Seen a sign waver today?

OK. I was sure there had to be a marketing term for those quirky people you pass--usually at intersections--waving cardboard signs advertising new construction, a grand opening, a hot slice of pizza. So, I looked it up. They are actually called human directionals and sign spinners--and you see them everywhere...people walking back and forth-sometimes dancing-on the street corner waving, spinning, and flipping signs to lure your attention off the road and over to a hot, steaming pizza or that new smoothie business you've passed every day but didn't notice until now. Cute at first, but it's getting so their novelty is wearing off and I pay more attention to the people themselves..who they are, how they got there, and what the heck they must be thinking. My best guess...I've got to find another job!

Everyone is trying to get our attention. An overblown King Kong at the car dealership, pop up ads on the Internet, and now this. They've simply got to stop before it goes to far.
Wait. It already has...
Really, you have to see this:
http://robosignwavers.com/

BG Copy Alert:

Leading Resort Management Company Prepares for Boost in American Tourism With 8x8 Virtual Office Communications Solution

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 8, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 which was passed by the U.S. Senate in early September aims to quickly revitalize vacation travel to the United States. It is projected to yield millions of new visitors, $4 billion in new economic stimulus, and $320 million in new federal tax revenue. But Sam Schorr, managing director of KeysCaribbean Resorts in the Florida Keys, is already preparing for the boom by enhancing his telecommunications capabilities with the 8x8, Inc. (Nasdaq:EGHT) Virtual Office VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone solution.

Unfounded Pencil Fear

My 8-year old revealed to me today that they aren't allowed to sharpen their own pencils at school for safety reasons--and apparently it has been this way since Kindergarten. What is this world coming to? How else are they supposed to draw out the time between going to the bathroom, getting a drink of water and staring into space? How else will they drop that note alongside their best friend's desk? Don't you remember how important you felt---sharpening your own pencil while the rest of the class sat frozen in their seats?

And this relates to copywriting how?

I'm guilty of lingering a little too long at the pencil sharpener--I write and rewrite copy until I think it is fit to publish. I just can't bear to hand over unfinished work to the higher ups or even my peers for review and further editing. What if they think I'm off to a bad start? What if they don't see where I'm taking the copy? What if they decide to lose my number the next time they need a copywriter?

Don't stand at the pencil sharpener too long. It's good to get the basic storyline down on paper--sketch it out, leave some question marks, and lead them to where you want the copy to be--but it doesn't have to be perfect. There will be plenty of time to take in those edits, munge the copy over in your mind a bit, and spit out an even more prizeworthy page if you just give in to the process. So, take your nubby pencil of an idea back to your desk, do the best you know how, and let the sharpening take place when you are sent back to your seat...now, where's that number to the school?

BG Copy Alert:

Flower Patch Cuts Communication Costs by 80% Using 8x8 Virtual Office Hosted IP Phone Service


SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sep 28, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- Begonias, daffodils and daisies aren't the only things thriving behind the counter at Flower Patch, Utah's leading full service florist. Since the company deployed the 8x8, Inc. (Nasdaq:EGHT) Virtual Office hosted IP (Internet Protocol) phone solution seven months ago, the floral wholesaler is saving 80% off its monthly phone bill which had grown to a steep $13,000 a month since opening its doors in 1977...

Keep it literal.

I learned a lesson some years ago when the web was new and I was new at writing web copy. I was assigned to write revolving feature stories and headlines for a corporate web site and I thought I had come up with a few really good pieces. One feature graphic was a picture of dice with the headline "gambling your network" another stab at the copy read "feeling lucky?"

I was pretty pleased at how clever I was--especially to conjure up that image of dice. I mean, I wasn't even a graphic designer. This web stuff was a piece of cake!

A more seasoned co-worker of mine (an actual web/graphic designer) took me aside and with the gentle reasoning I needed (being new at this I was sure that my words were going to make or break the company's good name) told me one of the most important lessons I've learned in writing for the Web. Always be literal. Cute doesn't cut it.

Goin' Postal? Cute, clever, but what value is it really adding besides telling your audience how punny you are? In fact, this name for some people might bring up some pretty negative imagery.

Ross Dress For Less? Plain, simple and to the point. Keep the junk from creeping into your web copy and just say what you mean.

BG Copy Alert

Keller Williams' Bay Area Growth Facilitated by 8x8 Virtual Office IP Phone Solution and IT Management Services From RightCliq

SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 27, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keller Williams Realty has an operating model so unique and successful that it was the focus of a 28-page business case study written by Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. The 2007 study cited company culture -- including training, organizational structure and a rigid core belief system -- as an indicator of their current and future success...read more

Hampster Cage Copy

Thrift stores are great places for finding things you never knew you needed. It's a great place to go when you want to start a collection--maybe um, wooden serving trays shaped like pineapples or Snoopy barware. It's also the place where a lot of "good ideas" end up.

It seems like we all have the same good ideas...like hampster cages. I promise I'll take care of it (you know the routine) Next there's the bowling ball, the #1 Teacher Mugs, and apparently these days, anything High School Musical, High School Musical 2 or High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

Which brings me to my point (I know, I got to it a little bit sooner than usual). Don't put up a website...or put stuff up on your website that's destined to be next week's thrift store fodder.

Example 1: not refreshing your home page content (If you are still advertising your "Holiday Discounts & Deals" you fall into this category...unless of course, you count Christmas in July, but no one else will so, yeah, that's still you).

Example 2: using phrases like "in today's economic downturn" throughout your site without keeping track of where those landmines are when things turn around (it is going to turn around isn't it?)

Example 3 : putting up a company blog that is seldom updated (um, yeah...I'll get right on that).

BG Copy Alert

As if blogging wasn't self-serving enough, I've created these 'copy alerts' (doesn't the word 'alert' just make you sit up and take notice?) to let you in on current copywriting projects.

Here's a pr/editorial piece on VOIP technology and a Louisianna cropduster turned salon owner. Fascinating!

McShortcut Disappoints, Breaks from Brand

“Would you like to try our new Iced Coffee today?”

“No, I say firmly, as my mini-van eeks its way through the McDonalds drive in. I’ve been through this enough times (sadly 3-4 times a week now that they are serving sweet tea) to know that what I want today is 3 Happy Meals and no more for the whining kids behind me.

“Welcome to McDonalds, order when you are ready,” crackles a faint female voice through the loudspeaker, not the suave gentleman that greeted me just seconds ago.

Must be a shift change, or the manager had to step in, I reasoned quickly to myself as I rolled along digging a few quarters out to get my money ready for the next window ahead.
But then, the next day (ok I admit, the sweet ice tea had me going for awhile there) I was at a different McDonalds drive-in, going for nothing but a quick cold drink ($1 any size!) on my way to pick up a kid from school. The same familiar voice greeted me, tempting me again to try the new iced mocha. Then the “real” McHelper got on the mike to take my order and it hit me. I’d been outwitted by a pre-recorded marketing message. A chapter in McHistory has come to a close, or at least for me that is.

McDonalds is supposed to help me make shortcuts in my daily life and now they think they can take them and our relationship will stay the same?

Why do I think McDonald’s use of a pre-recorded greeting in their drive-thru is just wrong?

1. It makes you feel like you’ve been duped.
If you’ve ever been “down low…too slowed” or if you’ve ever started talking to an answering machine, you know what I mean.

2. It’s really lazy.
Really. I mean, the live person taking your order couldn’t just ask you if you wanted an iced mocha themselves. Really?

3. It’s impersonal.
What do great brands like McDonalds, Disney, and Starbuck have in common? They follow the marketing mantra that the individual customer is special, or at least, he’s a lot happier (read: spends more money) if he’s made to feel that way.

I like to drive through Starbucks and pretend like they are really that happy that I decided to stop by for coffee. I am sure that Mickey is always surprised when he puts his fat white glove to his face for the 50th time that day, and I know that when I finally make it to that McDonald’s window and the grinning teen hands me 3 fast food boxes that put the “happy” in even the whiniest of kids, that they aren’t reading a script when they ask me how I am that day…or at least that’s what I thought before McDonald’s Iced Coffee came to town.

The Power of Positivity

Momma always said that if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say it. And the same is true for your marketing copy. A local florist—one I passed every day—was going out of business and instead of the giant red and white “everything must go” banner that businesses usually paste up, a king size white sheet billowed beneath their signage with two red hand-lettered words in all caps:

WE QUIT.

I never thought much of the store as I passed it daily except for commenting about the gaggle of fake geese that lived out front along with a handful of wooden windmills. "WE QUIT" definitely got my attention. But, would it get my business?

“WE QUIT” made me laugh a little to myself at the boldness of the statement, and then made me feel a little bad from yet another mom and pop store going under in a bad economy. But it didn’t compel me to spend any money, or to even look at, the last of their inventory.

Even when the chips are down you’ve got to stay positive.

Had the sign said perhaps “Our loss is your gain!” or “ Our business has wilted but you can still stop and smell the roses” I might have thought to take a second look, because those words would have at least left me feeling motivated—not deflated.

The lesson in all this? Words stir emotions and emotions stir us to action.

Now take the "Life is Good" brand. An excerpt from their company story posted on their site, www.lifeisgood.com:

Today, the New England based brand stays close to its roots, with an emphasis on simplicity, humor and humility. Through Life is good Festivals, positive products, and a steady dose of ping pong, Jake's crew does its best to keep the good vibes flowing.

And looking at how popular their brand is today, I'd say they are on to something...positive.

Give Your Clients Something--Anything

It's amazing how resourceful companies are getting in today's economy. Even companies with little or nothing left to give (insert vacation prizes or a Nintendo Wii to the first 5 subscribers here) are managing to muster up something to give their clients...or at least a marketing campaign to make their clients FEEL like they are getting something.

Take for example, Ford Motor Company's "Payment Protection Program" with which buyers are motivated to spend money given the peace of mind that should they lose their job, Ford will cover their car payment for up to 12 months.

And, I heard a radio ad the other day by Frito-Lay, who is putting up to 20% more product in specially selected food products at no extra charge to the consumer.  

Yes, there is month 13 and that customer might still not have a job. Yes, Frito-Lay's current campaign sort of scoots over the fact that they previously reduced the amount of product in their packaging without reducing the price (a practice in the industry called "weight out").

But this is now.

So dig deep. What can you give your customers that they don't have and won't cost your business an arm and a leg?  Peace of mind? A feeling of contentment in an uncertain time? More chips? Whatever it is, make sure they know about it. Now.

 Make sure they know you feel their pain.

Take Charge of the Changes You CAN Make Now

I like to keep my profession separate from politics--and I'm sure we could all use a break from being bombarded by the economy and politics at home/work/web/local bars/coffee shops and the like...but I've got to share this one piece with you. It's a few sentences from President Obama's inauguration speech that I've tried to apply to my own life and work when I'm feeling I'm about to be swallowed up by the negativity and uncertainty of today:

"We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished."

Cut that out and put that up on your fridge. You know what that means, right? Pinch yourself. You are still here. You are still in business or at least motivated to make business work. The economy has changed. Our audiences have changed. Everyone's needs and talking points have changed. But you still have a great product to sell. You still should be  taking credit for getting up every day and making a go at your line of work. Your ideas are just as good as the day you were inspired by them--It's just time to make a few changes.

I don't have to tell you about the "cutting back" and "working smarter" part. But as a writer, I will remind you that the power of your words is stronger today than in any economy. People want to find out how you can make a difference to them. How can you save them money? How can you make their lives easier? How can your goods/services translate to the stress-free life they are yearning for?

Remember, your minds are no less inventive. Your goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. 

That said, go look over your existing copy and collateral. Think about the next piece of direct mail you send out. Then, use your words to let the people know you are open for business--and open to their needs.

Beginning the Boyde

This blog has been created as a companion to www.theboydegroup.com, a full service freelance marketing group based in Boise, Idaho with clients throughout the U.S.

Why Boise? It got us out of the mad Silicon Valley rush to a place where creativity flows more freely and where we can charge more reasonable rates based on a better economy--did we tell you it's beautiful out here?

Why "The Boyde Group?" Nope, there's not a "Boyde" among us, but there is a sense that everything should mean something...from the most simple phrase to the name we give ourselves. 

There's a favorite poem among us written by an author whose pen name was "Nancy Boyd." The first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, our distinguished "Boyd" is the muse by which we all aspire to work. We work hard. We work long. And we love the words, emotions and atmosphere we create on behalf of our clients (and sometimes we even write a little for ourselves). 

My candle burns at both ends; 

it will not last the night; 

but ah, my foes, and oh, my friends

 - it gives a lovely light!

Edna St. Vincent Millay