Aug 17th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
I recently had a mid-sized business hire me to write their quarterly external newsletter, which they were hoping would create a stronger client bond. Part of my research to get to know them better was to review their website. Pretty standard process. But when I typed in their URL, I was appalled by what I saw.
Not only was the design lacking, but the copy was choppy and uneven. Chunks of copy covered the page like blobs of paint that had fallen unintentionally from a paint brush. The copy that was there was too lengthy and vague; had I not already talked to the Project Manager, I’m not sure I would have understood what their services actually were. This was unfortunate, considering they offered services that their clients actually wanted and needed – after school programs for inner city high school children. Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting, Marketing Material, Website copy.
Aug 8th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Okay, dear readers, it’s time for some tough love. Ready?
Stop putting off your company newsletter. Whether you tried to do one, felt overwhelmed and gave up, or you’ve never believed that a well-constructed, well-written newsletter can benefit your business, it’s time to put all doubts aside and get started.
Still feel a pit in your stomach? Still don’t believe newsletters can strengthen your business? Let me ease your nausea and change your mind. Read on.
Internal newsletter benefits:
Click to read more.
Posted in: Communication, Copywriting, Marketing Material, Newsletters.
Aug 3rd, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Ah, the press release. It’s one of the top requests from my clients when they want to generate interest in their businesses and traffic to their websites. With new product launches, expanded services, big campaigns landed, there’s always a newsworthy wave to ride those releases upon. But I recently encountered a client who used press releases to diffuse a crisis that could have turned ugly. In fact, it did turn ugly – but through our work together, he gave that situation an extreme makeover and turned it into a boost for business. Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting, Press Release.
Jul 7th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Content articles can be a great way to generate traffic to your website, if you write and use them properly. On the flip side, if you don’t follow a few simple rules, they can actually hurt your business. Here are the top five myths about content articles. Pay attention: Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting, website content.
Jun 8th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
The question: “How will you know what I want? Can you read minds or something?”
A potential client posed this question to me this morning. Putting the marketing pieces together for his new start-up gourmet gift company had put him in some precarious positions with previous copywriters. As it happens, the last fella he collaborated with – who knew him and had seemingly understood his vision – had let him down. He was, understandably, feeling wary about communicating with someone he’d never met. So this frustrated guy was already on the defensive but desperately wanted a professional who could take what was in his head and put it into the words he wanted…even if he couldn’t quite do that himself. Click to read more.
Posted in: Communication, Copywriting.
May 27th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
“I’m afraid I can’t afford you.” A potential client said this to me today during our initial phone call before I gave him a bid. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this, but every time I do, it strikes me as a little bit funny that I, Robin Dale Meyers, Copywriter, who towers at a threatening five-foot-two inches tall could possible strike fear into the hearts of potential clients. I suppose it’s a compliment of sorts; a reaction to the samples they’ve seen on my website and what they consider to be the caliber of my work. But at the same time, it’s certainly not my intention to encourage clients to call me only to tell me they’re afraid of the numbers that might come up in our conversation. Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting.
May 15th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Yesterday I spoke with a potential client who needed a writer with expertise in website copywriting. Or did he need an expert in content writing? He wasn’t exactly sure. He was creating a website for his start up company and knew it was important to have good copy and plenty of original content. But he was using the terms “copy” and “content” interchangeably. So I broke it down for him:
Website copy is the persuasive text written for your main pages such as your home page, your about us page and your services page. Copy also refers to the text used for print materials like ads, brochures, pamphlets and press kits. Copy is usually on the briefer side, allowing for snappy, crisp language that sells quickly. Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting, Website copy, website content.
May 10th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Have you ever received an email from a colleague or client that just rubbed you the wrong way? Maybe it was a one line response to a lengthy email you sent. Maybe it was a detailed response that read like a criticism of all your latest efforts. Maybe it simply sounded sarcastic, blunt or indifferent.
Did it ever occur to you that you might have the same effect on your readers, even if you never intended to put someone off? Click to read more.
Posted in: Communication, Copywriting, Website copy.
Apr 28th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Thanks to the Internet, your business is right at your potential customers’ fingertips. But so is your competition. Five or ten years ago, you had at least 30 seconds to grab attention. But as our information-seeking brains adapt to the infinite opportunities slung at us on the web, that small window has shrunk to the size of a mouse hole. It is now more important than ever to show ‘em what you’ve got – and show ‘em fast. Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting, Website copy.
Apr 11th, 2010
by Robin Dale Meyers.
It’s unavoidable. Eventually your marketing copy will get old, showing signs of aging that are as frightening as that first gray hair or laugh line. It’ll wrinkle and sag where it used to be fresh and crisp; it will become outdated, no longer reflecting the true essence of your business. While I don’t necessarily condone a massive cosmetic overhaul of the human body, I do highly recommend a face lift for any copy that is over five years old. Here’s why: Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting.
Nov 9th, 2009
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Almost every time I begin working with a new client, they stress how little time they have to do everything they need to do, especially if they’re running a small business. Lack of time is often one of the reasons they’ve decided to work with a copywriter in the first place. But even large corporations have hired me to take on overflow projects that their marketing departments can’t handle because they simply don’t have the staff or the time. So, it’s become apparent to me that we could all use a quick lesson in time management. How do we create more time in the day? We can’t. But we can manage our work flow in such a way that makes time your friend, not your foe. Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting.
Nov 2nd, 2009
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Today I had a new client come to me for help with her website copy. She has a brand new business and wasn’t sure what to include on her website or what pages she needed. She sought a professional copywriter to help her structure and write the content for her website and I was pleased she chose me. Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting.
Oct 20th, 2009
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Have you ever tried writing your own marketing material only to throw several crumpled pieces of paper into the trash? Or perhaps you’ve just sat and stared at a blank screen for hours. Or maybe you don’t even have the time to sit down let alone write anything for your business. Whether writing is not your forte or you just don’t have the time, a copywriter can really come in handy when you’re looking for engaging copy.
Here’s how hiring a copywriter can benefit you: Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting.
Oct 12th, 2009
by Robin Dale Meyers.
This past Friday one of my consistent clients came to me with a new copywriting project. She wanted me to write a press release with a hard sell of the benefits of her particular service. She made a common mistake: she assumed that a press release would be written and used the same way as marketing material. This is simply not the case, and yet plenty of people confuse press releases with marketing material. My copywriter friends tell me they run into the same problem with their clients. So let me take a moment to explain the difference. Click to read more.
Posted in: Press Release.
Oct 5th, 2009
by Robin Dale Meyers.
Tooting your own horn. Singing your own praises. Writing your own bio. The majority of my clients that have sought out a copywriter to write their personal or corporate bio are afraid of sounding arrogant. And they’re right to be wary; there’s a fine line between communicating your successes humbly like a fine piccolo solo and trumpeting emphatically about your achievements like a New Orleans brass band. There’s a bit of an art to writing an effective, engaging bio that keeps the blaring to a minimum. Click to read more.
Posted in: Copywriting.
