Marketing Copy - Brand Identity Guru

Tips on writing great copy for your marketing efforts.

It's just four steps that I call the Writing Path

1. I create a deadline for something to be produced. This creates pressure that I think is very important. Because I write this e-newsletter-BIGNews every other week, I must find an idea and the time to write. If I didn't have a deadline looming, I think procrastination would be a lot easier.

- Do you have a specific goal and a deadline? If not, just make one up. If you don't, you'll have no focus to keep you on track.

2. I define a problem, predicament or challenge I believe my audience is facing. And since I've faced most of these problems myself, they are very familiar to me. It might be the problem of creating a marketing message, writing an e-newsletter or putting together a proposal. I only spend a little time thinking about a problem and one usually pops into my head in a few minutes.

- Can you identify several problems your prospects and clients have experienced in the past? What are they currently struggling with? What's missing for them? Then pick just one.

3. I think about my solutions to this problem. Since I've solved many of these marketing problems in the past, I usually have a good idea of what will work and what won't work. I just reflect for a few minutes about various solutions and approaches to the problem until I feel confident I have something valuable to communicate that will make a difference to those who read what I write.

- Do you have solutions, techniques and strategies you can apply to the problems of your clients and prospects? Can you express these solutions in a way that is easy to understand and apply?

4. Then I just start writing. I don't worry about doing it perfectly the first draft. I just follow the Writing Path as I've outlined above. I try to avoid theory and stay very practical, giving very detailed how-to information. If I can make things clearer with a story or example, I'll use those too. My main concern is: Can my readers use this information to improve their current situation? If they can, I've succeeded.

- Are you ready to start writing using this basic Writing Path? Are you willing to do it imperfectly and then go back and edit and rewrite until it makes sense and flows well? And that's my simple Writing Path.

If you are stuck, I believe it's all you need to get started. And the more you write using this formula, the easier it gets. Not only that, the more you write, the more all your other marketing activities improve because your thinking gets more focused and your communication becomes more persuasive. So take a shot at it and see what you come up with! What will you write about today?

Recap:

* Deadlines - You'll have better results if you have a regular deadline for writing. Interestingly, I found that a bi-weekly deadline was more powerful than a monthly deadline. Set it up so that the consequences of missing the deadline are worse than doing the writing!

* Problems - A good way to prime the pump is to list every problem you can think of that your clients and prospects have faced. Then trim down and prioritize the list until you have several good topics you can write about.

* Solutions - Beside the list of problems, write the main solution that will be the foundation of the article. For instance, beside "Writer's Block" I'd put "Writing Path." These sets of problems and solutions will be the foundation for several articles.

* Just Write - The writing that gets the highest readership is writing that is conversational. Throw out most of what you learned in English class and just write like you talk. And then read what you've written out loud until it flows naturally.

* Stay Present - Don't worry about what people are going to think of what you've written. Just focus on your ideas and communicate them with clarity. If your ideas make sense, people will read what you've written and get the value you intended.

To measure how strong your brand is copy and paste: (http://brandidentityguru.com/bightml/brandmasterpiece.html). Then click "Take the brand strength test". This is a short survey that measures the strength of any company's brand. It's a great tool to see where you are today.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru (http://www.brandidentityguru.com), a leading brand consulting and market research firm located in Easton, Massachusetts, USA, near Boston. Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.

Over the course of his 15-year branding career, Scott White has worked in a wide variety of industries: high-tech, manufacturing, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, banking, restaurants, fashion, healthcare, Internet, retail, and service businesses, as well as numerous non-profit organizations.

Brand Identity Guru clients include: Sun Life Financial, Coca Cola, HP, Sun, Nordstrom, American Federal Mortgage, Simon (America's largest shopping mall manager) and many others, including numerous emerging growth companies.

Scott White is a very enthusiastic speaker and has the gift of being able to explain the principles of branding in a compelling and entertaining manner.

---

Trapped in Your Comfort Zone? Break Out and Send Your Marketing Skyrocketing

A marketer whose advice I generally respect recently published an... Read More

Marketing Lessons from Santa

If a nonexistent man can change the world and millions... Read More

Marketing Without Ego

Our ego can get in the way of marketing our... Read More

Systems - Marketing Your Business Successfully

Business Systems that work for anyone, are a fundamental necessity... Read More

A Point in Every Direction is the Same As No Point At All

Ever try to be something for everyone and find no... Read More

Identifying, Creating and Using Your USP?

What's your USP? Don't know, or worse still, you've never... Read More

Quick Postcard Design Tips

TIP #1: Avoid the "Too Much Information" Syndrome... Read More

Why You Buy, Part Two

More of the findings of the recent studies in behavioral... Read More

Loan Officer Marketing ? How to Target the Right Agents

Once there was a loan officer, who marketed his services... Read More

Fail Your Way To Small Business Marketing Success!

Are you willing to fail your way to great marketing... Read More

Promotional Magnets: Promotion that Sticks

Some people are happy with just a business card. For... Read More

Guerrilla Marketing in Action

Guerrilla Marketing is using time, energy and imagination to market... Read More

The Benefits of a Marketing Plan

What is a Marketing Plan? Marketing is to do with... Read More

Increase Repeat Business and Referrals with Direct Mail

So you have been writing mortgages like crazy now for... Read More

5 Ways to Market for Immediate Results

Sales are down, and I need more customers now! Sound... Read More

Promotional Products

As a promotions director for a lot of super markets,... Read More

Design, Design, Design

You need only one card, but make it noticeable. Make... Read More

Funnel Your Way to Marketing Success

A funnel is a good way to think of the... Read More

Mark Twain?s Great Marketing Idea

To tell you the truth (and about 53% of this... Read More

Loan Officer Websites: Your Marketing Hub to Magnetize Realtors

Too many loan officer websites look like congested intersections, information... Read More

Building Credibility for Your Business

Small companies that rely on business-to-business sales often find it... Read More

Dont Advertise Your Business - Market It!

Too many business owners believe that marketing their business means... Read More

Your Headlines Are Key To Your Success Or Failure. Do You Know What To Write?

Most professional copywriters would say that headlines account for 80%... Read More

Where Should I Network?

Building business relationships through networking is a great way to... Read More

FREE Means MORE Business

Why give freebies?We have all seen freebies at trade shows... Read More

Global Market in the Cyber world?Go and Get It !

With the Internet opening up the doorway to the global... Read More

Benefits of Developing & Maintaining a Database

A database is more than a simple list of names... Read More

The 5 Musts of Marketing

For most of the small business owners I work with,... Read More

Your 30 Second Commercial

This tip is so simple, that many people we've talked... Read More

Customers: The Key To Successful Marketing

How well do you know your customers?What is the primary... Read More

Grow Your Business By Getting Your Customers Buying From You More Often - 35 Ideas

35 Ideas to Spark Your Creativity:There are 3 ways to... Read More

The Art of the Business Card

Use a business card as a note pad for recording... Read More

Business Cards that Make Them CALL

How would you use business cards for gift certificates?I asked... Read More