The blog
Reviewing a newsletter
5th November 2014 | Posted in Editing
I’ve just done a quick and dirty review of a business newsletter for a networking buddy. As I’ve tried to provide constructive criticism in a general sort of way, I thought it might be helpful to share a few thoughts with the world. Many of these comments apply to just about any marketing collateral. 1. […]
What I’d really like from content providers
21st October 2014 | Posted in Blogging
I’m a bit perplexed. That’s perplexed as content director of When They Get Older and equally perplexed as a copywriter who’s often hired to write content. Here’s why. I’m puzzled by the huge range of attitudes out there to guest blogging. (At this point I want to move my final paragraph up in case not […]
Going with the flow – copywriting that gets your reader from start to finish
28th August 2014 | Posted in Web content
A quick five tips for you to help you write words that ease your readers through your content right through from the introduction to moving to the next step in the customer journey. 1. Tell a story. Story-telling for brands is high profile right now. But everything we write about our company and our products and […]
Why positive words aren’t always good words
19th September 2013 | Posted in Content creation
We’ve been having a bit of a “discussion” on our Twitter feed for WhenTheyGetOlder, our web site for people supporting ageing parents. We were talking about an article around helping parents to feel they aren’t a burden, when there is a great temptation sometimes for them to feel like they are. Our Twitter correspondent took […]
About those words passionate and inspirational
21st June 2013 | Posted in Content creation
Vastly overused aren’t they? Passionate. I walked through our shopping precinct the other day and saw an advertisement requiring someone passionate about marketing fashion to work in a lively and demanding environment. In other words, this was a postcard in the window of a clothing shop looking for a part-time assistant. Inspirational. When I flick […]
How we make our clients’ content work harder
28th May 2013 | Posted in Web content
We’ve been working with a couple of clients recently who have written their own draft web content and just wanted it checked over for spelling and grammar. This is the choice we’ve offered them: a. We will do exactly what they ask. It will take an hour and that’s what we will charge for. b. […]
What shall we call the elderly, if not elderly?
15th March 2013 | Posted in Mature marketing
So now there’s elderly, and then there’s elderly. Or, to quote AgeUK, the old and the oldest old. The UK charity has just written a report about changes in our society. Today we have so many people living so long that we are coining new phrases to describe the 85+ group. And the oldest old […]
What do you call your storecupboard content?
25th February 2013 | Posted in Content creation
There’s no escaping content creation if you’re a formerly-known-as-copywriter. In the last few weeks I’ve become content director for www.whentheygetolder.co.uk, providing helpful tips and support for children of ageing parents and I’ve been involved in a pitch for a content programme for a technology company. In both cases, we’re aiming to deliver content on the […]
Clients, copywriters and correct writing
29th November 2012 | Posted in Editing
Now here’s something I never thought I would write. It’s certainly something that my children would be disturbed to see me say, given their strict use of English upbringing. The truth is I now believe it is possible to be too correct about grammar. This is a bit of a revelation, as I also believe […]
Case study: Fast web content for a newly merged company
24th September 2012 | Posted in Web content
Here’s the story of a successful copywriting project just completed where speed and knowledge of the industry were vital. The challenge Two service companies had merged and needed to tell the world about their new combined offering. The criteria The requirement was constantly evolving. Working with a new, exciting marketing communications agency, we started on […]