When I first came across that quote, Bob Bly was attributing it to Judith Charles of Judith K Charles Creative Communication in The Copywriter’s Handbook. Since then, I’ve seen in many variations of the quote with many different attributions. Either way, the sentiment sticks because it’s true.

Every writer has a point. Bloggers, novelists, kids writing book reports–they all have a final thought they’re trying to get across to the reader. Copywriters persuade readers to take action. They want you to click “Buy Now,” sign up for updates or vote this way. (If you’re ever wondering what a copywriter wants you do, check the “call to action.” It’s the thing the writer urges you to do, unusually near the end of the copy.) When you hire a copywriter, you’re hiring a new sales member for your company or brand. She has the same goal as the sales staff in your store.

Today’s copywriters don’t use typewriters anymore. We’re more likely to be pounding out copy from our laptops than leaning over a typewriter. But, the end result is the same. If you want to convince your reader to do something, you need a copywriter.

Photo Credit: Twylo

The right copywriter can improve your conversion rate in ways you’ve never imagined. Developing a prospect into a customer or user is an art. Fortunately, I can help you do it. Let’s talk about what I can do for your bottom line. Call me at 646-397-4012 or email me at princess@iampsjones.com.

It’s also the perfect opportunity to catch up on what’s new in ad copy.

For you drivers out there who don’t know, buses and subway trains have ad copy all over the inside of them. For the companies and organizations advertising, it’s the perfect way to reach a captive audience. (You’re not going anywhere until the bus gets to your stop, right?) Like tiny billboards, the posters and placards call out into the crowd to their target marketing audience and convince them to take the next step. I’ve seen some great stuff or clever tactics just paying attention to the ads on the subway.

That’s not to say that every ad I see while using public transportation is a gem. I’ve seen a few I’d love to rewrite to make clearer or have a bigger impact. But, that’s just a good way for me to exercise my copywriting muscles. I either gather my ideas together for my inspiration folder or I consider pitching the company directly. Some of the ads are written so badly that it’s obvious they need to hire a strong copywriter immediately! And, I’m just the girl for the job.

Photo Credit: Joe Shlabotnik

Does your brand need a strong copywriter to make it stand out in a world full of noise? Turn “blah, blah, blah” into copy that makes a statement. Give me a call at 646-397-4012 or email me at princess@iampsjones.com and let’s do something great together.

This week my piece on New Years Resolutions, Great Expectations, is on Moxy Magazine. If you have a moment, go over and read it.

As a freelancer, I still have plenty of imaginary/invisible friends–Only now, I call them social media connections. I think it’s time I try to bring some of those guys over into my real world. In-person connections have just as many benefits as the ones you make online plus one more: you get to put a face to a name.

I wrote about making more in-person connections on ,strong>All Freelance Writing today. If you have a moment to spare, go check out Invisible Friends Are for Kids and Crazy People.

Photo Credit: Invisible Man by Tony the Misfit

I believe in safety. I believe in seat belts,  smoke detectors and backups. My reasoning is that maybe it takes you a few more minutes to get down to business, but no one ever says “Oh thank God I wasn’t wearing my seat belt.” Not setting up a backup system for your site is a mistake you need to correct immediately.

Over on Marian Schembari’s blog, I guest posted about getting off your duff and protecting your website whether you’re a big publisher posting multiple times a day or a teeny tiny blogger who only posts once a month. If you get a moment, read You Just Won’t Be Happy Until Some Chinese Kid Breaks Your Shit, Will You? ]]> http://iampsjones.com/you-just-wont-be-happy-until-some-chinese-kid-breaks-your-shit-will-you/feed/ 0 http://iampsjones.com/when-diy-is-a-dont/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-diy-is-a-dont http://iampsjones.com/when-diy-is-a-dont/#comments Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:49:15 +0000 Princess Jones http://iampsjones.com/?p=744 As a fan of HGTV and saving money, I know a little something about do-it-yourself projects. From sewing projects to computer repair to plumbing projects, I’ve done it. When it goes right, I save money and headaches. When it goes wrong. . . well. . . it really goes wrong.

Recently I wrote a piece for Moxy Magazine about the rise of do-it-yourself projects and how to tell when it’s don’t. If you have a moment, head over to Moxy Magazine and read When DIY is a Don’t.

Moxy in Print includes several of the year’s best articles from the online site as well as some fresh content. Two of my older articles appear in it. I also wrote a new article about starting over in a new city–something I know a thing or two about.

Moxy in Print is available in a digitalized version and a physical version. If you have a moment, go take a look at my article, On the Move. ]]> http://iampsjones.com/moxy-in-print/feed/ 0 http://iampsjones.com/who-has-enough-time/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=who-has-enough-time http://iampsjones.com/who-has-enough-time/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:19:10 +0000 Princess Jones http://iampsjones.com/?p=700 Time is a frequent topic of conversation with my clients and my colleagues. No one has enough of it. I think it all stems from this idea of “having it all.” I also think that it’s important that you define “all” for yourself and stay from thinking it means “everything.”

Fun fact: I wrote a post about not spreading yourself too thin. Then I forgot because I was to busy spreading myself too thin. Like everyone else, I’m still working on finding that balance. But, it’s better late than never.

If you have a moment–heck, even if you don’t–go over to the Sharp Skirts blog and read Who Has Enough Time?.

Often, when I work with authors on ghostwriting projects, they mention regret that they’re not writing the article or book themselves at least once during the process. One recent client actually said “I’m not normally a cheater. I feel so guilty using you.” I thought that was funny because it was so wrong and told her as much. Ghostwriting isn’t cheating.

Not everyone is a writer, just as not everyone is a butcher, baker or candlestick maker. If I have a great idea for a new evening gown, I would try to make it myself because that’s not something I have experience with. I’d provide all my ideas to someone who did and let them use their expertise to make it come to life.

The same is true for someone that may be an expert on their brand but not necessarily a writer. That doesn’t take away the need to have a professionally polished product. You provide all the ideas, the concepts and the direction of the piece, and I’ll provide a well written product for you to show off as your own–because it is.

No guilty necessary.

Photo Credit: ghost by goldberg

Anyway, there was a recent episode which revolved around a Hangover-esque night that none of the guys could remember. At one point, Detective Lassiter is looking for his missing car and he says the model of the car several times. As the episode goes on, Lassiter even puts out an APB on his car . . . using only the color, make and model of his car. (I’m not a cop but I’m sure that giving the license plate number might help a little bit.) He even mentions its gas mileage once or twice during the episode.

And that, my friends, is product placement–Bad product placement at that.

Product placement happens in nearly every television show and movie you watch. It’s the reason The Office prominently displays HP and Cisco products during the episodes. The fact that nearly every character on 30 Rock is using an Apple computer is based on product placement, as is the episode where Liz loses her iPhone. Remember Carrie Bradshaw’s famous Apple computer and how crazy it was that during the movies she switched to an HP computer? That was a case of who was willing the pay the most for their product placement. (If you ever wonder if a company paid to have its product features in a show or movie, check the credits at the end. It usually mentions that the show was sponsored by that company.)

I’m not against product placement. It’s a valid marketing technique. I liken it to SEO (search engine optimization), the process of using and emphasizing certain keywords in text to influence your search engine ranking. When it’s done right, it’s seamless. Your audience doesn’t even notice it but it still achieves the effect you’d like. When it’s done wrong, you’re wondering why your favorite character is rambling about this random car.

Your readers aren’t stupid. If you’d like to optimize your content for search engines but don’t want it to read like a laundry list of your keywords, you need a professional writer. Putting together content that’s optimized but still reads well is a skill. Otherwise, you may draw in the readers because they find you through Google or Yahoo but you can’t keep them on your site because your content reads terribly.