And get people through your door This is the door for Blackbarn Flooring, a shop in the town near to where I live. The shop stands out on the street because of its lovely tone of voice. That ‘Hello’ is immediately friendly and welcoming, just like Hannah and Dan, who own the…
How to write like a human (so people do what you ask)
Warning! If direct reference to periods and tampons offends you, look away now. I saw this sign in a loo on Friday. It’s a perfect example of how to make sure people don’t do what you’re asking them to. So I thought I’d translate for you it into language that is clear, direct…
Three easy ways you can make your writing more compelling
Earlier today I read a blog that suggested it would help me create compelling content. Whoever wrote it used the following words and phrases: leverage (more than once), passionate (more than once), customer lifecycle, keeping a pulse on their CEO, top-of-funnel content, roadmap (at least seven times!) informational, gather input (?), customer journey, customer…
When Sainsbury’s spoke to me like a human being
How more human language can change minds Please wait a moment. Sainsbury’s (yes, the supermarket) said this to me and it had a big effect. Years ago, I had a bit of a to do with Sainsbury’s. It was over a rude delivery driver who, to be fair, was just trying to do his job.…
When John Lewis couldn’t be bothered to write a decent subject line
If you want to sell via email, whoever you’re selling to and whether or not they’ve bought from you in the past, the first thing you should do is make the effort to write a compelling subject line. John Lewis shocked me today. Yes, the darling of the British middle classes sent something to…
16 words (more or less) that can change everything
Or a quick guide to writing effective headlines Everything you write hangs off your headline, wherever and however you use it. It’s the first copy your potential customer reads. The little collection of words that attracts attention and makes people want to read more. That’s all your headline has to do. Attract enough attention to…
How to proofread well – because you can’t afford not to
A few years ago, I asked a colleague for his email address. “John Jones at hotmail dot com,” he said, as I wrote johnjones@hotmale.com. And then willed the ground to swallow me up as he corrected my spelling. Sometimes the translation between what you see and read, or what you hear and write, goes a…
Want to be a better copywriter? Get a dog.
We’ve just bought a puppy. Lots of things about her give me pleasure, but the most surprising is how she is helping me become a better copywriter. Nell is my first puppy. I’ve had other dogs, but always adults from a rescue centre. The last one was terrifically naughty and, while a joy in the…
Why you need to get some emotion in your copywriting
Emotion beats logic every time when you’re selling. So make sure you use it in your copywriting and shamelessly tug at people’s heartstrings. On Tuesday, I watched a video on Mindvalley Insights from Chris Haddad. He talked about the power of emotional copywriting, how we buy based on emotion and justify our decision later. How…