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.
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.
Desperate marketers resort to cranking up the volume in their advertising.
If they’re not getting the results they want, they shout louder and more often, and in more places.
But, as they eventually discover to their cost, shouting louder doesn’t work.
It’s almost as if they’re saying, “Hey people, it seems you’re not hearing what I’m telling you… so I’m going to have to shout louder!!!”
But the problem isn’t that they aren’t being loud enough. Their problem is that they’re pitching the wrong message.
A message people don’t want to hear.
In this post I get to interview Seth Godin… author of 18 bestselling books, consummate marketer, entrepreneur, teacher and a good person.
That question about the protein.
Almost 20 years ago now Seth and I were booked to speak at the same event. We were both in town the evening before and went for dinner together.
As I studied the menu, Seth looked over and asked, “How do you take your protein?”
I remember that question because it stopped me dead in my tracks. I had to pause, unpack the meaning behind the question and think.
None of that would have happened if Seth has simply asked me, “Are you a vegetarian?”
If he’s asked me that, I’d have said no. Zero thought or reflection required.
Who would have thought it?
You’d think that writing conversationally would just roll off the tongue… like talking.
And it does.
That’s the trouble.
Yes, it’s trouble.
Because if you actually record what you say in conversation, and then transcribe it, it’s a mess.
Lost for the right words. Clumsy sentences. Repeating yourself. Using ten words when two would do the job just as well.
This, of course, is doubly true if you’re having a conversation with friends over multiple rounds of drinks.
Like I said. A mess.
If you are a small business owner or founder, this post if for you.
It’s for entrepreneurs who went through the thrill and heartache of creating a new business.
It’s for business owners who remember the heady days when it all began.
It’s for the creators who sat down and wrote their own websites and sales copy in preparation for launch day.
If you’re a freelance copywriter or agency, this post is for you too. Use it to review the marketing copy you write for your clients. Or the copy other people wrote before you arrived on the scene.
Let’s get started, and look at those 3 signs your copy needs a detox and cleanse right now.