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.