Author Archives: Brian
Before you hire a copywriter, there are a number of questions you should ask to be sure the writer will be able to deliver.
Many people call themselves copywriters without having any real experience in the field. I’ve often had to clean up the mess left by these folks. Businesspeople hire them in good faith, but the writer doesn’t deliver and that’s a shame because the client ends up paying twice to get the copy they need.
Often, these writers don’t understand that copywriting is ‘salesmanship in print’ that requires years of study and application. Many people can write decent copy without being able to write effective marketing copy.
So when you’re figuring out which writer to hire, ask the following questions and you’ll have a good understanding of whether you’ve found a good fit for your organization.
1) What general experience do you have as a copywriter? People who have actually worked as a copywriter professionally tend to be a better bet. They’ve been tested in the ‘real world’ and experience gained on the job is worth a heck of a lot. There are certainly writers out there who’ve never worked in an ‘office environment’ and are still fantastic, but it’s a safer bet overall to hire a pro.
2) What type of writing do you have experience with? For example, if you had a website or email campaign to complete, you’d want someone who has written in this medium before; preferably a number of times. You probably wouldn’t want an expert at writing radio spots to complete your website copy.
3) Do you have testimonials or references? The fact is, there’s a good chance that if other clients are happy with the results, you will be too. A copywriter, or any other businessperson, can sing their own praises but it means a great deal more if real customers have endorsed their work.
4) What results have they obtained with their copy? Professional copywriting should deliver results in some form. Whether it’s more sales, sign-ups or company profits, ask your prospective writer what results they’ve achieved for clients. There’s never any guarantee when it comes to marketing. The product, price, market and even the economy can have an impact on results. But someone who’s driven real business goals with their writing in the past will give you the best possible chance of achieving a breakthrough.
As a copywriter, Toronto has given me a range of experience working for a number of great people and wonderful organizations. If you’d like to discuss a writing project, get in touch today.
What’s the ultimate point of creating marketing materials? It’s to sell a product or service isn’t it? So, if this is the case, judging the success of a campaign should be fairly easy. It can be judged a success if it brings in a certain number of customers and a failure if it doesn’t.
Though there are many ways of ensuring you have a good chance of running a successful campaign, there are no guarantees. Marketing is a blend of art and science, in other words it’s imperfect. If one aspect or another is poorly planned or executed, your campaign will probably fail.
So what do you do if you do run a campaign and it flops?
I recommend you take a look at three components of your marketing and think about changing one or more.
1) Change Your Focus – In my opinion, and it’s an educated one, most marketing fails because it lacks focus, or just as bad, focuses on the wrong things. Good marketing shows prospects, in as much detail as possible, that a certain company, product or service is right for them. Unfortunately, many companies and marketing people who should know better focus on what they feel is important rather than figuring out what is truly important to the consumer, you know, the person who will actually decide to spend their money… or not. Another sin which I’ve seen time and again while working for various companies, is the desire to put every possible offering in a single marketing piece. Whether companies are trying to save money by promoting different things at the same time, or feel that a single offering isn’t compelling enough doesn’t matter. When you try to appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to no one. Try to keep each marketing piece focused with a laser like intensity on a single offering, idea or promotion. Don’t confuse people or your marketing will fail to generate real response.
2) Change Your Vehicle – Are you sure the medium is not the problem? Sometimes we focus so much on creating the content, the vehicle becomes an afterthought. If you know your messaging is compelling, then have a look at how you’re actually delivering your message. For example, if you are trying to sell a product that appeals to the elderly, email marketing or online advertising probably isn’t the way to go simply because this demographic is not very computer literate.
3) Change Your List – Your message might be powerful, but what if you’re delivering it to the wrong people? For example, you might develop a killer direct mail package and mail it to an entire geographical area with high hopes of a great response. When no one gets in touch you start to wonder. Maybe it was because your package was trying to sell a high-end automobile to an economically depressed area of the city. This is an extreme example, but having a closer look at the market is often a good way of remedying poor response.
If you’ve found that your marketing isn’t getting the response you hoped for, Toronto Copywriter Brian Birnbaum can help. Getting in touch is as easy as clicking this link.
People start out with high hopes when they market their product or service. They anticipate new, high-quality leads, more sales and improved profits. Unfortunately, expectations are disappointed much more often than they’re fulfilled.
Why is that? Why does so much marketing fail to persuade consumers that they should buy?
The answer is fairly simple and though many people understand it intellectually, they fail to apply it practically.
The reason is: most marketing ignores issues important to the prospect and instead focuses on issues the company doing the marketing thinks are important.
Every person who picks up a brochure, visits a website or reads an advertisement does so for a reason. They’re looking for something. They have a problem that needs solving, a goal they want to achieve or a want they are trying to fulfill.
It’s up to the marketer to figure out the reason consumers are looking at them in the first place and then address it directly.
But most don’t bother.
They assume they know what prospects are looking for and that’s why their marketing doesn’t do the job it’s supposed to do.
Most marketing copy talks about the company first: how long they’ve been in business, what product or service they provide, the employees, how passionate they are etc.
Do you see that they’re completely ignoring the most important person in the whole purchasing process? The consumer who will actually open up their wallet and buy what’s being sold!
Talk about prospect needs, discuss their challenges, address their wants and only then go into why your the right choice.
You know your customers and by extension, you know your prospects. Use this information to show them that you’re the right company for them, that you understand their issues and challenges and that you can help them. If you aren’t sure why people are buying from you, ask them!
None of your competitors are doing it. You have a golden opportunity to grab a bigger piece of the pie by shifting the focus of your marketing from you to your prospects.
Do it well and you’ll reap the financial rewards.
Everyone can write.
That’s why there’s so much terrible marketing copy out there!
Because most of us have gone to school, learned the language and have written essays, letters and emails, people have a tendency to write their own marketing materials. Or get an employee to write them.
But there’s a difference between writing and effective writing. Writing to generate sales and consumer action is qute challenging and requires years of practice, testing and study. This often becomes apparent when the average person sits down and tries to write a sales letter, website or brochure… or sees the results (or lack of results) of their efforts.
Most of the people that get in touch with me understand the value that a good copywriter offers. But many of the prospects I reach out to through my own marketing efforts don’t see the value in hiring someone to write their marketing materials. After all, they can write them themselves…
It’s interesting to see what people place value in. For example, you could spend time learning how to wire your own house, but it makes much more sense to hire an electrician. The fact is, spending time studying wiring isn’t the best use of a businessperson’s most precious commodity.
People wouldn’t dream of learning how to wire their own house, or design their own website or diagnose their own illness because though they could do these things with enough time and dedication… it makes more sense, both in terms of time and money, to simply hire an expert.
But people do write their own marketing materials even though effective writing is a learned skill that takes years to master.
People have started a company or have been hired by one because of a specific skill set that they’ve learned and mastered. Every minute they spend writing marketing copy is a minute they aren’t doing what they’re best at.
The terrible thing is, businesspeople spending their time writing has some seriously negative effects. Firstly, people are wasting time and money because they aren’t focused on their core responsibilities and competencies and secondly, the writing produced is often ineffective and at times, counter-productive. It can actually turn off prospects and lose valuable leads.
All I can do is try to explain. But I never take it personally because I know… everyone can write.
I was born and raised in Toronto. Over the years, I’ve travelled around the world. I’ve lived in the Middle East, visited Africa and spent a huge amount of time in Ireland, my mother’s birthplace. Of course, like many other Canucks, I’ve gone down south to Mexico for some sun and fun and headed out on road trips to say hello to our neighbours in the good ol’ U.S. of A.
But it’s always great to come home.
Sure, I’ve heard many complaints about Toronto from people who live here (I’m talking to you Toronto Star) but at the end of the day… what a fantastic city! We’ve got incredible opportunities and business is thriving, it’s safe and people are friendly and helpful (no matter what other Canadians might say!). Who doesn’t love going to Little India for a traditional biryani, or strolling through Little Italy and taking in the sights or feeling the bustling energy of Chinatown? Heck if I want to, I can travel to countries all around the world and experience countless other cultures without ever leaving the city limits.
When I look at what’s happening economically in other countries, I thank my lucky stars that I live in Canada. As a copywriter in Toronto, business is thriving. Since I started my freelance copywriting business, I’ve worked for companies operating in a huge number of industries and many niches within those industries. It’s always exciting to collaborate with folks and come up with creative ways to bring in new business.
To date, it’s been nothing but a joy. I’ve worked with great people and on interesting projects. I love the fact my job can help companies in a tangible and measurable way, all while helping me earn a good living and being able to support my family.
So on this fine September Friday, I just want to say thanks for everything! Let’s keep it moving…
If you pay attention to ad industry magazines or blogs, you’ll read news about ad agencies losing major accounts fairly regularly.
We’re talking big names here, both on the client and agency side.
BBDO, Ogilvy, Leo Burnett etc. on the agency side.
Coca Cola, Heinz, GM etc. on the client side.
It’s never called ‘firing’, these corporate giants are masters at employing euphemistic terms to describe what you or I would call ‘getting canned’.
You’ll read about how it’s ‘time for a new direction’ or how there were ‘creative differences’ or ‘we felt it appropriate to try something new’.
But at the end of the day, the marketing braintrust at a multimillion, or in some cases multibillion dollar company got fed up with a lack of results. Let’s remember that large corporations spend tens of millions of dollars on advertising every year and taking a new direction would only happen if ad agencies weren’t bringing in ROI. Which happens repeatedly and on a regular basis.
It seems as if these prestigious accounts last for a couple of years before ‘it’s time for a new direction’.
Why is that?
I think it’s pretty simple and easy to explain.
I’ve seen firsthand how ad agencies work. Often, the creative process isn’t really about using measurable techniques to generate consumer action and get more sales. The creative is all about developing something that will generate awards from others in the ad world. Unfortunately, ad agencies judge their success based on how many awards they’re able to brag about and put up on their wall.
I would love to see how most agency creative types would answer if they were asked the question, “Yes. I see the ad is hilarious, uses amazing special effects and has a great soundtrack… but how exactly will it drive someone to buy what we’re selling?”
I believe they wouldn’t have a solid explanation except… “But Lady Gaga music is playing and we have a talking baby! If that doesn’t move life insurance I don’t know what will!”
When a company spends a fortune on advertising, they should expect the people getting paid are focused on moving product. Even if that means they end up with a hard-working ad that lacks glamor of any sort.
But that isn’t what happens. Don’t believe me? Just turn on your TV and ask the following question: Does this ad actually make me want to buy anything?
I think for 95% of ads, the answer is no.
So, ad agencies get fired. I will say that in some cases, corporate execs don’t sit back and trust their agency so a ton of powerful ideas end up on the cutting room floor. BUT, most of the time the ad folks don’t live up to their promise.
The following is a brief excerpt from my soon to be released eBook: The Art and Science of Email Marketing… Enjoy!
The most critical part of email marketing is building a targeted list.
That is, finding people who are going to be interested in your product or service at some point. As we all know, the sales cycle varies greatly from industry to industry. But for most of us, the fact is that we aren’t going to make a sale at the first point of contact with a prospect.
For those businesses that have to cultivate clients and are unlikely to make a sale immediately, building a list can provide you with the opportunity to stay in touch and build credibility, so when the time comes for prospects to make a purchase decision your company will be in the forefront of their mind.
On the other hand, if your sales cycle is shorter, a solid email list will allow you to upsell after the initial sale or sell more products to your customers over the long term. The bottom line is, a good email list will give you multiple opportunities to close the sale.
Ask for email addresses on the first point of contact - When someone calls or visits, simply ask for their email address. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how many people have no problem with handing over their contact information. Oftentimes, for the stubborn prospect, the promise of information about special offers or sales will do the trick.
Ask upon checkout - You’ll see that the majority of people won’t mind, especially if you relate that you only send special offers out through email. Email is the new telephone number and most people will be happy to pass it over to you. Everyone knows that the easiest customer to get is the one you already have!
Put a sign-up feature on your website - This is an extremely effective method of getting email addresses. But, you have to offer people something in return, I’m not talking about a free product but rather, interesting information they will find valuable. You’ll have to figure out what sort of content your customers and prospects might find interesting.
Offer a Free Report or White Paper – Ask for an email address in exchange for a special free report, white paper, industry newsletter or any other ‘buzz piece’ your prospects will be interested in.
Hold a draw – It might seem simple, but have you ever left your business card in a glass container at a restaurant? Well, you aren’t the only one. People love entering free draws and this is another really simple, and low-cost way of getting people to leave you their information. Be sure to clarify you’ll be sending follow-up emails to these people or they might be annoyed when they receive your communications.
Buy a list - This option is the least attractive for me personally. It’s expensive and there are no guarantees you’ll be getting any return on your investment. A list might seem fairly targeted but at the end of the day you just never know if it will work for you. Nonetheless, there are companies making millions every year by selling contact lists so there’s obviously value in this approach for some businesses.
Use one or more of the ideas above and you will be well on your way to building a solid and targeted list of prospects. Be patient as it does take some time to create a list that will bring your company long-term benefits.
Joseph Sugarman, a copywriting legend, talks about the goal of each element of a written piece.
It’s quite simple in theory and Sugarman calls it ‘The Slippery Slide’.
He states that each written line in a marketing or advertising piece has a single purpose: to get the prospect to read the next line.
So, the headline has one purpose, to engage the reader enough that they’ll read the first line of body copy. The first line of body copy is focused on compelling the reader to move on to the second line of body copy and so on until you’ve built momentum into what could be described as a ‘slippery slide’.
The reader moves helplessly, and with increasing momentum, through the copy which if developed effectively, will create a powerful sales environment that will ultimately lead the reader to purchase your product or service.
Sugarman should know, he’s the man behind BluBlockers, the sunglasses that sold millions of units during Joseph Sugarman’s well-written infomercial back in the day.
Most have us have been on at least one horrible date in our life.
Afterwards, when you called a friend to tell them about how it all went wrong, you might have started by saying something like: “He just wouldn’t shut up about himself. He talked about how great his job was, how fast his car was, his last tropical vacation, how big his house is and how popular he is with other women. It was like I wasn’t even there.”
If we don’t enjoy hearing people go on and on about themselves in the ‘real world’ then why the heck would we want to read something similar in a company’s marketing material?
Well… we don’t!
Most companies ignore their prospects completely and talk only about themselves.
Does the following seem at all familiar?
‘ACME has been in business for 25 years. In 1985, we opened our first plant and have been growing ever since. We are focused on quality, innovation and producing the best product we can. We take our job seriously, because the manufacture of red clown-noses is our passion.’
YAWN… head over to the first business website you can think of, even your own, and there’s a good chance you’ll read something along these lines.
The results are the same as they would be on a date – a total lack of interest and no second contact.
What impression does your marketing give about your company?
Do you seem like the self-centered date trying to impress prospects by bragging about how fantastic you are? Or, are you focused on them, paying attention to their problems and then explaining how you can help.
Ask yourself, why is someone reading your marketing in the first place?
It’s because they’re looking for something. They might have a need, a want, a problem or even a dream that they think you might be able to help them with. First, you’ve got to show you understand them, get them nodding their heads and only then discuss how you can help and why they should choose you.
Only talk about yourself in the context of how you can help your target consumer.
If you’re able to do this, your written materials will do what they’re supposed to do… turn prospects into customers!
Email can be an effective part of your marketing mix if used properly. But because email marketing has become so common, it can be tough to get noticed in your prospect’s inbox. You’re probably competing with other businesses who are also vying for consumer attention.
If you use the following email subject line writing techniques, you’ll increase your chances of getting a click. One important thing to remember is that your email subject line must relate in some way to the content of your email message.
Include a time limit - Save 24% in the next 24 Hours
Ask a question – Have you ever been in this situation?
Offer an Incentive – Here’s your industry report
Offer information they’ll find valuable - Read our SEO report today and get to Page 1 by next week
Invite them to an event - Join our business boosting webinar tomorrow
Don’t be cryptic… at least too often – What the heck is this?
Being cryptic and mysterious might get people to open your emails initially but eventually they’ll tune you out and even come to resent your company if the email doesn’t match up with your subject line promise.
Basically when you sit down to write a subject line you want to do two things, CREATE INTEREST and FULFILL THE PROMISE OF THE SUBJECT LINE IN THE ACTUAL EMAIL.
Also, don’t try and trick your prospect with tricky subject lines like: RE: The information you requested
