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.

---

Fundraising Letters Should Raise Donors, Not Donations, When Mailed to Strangers

Are you willing to spend $1.25 to raise $1? To... Read More

Arts Marketing : Suggestions for Students and Beginners

Many artists create art but when it comes to marketing... Read More

Two kinds of Advertising for a Marketing Strategy

Advertising is the lifeblood of any business. If you do... Read More

Wealth Knowledge & Power ? Lost Secrets From Ancient Masters

Behold! He with the light cometh!He shall light thy darkest... Read More

Customers: The Key To Successful Marketing

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

The Magic of Keep-in-Touch Marketing

Yesterday I received a phone call from an acquaintance that... Read More

Incestuous Relationship Between Football and Marketing

Thousands eyes were fixed. Hearts were beating hard against the... Read More

Advertising Campaigns That Get Results

"Advertising doesn't work." I hear it from my clients all... Read More

Packaging Trends You Cannot Overlook (Part #2)

Part #26) Food safety is becoming paramount.What this means to... Read More

Do You Make These 5 Common Marketing Mistakes?

The famous P.T Barnum once said, "Without promotion, something terrible... Read More

Website Promotion Strategies For Targeted Web Site Traffic

If you're looking to drive more targeted traffic to your... Read More

How to Turn Your Marketing Into a Money-Making Machine - Setting The Stage For Successful Marketing

Powerful Marketing has become elusive to many companies seeking strong... Read More

Shine a Spotlight on Your Professional Service Firm

As a life-long dancer, I know a bit about the... Read More

5 Ways To Entice Your Parallel Market to Trade Links

Lots of people get confounded when attempting to exchange links,... Read More

Why Surveying Matters

What is the single most important thing you can do... Read More

A Quick Guide To Finding Reciprocal Links

Trading reciprocal links is one of the best ways to... Read More

Key Marketing Strategy - You Need To Stay Visible!

If you want to get consistent results from your marketing,... Read More

Two Methods of Marketing Using Joint Ventures

Whether you're a contractor a local merchant with 150 employees,... Read More

Mobile Marketing a New Age Strategy

More and more companies seem to be looking for new... Read More

Budget Marketing: Managing Your Marketing Money Wisely!

There's a saying that half of all marketing efforts are... Read More

Name the Top Cable Network

When Cable began as Community Antenna Television in 1948, all... Read More

Features and Benefits Brainstorming

This is it what I use BEFORE I begin to... Read More

Do Not Consider Running the Same Yellow Page Ad until You Read This

Grant Businesses have a love-hate relationship with the Yellow Page... Read More

Marketing Hat for Graphic Designers or Wannabe?s

Many people think that the quality of any graphic design... Read More

Have Something Good To Say

If you don't get this right, you can just forget... Read More

Sales and Marketing: Can One Exist Without the Other?

Simply put the marketing people and the sales people depend... Read More

Small Business Marketing; Abstract Philosophical Discussion

Our bodies work like our small businesses. They work best... Read More

The Death of Product Packaging as We Know It.

It used to be you that if you had a... Read More

Boost Your Business With Testimonials

When used correctly, testimonials can boost your response dramatically. They... Read More

Neuromarketing: Smart Marketing Or Jedi Mind Control Trick?

In the international bestseller "Blink," Malcolm Gladwell explains why our... Read More

The Magic of Using Booklets for Tradeshow Giveaways

Candy, squeeze balls, pens, and key chains -- these provide... Read More

The Marketing Funnel: Simple, Effective Marketing Strategy

No matter if you're publishing your first book or producing... Read More

Ten Amazing Ways To Increase Attraction at a Trade Show

These ideas are for anyone that has a small budget... Read More