Marketing writing is often about compression. How quickly and succinctly can we get our message across? But these speedy, smooth sentences can some times leave out the kind of detail that specialized audiences connect with. Case studies can provide the platform to expand on your offering and show how your solutions works in real world[…]
One of my clients, People Unlimited (www.peopleunlimitedinc.com), promotes an idea that most people consider impossible – physical immortality. Only a very very small minority of people feel that given the right conditions – open outlook, supportive people, healthy living – the body can continue without end. I happen to be one of them. As you[…]
One of our clients has a serious branding challenge — they’re doing real good in the world. Almost every company has some charitable giving or community service component. But, ironically enough, when doing good is fundamental to your brand, it can actually raise questions regarding both intent and quality. We messaging strategists are always looking[…]
Broad based appeal isn’t always the answer, especially for innovators. A marketing agency I’ve written for for several years started including me in their own positioning discussions to help with their messaging strategy. Their owner is a serial innovator. He loves integrating new technology into marketing. He’s got a gift for it. As a result,[…]
I was recently in a meeting with a financial services company to help them develop strategic messaging. One member of their marketing team kept making absurd suggestions. Either he wasn’t paying attention, or he was stoned, or he was simply obsessed with playing out metaphors — birds, wings, flight, horizons – related to the company[…]
These days, hiring a ghostwriter to write your book is hardly a matter of shame. In fact, it’s becoming a status symbol of sorts, a measure of having made it sufficiently to have some able-bodied writer do the job for you. One is either too busy to write one’s own book, or too smart, or[…]
There is much that makes sense in online marketing. Brand strategy makes sense. User experience considerations make sense. SEO sensibility makes sense. Social media even makes sense, when done right. One thing that does NOT make sense is designing and building a smart, sophisticated web presence while ducking the whole issue of content. Great sites[…]
In this era of blogging, every one is a writer. Which is another way of saying there are a lot of frustrated people out there. Not to mention, some pretty shabby content. Because if you don’t have strong skills and focus, the results aren’t going to be great. On the other hand, for blogging and[…]
A friend recently sat down to pick my brain about an idea he’s got for a new business. He’s in the fitness sector and he’s got a truly new perspective related to training, strength and injury prevention. He spent about an hour outlining his thinking, and I enjoyed listening to him. His analysis is original[…]
In writing, briefer is often better, but there’s only so much you can leave out, before, in fact, you’ve left out everything. Like the truth of your life story, for example. Or the guts and glory of a real competitive advantage you hold in the marketplace. Not everything worth saying can be collapsed into a[…]