The Conversational Blog

In these posts we explore conversational writing as
a powerful way to communicate and sell online.

How to be conversational in your copy, without losing focus on making the sale – with Drayton Bird.

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Drayton Bird copywriter interview

In this post I get to interview Drayton Bird… one of the all-time greats in the world of copywriting.

If you’re not familiar with Drayton Bird, it’s time to catch up. According to advertising legend David Ogilvy, “Drayton Bird knows more about direct marketing than anyone in the world.”

That’s a heck of a testimonial.

I’ve been a huge fan of Drayton and his work for decades now. And when I finally got to meet him a couple of years ago, he continued to amaze. He’s all passion and energy!

I’m really grateful for this opportunity to ask him a few questions.

Let’s dive right in…

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5 Ways to improve the homepage headline for your high-trust business.

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Holding hands as a sign of trust

I’m in the early stages of preparing a presentation for an audience of therapists, coaches and other solo business owners who depend on the trust of their clients.

Part of my focus will be on writing a strong homepage headline.

The headline on your homepage is a big deal.

It does a lot of the heavy lifting for your site.

It’s often the first thing people read when they arrive at your site.

And in the same way that people will judge a book by its cover, prospective clients will likely judge your practice by the message you share on your homepage.

No pressure!

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It’s time to fall in love with copywriting all over again.

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David Abbott print ads

I fell in love with the craft of copywriting on the very first day.

This was in the early 1980s, when I had just started work at a small ad agency in London.

My idea of a fun evening was to stay up late, studying the work of the copywriters I admired most.

I’d read their ads out loud, and write then down in longhand… pen on paper.

The process helped me feel the rhythm and flow of their writing, and taught me a lot.

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Turns out Conversational Copywriting makes you feel good AND relieves stress.

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Conversational copywriting is stress-free and more fun

Funny thing.

A little while back I emailed a question to some alumni of the Conversational Copywriting course.

I wanted to know if they felt the course had changed anything for them. Was this just “another course”, or had it made a real difference?

I got some encouraging answers to that question, which I’ll be writing about in a future post.

But I also got feedback I hadn’t asked about at all.

This is a big deal, because so many people made the exact same point… without me even asking about it.

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Putting Conversational Copywriting to work for B2B marketers – with Steve Slaunwhite.

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Steve Slaunwhite B2B conversational copywriter

In this post I get to interview Steve Slaunwhite… fellow copywriter, author, speaker and trainer.

It seems like I’ve known Steve forever. But I’m guessing it’s closer to the 15-year mark.

Over the years he’s a been a good friend. And I think we agree on most things when it comes to our work as copywriters.

But there is a point of difference. While much of my experience has been in B2C copywriting, Steve has built up a huge reputation as an expert in B2B copywriting.

That’s a big part of why I reached out to him for this interview.

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Why conversational copy is the perfect fit for your high-trust, relationship-based business.

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Conversational copywriting for service-based businesses

What do I mean by a “high-trust, relationship-based business”?

Here are a few examples…

You’re a life coach or business coach, consultant, freelancer, speaker, trainer, naturopath, yoga or fitness instructor, interior decorator or tree surgeon… and so on.

If your work brings you into direct contact with your customers and clients, consider yourself included.

Consider yourself excluded if you sell coffee mugs, shampoo, bicycles and most of the other stuff in and around your home.

There’s a key difference here.

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