Blog
Here's a little something to help while away those self-isolation hours.
My family have been playing this for years. It's a simple word game.
Well, what do you expect? Words are my life and many would say I'm simple!
You can play this at home but it also works using Zoom or other conferencing platforms.
Mar 31, 2020
Do you care about grammar?
I'd hazard a guess that Catherine Tate's redoubtable character, Lauren, almost certainly doesn't. But when we write copy, should we slavishly follow the rules of grammar? Are you sure?
Mar 23, 2020
Every other Thursday, I enjoy the great pleasure of an hour or two in the company of a man called Martin Beckley. There’s plenty to admire about Martin. Not only is he splendid networking company. Not only is he a terrific graphic designer. Martin also happens to be a speaker worth listening to.
Mar 9, 2020
In recent blogs, we've been looking at writing your own web content. We've already covered - what your website is for - What do you want it to achieve? and - who it's to - Who’s your reader?
In this and the next couple of blogs, let's look at the final pieces in your preparation jigsaw. Your web pages - their structure and how to organise them.
Feb 24, 2020
In the last article, we looked at the importance of preparing your web copy before launching into the creative part. Here, we'll examine a vital, but so often neglected, aspect of effective copywriting - thinking about who your website is for . Who are you trying to attract? Yep, I know. It sounds pretty obvious, but, you'd be astonished how many copywriters give this essential part of their preparation so little thought.
Feb 11, 2020
So. You're thinking of having a crack at writing your own website copy?
Good!
But hold on just one second. As with any craft worthy of the term, preparation is all. Well, maybe not quite all, but it matters more than you may realise. Ask any craftsman - a chef, a DIY expert, a mechanic, an artist, a fisherman or, yes, a copywriter. The reply will be the same. (unapologetic cliché alert)
Fail to prepare. Prepare to fail.
Fail to step back and consider the fundamentals of your website project before you start, and you’ll be wasting your time.
Jan 26, 2020
It's odd (and a source of considerable dismay to professional copywriters) how the value of words in business, and the skill required to craft them effectively, so often goes unappreciated. Yes - we copywriters feel unloved.
Our products (words) and our skill (putting them in the right order) are the sad, neglected, Cinderella of marketing.
Jan 13, 2020
Those witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth sure knew a thing or two about writing great copy - particularly when it came to that all-important Call-To-Action. They knew that, to get someone to do something, it's no good pussyfooting around. Just tell 'em!
Dec 9, 2019
“Look – I’m a technician. I haven’t a clue about words. It’s your job is to come up with all the flowery language.” These were the words of Bob, my lovely new client.
Once I’d stopped smiling, I had to let Bob down gently and remind him, that of the many services offered by Copywriter Pro, being the purveyor of ‘flowery language’ definitely isn’t one.
Sep 29, 2019
When going through one of his demented, delusional, yet piercingly insightful phases, Shakespeare's King Lear, once intoned threateningly, "Nothing will come from nothing!". Was he right?
I guess he probably wasn't referring to the art of effective business writing. But if, by chance, he was, then he was surely way off the mark.
Because, in all kinds of business writing, plenty will definitely come from nothing.
Aug 31, 2019
Once upon a time, there lived a young, ambitious, better-than-averagely-good-looking politician.
One day he stood up in front his audience and promised,
“When I become Prime Minister my 3 main priorities will be education, education, education.”
His early years as Prime Minister went rather well. It was only towards the end of his term of office that things went somewhat awry for Tony Blair
Jun 15, 2019
