I’ve been writing about copywriting and everything associated with copywriting for years. What it is, why it’s important to do it well, the different types of copywriting, etc. But one writer, Dhiren Mulani, has done a splendid job of pooling all that info (and more) into one expertly written Ultimate Guide to Copywriting. Here’s a
Persuasion
How to write long-form copy and keep your reader engaged
22 Feb / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 0 comments /Writing a piece of long-form copy, such as blog posts, articles, opinion pieces, speeches, case studies or proposals, is a hard task to pull off. Especially if you want people to read it from start to finish. In our ‘instant gratification’ world of always-on news and social media, same-day deliveries, and 24/7 fast food, few
Many of us hate the sound of our own voices. Many more of us rarely give our voices a second thought. But the human voice is a hugely powerful communication tool worth making the most of. Here I show you how.
As a copywriter, the second most common question you’re likely to be asked (after ‘how much do you charge?’) is ‘do you have examples of your work?’. Or, if the person asking knows what they’re talking about, ‘do you have a copywriting portfolio?’. If you’re like me, you’ll spend half the morning searching your files
With so many of us now spending a lot more time on the phone and/or in virtual meetings, it’s worth revisiting my earlier post on pitching by phone. It’s not easy being engaging on the phone. Listeners are easily distracted, confused or bored so your words and voice have to work extra hard. Here are ten
Stay alert/aware/ready/ prepared/mindful/etc: the dangers of slogans
12 May / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 0 comments /When we’re in the communications business, in principle isn’t good enough. Leaving our words open to interpretation is the proverbial recipe for disaster.
Corporate tone of voice: how to stop sounding like everyone else
30 Nov / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 4 comments /Has our obsession with creating a ‘unique’ brand/corporate tone of voice turned us into a nation of clones? Over the past few years, I’ve worked with many organisations in the creation and roll out of their ‘unique’ tone of voice (TOV). The starting point is usually a good one. They want to make it easy
How to stop writing bland quotes in press releases
26 Jan / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 0 comments /If you find yourself writing the words “We’re delighted/proud/passionate” in quotes, delete them. Journalists don’t give two hoots about how pleased you or your clients are. All they want to know is what you’re doing to please or support their readers. We are not delighted “We’re delighted…” is the most commonly used quote in press
7 time management tips that have little to do with managing time
17 Feb / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 2 comments /When everything in your life is screaming “I NEED ATTENTION NOW!”, no time management tool, mobile app, project management system, wall planner, organiser or ‘to do’ list is going to help. What you need is a reality check. I used to have a boss whose only answer to my workload problems was “work smarter”. I
You’ve interrogated the brief, developed the strategy and created a stonking proposal. How do you ensure you don’t blow everything by delivering the world’s dullest pitch presentation? While you’re unlikely to win new business with a poor proposal, you’re very likely to lose it with a poor presentation. So before you go in with your
