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LinkedInCopywriting blunder: Are you a “radio head” writer?
There are two kinds of copy.
One is meant to be read silently. The other is meant to be read out loud, like the copy you hear in a radio ad.
Unfortunately, I’ve seen copywriters confuse the two and write “radio” copy for printed materials. This is a major copywriting blunder. I call these people “radio heads.”
Here’s an example of radio head copy in a neighborhood flyer:
Savings. Selection. Low prices. Now at AMC Grocery. Come in today for spectacular savings for the holidays. Get Pepsi 12 packs for $3. Progresso soups just $7 for 8 cans. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts now just $1.99 a pound. Yes, thousands of items on sale at your local AMC Grocery!
If you read this copy aloud, as a radio announcer would, it sounds fine. But for those who read the copy silently and don’t “hear” the words in their head, it appears choppy, terse, and amateurish.
So why do some copywriters churn out copy like this? Two reasons.
The selling power of intelligent redundancy
Intelligent redundancy is an idea that will make some writers cringe and most writing teachers faint. But it’s an important tool for copywriters whose goal is to sell, persuade, or prompt action.
To show you what I’m talking about, here are some common examples of intelligent redundancy:
- free gift
- added bonus
- Introducing the new
- major breakthrough
- actual fact
- brief summary
- simple and easy
- a “real person” will answer your call
- 100% guarantee
In standard composition, these examples represent sloppy writing. A gift is by definition free. A bonus is something added. If you’re introducing something, it must be new. Every breakthrough is major. All facts are actual.
If a summary is not brief, it’s not a summary. Something simple must be easy. A person who answers your call must be real. If you don’t guarantee 100%, it’s not a guarantee.
How the Macintosh changed creativity forever
After more than two decades of technological evolution, creativity isn’t what it used to be.
I don’t mean that the pool of creative advertising talent is shrinking. I mean the way creative people go about creating is different. It’s more than exchanging typewriters for computers or art tables for graphic design programs; it’s a complete shift in the creative process.
It started when IBM introduced the first affordable desktop personal computer. With a monochrome screen, no hard drive, and an unbelievably slow microprocessor, it proved that a computer could be a practical office accessory.
As desktop units became more accepted in the workplace, other computer manufacturers began churning out armies of clones, with prices always falling and quality always rising.
After years of fearing new technology (remember all those “technology gone wrong” and “evil computers take over the world” movies?), at last it was okay to have a computer.
Trouble was, most people didn’t understand them or feel comfortable with them, since they were built by technophiles for left-brained people. Creative types just couldn’t relate to this and stuck to typewriters and X-ACTO knives.
Then in 1984, everything changed.
Copywriting ethics: 6 steps for working with questionable clients
Most of my clients have been respectable and honest. Many are household brand names, such as Sprint, American Express, and Turbo Tax.
But I’ve received my share of calls from, shall we say, questionable clients. You know, gambling, porn, and other businesses on the wrong side of the tracks.
Today Sara Lancaster reveals how she deals with this difficult ethical challenge.
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The day I sat down to write this post I received a timely email from an affiliate program inviting me to promote clothing. Here’s an excerpt:
We have been looking for someone such as yourself to promote our fashion and classic items…take a look at our full selection by clicking this link. As you’ll see, we carry everything from the latest fashion finds to the classic staples that are essential to every woman’s closet.
I bit. When I clicked the link I was surprised to see an assortment of men’s risqué undergarments that I wouldn’t exactly describe as “classic” or “women’s” — more like outrageous and borderline offensive.
I’ve fielded several calls and emails from adult website owners, online gambling promoters, weight loss experts selling snake oil, “business opportunity” con artists, etc., who all wanted quality web content for their morally questionable niche.
While I’ve turned down most of these projects, every now and again I’ll take a project provided the client seems to be a legitimate business person with scruples.
Hard sell vs soft sell: What’s the difference?
There are a lot of things about copywriting that can be confusing.
For example, when a client says she wants more “oomph” in the copy, I kinda know what she means. But I’m not sure I could define it.
It’s the same with hard sell vs soft sell. I have a gut feeling for what those terms mean, but I’ll be darned if I can give you a clear definition.
It’s a question that comes up all the time. What’s the difference between hard sell and soft sell?
Here’s some copy that I would call hard sell:
NOW you can lose 10 pounds in 10 days GUARANTEED! Just drink one Quik Slim in the morning and one at noon to start melting those pounds away.
Here’s the same copy but rewritten for soft sell:
If you’re wanting to lose weight, consider replacing breakfast and lunch with Quik Slim. Some dieters have reported losing as much as 10 pounds in 10 days.
What’s the difference? The hard sell version uses more direct language. It makes a bold promise and includes a specific guarantee.
The soft sell version is more reserved and less direct. There is no promise or guarantee, only a suggestion of possible results.
Ask this one question to close more freelance sales
A while back, Mike Klassen, a.k.a. The Magalog Guy, called me to talk shop. We both specialize in direct mail.
I’m a writer who also designs. He’s a designer who also writes. So he’s like my doppelganger. And a fun guy to talk to.
Here’s Mike’s first post for Pro Copy Tips with advice on how to close more sales by asking one powerful question.
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One of the major things I had to adjust to when I began freelancing was the fact that I was responsible for everything.
As an employee at just about any company, our jobs often have a relatively narrow focus. If you work in the accounting department, what management is up to isn’t much of a concern, at least in terms of your day-to-day activities.
As a former Microsoft employee, what the legal department was doing, for example, didn’t affect my daily activities as a technical writer.
But, as a freelancer, every aspect of your business is your responsibility. And because of that, you may have to stretch yourself past your comfort zone.
Nowhere is this more vital than closing sales. If sales isn’t in your background – and it wasn’t in mine – convincing someone to sign on the dotted line can be stressful.
3 ways to attract higher paying clients and avoid the $10 content mills
Back in February, I warned you about CrowdSPRING, another in a long line of “content mill” sites that professional writers should avoid.
Today, Matt Ambrose makes his debut on Pro Copy Tips with some advice on how to avoid these nefarious content mills and earn what you’re really worth.
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If you’re new to the freelance writing world, you might be worried about the poverty-inducing wages offered at “content mills” and freelance bidding websites.
Well, you’re not alone.
There’s no shortage of writers outraged at what they feel is a slap in the face for the sweat and tears that goes into a piece of writing. Some think these sites even threaten the future of the profession.
After all, how are you supposed to persuade clients to pay you $200 for an article when there’s a glut of “writers” happy to fight bidding wars over $10?
But while some writers might be happy to chain themselves to a conveyor belt and churn out 20 articles a day, it doesn’t mean you have to.
There are a number of ways you can find clients that will pay you a fair rate for your copywriting skills.
Admit it. Why do you really freelance?
Today there’s a flood of people who want to freelance.
And if you listen to some of the freelance gurus, you’d think it’s because of the money.
It’s true. You can easily make $50K a year working just a few hours a week. And 6 figures isn’t all that hard if you freelance full-time. With a little skill, plus some persistence, you can get to $200K or $300K or more.
But that’s not why I got into freelancing.
Back in the 90s, I got into freelancing because I hated all the jobs I had.
Paint mixing guy in a hardware store. Radio account executive. TV producer. Nonprofit development director. English teacher.
So when people ask me why I freelance, I tell them it’s a better lifestyle. I’m just not cut out for a 9-to-5 job. I don’t like ties. I don’t like rigid schedules. I don’t always play well with others. So freelancing is ideal for me.
Plus, I have a ton of other interests I need time for, including politics, competitive target shooting, cycling, and gardening.
What about you?
