Friday, September 01, 2006
Copywriting Tips: Fill the Empty Phrases
Where I come from, "brag" is not a four-letter word. But clients often confuse "bragging," a legitimate business promotional activity, with being pushy. The key is to learn the difference between the right way and the wrong way to brag. These principles hold whether you're writing a web site, press release, brochure, business card or even a resume or bio. And here's the difference. Your audience most likely will be turned off by what I call empty phrases. Here's an example. An author's rep asked me to review a few books. The rep's card said: "Developing some of the industry's most creative, innovative & effective marketing plans." What we have here is the wrong kind of bragging - and from a marketer, too! The proof is in the adjectives, piled on like spoonfuls of sugar in a cup of coffee. One is too much for most people. Three will leave us with a syrupy mess. Suppose instead we read, "Ask how our marketing plans brought sell-out success to thirty first-time authors." Even if you're a veteran, you're thinking, "If she could help a first-time author, think what she would do for me!" Frankly, I suspect most of us wouldn't think, "She's bragging." We would be too busy thinking, "I wonder how she pulled it off." But suppose she's new and she hasn't worked with 30 authors. Or as a matter of style, maybe she'd rather offer a promise. She could say, "First time authors: learn how you can achieve sell-out success and land a contract for your next book." Or even, "We teach first time authors how to..." Sure, that's a sales pitch. But as an author, that's exactly why I would hire a publicist. I wouldn't care if she's creative, innovative or just plain brilliant. And I'd want to know what she means by "effective." Ironically, I believe we tend to resort to adjectives when we're not feeling especially confident. That's why resumes tend to include statements like, " Superior leadership skills" instead of, "Led 3 ten-person teams to complete projects on time and under budget." Don't get me wrong. Sometimes it makes sense to describe oneself as an "expert." And sometimes a standard bio calls for a few worlds of self-description ("inspiring speaker"). Ideally you'll choose hard-hitting adjectives that showcase your unique strengths. I tend to describe my own approach as "irreverent." I'm not sure if I'm bragging, but I'm assured it's very, very accurate. |
# posted by Cathy Goodwin @ 10:43 AM 
