
3. Remember your buzz words. “Free” always gets attention. “Why” is another strong one, especially for headlines and email subject lines. Instead of “Auto Dealers Face Biggest Risks for Identity Theft,” write, “Why Auto Dealers Face Biggest Risks for Identity Theft.” Now even I want to know.
4. But get rid of filler. Extra words clog your copy. A big one to avoid? “That.” Scan your copy for all instances of “that” and instantly make it more readable. Others? “Really.” “Very.” You get the idea.
5. Make it conversational. And that means sometimes using “bad” grammar. Notice how I started the phrase with “And”? And, no, my eleventh-grade English teacher did not just crash through my window ninja-style and confiscate my keyboard because of it. (He just wanted the muffins.)
6. Action! Remind yourself of what it is you want your customers to do after they’re done reading. Enter their email address? Pick up the phone and call? Place an Internet order? Believe me, it sounds simple, but many business owners forget to put a call to action at the end of their copy. “Subscribe now.” (Don’t forget your “you’s” and the sense of urgency. Example: “Here’s what you get when you subscribe now.”

Now you’re writing with PURPOSE! Off you go!

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