Say It Write

It’s probably happened to all of you

You’re listening to the radio. You hear his or her voice. You begin, subconsciously, creating a visual of how this person looks. Soon, their entire physique is at the command of your imagination.

And depending upon your mental prowess, you have created a background story for them. Occupation. Family. Race, height, weight, eye color. All based on the sound quality of their voice. Every nuance is yet another clue into the depth of his or her alleged character.

And then you Google them. Or meet them. 

Such a disconnect - before your very eyes all your hard work… crack goes the proverbial Humpty Dumpty. It’s not a disappointment to humanity; it’s a disappointment to your imagination. It’s inconsistency.

You spent considerable energy and care into creating a beautiful Faberge egg of a persona. A body to match that resonating voice.

And one glance at that picture? All the king’s photoshoppers and ventriloquists couldn’t put it back together again.

But a copywriter? Maybe.

You see, a copywriter is sort of like a literature PR person. We work from the opposite end. WE take the person that you see. The hypothetical person you Googled and we help create emotional text that matches their physique; all the visual elements that you encounter face-to-face.

Every component one sees will match in everything they see, hear and read.

We give them their own form of syntax that matches the windows to their soul.

Everyone has something to say just not everyone knows how to say it. 

Therefore, it’s far too easy to have it spelled out in such a way that disconnects from a personal and professional brand.

A copywriter begins with the basics. We explore the rudimentary essentials of grammar:

• Type: Technical, Business, Conversational

• Tense: Past, Present, Future

• Voice: First, Second, Third

• Style: Expository, Persuasive, Descriptive, Narrative

And then we help you create your own unique identity. We allow individuals to experience his or her own exclusive tone, full of emotion. We capture the essence of people and generate content as an extension of their personality. We market you. We take what your brand really is and embolden it online and in print with impactful words. We translate what others cannot convey. You have thoughts; We are there to voice them.

So the next time someone sees you, hears you, reads your work  - whether all those works are combined or are separated -  the goal of everything you do is to represent yourself. For people to say, “That’s so (insert name here).”

YOU Point of View

How many times have you read the same list of, “10 Signs You’re in Love, For Real” from different websites? Or how about, “15 Ways a Friendship Changes When You Live Together”? There’s repetition of content all over the Internet. While plagiarism is a problem, it’s hard to not write about an idea that SOMEONE else in the world has already thought about and shared.

Write from YOU point of view.

Every person delivers and receives information differently. Content can be delivered with humor, intellect, sarcasm or any other extreme adjective.

Don’t hesitate to share information you’ve heard or read somewhere else, just make sure to add to it, include your own personal references, experiences and reactions.

How do you speak to others in person? Write that way! Are you the class (err office) clown? Add some humor to the content. Do you imagine images when you describe things? Add complementary graphics and photos. Do you tend to talk like a sailor? Add your own unique and colorful language to make that $h!t YOURS!

We follow an online community that gives design advice: goodfuckingdesignadvice.com

There are a ton of sites with design advice, but they found a way to do it differently.

You’re different. You’re YOU. Share information from the YOU point of view.

Think Big

Have you ever had a crazy idea that would blow everyone’s mind? You start mentally elaborating the meticulous genius details - then, unfortunately, you start second guessing yourself. People might think it’s dumb, or that it’s not achievable? Then before you know it, poof it’s gone, and the opportunity is missed…

Fear no more!

Don’t be afraid of the big ideas: embrace them. Think BIG, be brave, and don’t be afraid to speak up! Most people will have respect for those who think out of the box. So what if it’s not totally realistic, it can easily be narrowed down to a more realistic, attainable version. It’s all part of the process.

Get the bad ideas, the expensive ideas, the totally non-traditional ideas out first. At least they will be out of your brain, where they could potentially be forgotten, and instead be put on paper as proof to be referenced back to.

Can’t find a “genre” that fits your idea? Guess what, there’s a genre just for that!

Guerilla Marketing n. innovative, unconventional, and low-cost marketing techniques aimed at obtaining maximum exposure for a product.

Your big idea is original, unexpected and attention getting. Bring them up in those brainstorming sessions or meetings. Get everyone’s mind out of the in-the-box RUT.  Who cares if it’s new or un-heard of…

…everything that exists now was once the new “weird” idea.

Instagram for Business

Instagram is popular for personal use, especially among the younger generations. However, if used effectively, Instagram can be a very useful imagery tool for businesses.

Flying Pie Co., a local client, is actively using Instagram to promote their new restaurant and build anticipation.

Each post starts with a single photo, either taken straight from the Instagram app using your camera, or you can choose any photo from your gallery. When choosing your photo, consider the following aspects of every photo: angles, lighting, content, and purpose.

What angle was your photo taken at? Cropping the image out of the window gives it an intimate perspective.

R: This photo is creatively cropped to show half of the item. It’s a tangible version of the symbol in their logo made with a pizza peel and metal.

How well lit is your photo? Make sure you can identify the subject of your photo, and that it conveys the mood you are intending to convey. Does it fit your brand? If not, maybe explore using the lighting effect tool within the app. If not, try re-taking the photo so that it can help you maintain brand consistency.

L: This photo of the lighting sets a mood that is consistent with the brand. It gives a sneak peak of the atmosphere and mood that customers can expect when this restaurant opens.

What is the content of your photo? Is it relevant and relatable to your brand? Will your clients, customers, and followers appreciate the post and find it useful and/or relatable? Does it fulfill the purpose of sharing this moment? Will this make your clients, customers and followers interact with your post and/or want to come to your place of business?

R: This slice of pizza is relatable content, because it is their main product. It also serves a direct purpose, to remind people that it’s Friday and that this is a convenient, tasty choice for dinner that night.

What is that # Symbol? Once you have successfully edited your photo and are ready to post, consider using hash tags in your caption. A hash tag is the # symbol followed by a word or words, with no spaces. They are free and increase your visibility on search engines. This can be useful to help gain exposure in many categories relatable to your business and/or product. You can add multiple hash tags to increase exposure in multiple categories. Try creating a hashtag unique to your brand, such as #yourbusinessname or #yourtagline (best thing is, you don’t have to register it, just start typing!)

You can also tag other Instagram users by using the @ symbol followed by their username.The most common reason to use a tag is to reply to a comment. First, tag the user you’re replying to, then type your message. If a John_Smith says: That looks tasty!, a wise reply might be @John_Smith We’d love for you to come in and try it!

B: This photo has the hash tag for the business #flyingpieco and also has 2 other hash tags to gain more exposure through the other keywords, #pizza and #dinner. You could even elaborate more and use #cheesy or #hagerstown.

There are many ways you can use Instagram to promote your business, including: new product offerings, featuring an employee, promoting an event, or general brand awareness.

Instagram and other social media sites are a great way to extend your brand reach, connect with customers and build awareness.