Zazou Marketing

Most of us turn into wanna-be college professors when we start writing, especially when we write about our business. Our words get big; our thoughts get convoluted; and we try to sound like we know what we are talking about.

While you do likely know what you are talking about, if you’re like most of us, you may well let words get in the way of demonstrating your expertise. To remove yourself from the professorial role, think a moment about how you talk. Then write like that.

For example:

• change: “After consulting extensively with the board, staff, and leadership committees, a research-based program that has nationwide acceptance was implemented this year to address ongoing issues of productivity and staff output.”

• to: “The board, staff, and leadership committees offered input about staff efficiency. Then, to address those productivity issues, we implemented a research-based program that has national respect.”

The key to writing like you talk is being able to step back and look at your writing with an objective eye. This is a skill that takes practice, but with time you can certainly do it. In the meantime, have someone else take a look at your work—it could mean the difference between grabbing your audience (and selling your service or product) or flat out losing your audience.

I finally feel like I have my due. Someone who is not a writer is talking about the importance of writing…

Richard Anderson, chief executive of Delta Air Lines, says over and over in a New York Times article that when he’s hiring he looks for good communication skills. And he specifically mentions writing skills. I know that everyone says that they are looking for good communication skills, the ability to prioritize, and the ability to multi-task, blah, blah, blah. But he says he’s looking for good communication skills so many times that I actually believe he means it.

Here’s his point:

“People really have to be able to handle the written and spoken word. And when I say written word, I don’t mean PowerPoints. I don’t think PowerPoints help people think as clearly as they should because you don’t have to put a complete thought in place. You can just put a phrase with a bullet in front of it. And it doesn’t have a subject, a verb and an object, so you aren’t expressing complete thoughts.

“And a lot of what we do in communication, when you write e-mail, you need to express yourself very clearly so people understand whether we’re going to L.A. today or we’re going to Boston today.”

So, there it is. Writing really is important. Well, at least according to Richard Anderson and me. Two down, how many millions to go?

There are a lot of variables that make a direct mail campaign successful, whether it’s for an online or offline mailing. If you are thinking of a direct mail campaign, here are a few things to keep in mind: Have a good list, hit a mailbox more than once, have an eye-catching design, and have good copy. All of these things have a huge impact on how many people will pay attention and, ultimately, hire you or buy your product.

A Good List: Getting a good list is the first thing you need to do. That means that your lists needs to be people or companies who are interested in what you do, or, even better, they are already looking for you. Having people opt-in to your list is obviously going to be most effective.

Show Up Often: Most marketing professionals recommend that your direct mail message shows up in the same mailbox at least four times. It usually takes that many times for you to shake someone out of their day-to-day life tasks and take notice of you. So, the more you show up in someone’s mail or in-box, the better chance you have at getting a call.

Eye-catching image: If your direct mail doesn’t catch anyone’s eye, it’s not going to get very far. Simple as that.

Excellent Copy: Once you have the basics set up, then you need to have the right copy to keep their attention and call you (or whatever your call to action is). That means you need a headline that gets them intrigued in your offer. And that means to-the-point copy that tells them what you can do for them and why you are the one who they should hire (or why your product is best). Of course, keeping the copy easy-to-read, professional, and interesting are all key to engaging the reader.

Realistic Expectations: Expect a one to three percent return on your campaign. Extremely targeted campaigns can have returns much higher, in the 10 to 15 percent range, but don’t expect these numbers for the average campaign.

So, if you are going to invest in direct mail and want to ensure a return on investment, make sure to invest in the whole package—a good list, a good designer, a good marketing plan, and a good writer.

In this series, “Quick Tip”, we offer you linguistic rules of thumb. These explore grammar rules that will help you keep your business correspondence and marketing materials error-free. After all, you want your writing to reflect just how professional you are, don’t you?

So, here’s our first grammar tip for writing business correspondence and marketing materials:

The last time you wrote an e-mail asking a colleague to meet a deadline, you may have written, “Will you try and have that done on Monday?”

That’s fine for everyday relaxed conversation (and e-mails).

But for formal, precise prose, use the infinitive: try to (“Will you try to have that done on Monday?”).

It almost goes without saying that marketing is most effective when it is easy to understand. But we often forget this simple concept. So, whether you want to sell more doohickeys, or you want your company to stand out in the crowd, make sure your copy is crystal clear. You’ve been told this before, I know. But here are a couple of refreshers to creating confusion-free verbiage:

Cut, cut, cut! We all have too many things vying for our attention. So, don’t clump too many thoughts and words together—or you’ll just add to the day’s distractions. Here is one simple ways to cut the clutter: Remove unnecessary words. For example,

• change: “We know that providing top-notch service is important.”
• to “We provide top-notch service.”

Don’t bore your audience. Sounds obvious, I know. But if your marketing materials start with, “We have been in business for 10 years” or with “(insert your company name) is owned and operated by ME” well then, you’ve bored your reader already. Instead, start by talking about your reader. If you start with a “you” statement there’s a better chance your reader will stay tuned in.

For example, if you are a personal concierge, you could start with: “Your desk or kitchen counter is probably stacked with papers, bills, and correspondence.” Don’t worry, you’ll get around to writing about your business and how long you’ve been in business. Just wait until your reader is already engaged and cares.

Why bother hiring a writer for your brochure or website? After all, you know how to write. You’ve been writing since you were a child. You may even be pretty good at it. Here’s the thing to remember: There’s more to writing than mastering grammar and adding flare to a sentence. Marketing writers write to sell.

Let me explain. To convince your potential client to buy your product or service, you need words that do three things. You need copy to:

• Grab the readers’ attention
• Communicate a message
• Persuade the reader to act

It is only when your brochure or website, or any marketing material for that matter, does these three things, that it is effective. It is only then that your investment in your marketing materials will pay off.

So, what’s so special about a marketing writer’s prose? What gives their words such power? Marketing writers write clearly and concisely. They communicate a message. They organize text carefully. They translate industry-specific jargon. They create interest and show how the product or service is superior. And, finally, marketing writers ask the reader respond – by switching to a new company, making a call, or sending a check.

The ability to write attention-getting, communicative, persuasive copy is the key to marketing writing. It is also the key to the question – why use a professional writer? Simply put, marketing writers are experts at writing winning words to sell a product or service.