Small Business Marketing Secrets Newsletter

COPY WRITING TIP

In order to make a real connection with the people reading your marketing materials or visiting your website:

• Never use big words when simpler terms can be used.
Unless, of course, you are talking about a technical subject and must use
complicated or technical terms.

Here are some examples of better replacement terms:

• omit -- leave out
• commence -- begin
• utilize -- use
• receive -- get
• fortunate -- lucky
• error -- mistake
• shall -- will
• however -- but
• we would like to -- we want
• incur no risk -- risk-free
• circular -- round
• purchase -- buy
• requested -- asked for
• perhaps -- maybe
• humorous -- funny

For more on this subject, read article:

People Buy on Emotion and Justify with Logic

TESTIMONIAL

Bob,

Thanks so much for the new website copy. I was embarrassed to send clients to our old site, and refused to use the site as a marketing tool. Now, it really promotes who we are and what we can do for clients. I'm your biggest fan!

Carrol Gatlin
Freeman Wehmhoff Gatlin PLLC

lisa drew photos for offices lobbies and homes

WEB WRITING, COPY WRITING & SEO WRITING ARTICLES FROM
Small Business Marketing Secrets

Create Effective Advertising Slogans

Effective advertising slogans aren’t easy to create. However, when you have a winner, everyone knows it. And the best ones are on people’s tongues for years. They can even become part of popular culture. (Think "I'm going to Disney World.")

Sounds fantastic Bob! I could never have written that in a million years. You are the expert.

Joel

Joel P. Mullen
Mullen Law Firm P.A.
Bloomington, MN

Here are the keys to developing an effective slogan:

It should state the main benefit of the product or brand for the potential user or buyer.
It should transcend popular culture – if it’s hip now, it won’t be next month – or maybe even next week.
It must create a distinction between it and other firms' products
Must be a simple, direct, concise, crisp, and apt statement
It can be witty. But be careful not to offend. And attempts at humor often fall flat.
It should develop a distinct "personality" of its own
Definitely must make the consumer feel something. Evoke emotion.
Even better, make the consumer feel a desire or need.
Must be hard to forget - whether people like it or not, especially if it is accompanied by mnemonic devices, such as jingles, pictures or film sequences on televised commercials
Should sound good.
Preferably, it should be a double entendre. In other words, have two meanings, both of which have a positive impact.
Create a feeling of ownership.
Create a feeling of exclusivity.

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Examples of Excellent Slogans

Here are some examples of excellent slogans. Compare them to your current slogan. Also compare them to the above list and see if you can figure out which slogans use more than one of the tricks or methods listed.

"I'm Going to Disney World!" - The Walt Disney Company (by celebrities)
"Think different." - Apple
"Because you're worth it" - L'Oréal
"Something special in the air" - American Airlines
"FAN-TASTIC" - National Basketball Association 1982
"Fair and balanced" - FOX News
"Head On - Apply directly to the forehead" - Head On
"All the news that's fit to print." - The New York Times
"Can you hear me now?" - Verizon Wireless
"Essential for business." - CNN International
"If you don't get it, you don't get it." - The Washington Post
"Let your fingers do the walking." - Yellow Pages
"The first network for men" - Spike TV
“You’re either with us or against us” – President Bush
"iThink, Therefore iMac" - Apple Computer
"It's not just a deal, it's a Dell!" – Dell
"A mind is a terrible thing to waste" - United Negro College Fund
"It's a Sony" - Sony
"I've fallen and I can't get up" - Life Alert
"The quality goes in before the name goes on." – Zenith
"Don't leave home without it" - American Express
"I've got good news. I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to GEICO!" - GEICO
"The Best Bank is the Bank that serves you Best" – ANZ
"Only you can prevent forest fires" - United States Forest Service
"This is drugs. This is your brain on drugs" - Partnership for a Drug-Free America
"99.9% Need Not Apply" - The UK Royal Marines
"Be all you can be" - US Army
"An army of one" - United States Army
"Don't get mad! Get Glad!" – Glad
"The Quicker Picker-upper" - Bounty

Contact me for a quote on writing powerful website copy that turns visitors into buyers
Contact me for a quote on effective search engine optimization that puts you ahead of your competitors

My next article will analyze a few of these slogans to help you figure out how to apply the same magic to your firm’s next slogan.

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Visit my BLOG for more tips and tricks for websites, Internet marketing, copy writing and marketing in general. Need help developing an effective slogan or "hook" for your firm? Contact WordsmithBob.com right now!

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Cell: 612-226-7667
Email: info@wordsmithbob.com

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Website writer, web text writer, web copy writer, SEO copywriter. I also offer classes, e-classes, seminars, public speaking and more. Contact us for a quote on web copywriting or search engine optimization.

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