My wife and I have had countless “marketing”
discussions over her decade in marketing and copywriting. The topic
emerged again in an online forum. This time, the tables are turned and
Mary Rose and I seem to now agree.
I have always been on the side of not using geek-speak when it comes to information technology (IT) or information marketing (IM). Before I go any further, let me just define IM.
Information marketing is providing written materials, and sometimes video, for a fee. Small businesses in niche markets with few staff members may buy whitepapers from a copywriter that can be “branded” as their own. Major corporations will buy research papers that support their products and value-added services. Company blogs are often written by outside parties or content mills rather than have an internal team of people writing their own content. Independent contractors and freelancers will sell “content” for corporate blogs to increase website traffic. The idea is to build a loyal customer base by providing information as a service to the consumer.
All of those wannabee marketing people who are trying to sell themselves as copy or content writers need to realize that marketing speak, like “funnels” and “squeeze pages”, “landing pages” and “lead pages” really don’t mean anything to a business owner. If corporations already have a marketing department, then you are typically preaching to the choir.
The BIG question really can be summed up in this one sentence: What’s in it for me?
What they are asking you is this: Will this get me more business?
If the answer is that there are no guarantees, you are not thinking straight. How about this instead: It has worked for me in the past.
People want to know if they will get a return on their investment. If you lack the experience to know whether or not it will work, you’d better start practicing your song and dance routine. You’re gonna need it. If it doesn’t work and you’ve been paid a lot of money, be prepared to shuffle off to Buffalo.
There is another phenomenon that goes hand-in-hand with the so-called copywriting expert these days. Copywriters that ARE making a lot of money really don’t need to sell information products because they are constantly working on projects for paying customers. But those who are struggling are looking at developing information products to save themselves from bankruptcy.
Seriously, if you cannot market yourself, what makes you think that you can market someone else’s business? It’s a fair question when you think about it.
My friendly advice to copywriters at large– become so good they can’t ignore you. Learn to SELL. Get some experience in your own town before striking out in cyberspace. Build relationships rather than constantly looking for the get-rich-quick scenario. You’re not Dan Kennedy. The Miracle Ear was a 7.5 million dollar deal for good old Dan, but, he had the goods. He had the experience. And those days are gone.
Like everything, the rules change. Tides rise and fall. You have to adapt.
Forget the marketing geek-speak and write in simple direct terms. WASTE NO WORDS! Make every word carry weight or omit it. Plain and simple– it ain’t the Great American Novel. It’s copywriting.
Now, go sell something.
I have always been on the side of not using geek-speak when it comes to information technology (IT) or information marketing (IM). Before I go any further, let me just define IM.
Information marketing is providing written materials, and sometimes video, for a fee. Small businesses in niche markets with few staff members may buy whitepapers from a copywriter that can be “branded” as their own. Major corporations will buy research papers that support their products and value-added services. Company blogs are often written by outside parties or content mills rather than have an internal team of people writing their own content. Independent contractors and freelancers will sell “content” for corporate blogs to increase website traffic. The idea is to build a loyal customer base by providing information as a service to the consumer.
All of those wannabee marketing people who are trying to sell themselves as copy or content writers need to realize that marketing speak, like “funnels” and “squeeze pages”, “landing pages” and “lead pages” really don’t mean anything to a business owner. If corporations already have a marketing department, then you are typically preaching to the choir.
The BIG question really can be summed up in this one sentence: What’s in it for me?
What they are asking you is this: Will this get me more business?
If the answer is that there are no guarantees, you are not thinking straight. How about this instead: It has worked for me in the past.
People want to know if they will get a return on their investment. If you lack the experience to know whether or not it will work, you’d better start practicing your song and dance routine. You’re gonna need it. If it doesn’t work and you’ve been paid a lot of money, be prepared to shuffle off to Buffalo.
There is another phenomenon that goes hand-in-hand with the so-called copywriting expert these days. Copywriters that ARE making a lot of money really don’t need to sell information products because they are constantly working on projects for paying customers. But those who are struggling are looking at developing information products to save themselves from bankruptcy.
Seriously, if you cannot market yourself, what makes you think that you can market someone else’s business? It’s a fair question when you think about it.
My friendly advice to copywriters at large– become so good they can’t ignore you. Learn to SELL. Get some experience in your own town before striking out in cyberspace. Build relationships rather than constantly looking for the get-rich-quick scenario. You’re not Dan Kennedy. The Miracle Ear was a 7.5 million dollar deal for good old Dan, but, he had the goods. He had the experience. And those days are gone.
Like everything, the rules change. Tides rise and fall. You have to adapt.
Forget the marketing geek-speak and write in simple direct terms. WASTE NO WORDS! Make every word carry weight or omit it. Plain and simple– it ain’t the Great American Novel. It’s copywriting.
Now, go sell something.
