My Latest for the Found Gen: Consumers’ Message to Brands: Just Be Yourself

Screen Shot 2016-03-13 at 3.19.36 PM

Most savvy business owners find themselves, at some point in their company’s life span, worrying whether their marketing message is connecting with target customers. And if those customers include people under the age of 30, the worry isn’t just about connecting—it’s about speaking what seems like a whole other language.

The good news is: They can now relax. Marketing studies have (yet again) revealed that consumers of all ages respond better to messaging that is authentic to the brand and focuses on what’s important—how will your product or service make my life better?—versus what’s cool or trendy. READ MORE AT THE FOUND GEN

Looking for a Tasty New Marketing Idea? Consider the e-Book

Over the past couple weeks, I’ve been working on a project for a cool lifestyle-consultancy client that I think could have major potential for a wide variety of small businesses: a custom e-book.

Without giving too much away, the one I’ve been writing copy for is a actually an e-cookbook—a curated collection of healthy recipes accompanied by an introduction, insightful health benefits for the ingredients featured in each dish and several sidebars offering ideas and everyday tricks for adhering to the brand’s nutritional plan.

It’s been a really enjoyable project, much of which is due to the fun I had conducting a little preliminary market research. There are some great, totally free e-cookbooks out there! Many that I saw were the solo efforts of food bloggers, and several were truly beautifully designed and full of witty, useful information.

For a business that already has a solid collection of content (in any form)—blog posts full of service info, recipes using a certain product or type of food, fashion advice, financial guidance—creating an e-book as a free takeaway for clients is simply a brilliant idea.

Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 2.51.57 PMOne book, in particular, caught my attention (and it has already expanded my thinking when it comes to quick, easy, and healthy cooking): Good and Cheap, by food-studies scholar Leanne Brown. What started as a school project focused on creating $4-a-day meal ideas for people with limited income has turned into a massive success story: More than 900,000 copies of the book have been downloaded, including thousands more that were printed via a Kickstarter campaign to distribute to people in need, and Brown has released a second cookbook, called From Scratch.

Even if you are lucky enough not to have to price-shop at the grocery store, I guarantee you will uncover at least one basic but clever meal-planning hack.

 

Websites with Great Copywriting: Humor

This is the first in a series of posts spotlighting websites with outstanding copywriting. Let’s start with something a little silly.

Humor, by Frank Body

Screen Shot 2015-06-26 at 11.05.47 AM

Frank Body is an Australian company that makes coffee-based skin-care products. The website copy is playful and witty, from the first-person quotes scattered throughout the site to the product descriptions, which are clever yet still convey some substantial information about what each one does.

Screen Shot 2015-06-26 at 11.06.04 AM

The consistent voice and style follow through from short and direct “about” copy (which manages to elevate product benefits into something engaging to read) to hashtags to regularly updated blog-style posts that explain how key ingredients work and recommend skin-care routines. Notice how the main display text is active and to the point.

Screen Shot 2015-06-26 at 11.08.32 AM

Screen Shot 2015-06-26 at 11.07.50 AMThe only part of the website that doesn’t jibe perfectly with the rest, for me, is a section called #Let’sBeFrank. It’s an extension of the implied male voice behind the rest of the copy. “He” dishes advices to women from the perspective of a straight-talking guy pal, espousing opinions and what I think is supposed to be empowering messages on topics like wearing makeup, figuring out if a guy is into you, marriage and babies, and how to tell if you’re high-maintenance.

Screen Shot 2015-06-26 at 11.09.51 AM

I get that it’s supposed to be funny, but to me it feels contrived—like someone couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use “Let’s Be Frank” again somewhere in the marketing and so thought this up. But that’s such a minor, totally personal quibble—and maybe many other people do find the posts funny and share them on social media.

Overall Frank Body takes a refreshingly fun and playful approach to branding for a product that’s cool, but if you think about it, not so, so groundbreaking on its own. Infusing a lot of personality adds to its allure, and works to build the sort of cachet that defines other, successful niche beauty brands.

Websites with Great Copywriting

When was the last time you called up a website and were so surprised by the copy that you actually took a moment to appreciate it? Instead of zooming in on the images of whatever product you were hunting down or menu you were checking out, you let your fingers hover for a few seconds…and read the words. At least for me, it’s not a common occurrence.

And most websites are written that way intentionally: The copy is like a chain of signposts directing you speedily toward the primary call-to-action—to complete your order or make a reservation.

But some sites do succeed in using writing to stand out, to infuse the brand with personality, and checking them out is a great exercise in expanding how you think about online content. So when I come across something particularly well done, surprising or inspirational, I’ll share it. You never know what might get the gears turning when it comes time to tackle your own project.

First up: a beauty company with branding that’s funny—and bold.

Design Partner: Genius Switch Studio

Screen Shot 2015-04-21 at 8.31.45 PM

In need of web, print, mobile or identity design work? I’m proud to partner with Genius Switch Studio, an award-winning interactive design and brand strategy agency that delivers effective, inspiring, and effortless design in tandem with fully optimized user experiences. If you have a project requiring design work and content development, I can collaborate with the team at Genius Switch to deliver a cohesive final product.

Genius is based in the lovely town of Dover, New Hampshire, and its talented designers and developers hail from arts hubs across the country and world like New York, San Francisco, and even Bogotá, Colombia. Clients include local businesses and start-ups as well as regional organizations and national corporations. A particular specialty is working with nonprofits and companies that strive to make a positive impact. (Check out the team’s outstanding work for the Prescott Park Arts Festival and IMS Health AppScript.)

A lot goes into building a website, and coordinating the design and development with the content creation can significantly streamline the entire process. Check out more of Genius’ work here.

My latest for The Found Gen: Content Is King

Screen Shot 2015-03-18 at 9.53.49 PM

It is a basic truth that when we are surrounded long enough by any one thing, we eventually take it for granted. It’s not that the usefulness has lessened (though certainly in some cases the perceived value has); it’s just that we become conditioned to expect it. Content, and specifically Internet content, is something most of the computer-using population now takes for granted. Think about it: Do you ever flip open your laptop in the morning and fear: Maybe this is the day Google will return 0 results. What if the Huffington Post doesn’t have an opinion on something? How will I get through the day if no one posts a witty rant on Twitter? READ MORE AT THE FOUND GEN

My Latest for the Found Gen: What Makes a Slogan Effective?

Screen Shot 2015-04-21 at 4.20.33 PM

The term “slogan”—defined as a “word or phrase that is easy to remember and is used by a group or business to attract attention”—is derived from the Scottish word for a war cry. It’s a pretty fitting etymology, when you think about it. An effective slogan cries out into the marketplace the essence of a business. It becomes entrenched in consumers’ minds, guiding their subconscious thought patterns, perceptions and, hopefully—ultimately—their decision making. It is a perpetual (and free) advertisement. READ MORE AT THE FOUND GEN