I wish all advertising, publicity and marketing communications were truthful and not deceptive in any way. But, alas, that just isn't the case. In fact, the bestselling author Seth Godin even titled one of his books "All Marketers Are Liars." It was an in-joke because the book was actually about using storytelling techniques in marketing, and not about lying. But the fact that he joked about it on the cover of a major book shows there is a problem.

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Here's the latest look at real-life copywriting in action, thanks to Sarah Williams, the head of Wordsmith in England. After we interviewed her a couple of months ago about her innovative "method acting" approach to copywriting, as she calls it (check out our interview with Sarah here), we thought to ask Sarah if she wouldn't mind sending us actual case studies... we could study! Here is this month's:  Continue reading...

In Part One of this series, I talked about three common ways to create product and company names: from people's names, from connecting two words, and by creating a blend or portmanteau. As naming exercises go, those three techniques are among the most basic. In this installment we move into Intermediate Naming: techniques that require a bit more mastery of the workings of language but can reward you with distinctive, memorable names.  Continue reading...

Every marketing writer knows the importance of focusing on the benefits. Your product or service may have a whole smorgasbord of amazing features -- but, unless you explain how those features benefit the prospect, your marketing piece is doomed.  Continue reading...

Want to see real-life copywriting in action? After we interviewed Sarah Williams, the head of Wordsmith in England, a couple of months ago, we wanted to learn more about her innovative "method acting" approach to copywriting, as she calls it. (Check out our interview with Sarah here.) So we asked her if she wouldn't mind sending us an actual case study... we could study! Sarah graciously agreed. Here it is:  Continue reading...

When you're naming a business or a product, you look at words through a different lens than the novelist or historian. They think in sentences, paragraphs, chapters, or even volumes; you must think in single-word nuggets of meaning. Your job is to distill the essence -- and even the unknown future -- of your product or company in one, or sometimes two, perfectly suited words.  Continue reading...

We all know the amount of information thrown at us is overwhelming: from over-flowing email inboxes stuffed with the latest industry reports and e-newsletters to that tottering "to read" pile sitting on our desks, we're deluged with stuff that we either need or want to read.  Continue reading...