So when I read a report on Facebook statistics for February from socialbakers.com  I must admit to feeling a little left out.  Cadbury’s Creme Egg, it seems, is at present leading the field as far as Facebook fans are concerned – 2.25 million of them in the UK (and counting) which is almost 10% of the country’s Facebook population.   It’s a curious thing.  And although a Creme Egg is one of the few chocolates I can actually resist, I couldn’t help giving them a ‘like’ and playing their ‘Watch the opening ceremony’ video.  Thirty seconds of my life I'll never get back, but I spent that time laughing, and that can be no bad thing.

She wasn’t even real.  I couldn’t even eat her.

Her name was Dory and she helped another fish in the film, Finding Nemo.

In the face of fear and uncertainty, this little blue fish simply says (no, sings!): ‘Keep on swimming, keep on swimming’.  She ignores her self doubt, keeps on swimming and ‘just knows it’s gonna be alright’.  Nemo’s father, who doesn’t like taking risks, follows her and together they achieve their goal to find Nemo.

OK, it’s a children’s film, but none the less, a neat little lesson in the power of words.

• A clear message…

Dory’s message ‘Keep on swimming’ is simple, yet inspiring. She repeats it time and again and then leads by example. It works because it’s clear, consistent and delivered with conviction.

• Positivity is magnetic…

Dory is an optimist who looks for solutions and opportunities.  She communicates what she needs Nemo’s father to do, and in so doing makes the goal seem possible.  Nemo’s father is happy to follow someone who is positive, someone who truly believes they can succeed.  Aren’t we all?

• Doing what you’re good at…

Dory isn’t infallible – she’s forgetful and ditzy.  But what she does have is courage, exactly what Nemo’s father lacks.  She plays to her strengths.

If you could single out the one thing your business does really well – the biggest problem you solve for your customers – what would it be?  How would that resonate Dory-style?  Would more people swim your way?

Now, off to do more tough research on another project.  Where did I put my copy of the Lion King….?

A compelling proposition lies at the heart of persuasive copywriting. Without it, you’re just creating words.

With a good proposition it’s easier to market your business – and much easier for your customers to decide to buy. It’s what helps customers see that the value of the return is greater than the cost of investment.

But what is meant by ‘proposition’? And how do you use it to market your business more effectively?

Create a compelling reason to buy

Your proposition is, quite simply, the problem you solve for your customers – the difference you make to their lives. It’s not what you do, but the result of what you do. Think of the proposition involved in selling these everyday items:

• Wash powder. Is it a white chemical you put in your machine, or the route to brighter whites?
• Dog food. Is it a can of dubious meat, or the route to a healthier pet?
• Face cream. Is it a chemical you put on your face, or the route to younger skin?

When you begin to think of it in these terms, you actually step into your customers’ shoes and see the reason to buy (or not to buy, as the case may be).

Talking about what you do

Get your proposition right, and your marketing activity will ‘speak’ with greater impact, helping your clients to see the value in what you do and differentiate against the competition.

Maybe your proposition is fine, but you need to articulate it more clearly, or show the evidence through testimonials and case studies. Maybe you need to tweak your offering to create a more compelling reason to buy. Or perhaps simple tactics such as offering faster delivery or a money-back guarantee may be the right route for you.

Show you’re in tune with your customers

The role of any professional copywriter is to get to the heart of a proposition and use it to make a faster connection with potential customers. A proposition based on solid foundations makes it easier to write with authority. Authority leads to trust which leads to sales. It’s a simple approach, but oh so difficult to get right.

So before you develop your next web page, your marketing materials or a pitch to potential clients, firstly think about your proposition…and the words should follow.

Case studies can be a great way to show off the benefits of your product or service.  A customer who is willing to go on the record to endorse your company sends a message of trust, enabling other customers to feel confident in working with you too.

So often, however, the task of compiling a case study can seem onerous, even though you know a customer is delighted with the work you’ve done.  If you know there’s a case study you should develop, here are some simple tips to help you get underway.

If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Asking your customer to act as a case study is often the first barrier but remember – if you don’t ask, you don’t get.  Just pick up the phone, send an email, and simply ask the question…today!

Think: message
Before you begin, think about the message you’re trying to communicate.  Maybe you’ve worked with a respected brand which will speak volumes to other potential clients.  Maybe you want to showcase an interesting application of your product or service.  Or maybe you’ve simply generated great results for a client.

By thinking about the context of your case study you’re more likely to get across the key message more quickly.

Cater for scanners
Assume that people will scan your material to check for relevance before they invest time in reading it in full.  Cater for scanners by writing the case study in small, manageable sections.

At the top of the case study, summarise the solution you delivered and the benefit to the client.  Use the case study’s logo and get them to provide a fantastic quote (and use it prominently).  Write the body of the case study in a logical order – background, challenges, solutions, benefits, summary – but keep it brief.

Layout is important
Whether your case study is to be used on your website or in printed material, pay attention to layout.  A good layout will make your case study easy to read, clearly communicating your main message without the need to read in full.

Promotion
Once the case study is complete, don’t forget to tell people it’s there.  If you have a space for new content on your home page, signpost people to it.  Use it in your company newsletter, email marketing campaign, brochures and proposal documents.

And don’t forget – your case study could have some PR mileage too.  Consider turning it into a press release for your local, regional or trade media too.

According to Rajar 47 million adults tune in to radio every week.  If radio forms part of your PR effort, or you’re invited to do an interview, planning and preparation, as always, is the key to a confident performance.

Prepare

• Bullet 1

What to do:

• Keep answers brief but interesting. Think about your key messages and use every opportunity to re-state them.  Know when to stop talking!
• Start with the conclusion and end with the explanation in order to get your message across promptly – highlight the issue your explanation will address
• Use prompt words to help you remember the points you want to make
• Develop and rehearse some key quotes which can be used as sound bites of around 20 seconds.  If you can’t fit your message into 20 seconds, pre-empt it so that it can’t be easily cut, for example:  ‘There are three things every person should know – firstly …’
• If the interviewer isn’t allowing you to get your message across, find a way.  Answer the direct question then follow it with a statement such as ‘what’s important to remember is’ or ‘what people really need to know is…’
• Get yourself into a positive, confident ‘state’ before the interview.  This will shine through your voice.  Raise your voice slightly for key points and emphasis, slow down.

What not to do:

• Get overly anxious.  Confidence comes through thorough preparation & experience.  Remember, you know your subject better than the interviewer
• Repeat wrong information.  Instead, correct the information (‘That’s not true…’) and go on to the point you want to make
• Don’t rush to fill natural silences, let the interviewer do their job
• Become impatient.  Don’t speak over other guests or the interviewer.  If you have a point to make, indicate that’s the case then await the right opportunity to interject.
• Rehearse too much.  Your interview needs to sound natural
• Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want other people to hear – nothing is off the record.

What you need to remember is, it ain’t that hard.  Really.

We’re not talking best-selling novels here, or literature that will be studied by intellectuals in 400 years time.  We’re talking about normal, every day business writing which helps you communicate more effectively.

Here are a few simple tricks that will help you produce zip-zapping text in half the time:

• Shorten the timeframe.  Tell yourself you can do this, and you can do it quickly.  Concentrate your effort, don’t sit there staring out of the window or let your mind wander.  Apply pen to paper/fingers to keyboard/mind to matter and GET ON WITH IT

• Plan what you want to say.  What’s the point you’re trying to make and what’s the contextual information your reader needs to understand the issue?  Work from there, presenting your information in a logical manner

• That said, remember you might lose your reader early on.  So write in a journalistic style.  Summarise the point you wish to make the first sentence, then structuring your text so the second important point is in the next paragraph and so on.  Therefore, if you lose a reader, they’ll at least have the main message

• If you can’t find that wonderful word which will prove you’re a literary genius, just write down what you want to say.  Use ordinary language, get your idea on paper, and think logically.  If that doesn’t work, just pretend you’re having a conversation.  Say out loud what you want to say.  Then write it down and work from there

• Don’t be afraid of small, every day words.  People will go to Wordsworth if they want beautiful language.   If you’re giving them useful information in an easy-to-read style, that’s as far as you need to go

• Keep your sentences short.  Aim for about 20 words each.  Cut out any surplus.  Then cut again.  Short and sweet.  That’s enough.  Really.  Enough.

• Forget convention.  Start sentences with And, But – it helps to give emphasis.  Use punctuation to your advantage.  Don’t worry about the rules, saying something out loud will show you where the punctuation should sit.

• But remember to proof read.  Poor spelling and grammar is not only unnecessary, but it reflects badly on you.  Proof read everything you write, get someone to check it for you, don’t ignore your PC’s spell check function, and use a dictionary if you’re not sure.

Then remember your ‘call to action’.  What do you want people to do as a result of reading what you’ve written?  If it’s to check out your website, tell them to check out your website.  If it’s to contact you, tell them to contact you and give them your details.  Don’t leave it to your reader to figure out what to do next, point them in the right direction.

Be your brand
People buy people.  You are the representation of all your company does and can do.  Do what you do with more passion, more enthusiasm and more gusto than anyone can possibly imagine.

Even the small things deserve integrity
Truly care about the quality of your work.  If you’re going to take on that small project, do it with the same level of professionalism as your higher value work.

Go the extra mile
Think of ways to add even more value – keep your promises, exceed them where possible – and don’t sit on an idea that might help your customer.  Set it free.

Seek first to understand
Dig a little deeper to understand your customers’ real problems.  What are you doing to alleviate them, can you do any more?  If you can find ways to solve your customer’s biggest problems you’re a more valuable asset to their business.

Ask for it
Sometimes people will think of referring you, other times they’ll simply forget.  Encourage them by asking for a referral and then thank them when they have.

Give referrals
Givers get.  Seek opportunities to refer other people.  Build strong networks.  Be positive.

Have patience
To get a referral you have to want one.  And that means going back to basics – do a good job, solve someone’s problems, help them some more.  Repeat again.  And again. And again.  It takes time to build trust.  Choose to believe that what you give out you get back.  So don’t worry about it, good things come to those who wait (or, as I prefer to put it, those who have a conscious strategy which includes patience!)

The Intro

You need to grab the immediate attention of your reader, so summarise the point of the story in around 20 words.  No, this isn’t much but it does force you to get to the point!  Think about what your reader needs to know and find the most accurate words to summarise what you want to say. Ideally your reader should get your main message from simply reading the intro.

The Text

Think of a pyramid as you deliver information.  All the essential information must be towards the top of the article, with the contextual information appearing lower down.  Again, this helps get your message across even if your reader doesn’t make it to the end.  Try this if you’re having trouble finding the right words.

Explain what your company does

Devise a short sentence which introduces your organisation and what you do.  If there’s something special about your company ie. you’ve won an award, include it.  If you need more space, develop a Notes to Editors section which can go at the bottom of your press release.  This serves to provide further general background without detracting from the point of your press release.

Include a quote

Include a quote from a senior company representative.  Make sure it’s authentic and use everyday language.  Build credibility by adding an appropriate  quote from a customer or associated organisation.

Style

It may not seem important, but the style of your press release can make all the difference.  Add a date and headline.  Use paragraphs of two or three sentences.  Add your contact details.  Keep it short – usually no more than two pages of A4.

Add a photo

Try to think of a photo to illustrate the press release and send it with your press release.  If the photo includes people, make sure you caption the picture with the relevant names.