COPYWRITING – MRSALWAYSWRITE

P RODUCT DESCRIPTIONS ♦ BROCHURES ♦ COLLECTION DESCRIPTIONS ♦ NEWSLETTERS ♦ PRESS RELEASES ♦ BLOGPOSTS ♦ INTERVIEWS ♦ EDITING ♦ BRANDING, BRAND IDENTITY & TONE OF VOICE ♦ SEO ♦ workflow

Language is Emotion. Feeling, sentiment, mood.

A product is Ratio. Static. Factual.

Opposites? Absolutely. But with the proper teamwork they are able to reinforce each other! A brand is more than just the representation of a product. A brand has an identity. A character of its own, a language of its own, a voice of its own. A copywriter brings that voice to life. Striking and image-enhancing content underlines the brand identity and adds value. A strong brand sells more than just the right product; a strong brand sells the right feeling. That’s the added value of effective copywriting!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS

Product descriptions for fashion brands

Writing for & about fashion (-brands) is my specialty. Branding defines the identity; the brands own tone of voice is an important part of the DNA. Key is to understand the customer, speak the same language, offer the necessary information in a pleasantly readable and inspiring text, but stay true to your own voice. I write with respect for the brand-own voice, while adding fashionable industry know how. Not by giving an annoying lecture, but by describing the product in a tasteful ánd taste-enhancing manner. Fashionproof. Sales will go through the roof (Rhyming is optional :)

No clear tone of voice, or considering some serious adaptions? I’d be happy to help develop and/or fine-tune your verbal identity. Take a look at BRANDING, BRAND-IDENTITY & TONE OF VOICE for the possibilities.

Product descriptions for other branches

My specialisation is fashion, but that does not exclude other branches! Equipped with the correct information, empathy and pro-active research I write about all kinds of products. Affinity grows on me faster than you can say worcestershiresauce.

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BROCHURES

In this digital era most content has little eternal value. Exception; the brochure! The fact that a printed brochure is tactile, showcased on the coffee table, physically inviting to read and re-read; it definately raises the bar. A goodlooking brochure is a potential collectors item. A little TLC for the exact choice of words – that one catchy slogan that fascinates and surprises – is by no means a luxury. Cleverly chosen words can enhance the power of photography. A skilled copywriter can make that difference.

‘A picture paints a thousand words’. However, vice versa is equally true! Mrsalwayswrite would be happy to help find the right balance between words and images.

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COLLECTION DESCRIPTIONS

A strong brand offers a strong product. A strong product however is not an entity; the context in which the product plays its role is just as important. Employ the context as the business card of the content!

A true brand offers a total experience. An image. A story in pictures and words. Think of the product as the equivalent of an artwork on display; the product is the showpiece, the collection is the frame that connects all. A strong story about themes, colours and fabrics adds value, regardless if it’s written for a multi-brand webshop, an individual brand or a (trade-) press publication. My expertise in the fashion industry provides me with the necessary tools to describe a collection ornate, tasty and inspiring – respecting the brand-own language, or strategically anticipating the tone of voice of the targetted media channel.

No clear tone of voice, or considering some serious adaptions? I’d be happy to help develop and/or fine-tune your verbal identity. Take a look at BRANDING, BRAND IDENTITY & TONE OF VOICE for the possibilities.

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NEWSLETTERS

A loyal fanbase of customers and prospects is a treasure to cherish. But how to keep them happy and involved? By informing them on promotions and events, announcing new product lines or collections, launching a special program for loyal customers…..all of those are topics to communicate in a newsletter. But how to deliver the message in a pleasantly readable content that also conveys the soul and DNA of your brand? The average reader has an attention span of roughly 8 seconds. The challenge is to tickle them within that limited timeframe and tow them in (ha, you’re still here :) A skilled copywriter gets that job done. Next challenge is to think up a topic…

No obvious topic available, but determined to send out a newsletter – if only for the purpose of continuity? Think ‘outside the box’ for angles; the history of a specific article, a recent newstopic that friskily links to your product …. Mrsalwayswrite would be happy to fuel your inspiration with a dynamic brainstorm session!

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PRESS RELEASES

Something happened – or is about to happen – that needs to be shouted from the rooftops; time for a press release. A delicate matter. A product description or a blogpost can be sneakily revised – after all, the art of writing is in the rewriting – a press release however only allows one single shot. So aim for the bulls eye! What determines the success of a press release? First of all the news value. What is considered breaking news for a company does not necessarily qualify as such for the rest of the world. Every self-respecting mediachannel weighs the news value before publication, so it is key to judge ones own newsfact objectively. The second important factor is the Dearly Beloved Audience. And no, they are not automatically your consumer/target group; first in line is the editor who decides whether the news is worthy of publication at all. Meaning that the tone of voice of the targetted channel is equally – if not even more – important as the brand-own tone of voice. Last but not least; time efficiency. A smartly written article that needs little further tweaking will be right up the editor’s alley, resulting in your message being delivered in its purest form. Win win. Added bonus; media exposure often generates more media exposure. Being ‘top of mind’ enhances the chance of publication.

Get more profit from the same news fact! A press release to address different types of media – a trade journal, a daily newspaper, a glossy – makes it worth considering to create different versions of the same press release. Mrsalwayswrite can write your press release, but also offers assistance editing existing press releases.

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BLOGPOSTS

It is a well worn-out cliché; he who writes, remains. Correction; he who blogs, remains. Blogging has evolved from being a teenage hype to a serious marketing tool. The best thing about a blogpost? It doesn’t have to be as relevant as a press release; it’s less formal, and there is plenty of room for entertainment. A good story, the report of a successful event, a fun-fact about your product; the possibilities are endless. As is the inevitable state of overchoice :) How to come up with new topics, over and over again? Blogging is not a one-off operation; blogging requires commitment and continuity. Posting at a fixed time defines you as a reliable player; an indispensable quality for every brand. Effective blogging makes a brand accessible and approachable. How to create that precious ‘feeling of community’? Who exactly is your target group, and how to spark their interest? A copywriter knows how. How to make a long story short and a short story long. A copywriter converts a writers block into a writers blog.

Lack of inspiration, but determined to write a blogpost – even if only for the sake of continuity? Think ‘outside the box’ for ideas; the history of a specific article, a news-item that fun-lovingly links to your product, the sharing of future plans and expectations…. Mrsalwayswrite would be happy to fuel your inspiration with an inspiring brainstormsession!

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INTERVIEWS

Interviews are tricky. There is little control; the effectiveness depends upon the questions asked. Pre-planned physical interviews can be prepped mentally by mapping out what you want to share – in addition to the requested answers. It is key to get the best possible advantage of the possibility to pitch your brand or product, but you are dependent on what the editor writes. Digital interviews – like those notorious questionnaires – often appear unannounced and with a strict deadline. Don’t get boobytrapped by filling them out hastily because you’re busy as a beaver. It’s a free opportunity to make yourself heard, so use it wisely. Hire a copywriter as your ‘ghostwriter’ and that questionnaire – even if written ‘ inside-out’ – will be transformed into a pleasantly readable story, spreading exactly the message you want to spread. Do you copy?

Tip; a ‘boilerplate’ – a compact description of your company or personality – is a useful item to fall back on. Attach it to every press request; save the editor the trouble of writing one and rest assure that it conveys the correct information and tone of voice. A good boilerplate is timeless and priceless; a skilled copywriter can write your ideal version.

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EDITING

As a passionate entrepreneur, you have no trouble writing your own content. After all, you are the expert and you know exactly what to say. However… how ideal is the structure of your story? Are you gradually building up suspence, or cutting straight to the chase? Do you use your personal speaking voice, or your company’s lingo? Those are all matters that – in addition to the actual message – need to be monitored. ‘C’est le ton qui fait la musique’; the right approach determines the effectiveness. A copywriter knows about the devil and the details and can edit your text accordingly; improving the structure, enhancing the readability by changing sentence structure, formulating the core values slightly different, and – safety net, anyone? – correcting spelling mistakes. Four eyes see more than two.

Refining, adjusting, reformulating, or just proofreading and advising? Benefit from my services, and the certainty of a professionally and effectively written text is your reward.

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BRANDING, BRAND-IDENTITY & TONE OF VOICE

A strong brand has a clear identity. It is key to know who you are, what your core values are and what you wish to convey. As illogical as it sounds, that doesn’t even involve the product. A product is not an entity; the brand image is what makes the product stand out. Branding takes place at a visual level – logo, appearance of website and brochures, style of photography – but also at a verbal level; all communication in spoken and written text. The brand-own language – the tone of voice – is inseparably linked to the brand experience and should reflect the soul and essence of a brand. A precisely tuned tone of voice is characteristic, consistent and above all recognisable.

Need help defining or refining your brand-identity? No clear tone of voice, or considering some serious adaptions? I’d be happy to help develop and/or fine-tune your verbal identity.

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SEO

Search Engine Optimized writing is the new black. Using the right tag words, search terms, anchors – or whatever you want to call them. Annoying fact; if Google doesn’t dig you up, you don’t exist. The danger of too much focus on SEO is that content becomes difficult to read and – worst case scenario – causes irritation. Don’t lose sight of the purpose of your content; giving information and sparking the feelgood-factor is the essence – SEO is no more or less than a result-enhancing marketing tool. A copywriter knows how to maintain and monitor the healthy balance between readability and findability. I can guarantee you; SEO rules do not exclude an interesting read.

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workflow

STEP 1

Are your wishes and needs mapped out? There are many different disciplines of copywriting, which can be performed independently or as part of a larger package. A first exploratory test assignment, a short-term project, a long-term collaboration – everything is possible.

Feel free to call or email me for a no-strings-attached chat!

STEP 2

Did we have good conversation? A connection? I’d be happy to swing by and meet in person.

STEP 3

Still all unicorns and rainbows? We agreed to work together? Super!!!

Than it’s time for a briefing. The manner of briefing depends on the assignment. For complex tasks – developing a brand language/tone of voice or describing a mission/vision – an ‘up close and personal’ session is essential. However for product descriptions, the briefing doesn’t have to last longer than the time you wish/can spare; I am a proactive person and able to work independently. But I do need to see/feel the product before I can get started, for obvious reasons.