RichWords copywriting

How Kubrick inspired Apple

2011-10-11T12:01:00.004+01:00

Here's a great blog from the Creative Pool newsletter (written by freelance writer John Fountain) on the inspiration behind the naming of the iPod.

The moral of the story for all creatives is that watching movies (also going to galleries, reading, listening to music etc etc) is a valid way to seek inspiration.

The message is in the logo

2011-08-23T18:49:00.003+01:00

Take a look at this blog post on Stocklogos.com about the hidden (and sometimes not-so-hidden) messages and meaning lurking within some well-known logos.

The second example - Sony's VAIO logo - was of particular interest to me, as I was the copywriter working on the pan-European launch materials for the first VAIO laptop PCs.

To expand on the description provided ("... the first two letters represent an analog signal and the last two are the 1 and 0 of the digital world."), the logo was conceptualised and designed by the Tokyo-based engineers who created those computers.

At the that time (1996-7), Sony was ahead of the game in terms of the convergence of the traditional analogue world with the (then) fast-emerging digital sphere. So, the logo carries that message of transition and forward movement, as well as being as attractive and elegant as the machines that had it engraved into their body-work.

A life of learning

2011-07-06T10:50:00.004+01:00

By listening to and playing with my three year-old daughter, I'm constantly amazed by the power of learning. We all know it's pretty effortless at that age, but her ability to recite the verses of a short, rhyming story ("Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose" by 'Gruffalo' author Julia Donaldson) after hearing it just a few times inspires me.

It also reminds me that continuing to take an interest in people, words, how things work and so on makes you a better writer (as well as a more engaging conversationalist). The more open you are to different ideas, cultures, artistic exploits, commercial endeavours and the rest, the more likely you are to bring a new dimension to your writing - whether you're creating fiction, or helping a company to communicate with its audience.

Graphic design... or graphic art?

2011-05-03T13:52:00.005+01:00

An interview with polymath (including being ex-lead singer of Talking Heads) David Byrne in this month's Creative Review mentions the work of graphic artist Marian Bantjes (here's an example, right, from her website).

And here's a video of her talk at TED last year, which sums up her philosophy about graphic design/art and offers some examples.

But does her visual art, which is now requested by many commercial clients, work? To answer that herself, she asks: "Does it bring joy, is there a sense of wonder, and does it invoke curiosity?"

How many of your clients apply those criteria?

The funny side of technology marketing

2011-03-11T10:19:00.004Z

Here's a bit of video fun highlighting just how many technology firms rely on food for their marketing inspiration.

It comes from "old school" comedian Ronnie Corbett, ably assisted by Harry Enfield, and reminds me of the wee man's classic sketch with Ronnie Barker about "fork 'andles" (four candles).

From prospects to evangelists

2011-03-09T08:50:00.003Z

Inbound marketing specialists HubSpot have produced an eBook showing how to use social media to generate prospects and turn them into evangelists. After a quick registration, you can download it.

The value of social media

2011-03-07T13:19:00.004Z

Here's a link to StopGap's 20-minute podcast about the value of tweeting (and social media in general) to customer service.

It's an interview with Alex Brown - Senior Manager of Customer Experience at Virgin Media - that offers some interesting insights. Worth a listen...

The tyranny of email

2011-02-16T08:43:00.003Z

A recent blog by marketing guru Robert Middleton provides 10 Top Tips on how to better manage your emails, based on John Freeman's book "The Tyranny of Email".

These range from "Don't Send" through to "Don't Look" and there's also some good advice (points 5 & 6) about receiving and sending emails that can apply to any written communications.

Meaningless management-speak

2011-01-14T12:07:00.004Z

As a professional copywriter, I sometimes have to spend time trying to understand what a client has said or written before I can 'translate' the words into something more meaningful. Why is this? Because jargon and management-speak have taken over.

Technical and sector-specific jargon (including acronyms) can be a useful short-hand when workers are communicating internally or with industry colleagues. But it can blur the message when you're trying to reach your external audience or, worse still, actively deter customers and prospects from bothering to pay attention again.

Management speak (e.g. win-win situation, blue-sky thinking) can also detract from the intended message, either by hiding the truth or - thanks to over-use - becoming meaningless.

If you're also a bit of a pedant for these things, listen to this entertaining podcast by the FT's Lucy Kellaway entitled "My awards for management guff". It only takes 5 minutes but it's fun, interesting and unerringly accurate in its targetting of award-winners.

Thanks to my former Sony colleague Alastair Chesson for sharing this with me earlier this week, and to Wil Taylor for the image (from Flickr).

Improve your Google ranking (3 of 3)

2011-01-11T12:54:00.005Z

In this final post of this 3-part series on search engine optimisation (SEO), I'm going to look at keywords and links.

Keywords
If some of the words on a given web page match the terms being used in a search, that page is more likely to appear in the search engine results pages (or SERPs). The exact ranking of that page relies on various factors, including the keyword frequency - the number of times a keyword phrase appears on the page - and, to a lesser extent, keyword density (the ratio of keywords to the rest of the text on the page).

Use Google Analytics to help you identify your keywords, remembering to imagine yourself as a potential customer for your own product or service. What would you enter into Google as your search term(s)? Try and limit your list to three or four keywords (or phrases) per page.

Use your keywords (or keyword phrases) very naturally in the text and avoid keyword loading - obvious repetitions that don't make for easy-to-read copy. Loading not only detracts readers, it also sounds alarm bells for the search engine spiders crawling your site.

To be attractive to both your human readers and the machines, try and keep your keywords (or phrases) within the first 100 words or so of the page's content. Aim for at least 250 words per page, where possible.

Also, try and use keywords in your image alt files and tags as well as in the more obvious places such as title tags, headlines and body copy.

Links
The lifeblood of the internet, links are another vital SEO element. Here's a bulleted summary of what to do:

* Link to relevant content early in the body copy

* Use descriptive text within the flow of the copy (not "Read more", "Click here" etc stuck at the end of a sentence or paragraph) - see my example above "Google Analytics"

* Keep your descriptive text short (2 or 3 words rather than long sentences)

* Make links easy to identify (so they're not missed or clicked by accident)

* Link to relevant internal or external pages every 125 words (approximately)

Once you've made these changes, review your site periodically and update it as required. You should also stay on top of changes to SEO best practice, to make sure your site retains its improved ranking.

(Image from Corrine of Kingston University's MA Creative Economy project)

Improve your Google ranking (2 of 3)

2011-01-04T16:58:00.004Z

In the second of three posts on search engine optimisation (SEO), I'm going to focus on a couple of the behind-the-scenes elements - the metadata - from your website: the tags.

Unlike the gift tags on the presents you opened on Christmas Day, these online tags are hidden away (although they can be seen by using the Page/View Source option within Internet Explorer's tool bar). Despite being out of sight for most users, the tags are highly visible to the search engines you're trying to attract - so ignore these recommendations at your peril:

Title tags
Use a different title for each page, making it brief (between 50 and 65 characters, including spaces) yet descriptive and relevant to the page content.

Ideally, use the keywords that are relevant to the page within the title - as near to the start of the title as possible. (See the next installment of this 3-part post for more on keywords.)

Description meta tag
This gives search engines a summary of what the page is about. Make it one or two sentences long (between 150 and 180 characters, including spaces), interesting and relevant since it's likely to be used in the search engine results pages (SERPs) to describe your page.

Make the change
It's worth noting that you can create your tags at the build stage of your website, or go back and make changes once it's published - so there's no excuse for ignoring the imperative of making your tags as SEO-friendly as possible.

Next time, I'll be looking at a more immediately visible element of your website: the written content (including keywords).

Improve your Google ranking (1 of 3)

2010-12-30T14:44:00.010Z

To kick-start the New Year, here's the first of three posts on search engine optimisation (SEO) - the process of improving your website's rankings.

Is your website an online version of your corporate brochure, a more complex transaction-based sales tool and revenue generator, or a combination of these elements? Whatever the answer, you're probably hoping that some prospects will find it some day via a search engine (be it Google - the most widely used - Bing, Yahoo! or some other search tool).

But we all know 'hoping' isn't enough.

First of all, you need to know how well - or badly - your website is currently ranking on the search engine results pages (SERPs) and Google Analytics is a good starting point for this exercise. If your site's not built yet, work with your web development team to plan your approach to SEO (as well as all the other aspects of your website) and then start testing after launch.

If your site doesn't appear on the first page of the Google results for a specified search term, then the chances are you won't be found. (How often do you go beyond the first page of results?!) By the way, thinking like your prospects and figuring out what they might search for will help you create keywords for the content of your site... but more of that in the third installment of this series.

To build your website from scratch, or improve your existing online presence, it's worthwhile optimising it with Google's "SEO Starter Guide" in mind. This is a straightforward and (generally) non-technical guide that will help to inform your thinking and improve your online marketing.

Executing Google's tips and tricks will probably fall under the remit of your IT specialist, webmaster or digital agency, but it's still important to understand the basics well enough to manage or oversee the project.

Next time, we'll look at the ABC of SEO and the first three ways to improve your web's ranking in Google (and other search engines).

French Radio London launches today

2010-11-17T08:23:00.004Z

If you love holidaying in France, drinking its great wine or eating its fine cheeses (and other gastronomic delights) and like to speak a bit of French too, listen up: French Radio London launches today at 12 noon on DAB for London.

Smells like Christmas

2010-11-03T17:41:00.007Z

The cover of December's Wired magazine announces "The Second Annual Ideas Issue" but there's more to the near-200 pages than that: this is also the (unofficial) Xmas gift edition.

For example, as soon as you open the poly-wrap, a sampler for Tom Ford's latest male scent (Grey Vetiver) drops out. This sophisticated "scratch 'n' sniff" card also urges you to visit your local retailer and pick up a (presumably more substantial) 'complimentary sample'. There's also an ad for the same scent inside, along with seven other ads for men's fragrances.

I don't remember seeing so many fragrance ads in previous issues, so is it a Christmas phenomenon? The other ads are much more in line with the mag's usual fare, since they include 6 for watches, 6 for cars/car accessories, 8 for IT products or services, and 5 for cameras. PCs/processors, phones, booze and audio equipment also clock up a few each.

Given that Wired has a predominantly male readership, the question is: do they buy themselves a lot of scent? (They certainly purchase the other advertised products, although watches, cameras and AV gadgets could also be classed as potential gifts).

If men aren't into buying personal perfume, are the scent ads aimed at their partners? And if this is the case, what percentage of Wired's straight readers leave their copy around for the woman in their life to see?

I guess all of this is a long way of saying: are these perfume ads working? Are sales increasing? Or are they simply intended to raise awareness?

And as for the great ideas fanfared on the cover? I haven't read about them yet - I've been too busy counting ads and swooning to the whiff of Grey Vetiver!

Idea Bounty

2010-09-23T14:40:00.005+01:00

Have you heard about Idea Bounty? It's an ideas exchange website that rewards people for their creativity.

Clients pay the bounty - but in return, they get thousands of minds thinking about their brief and only pay for what they use.

So, the creative with a good idea (as judged by the client) wins and, of course, the client wins too. And even if you don't win, you may learn something by looking at what did manage to get the client's attention - and feed that knowledge into your next idea.

Negotiating tips

2010-09-10T13:42:00.009+01:00

Here are some useful negotiating ideas that I found on a forum for sales and marketing executives.

I particularly like the tactic of finding the high level area(s) of agreement before delving down into the devil of the detail.

The web is dead - long live the 'net

2010-09-08T14:54:00.004+01:00

There's an excellent article (as always) in this month's Wired magazine - by which I mean the one dated October 10 - about the 'net and web or, in today's parlance, apps versus websites.

However, you'll either have to buy the hard copy to see it or go to this part of the wired.com website to read all about the changing face of our digital interactions.

Brainstorming tips

2010-08-30T17:18:00.005+01:00

Here are some worthwhile brainstorming tips from business writer Georgina Laidlaw.

I'd add in a technique known as mind mapping (as originated by Tony Buzan) plus a practical suggestion. If brainstorming by yourself isn't generating the creative quality you need, try doing it with a trusted colleague, associate or friend. As long as you're both comfortable with the process of bouncing ideas around, this should help break through your mental barrier and solve the problem at hand.

And in today's social media landscape, another way to tackle a thorny issue is to crowdsource it - just like the UK Government and BP did recently (according to this BBC News story).

Dave Stewart: Ideas Factory

2010-08-20T15:52:00.008+01:00

Last weekend I met up with my friend and some-time sounding-board (author and serial entrepreneur) Ian Sanders. As ever, he helped me bounce a few business development ideas around and also updated me on what he's been doing.

Of all the interesting activities that Ian's been involved with recently, his interview with Dave Stewart (yes, THE Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame) struck a chord. Mr Stewart has always been a man of many talents - and, amongst other things, now runs Weapons of Mass Entertainment, an “ideas factory” based in Los Angeles.

It's fascinating to discover how someone with a creative mind can diversify, moving from one field where they've become internationally famous to become just as successful in many others.

(Image of Dave Stewart by John Attwell)

The importance of your eList (and how to build it)

2010-08-13T17:42:00.004+01:00

I receive a weekly "More Clients" newsletter from business mentor Robert Middleton - who runs Action Plan Marketing - and it's full of great advice.

The latest talks about the 7 deadly list-building mistakes and reading it reminded me of a couple of things I'm not doing. It also helped me remember why any of us are building lists in the first place: permission marketing.

If you're not sure about that, here's the interview with Seth Godin that appeared in 1998 and sparked the flame - and here's a link to a more recent edition of Fast Company magazine.

(Image courtesy of Cansu Cender on Flickr)

How to gain local press coverage

2010-08-02T14:46:00.006+01:00

The "Small Business Trends" website recently published an interesting article on 'How to win media coverage as an SMB' .

It doesn't matter that the site has a bias towards the US, the advice on attracting local coverage still holds up here in the UK - even in East Anglia! And I'll be putting it all into practice again soon, as I help a client (for the second time) to kick up a media storm.

Making commerce and childcare work

2010-07-12T09:26:00.004+01:00

I run my own business (take a look around the site!) and I'm also a father of a two-year old who has a sibling on the way in December. I like to be as involved and interested in my child(ren) as I am in my work, but as many people know - particularly working mothers - that can be a difficult balancing act.

But now, for those in and around Wandsworth in south London at least, there's something to help you get the balance right: Third Door. This recently launched concept combines "professional, flexible, co-working office space, a communal social area and fully equipped Ofsted regulated childcare for pre-school children. It’s all available under one roof, on a pay-as-you-go basis."

Great idea, huh? So if you're in London, fed up of trying to work from home while the kids are in the next room, or need to take some time out for work during child care duties (or any other combination of events that requires a minimum 3-hour slot) then Third Door could be the solution you've been looking for.

Incidentally, I sent an email to the company because I was hoping their idea had spread to Suffolk already! It's early days, so that hasn't happened yet - but the speed of their responses to my enquiry (calls, not just emails) impressed me. If the rest of their service is similar, I'm sure we'll be seeing the idea franchised across the UK soon.

15 Useful Business Apps

2010-07-05T11:35:00.001+01:00

Those smart people at BNET UK have published a great article listing 5 useful business applications for each of the iPhone, Android and Ovi (Nokia) platforms.

I haven't downloaded any for my iPhone yet, but the car mileage app looks particularly helpful since I can offset the cost of any petrol used for business - but need to keep track of those trips.

Anyway, here are the links to the lists for each platform. Choose the one(s) appropriate to your phone(s).

5 business apps for iPhone owners
5 business apps for owners of smartphones using Android
5 business apps for Nokia owners

Customer relations vs commercial sensitivity

2010-06-18T11:11:00.004+01:00

According to an article in Mobile News, Apple iPhone customers with 3G phones are annoyed about the launch of iPhone4 (although the gripes don't relate to the technical glitches endured by Steve Jobs).

The report suggests that these owners "feel duped" by Apple and "angry at purchasing new devices just weeks before [the] iPhone 4 announcement." I was in a similar position when I bought my own iPhone 3G in Autumn 2009, cancelling my Vodafone contract because O2 was the only UK provider at that time. Just a couple of months later, Vodafone starting selling iPhones too!

While severing my contract with Vodafone proved long-winded and problematic, I wouldn't use the word 'duped' or even 'angry' to describe my reaction to the situation. I assume they couldn't mention their plan to market the phone at the time of my termination request due to its commercial sensitivity (and, probably, legal constraints). Fair enough - and the same can be said for Apple's surprise announcement about iPhone4.

Most of the time, technical progress is achieved through stealth; the result of closely guarded R&D. Companies have to keep such developments secret to maintain their competitive edge - even if that can prove frustrating for existing customers. And as consumers, we just have to accept that sometimes we'll lose out in these situations... but that we'll win in the long-term because the technology's improving and (generally) making our lives easier/better/more productive/more fun/whatever.

Tips for technology marketers

2010-06-09T10:43:00.004+01:00

I've just published a quick guide to boosting the impact of your marketing communications on Scribd.

iPad is flash, but not Flash

2010-06-07T13:02:00.002+01:00

I covered the Apple iPad launch elsewhere, but a recurring criticism concerns its inability to run Adobe's Flash (get the Flash player).

Given that many websites - including big-hitters such as the BBC - use Flash to support their multimedia interactivity, the criticism may seem valid. But why Apple continues with the policy (Flash doesn't appear on the iPhone or iTouch either) remains debatable...

... until you read the report in this month's Wired magazine, which offers some interesting answers - and a rather playful image of Steve Jobs (above).

Ideas about planning

2010-05-28T15:34:00.004+01:00

A couple of blog posts about planning have caught my eye recently - as did this image on Flickr by Jorge Quinteros.

The first post is from Seth Godin, who'd like to see "the modern business plan [divided] into five sections: Truth; Assertions; Alternatives; People; Money".

A different - though in some ways, complementary - take on planning comes from my mate Ian Sanders (and colleague David Sloly), whose "Unplan you business" blog deserves some attention too.

My own view? Like many independent professionals, I sometimes plan too ambitiously and then fail to get enough done! Maybe I should simplify things and lower my sights a little in order to achieve more?

What works best for you?

A month's a long time...

2010-05-17T16:37:00.003+01:00

... in politics and blogging.

Please excuse the Harold Wilson misquote (he originally talked about a week being a long time - and would never have heard of blogging either, since he pre-dated the internet by many years). Anyway, that's how long it's been since I last posted and apologies for that.

As well as being absorbed by the General Election and its even more dramatic aftermath which (finally) led to David Cameron and Nick Clegg - PM and Deputy PM respectively - delivering a joint news conference in the gardens of no 10 Downing Street, there have been quite a few deadlines to meet (all achieved) as well as family commitments.

The deadlines have revolved around my work as a consultant with the S.M.E (East of England) Practice Group within Synogis and for a RichWords project where I've been freelancing as a technical writer for the London office of an international communications agency. That project's now ended but I hope to do more work for the agency soon, while Synogis work is on-going.

Now, like everyone else, I'm waiting to see what impact the forthcoming spending cuts will have on the public and private faces of the economy, and on marketing budgets in particular.

TV (and political?) history is made

2010-04-16T15:53:00.005+01:00

Last night saw the first ever televised debate between the leaders of the main parties. Shown on ITV (and now available for viewing via the ITV Player), voters had the chance to judge Clegg, Cameron and Brown (shown left to right in image) over a 90-minute period rather than the usual 30-second soundbites we get on the news.

And, for someone like me who's interested in both politics and the media, this was a piece of television history to be savoured.

I thought PM Brown came across rather better than he normally manages on TV, but struggled to both defend his party's legacy and respond to the implication within every audience-member's question that the situation was bad and had to improve.

Cameron was polished and calm, not always straight with his answers - explicitly refusing to engage with Brown on financial issues - but confident throughout.

Clegg came across as a likeable and viable alternative to either - a leader who knew his brief (despite early wobbles where he kept repeating the same mantra about "young tearaways becoming hardened criminals") and revelled in representing 'a force for change'.

While these are my personal impressions, it seems that the majority of viewers and voters agreed. Today's Guardian and Daily Telegraph websites (normally a reflection of their broadsheet newspaper parentage, in that they come from the left and right of the political spectrum respectively) proclaimed Clegg as the night's biggest winner.

This is good news for British politics. Not because I'm a LibDem supporter (although I might be at this election) but because it could help us get away from the Punch-and-Judy bi-party system that has dominated for so long.

A freelancer's life...

2010-04-09T17:03:00.004+01:00

...is a balancing act, where you have to multi-task to find time to:

1) read, think and write - so you can hit your deadlines on live projects
2) send out marketing mailshots and follow-up - so the leads don't dry up
3) write and submit proposals - so new business keeps rolling in
4) attend meetings - so you can generate work, take briefs or get feedback
5) do your admin - so your head's clear to do more important stuff (see 1-4)

In the last few weeks, I've been active in all of these capacities and found that the mailshots and follow-ups can be affirming, the proposals (mainly for Applicology)stimulating and an invitation to new thinking, the meetings interesting and sociable, and the admin - well, useful I guess.

However, the most rewarding (in every sense) is the reading/writing and it's been very varied: a thought leadership piece for an international consultancy; a series of brochures for a renewable energy company (a client of a global advertising group); a brochure for a major software company targeting the public sector; and some web pages for a storage solutions firm.

Phew! It's been busy - but good fun too. And now I'm going to have my first weekend off in a month!

(Image courtesy of Frozen Haddock [!] on Flickr)

Innovate like Walt Disney

2010-04-01T14:38:00.003+01:00

Following my post referencing a BNET article on better proposals, here's another great resource from the same site about a technique evidently used by Walt Disney.

This 3-minute video on a practical approach to innovation describes a 3-step process to ensure that at least some of your dreams are realised.

Writing proposals that sell

2010-03-24T14:15:00.005Z

Having signed up to management advice website BNET, I've been impressed by the range and quality of the articles on offer.

Here's a link to an excellent post on "How to write a killer sales proposal". Thankfully, I'd instinctively done quite a few of the things suggested about 3 weeks ago, when putting together an applications development proposal with my colleagues at Applicology.

The proposal was well received and we're in discussions with our prospective client. Even so, I'll incorporate the other bits of advice from this article into our next proposal document.

(Image courtesy of Caruba on Flickr)

And the winner is...

2010-03-05T12:43:00.007Z

In case you didn't know, it's Oscars night on Sunday. While I don't stay up all night and watch it, I am a fan of the movies so I'm interested in the results - and have even predicted them using a free Oscars app (sponsored by US TV network abc).

I haven't seen Avatar yet but expect it will sweep the board with the two biggies: Best Picture and Directing. I'm hoping that Jeff Bridges will get the Leading Actor gong (for "Crazy Heart") and Gabourey Sidibe the women's equivalent for "Precious".

Of course, all the glamour and glitz of the night is a massive marketing exercise that successfully boosts DVD sales and cinema attendance for the films that get short-listed and (especially) those lucky enough to win.

And while I'm not convinced that all of the hype is good for small, independent film-makers, I can't deny that my own movie collection includes Oscar-winners of the past such as "The Godfather", "Annie Hall" and "Shakespeare in Love".

Which all goes to show that the Academy does get it right quite a lot of the time.

P.S. You can find entries for all of theses films on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Keep it real

2010-02-22T11:13:00.006Z

One of the keys to success in social media seems to be authenticity; keeping it real. That means being prepared to give advice and share knowledge without a direct reward (a fundamental feature of our interconnected, digital world) as well as being up-front when you're in promotional mode (which will be far less often).

My friend - author, "Chief Juggler" and 'fresh thinker' - Ian Sanders talks a lot about authenticty when encouraging us all to enjoy what we do, adopt a portfolio-style of working, and rediscover [our] spark. Ian's ideas came to mind when I saw a recent Design Week post on the new trend for packaging design to reflect a brand's origins .

Considering these two perspectives on the 'keep it real' approach, I guess the message is that you (and your brand) have to be authentic both inside and out.

(Image courtesy of NickWheelerOz on Flickr)

10 years on...

2010-02-16T14:11:00.004Z

It's been ten years since I stopped being a copywriter for Sony and started being a copywriter for hire - and that's some cause for celebration.

In that time, my business has survived a couple of economic downturns and I've relocated twice (from Brussels to London and then to Suffolk) yet managed to develop new contacts locally each time. Even so, my client-base is not only UK-wide but international: the internet and my mobile phone let me work from wherever I happen to be and stay in touch with clients at all times.

The advent of the web has also affected the type of work I create, of course - much more of my writing ends up online these days (as websites, landing pages, e-zines and so on) than it did in 2000. However, there's still demand for printed brochures, ads, direct mail, reports, newsletters and the rest - which I'm more than happy to fulfil.

While my writing skills are transferrable to multiple industries (and media), it's true that I've built on my full-time experience and created a niche as a technology/hi-tech writer. So, I specialise in writing marketing materials for organisations selling technology products, services and solutions - e.g. Dell, Toshiba, Web Technology Group - plus consumer electronics manufacturers such as Pioneer and Sony.

In the non-tech world, I've also written for various branches of the building industry (including the CIOB), for consultancies and agencies of all kinds, for the retail and FMCG sectors, and for numerous one-man bands and small businesses too diverse to list. In addition, the last decade has seen me delivering business-writing training to staff at The Economist, EMAP Communications and other companies - so the freelance life has certainly provided variety and interest at every turn.

It's been a great 10 years; here's to the next decade (at least).

(Image courtesy of "normanack" on Flickr)

MTV - for a fatter generation?

2010-02-09T17:13:00.005Z

MTV's "logo refresh" creates a marque that's more flexible, but one that also reflects the fate of those 80s youths who've grown up alongside the once-powerful music brand: it's now fatter and wider!

This Creative Review article also puts the re-design into context, seeing it as the latest example of a trend for using the interior space of a company logo as a gap to fill - rather than regarding the image (as well as a designated area around it) as sacrosanct.

Things have changed a lot since I was marketing at Sony - although my erstwhile employers don't appear to have moved this far in their guidelines just yet.

-

Cartoon fun with apps

2010-02-05T14:43:00.001Z

Social media guide Mashable has recently published reports on the crossover between two separate worlds: animation and apps.

The first story announces the release of a 'Monster Maker' app featuring Elmo, the Sesame Street character.

The second piece describes how a recent (US) edition of The Simpsons featured Homer using an iPhone!

The two articles confirm either what we knew already - the iPhone's not just cool, but cool enough to feature on The Simpsons - or suspected: it's ubiquitous enough to be reaching out to kids.

And here's where my personal experience comes in. Once a child gets hold of an iPhone (parents beware!), s/he will intuitively know how to use it - and love the interface. Even my under-two toddler likes watching Timmy Time episodes on the BBC iPlayer.

Talk to someone!

2010-01-28T15:19:00.005Z

I've posted before about the value of having a "buddy system" in place - particularly when you're a freelancer who often works on projects alone.

Today, I met ideas man and business engagement expert Ian Sanders for a coffee (or three) and we chatted for 90 minutes about our respective businesses, some new revenue-generating ideas and the Apple iPad.

It was interesting and stimulating and, for a couple of topics, a very useful sanity check on our respective thought processes.

So, make the most of your network by developing mutually beneficial relationships with people whose company you enjoy - and who can help you enjoy your company!

(Image courtesy of Giandomenico Ricci on Flickr)

The Google Guide to SEO

2010-01-25T16:15:00.006Z

Last week, I attended two Business Link training courses all about website planning and search engine optimisation (SEO).

I picked up quite a few good tips which I'll be sharing in future posts, but today I'm offering a link to the PDF (you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader) of a clear, well-written document full of tips for beginners - direct from the horse's mouth: Google's SEO Starter Guide.

These 22 pages of SEO gold dust are well worth reading (and acting upon). At the very least, you should work through them with your web development team to make sure you're doing everything possible to rise up the search results pages. My thanks to ex-colleague Matt Gourd for tweeting about this file last Friday.

Typeface Time

2010-01-19T14:02:00.005Z

Two of my sources of inspiration for this blog (Seth Godin and Creative Review) have recently written posts about typeface, which I thought I'd share.

Godin takes the view that typeface is as much a part of your corporate image as your company name and logo. That means it can either emphasise or reinforce your branding, ethos and vision - or else contradict what you stand for and undermine your messages on every line. He suggests paying a designer to think about this on your behalf - and I'd add that it's your job to find a designer you like, then let them know all about your organisation, its values and so on.

For a little independent (and slightly tongue-in-cheek) help on this, read the CR blog called "What type are you?".

Follow the instructions there and on the site it links to - it's a quick, fun exercise. When I did it, I discovered that Archer Hairline was my font... and I have to say, I like the look of it!

(Image courtesy of Ralf Hermann on Flickr)

Getting a business book published

2010-01-15T14:48:00.003Z

Here's some great advice from David Meerman Scott on how to break into the world of book publishing.

Note to self: get writing!

(Image of the bookshop at the Martin Luther King Memorial Library courtesy of Rock Creek on Flickr)

Forward thinking

2010-01-05T13:57:00.005Z

Traditionally, January (named after Janus, the Roman God) is a time for both reflection and anticipation; beginnings and endings.

But rather than wallowing in the memories of a reasonably successful 2009, I'm going to look forward to what 2010 has to offer:

More diversified business interests:
In addition to the copywriting, training and marketing communications services that I offer through RichWords, I'll be busy with both Applicology (the apps development company I've set up with two freelance colleagues) and Synogis (a virtual management consultancy business).

More collaborative working
Both of my new ventures give me the opportunity to work with other independent professionals in serving the needs of clients. While this can also happen within RichWords - especially when agencies hire me to work on an account - it's not the most common scenario. Being part of a team again will be refreshing!

More lessons from life and work
The more you put in, the more you get out; the more you learn, the more you realise how much you don't know. Constant change and lifetime learning keep you on your toes but also keep your mind fresh and encourage creativity. I proved this to myself in 2009 and intend to continue throughout 2010.

What have you got to look forward to this year?

(Image of Janus - from the Vatican Collection - courtesy of RedJinn on Flickr)

Improve your Google ranking (2 of 3)

2010-01-04T10:01:00.000Z

Given that Google remains the search engine of choice for most people, it's a good idea to start optimising your website with that company's "SEO Starter Guide" in mind (as I mentioned in part 1).

Now with 2011 upon us (the image comes from Google's 2010 New Year celebrations), we're going to look at some basic SEO instructions that apply to the technical build of your site. By that, I mean that following these suggestions will not lead to results that are visible to the casual visitor - although they can be revealed via the 'View Source' tab in Internet Explorer's tool bar - but the changes made will be noticed by the search engines.

It's also worth mentioning that you/your web developer can make these changes at the time your site is built, or retrospectively with an existing site. So there are no excuses for not doing the following:

(1) Title tags
Use a different title for each page, making it brief (50-65 characters long) yet descriptive and relevant to the page content.

Ideally, each title should use the keywords - see the final part of this 'Improve your Google ranking' trilogy - that are relevant to that page, and those words should appear as close to the start of the title as possible.

(2) Description meta tag
This gives search engines a summary of what the page is about and is likely to be used on the results pages after a user completes a search.

Create a description that's one or two sentences long (between 150 and 180 characters). Also, make it both interesting and relevant, since you want to entice users to click on your link within the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Next time, we'll be looking at content, keywords and links.

Happy New Year!

Olay not okay

2009-12-16T17:04:00.006Z

The Advertising Standards Authority has censured Olay manufacturer Procter & Gamble for airbrushing a photo of Twiggy in an ad (see it in this "Campaign" report) for Definity eye illuminator.

The ruling upholds more than 700 complaints about the ad and follows on from an article in last month's "Creative Review" about the pitfalls of photo-shopping images.

(Image courtesy of John A Ward on Flickr)

Applicology blog begins

2009-12-14T13:25:00.004Z

Over the past two months, I've been working with Simon Brooker and Richard Jennis on setting up a new venture: Applicology.

Applicology is an applications development company that creates software for iPhones and other mobile devices. A blend of our individual strengths (marketing know-how, creativity and design, and technical knowledge), Applicology aims to help companies take advantage of the growth in SmartPhone ownership, the success of Apple's App Store and likely growth of the other online outlets for apps, plus the massive increase in application downloads by both business users and consumers.

We're still in the early stages of apps development, but we've already started blogging about the world of apps, so please subscribe today.

Le web est ici

2009-12-09T15:19:00.004Z

When I stumbled across "Le Web" on my internet travels today, I thought it might be the result of some errant English schoolboy's joke - a poor attempt at describing, in French, our digitally-connected world.

But no, this is a real technology event! Starting today (ending tomorrow) in Paris, it's been running since 2005, has grown each year in terms of attendees and sponsors (including Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and, of course, TechCrunch - where I found the initial link) and looks pretty interesting.

Will attend virtually and decide if I might go in person next year.

Wired wants to reboot Britain

2009-12-07T11:05:00.005Z

In advance of next year's election in Britain, the January 2010 edition of Wired (UK) magazine includes the key ideas of "15 smart thinkers".

Ranging from 'teaching kids to see in 4D' through to 'encouraging failure' , all are worthy of consideration - at least - by the main political parties. Each one aims to radicalise the world of work/life in some way and are designed to stimulate debate, if nothing else.

The online version of the magazine includes a selection of these ideas.

It's never too late

2009-12-04T10:11:00.003Z

Whatever the size of your company, it could be that you're feeling left behind by social media and the associated technology or even the internet (there are still companies without a website!).

But here's some practical advice from marketing/business guru Seth Godin on how to catch up. While the activities he advocates are straightforward enough, the main barrier he identifies is one of attitude and commitment - or, as he puts it, "the will to get good".

(Image courtesy of Estherase on Flickr)

Jazz hamsters sell water

2009-12-02T15:57:00.004Z

I never thought I'd write those four words in that order, but now I can.

The latest TV ad for the Britvic water brand Drench sees four talented creatures using the liquid to help them riff away - and live up to the strapline: "Perform at your best. Stay drenched."

Inspired.

(For more background on this story, see this Creative Review blog)

Ad Diner: Good idea or not?

2009-11-30T15:39:00.005Z

We all know the recession has hit advertising hard: revenues on commercial TV and radio, and in glossy mags, are down and agencies are either laying off staff or going to the wall. But one outfit - in America, where else? - has bucked the trend by setting up Ad Diner.

Basically the site, which targets small businesses, has a library of ready-made creative ads and campaigns that can be customised with a logo and extra info. The attraction for users, of course, is that these ads cost a fraction of those made specifically for any single client.

For freelancers (and agencies, for that matter) wanting to submit their generic ads to the site, the appeal is that they can set their own price: the market of users will decide whether it's too high or not.

But the questions I have are: do the companies buying ads from the site get the best quality advertising they can? Wouldn't a bespoke communication that takes into account their circumstances, branding, audience and so on prove more effective? And lastly, could the idea catch on in the UK too?

What do you think?

(The article that inspired this post is available on Women Entrepreneur.com)

Marketing an innovation

2009-11-24T13:58:00.004Z

Dan Heath, co-author of Made to Stick, talks to Fast Company about the anchor and twist theory of marketing an innovation in this video.

In communicating about your breakthrough, you reference an already-familiar product or service: the anchor that gets your audience into the right mindset. Then, you add the twist: the thing that makes your idea so new and refreshing.

Heath offers a couple of good examples, my favourite being the car: a horseless carriage. At the time, everyone knew what a carriage looked like - but they expected a horse to be pulling it!

Online forms - alphabetical or not?

2009-11-23T14:01:00.003Z

My blog in October about making contact forms as easy as possible was inspired by Seth Godin. Now he's revisited the subject from a new angle, talking about the need (or not) to alphabeticise a pull-down menu of options... or whether to have a pull-down at all.

As ever, he makes some interesting and valid points, with the overall message being: think about your users and what will help/hinder them when designing your forms.

(Image courtesy of 'ohsohappytogether' on Flickr)

Stay on track - with a buddy system

2009-11-19T15:48:00.004Z

As a freelancer, you sometimes work with other independent professionals (in my case, this often includes designers - such as Simon at Blink - and web developers - e.g. Richard at Simple Click) but you also spend a lot of time working alone.

And that's when it's a good idea to have a buddy system in place - someone you can rely on to bounce ideas off and use for 'sanity checks', inspiration and whatever else you need. You don't pay for their time or advice - simply because you return the favour when they need that extra bit of external help to keep them on track.

I have this kind of relationship with author, serial entrepreneur and reinvention consultant Ian Sanders - and we work togther on paying projects too sometimes!

So, thanks to him for previous (and future) collaborations - and acknowledgements to Pete Savage at "The Wealthy Freelancer" for inspiring this post with his piece on "Who's Holding You Accountable?" and to "ibrotons" at Flickr for the image.

Wired not tired

2009-11-18T17:06:00.005Z

The latest "Wired" magazine landed on my doormat last week - with a thump.

After a couple of thin months (interesting articles - as always - but fewer ads than the relaunch issue I blogged about), the December edition is a lot meatier. Full of good stuff to read about and/or drool over, the articles include:

Wired's stock-in-trade (futurology): 25 ideas for 2010
An inspiring story about not saying 'no': The Impossible Project: Bringing back Polaroid
A report on 'design thinking', as promoted by innovation consultants IDEO

Vinyl records: the art of noise

2009-11-16T14:24:00.004Z

The Creative Review blog (as well as the magazine) often reveals a new phenomenon or design trend. But a recent article reminded me of an art-form I thought had disappeared - vinyl disc sleeve design - and of my early record-buying days.

It concerns the annual poll by Art Vinyl to find the public's favourite sleeve art (on LPs, 12" singles or EPs). Last year, the eponymous debut album by Fleet Foxes won the vote. This time around, records by Jarvis Cocker, The Rakes and Flaming Lips are all in contention.

(Image from the Art Vinyl website)

Marr Makes History...

2009-10-29T14:01:00.005Z

... interesting to watch. Last night, respected political journalist and R4 'Start the Week' presenter Andrew Marr turned up on BBC2 to front the first of his 6-part series 'The Making of Modern Britain' - and it was both a joy and an education.

Beginning with a discussion about the impact of Queen Victoria's death in 1901, Marr then swept through the ensuing domestic political shenanigans, colonial strife overseas, and the social and industrial thrusts of the day. Along the way, he enlightened this viewer on several issues:

1) the terrible tactics used by the British to win the Boer War in South Africa (including - by accident and incompetence, rather than design - the introduction of concentration camps)

2) how Joseph Chamberlain's bid for trade tariffs backfired

3) the nature of the Rolls Royce partnership... with the working class engineer Royce getting the upper hand on the upper class sales and marketing expert Rolls

In fact, the hour was full of great stories and anecdotes. So, if you're interested in the development of modern Britain, this is the programme to watch.

Is 150 the magic number?

2009-10-26T17:10:00.004Z

Well, the answer's 'Yes' according to esteemed academic Professor Robin Dunbar.

As Seth Godin points out in his recent post, Dunbar's theory (that there's a limit to the number of people with whom anyone can maintain stable social relationships) is important in the light of the social media explosion.

That's because those people on LinkedIn and Facebook (and all the other sites) who continue to acquire new 'friends' may well be adding to their list of contacts - but are they truly engaging and maintaining a stable relationship with each and every one? Maybe it's not 150 in today's digital world, but 200 or more, but the principle appears to remain true - at least according to the scientists.

(Image courtesy of Koen Vereeken on Flickr)

Crush it!

2009-10-21T16:05:00.003+01:00

Following up from my recent posts about measuring the ROI of social media, here's more from 'online-TV wine guy' and all-round digital success story Gary Vaynerchuk:

1) Talking about his latest book "Crush it!", in a short interview with author Ian Sanders

2) In a HubSpot article, that also previews Gary's forthcoming free webinar on HubSpot

Yes! Social networking works

2009-10-19T10:08:00.004+01:00

Following on from my post on Friday, here are a few interesting updates:

1) Bob Bly himself posted on "How to measure social media effectiveness"

2) Kevin Roberts, CEO Worldwide at Saatchi & Saatchi, blogged about "The Participation Economy"

3) My good friend (entrepreneur, reinvention specialist and author) Ian Sanders interviewed social media star Gary Vaynerchuk about the keys to success in today's digital world

(Image courtesy of diebmx on Flickr)

Does social networking work?

2009-10-16T14:48:00.004+01:00

A recent post by direct response copywriting guru Bob Bly cites research suggesting the answer (for small businesses, at least) is no.

Unsurprisingly, the comments attached to the blog reveal a good debate between the pro- and anti-SN brigades that's reminiscent of ongoing spats between Apple and Microsoft, or the Pepsi/Coke cola wars. I say this because the two camps seem so entrenched in their positions that they're unwilling (or unable) to see any value in the views of the other side.

My own view? The ROI on social networking's not yet proven (unlike Bly's beloved DM), but I think SN could deliver long-term gains that are difficult to measure: raising awareness, generating trust, establishing expertise, etc.

(Image courtesy of Johnny Grim on Flickr)

LinkedIn hits 50

2009-10-14T18:21:00.005+01:00

TechCrunch reports that LinkedIn now boasts 50 million business users.

Certainly, I find it useful for finding out what's going on in relevant industries (e.g. marketing, media, technology) and who's doing what.

Of course, it's also good for raising your own profile and identifying (or being identified for) new business opportunities.

Beanz for Blokes

2009-10-12T12:25:00.004+01:00

There's a very interesting article on the Design Week blog about
'Geezer Pleasers' - the current fad in the food and drinks sector to target 'lads' (18-25 year olds, judging by the tone and style of the campaigns).

Evidently, it's happened because of the increase in single-occupancy households and the recession-fuelled resurgence of 'nights-in' (watching footie and films or playing games, presumably). And, given the audience, the big names such as Golden Wonder and Heinz have used humour to try and gain an edge.

No doubt they'll be successful too - but it makes me a little concerned about the health of a generation if they're living on beans and crisps!

Keep those orders coming

2009-10-08T12:48:00.006+01:00

Yesterday's post got me thinking about the importance of making order forms as clear and simple as possible.

Whether online or in print, the order form is simultaneously the most essential and most overlooked element of the marketing communications process. While its importance is obvious, the reasons for it being ignored are less clear.

The most logical explanation is, would you believe, a question of logic. Most people - or, at least, the uninitiated - will create a sales letter, DM pack, landing page etc by starting at the beginning and working through to the end in sequence. Since the order form's often at the foot of the on/offline page - even on many landing pages - it's left until last.

By now, I'm sure you've guessed that I believe this is the wrong thing to do. Create your order form first, I say, and then go on to the headline, sub-heads, body copy and other parts. If you've planned your communication before you start, you'll have an outline of the content for all of these elements anyway. So beginning 'at the end' won't throw you off your intended path. What's more, given your objective (hint: something to do with getting an order), it makes sense to start there.

When creating the form, make sure there's enough space for the users to complete it. I know this sounds basic, but how many times have you struggled to fit in a signature or to complete the boxes where you're supposed to provide your card info? For online forms, don't limit the character count unnecessarily and don't put an asterisk beside every field and add a note saying "* Obligatory fields".

Lastly, don't ask for superfluous details - just for whatever's necessary to process the order and keep your customer satisfied.

(Image courtesy of waterlillysage on Flickr)

Making contact easy

2009-10-07T16:59:00.004+01:00

If you want potential customers to get in touch via your website, you need to give users a clear choice between the contact channels available.

My own website (look around!) has a separate Contact page that lists the various methods - mobile and office numbers, Skype details, and LinkedIn and Twitter info too. Other companies put their details onto every page of their website. Still more - as Seth Godin points out - provide only a form for the user to complete and offer NO email address.

To make matters worse (i.e. more difficult for the customer), these forms often include data fields that most people would only reveal to a tried and trusted business partner. Or, as Godin puts it: "Email contact is like a first date. If you show up with a clipboard and a questionnaire, it's not going to go well."

So, make the 'date' memorable for all the right reasons (and hook your customer into a second, third and fourth interaction) by making the process as easy as possible.

(Image courtesy of glindsay65 on Flickr)

A river runs through it

2009-10-05T10:26:00.005+01:00

My post on Sept 18th about the Thames having disappeared from TfL's tube map obviously had an impact - the transport authority now says that the river will be restored!

OK, maybe I can't lay claim to the U-turn... or at least, not alone. According to Design Week, the organisation has bowed to 'the public outcry' over the demise of the wavy blue line and promised its return 'over the next week or so'. Clearly a victory for common sense, but also an indication of the 'people power' generated by social networking sites, blogs, forums etc.

Incidentally, it's worth reading the rest of the article too, since it offers an insight into the difficulties of achieving clarity on maps without losing too much detail.

(Image courtesy of Andy Cunningham on Flickr)

How to write a press release: 3 Top Tips (3/3)

2009-10-02T13:59:00.005+01:00

In this 3-stage review of writing press releases, my last tip is going to cover content and language.

As I've already shown, you need to empathise with both the media title and its audience when you're writing a press release. Naturally, this should extend to your word choices since these help create the tone of voice for the piece.

Take, for example, an industrial relations story that centres on a dispute between management and workers. You're hoping that both "The Times" and "The Sun" might cover it, so your first version may refer to 'salaries' or 'remuneration' while the second talks about the staff receiving 'wages' or 'pay cheques'.

In either scenario, you should be careful to avoid using too many (if any) adverbs and adjectives. Journalists will tend to ignore such embellishments, since they are trained to present the facts - and the facts alone. To get around this, use the full extent of the English language to emphasise certain points and/or add interest and flavour to your story. So, rather than saying the union leader 'talked very slowly' try 'drawled' instead. This will often have the additional benefit of shortening your piece (one word instead of three in that example).

Lastly, avoid vagueness and be specific. Don't say 'This year's extensive pay increase for employees...' but 'This year's 10% pay rise will mean, on average, an extra £2000 annually for employees'.

(Image courtesy of emdot on Flickr)

How to write a press release: 3 Top Tips (2/3)

2009-09-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

When creating a press release, there's a structure that most practitioners follow: sum up the essence of the story in the first paragraph, expand on it in subsequent paragraphs (with quotes included in paras 3-5, usually) and go on until you've covered all details and any relevant background info.

The beauty of this is that the skim-reader gets the gist of the news in just one paragraph. If the reader has more time and/or the writer has done a good job in attracting interest and hooking the reader into continuing, then the rest of the piece expands on the intro and adds detail.

To mirror this structure in your press release, you need to sum up your story in that first paragraph... and to do that, answer these questions:

1) Who's the release about? Name the company or individual you're writing the release for

2) What's happened/about to happen? Describe the event(s) that constitute the story - a product launch; a new innovation/upgrade; a sales achievement; a promotion; whatever

3) When did/will it happen? If it's anytime before yesterday, it's not really news so keep it as recent as possible (or as much in advance as you dare)

4) How will/did the company make it happen? How has it gone from where it was to where it is now that (a) product X is being launched (b) the new innovation is here (c) the deal has been signed (d) the promotion is sealed

5) Why has it happened? (Why will it happen?) What's made the company pursue this idea/this area of product development/etc. This is often about 'satisfying customer needs', or 'bringing something new to market' - the most newsworthy aspect of the story

With the first paragraph done, just expand on what you've already written in the rest of the release - keeping it to one side of A4, ideally - and include quotes from within the company and elesewhere (e.g. suppliers, customers) as relevant.

At the end, include the company's contact details (and those of either the person quoted in the release and/or the corporate spokesperson/PR agency) because most journalists will follow up with more questions if they think the story is of interest. Also add a 'boiler plate' summing up the company and its activities, for background.

Next time, we'll look at content and language.

(Image courtesy of Steffe on Flickr)

How to write a press release: 3 Top Tips (1/3)

2009-09-28T10:19:00.006+01:00

Last week, a friend of mine asked for advice on how to write a press release - so I wanted to share my thoughts with you.

Before that, I should explain that very early in my career, I attended numerous day-long workshops on this very subject and that since then, I've developed my own ideas and techniques. So there's a lot to learn and put into practice.

Even so, I boiled down all of this knowledge and experience into three Top Tips. Here's the first:

1) Consider your audience

You write a release to inform journalists/publications of a story, with the aim of having them write about it. To make this outcome as likely as possible, you need to have a good sense of each publication's style and what its readers like to read about - and then write your release accordingly.

That might mean writing different versions of the same basic release, with each one written in a diferent style (and/or from a different 'angle'). If you're not sure how this could work, read any two national newspapers on a given day. The chances are, they'll be covering many of the same stories - but the tone of voice and angle taken will be different for each paper. Take a look at how The Times and The Sun cover the same story about Gordon Brown. (Although it's unlikely any press releases about this story were written by 10 Downing Street or elsewhere, you can see the different approaches used by the publications on 'discovering' the news.)

Incidentally, the reason for making these stylistic changes yourself (rather than sending a standard release, and expecting/hoping the journalist will make the changes) is that you're saving them time.

Just imagine - they're up against a deadline and they have two releases in front of them, of equal merit in terms of newsworthiness. However, one needs a lot of re-shaping and re-writing, the other less so. Which one do you think they'll choose to work with?

Look out for my next tip on writing a press release, which concerns structure.

(Image courtesy of kaffee_mug on Flickr)

An Innocent tone of voice?

2009-09-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

Good article at Creative Review about the way
Dan Germain created the copy style for Innocent Drinks...

... and how many of the subsequent copycats (pun intended) don't match up.

Escalator: Going UP

2009-09-24T14:25:00.004+01:00

A good friend of mine - Sarah-Jane Page, or SJ - is one of just 10 writers to have been chosen as competition winners in the Escalator Prize.

The winning writers all receive a grant and expert mentoring from the Writers' Centre Norwich, a literature development agency based in that beautiful Norfolk city.

To read the first chapter of the book she's now going to be able to write, as well as the other winning entries, see this page on WCN's website.

Well done SJ!

Reconnecting with old friends

2009-09-21T17:03:00.007+01:00

Many years ago, in the long holiday after my first year of university, I went to America (via BUNAC) to work on a boys' summer camp, called Camp Airy. It was 8 weeks of sports, fun, socialising and, oh yes, looking after a group of 12 kids in a 'bunk'.

My co-counsellor in this den was a great guy called Steve Saideman (now a Professor!). An American with an English sense of humour (humor?), Steve had a keen interest in politics and a world-view that made him stand out from many of his contemporaries.

Anyway, over last weekend, he contacted me via Facebook. It must be 20 years+ since we've been in touch but it didn't matter: it was great to hear from him and catch up via email.

The power of the internet/social media never ceases to amaze me!

New London tube map

2009-09-18T13:55:00.006+01:00

Some good analysis - and lots of comment - on the new tube map from Transport for London (TfL) at the Creative Review blog.

Mostly, it's about the frankly baffling decision to remove the Thames completely! Since the river is an important reference point for many travellers, including tourists, this is a bit crazy.

TfL has also removed the Zone markings from the map. Since people used these to help them decide what sort of ticket they needed, this could be some Machiavellian scheme to get more money from punters who inadvertently travel into zones they haven't paid for. Or am I being too cynical about an organisation I (thankfully) no longer rely upon most days of the week?

(Image - of old map, showing Thames - from the Creative Review post)

7 Sins of Advertising

2009-09-15T19:43:00.003+01:00

Just a quick one today - take a look at this Business Week article that's got some sensible things to say about why most ads don't work.

(Image courtesy of Darwin Bell on Flickr)

A writing trip to remember

2009-09-14T14:05:00.005+01:00

Given that each reader will see your message(s) amid a bombardment of other communications, to be remembered you need to use language that sets you apart .

Ironically, the trick is to use vocabulary that your reader hears and uses all the time and NOT the stodgy corporate language that other marketers produce.

Messages that include phrases such as "achievable objectives", "world-renowned" and "strategic advice" will simply pass by your reader because of over-use. They're tired cliches that have now lost their resonance and meaning (if they ever had any).

Instead, try peppering your communications with everyday language that adds flavour and attracts interest. To take the first example, it would be more straightforward to use "your aims" - and better still to restructure the sentence and think of something more original to say. And while you're at it, drop the other meaningless phrases too.

Avoiding words that never crop up in normal speech (e.g. "disseminate", "facilitate") will make your communications seem fresh rather than stuffy, and easier to understand on first reading - an important consideration when your readers are likely to be short on time. So, in these examples, use "send" or "spread" instead of "disseminate" and "help" or "assist" in place of "facilitate".

You should also aim to use words with emotional resonance, which stir up images in each reader's mind. For example, instead of talking about "salary" or "remuneration", use "pay" or "cash". These words are more likely to encourage the reader to picture notes and coins - and, as a result, take more interest in your message.

(Image - of Machu Pichu travel sketchbook - courtesy of dirloz on Flickr)

Turn your writing into an interesting journey

2009-09-07T14:44:00.006+01:00

To maintain a reader's interest throughout your communication, I advocate a conversational style of writing that he or she will relate to very easily.

In my experience, most business people and consumers respond well to reading the words that we all hear and say in our daily verbal exchanges. For example, that means using contractions (such as "you're" instead of "you are", "isn't rather than "is not" etc.) but not swear words or slang - although some consumer and/or social media marketing can get away with either.

Using the word "you" is also a good idea - across all media. Even though you might be writing to 100s or 1000s of people at a time, each one will read your message alone - so use "you" as a singular, not plural, pronoun. That's because communications including phrases such as "valued customers" and "as you all know" will probably alienate individual readers because the words suggest the writer only sees a group; an homogenous mass. Since we all like to feel special, to be addressed as individuals, you should write as though you're talking - to just one person.

I'm often asked if this approach is too informal. Well, the answer is: it depends. Most importantly, it depends upon your reader and his/her perceptions. Put yourself into your reader's shoes: do you (as the reader) take offence at the informal writing style? If the answer's 'yes', then write more formally - but base your decision on your knowledge of the reader.

Another way to maintain interest is to alternate between longer and shorter sentences. For maximum readability, mix sentences of 10 words or fewer with sentences of up to 25 words. The ideal length can vary according to media: an average of 16 words per sentence is best in print; fewer than 10 words is ideal online. Any sentence with more than 25 words is simply too long - in any medium.

Your reader probably has very little time to absorb your message, so shorter sentences (made up of shorter, everyday words) give you a better chance of success. We’ll look at vocabulary next time in "A writing trip to remember".

(Image of 'Last Conversation Piece' - by Juan Munoz - courtesy of Kimberly Faye on Flickr)

Signpost your writing

2009-09-04T09:00:00.000+01:00

Today’s post is all about grabbing your reader’s attention with your headline. Think of it as a road sign - it gives a sense of direction and sometimes offers specific information, such as how far there is to go.

Gaining and retaining attention concerns your content of its relevance to your reader. On Wednesday, I discussed how putting yourself into your reader’s mind helps make your communications more relevant. So it follows that you can also use this knowledge to decide how best to grab his or her attention.

You should also follow some general principles for writing your attention-grabbing openers. When you’re selling an idea, product or service, you’ll have most success with benefits-driven headlines - those that give the reader an idea of how life would improve after taking on board your information, or else buying what you’re offering.

An opener that announces something new (such as “The world’s first-ever Product X” or “The all-new Service Y”) can also hook your reader. Likewise, plays upon the latest media headlines can work in grabbing attention. For example, Virgin Trains recently went to press with a tactical ad taunting the Australian cricket team after losing The Ashes (again!).

Follow these principles for your headline and your reader should get interested, at least. Now all you have to do is maintain that attention.

I’ll look at that next time, in “Turn your writing into an interesting journey”.

Writing on the right track

2009-09-02T09:00:00.002+01:00

Today, I’m going to write about relevance. This is the key to staying on track and making your reader respond to your communication the way you intended.

Remember, your objective might be to receive a request for more information, get a completed order form, or something else. But whatever it is, the first step to achieving your goal is to understand your reader.

What makes him tick? What interests her? To know the answers (or make an intelligent guess, at least), you have to imagine yourself as a reader.

Put yourself into her shoes, at his desk. What’s your reader doing just before he sees your communication? Where is she going? More specifically, honestly answer these questions as if you are your reader:

1) Are you a man or a woman? How old are you?
2) What do you do for a living?

3) What’s your relationship (if any) to the company writing to you?
4) How relevant is the communication you’ve just received?
5) How are you likely to respond?

There are lots of other questions you could ask too - the more insight you have into your reader the better. Why? Because that knowledge should inform your writing and make it more relevant – and therefore more likely to fulfil your objectives.

Of course, none of that will happen if your reader isn't paying attention. However pertinent you’ve made your communication, you’ll have wasted your time if your target doesn’t read any further than the first line.

Grabbing attention is about using the right headline, of course, and so that’s what I’ll be addressing next time in “Signpost your writing”.

(Image courtesy of Janusz on Flickr)

Plotting your writing route

2009-09-01T09:00:00.001+01:00

Last time, I covered the importance of knowing where your writing journey's headed before you start. This time, I'm looking at the different writing routes available and offering advice on how to choose the best one.

The 'best' will always be the one that takes your reader on the type of journey you want him or her to take. To figure that out, you need your objective in mind and a detailed plan that helps to organise your thoughts and put order into your writing.

When you flesh out this logical sequence, it will help guide your reader through to the end of your communication. In other words, by building your argument in a series of rational steps, you'll lead the reader to acting/responding in a way that fulfils your objective.

In terms of structure, you might decide on a simple ‘Introduction; Main Arguments; Conclusion’ scheme. Or maybe you could start your piece with the most important information, so you summarise first and then follow with the key arguments?

This option allows the reader to get the essence of your communication in just the first few sentences - and then skip straight to your 'call to action'.

News journalists use this method all the time because it cuts to the chase and grabs interest – exactly what you want to do with your communication.

But there are two more things you must do to overcome your reader’s resistance:

1) Make your message relevant
2) Use a structure that leads to action

We’ll be looking at structure again in a later post, but next time I’ll be writing about relevance.

(Image courtesy of Leena on Flickr)

Planning your writing journey

2009-08-28T09:00:00.001+01:00

Faced with a deadline, most of us begin writing straight away. But this approach is like starting a long trip without any idea where you’re going… it’s fun at first, but after a while you get lost. Finally, you arrive somewhere – a random location that sort of seems OK.

Has your journey been a success? Have you gained the response you expected?

Without following a plan when you write, the answer is likely to be a resounding “NO” both times. So you need a map. Make one by considering why you’re writing, and asking:

“What do I want to happen when someone sees my copy?”

Remember, if you’re not certain, you can’t reasonably expect your reader to respond the way you’d like. Perhaps you're trying to inform and educate your reader, or to encourage an enquiry? Maybe you're launching a product or service and want to generate awareness? Or perhaps you're hoping to persuade the reader to buy something from you?

Each of these goals will require a different approach and style, different words and so on - so it follows that you need to keep your purpose in mind as you continue planning (and writing) your communication.

Once you’ve thought about your goals and researched your subject, you’re ready to move onto “Plotting Your Writing Route” - the subject of my next post.

(Map image courtesy of Mike Tually on Flickr)

Getting ideas accepted

2009-08-26T09:31:00.003+01:00

There's a good post on the Daily Fix at Marketing Profs about "The Five Stages of Idea Acceptance".

Post author Paul Williams agrees with the analysis offered in Chic Thompson's book "What a great idea! 2.0". The book claims that, to have your idea accepted, you have to overcome these four angles of attack:

1) It's irrelevant to the situation

2) It's relevant, but unproven

3) It's proven, but dangerous

4) It's safe, but not saleable

Once you've got these covered, your suggestion can move to the next stage of acceptance:

5) It'll sell - what a great idea!

(Image courtesy of Cayusa on Flickr)

Twitter ROI

2009-08-25T21:28:00.003+01:00

For an interesting debate between social media cynics (such as debate instigator and DM copy guru Bob Bly) and avid advocates (e.g. David Meerman Scott) take a look here.

My view? I'm more with DMS than BB, but don't have the personal experience or data to back it up... yet.

Why words matter

2009-08-21T09:03:00.001+01:00

Yesterday, I received the promised Certificate of Adoption for the word 'pearl' (see my recent post) from the children's charity I CAN.

The certificate arrived with an excellent 8-page booklet outlining the charity's work and explaining why words matter. The description is worth repeating:

"Words are tools for life and the basis of knowledge. They are the building blocks of communication, which is the foundation skill for learning, life and work. Without words we are unable to express ourselves and interact with family, friends and colleagues."

This certainly works as a mantra for I CAN, and it has a deep resonance for me too. I believe in the value and power of words, and spend my time crafting them to aid communication (for individuals and companies rather than children, of course).

The charity also included a branded bookmark featuring the adoptaword.com url. It's such a simple (and highly appropriate) idea that it struck me as a brilliant piece of marketing.

I'll certainly be using the gift to tag my holiday reading...

You've read the book... so you'll see the film?

2009-08-20T15:08:00.000+01:00

As both a bibliophile and movie fan, I'm often bemused by comments (usually made by those in the former, rather than the latter, camp) suggesting a film is ''not as good as the book".

This is something I've heard about current film release "The Time Traveler's Wife", a brilliantly-written romantic novel by Audrey Niffenegger. No doubt I'll also hear it when movie "The Lovely Bones" (a chilling and strangely life-affirming book by Alice Sebold) is released next year - even though it's directed by Oscar-winner Peter Jackson, who knows a thing or three about filming books for the screen.

For me, the debate is pointless: you shouldn't compare the two. While books and movies share stories and characters, bringing them to reality requires different skills - and appreciating them as art/entertainment requires different critical faculties.

The questions should be (1) does it work as a book? (2) does it work as a film? I think both examples passed the first test. I'll postpone my judgement on the second until I've seen them.

Marketing Plan Review

2009-08-19T15:26:00.008+01:00

It's getting to that time of year when I start (a) thinking about my annual holiday and (b) reviewing my autumnal marketing plan.

The holiday starts next week and will be based near the medieval city of Carcassonne in south-west France. With two miles of double-row fortified walls and 56 watchtowers, this stronghold has seen off raiders and rivals throughout its 2000-year history.

To some extent, each one of my seasonal marketing plans aims to be just as robust and to do a similar job.

The strength comes from using different media channels and methods, from email and DM campaigns with phone follow-ups to keep-in-touch initiatives such as podcasts with existing clients. That multiplicity is my double wall.

Social media such as LinkedIn, Twitter and various RSS blog feeds are my watchtowers: they keep me updated on relevant trends and industry talk (so I'm not blind-sided by new 'attacks').

The difference, of course, is that even a single-season plan will change a few times in the quarter. To last two millennia takes a different order of planning all together!

(Image courtesy of France Monthly)

There's nothing new in design...

2009-08-17T11:00:00.006+01:00

It's a provocative opener, I know, but there's some truth to the statement - despite the proof of original thinking that is often captured by Creative Review.

Even so, a recent blog post by my friend (and innovative graphic designer in his own right: he created my branding!) Simon Brooker proved that 21st Century creatives can draw inspiration from the past.

Just look at this image he took in the Tower of London (one of many historic royal palaces open to the public). Worn by Henry VIII, it's a suit of armour made in the early 1500s - but notice, as Simon puts it, the contemporary lines. It could have been created by Jean-Paul Gaultier!

Sony Reader open to new standard

2009-08-14T10:21:00.009+01:00

I've blogged before about e-books and I'm happy that there's a new development in the market from my erstwhile employer Sony.

The New York Times reports that, by the end of this year, Sony's Reader e-books will have adopted the open standard ePub format created by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF).

While Sony is probably right to claim in its press release that this move will help "take the confusion out of digital book formats" (good news for consumers), the stark business reality is that the electronics giant needs to catch up with - and challenge - Amazon's Kindle.

This will also be good news for e-book fans, since more competition allied to an acceptance of open standards should bring new innovations, wider adoption of the technology, and more titles.

(Sony Reader image courtesy of Cristian Eslava on Flickr)

How green is Virgin?

2009-08-12T16:04:00.005+01:00

There's a very interesting article in September's "Wired" magazine on Richard Branson's green pledges.

Of course, the airline industry isn't the most obvious candidate for an eco-medal and Virgin's leader has attracted endless criticism from environmental campaigners. Even so, I finished the piece reflecting that most of us still want to fly to different places around the world, so we should support (not decry) any efforts to make this less damaging for the planet.

(Image courtesy of eisenbahner on Flickr)

Film Title Sequences

2009-08-07T12:03:00.003+01:00

I'm a big film fan, so I thoroughly enjoyed the article in this month's "Creative Review" on the art of the movie title sequence.

While you can't access the story without subscribing, the CR blog has a fantastic related post where you can view a wide selection of "The best film titles ever made". These range from 'Dr. No' (other legendary Bond-openers also included) to foreign successes 'Delicatessen' and 'Run, Lola Run' and Hollywood biggies such as 'Panic Room'.

However, one of my personal faves is the opening sequence of 1995's chiller 'Se7en'. It was designed by Kyle Cooper - see this Wired mag interview for more on him - to "convey some of the personality of the film's serial killer".

He certainly does a great job of setting the tone for the whole movie (brilliantly directed by David Fincher) and warning us - subliminally - that it's going to be tough to watch.

(Image courtesy of IMDb)

Adopt a word

2009-08-06T11:01:00.004+01:00

If you're passionate about words, why not adopt one?!

The I CAN children’s communication charity supports the one in ten UK children who experience a communication difficulty – and you can help by 'sponsoring' a word for a year, for just £20. (In passing, thanks to Stephen Fry for tweeting about this.)

I've chosen "pearl" in honour of my one year-old, since there are some hidden layers to the meaning of her name, including the gem.

(Image of the pearl monument in Doha, Qatar, courtesy of Jungle_Boy on Flickr)

The "video + email" one-two

2009-08-05T16:59:00.004+01:00

A recent blog on Emma (the web-based email marketing service) suggests that, while text-only email communications can be effective, adding a video link really boosts the click-through rate.

The post cites an interesting case study and impressive stats from Forrester Research - all of which suggests this might be a good time to invest in a camcorder, or else employ one company of experts or another.

(Image courtesy of StreetFly JZ on Flickr)

Be an expert and get coverage

2009-08-03T18:17:00.006+01:00

Much has been made of the imminent death of newspapers. This has been attributed to the success of online news-sites (including those hosted by the BBC and Guardian), as well as the emergence of 'citizen journalism' (helped by increased internet access and the ubiquitous mobile phone).

However, a new website called "Help A Reporter Out" (HARO) seems to be encouraging a crossover between these worlds. It acts as a go-between for reporters needing to source information / quotes/insights and the experts who want to share what they know, offer a sound-bite, or more.

If you sign up as a source, you'll get three emails a day - each with 15 to 30 queries from journalists working on 'live' stories. This works if you want to promote your expertise and have some valid experience and knowledge. It also works well for the journos, who get good information etc (which they can verify/cross-check anyway) in an easy, timely fashion.

I've just signed up... so will keep you informed.

(Image courtesy of Franck Dethier on Flickr)

Two more happy clients

2009-07-29T15:35:00.008+01:00

I finished a couple of web-writing projects recently and the sites are now live.

The first is a Suffolk-based design business called Yellobelly.
Founder Peter Hilton asked me to write some banner headlines/
teasers for the company's new home page, and also the "A bit about us" text.

The second piece of work was for Goodacre & Townsend, "an exclusive travel consultancy that specialises in creating tailor-made luxury holidays" (as I wrote on the site!). The company is developing more web content over the summer, but for now just needed a straightforward - yet enticing - explanation of what it does.

Each project took about a day, including meeting the client to brief/debrief, generating drafts and making a few amends.

Punctuation Power

2009-07-27T16:05:00.004+01:00

A lot of people don't 'get' punctuation. They don't see the point of it, or don't think it matters whether it's right or not.

But it's important, for all sorts of reasons. For me, as a pro writer, it's one of the tools of my trade: I need to demonstrate that I know how to use it to be taken seriously, and to do a good job (at its most basic level) for my customers.

And doing a good job means using punctuation to help clarify meaning, to keep sentences short, and to create impact. Conversely, getting it wrong - as this Tesco store did (image courtesy of Cole Henley on Flickr) - simply sends the wrong message.

To me, the sign says: we don't care about the little things; we don't care about providing the best service to our customers; we don't care about commas and apostrophes!

As Seth Godin points out in a recent blog, this can undo years of positive communications and make your customers (and potential customers) believe you're stupid.

Do you want that for your business?

Favourite words

2009-07-21T12:35:00.003+01:00

Saturday's Guardian included an article on words that people love (and some they don't).

I happen to like the words 'oxymoron' and 'dichotomy' and dislike 'cutlery'. What are your favourites (and the ones you hate)?

(Photo courtesy of Emdot on Flickr)

BT on Twitter

2009-07-20T13:55:00.005+01:00

I had my first Twitter conversation last week, with friend and "juggler" Ian Sanders, about customer service.

He'd tweeted about one of his contacts praising BT for supporting customers via Twitter (@BTCare). My view is that every firm should offer multiple 'touch points' for customers - as many as possible to suit the changing preferences / circumstances of individuals. For BT and its customers, Twitter is just another means of interaction and well done to the company for trying it.

Having said that, I remain sceptical about BT's commitment to any notion of helping the public. My experiences of contacting the company, when I used a BT line, were dominated by:

1) endless automated routing systems that didn't quite match my requirements; until, finally

2) a stress-inducing conversation with an operative in some far-flung call centre (as typified in the image - courtesy of Vitor Lima on Flickr) which didn't resolve my issue

While those were the options, closing my account seemed the best idea. Having access to BT via Twitter isn't going to bring me back to the company any time soon.

Joining the "Twittering Classes"

2009-07-17T14:51:00.005+01:00

I've always considered myself part of the chattering classes (i.e. I've got a few qualifications, an interest in current affairs and like to talk to friends about what's happening in the world). So now I've gone all 21st century and signed up to twitter.com.

Yes, I know I'm rather late to the party (but that's fashionable, isn't it?) but I'm here, er, there now.

If you're interested, you can - as they say - follow me on Twitter under the name CopywriterRich.

Keeping it real

2009-07-15T18:29:00.005+01:00

Seth Godin's latest post very neatly explains the importance of authenticity in marketing communications.

With two quick examples, he shows how being "economical with the truth" (a phrase made famous by Margaret Thatcher's Cabinet Secretary Sir Robert Armstrong, during the 'Spycatcher' trial in 1986) can lose you customers, as well as a good reputation.

(Image courtesy of Paul Allison on Flickr)

Unsung Heroes

2009-07-13T11:19:00.004+01:00

Last week, I contacted one of my clients at the Chartered Institute of Building.

I wanted permission to mention the work I've completed to date on my revamped website (coming soon). Amongst other projects, I'd edited the CIOB book "Building Visionaries - The Unsung Heroes" that profiles members past and present.

A few days later, I received a copy of the book - a beautifully presented, 'coffee-table' publication with glossy pics, stylish layout & typography etc.

It's great to be able to see the finished version of one of my projects - I get a sense of pride that, probably, those people profiled must also have felt when they saw the building they'd worked on finally completed.

Are you taking advantage of your local?

2009-07-10T15:54:00.005+01:00

Let me come clean and admit I'm not talking about the pub around the corner when I say 'your local'. Rather, I'm referring to the business community that's close at hand - the local entrepreneurs who can help your own company, either directly or indirectly.

An article on the AMEX website Open Forum ("a wealth of resources for savvy business owners") explains how to get maximum value from local small-biz associations - from sharing ideas to sharing faxes and cars (or bikes for the beach - as captured by lepiaf.geo on Flickr).

Not surprisingly, perhaps, it works on the same principle as the most successful online communities: it's more about the giving than the taking.

It's also rekindled my interest in starting a community of Suffolk-based independent professionals. OK, it's a project that's on the back-burner - but it will be worth the wait.

Power of Video (x2)

2009-07-09T14:16:00.006+01:00

Recent posts on two of the blogs I follow highlight two very different uses of video.

1) Seth Godin's post on making an internal sale includes a link to a "vox-pop" video made by Google, where Scott (an employee) asks people in Times Square, New York "What is a browser?"

Godin sees this as useful research for anyone pitching internally for more funds/ more understanding of an issue/ more insight into customers' perceptions/ etc.

Although many respondents confused the word "browser" with "search tool" and answered "Google", the company has just launched its own browser: Chrome. However, it's not publicly available until next year.

2) Video is used very differently in the bad customer service story related by David Meerman Scott (about a US airline). The poor victim happens to be rock/country musician Dave Carroll, so his failure to get any positive response from the company made him write and record a song - complete with funny video - called... "United Breaks Guitars".

(Image courtesy of Rob Blatt on Flickr)