Event Name: Cosy working writers’ club
Venue: Upstairs in Infinity Foods Cafe
Date: Aug 6, 2008
Time: 3:00pm
Come along for tea, cake and company if you’re a:
- Freelance writer
- Copywriter
- Writing translator
- Information writer
- Elearning writer
- Content editor
- Sub-editor
- In-house writer
…or if you earn your living as ANY kind of writer.
The idea is to compare notes, bounce ideas around, talk about opportunities, industry trends, discuss tips and tricks and basically just have a good ol’ natter with likeminded folk. Not structured - just cosy.
Free!
Do send me an email if you plan to come. Even if you can’t come, let me know when would be more convenient in future: ellen@ellendevries.co.uk
I’ve had lots of requests (from some of the great minds in Brighton’s New Media Industry) for advice on how to convince new web and social media clients that professional copywriting is vital to any website-building process - not just a cushy extra.
I’m a copywriter for the web, so writing this is a bit like blowing my own trumpet (toot!)…but the next few blogs I’m doing are going to be super-helpful if you ever get the urge to tell your clients that you’re getting a copywriter involved (and that they’ll be worth more than their weight in gold).
So here’s the first ‘Science Bit’ to help you dispell the myth that anyone can write their own web copy:
1. Straight to the heart
Good copywriting can easily make sales and hits go up by several hundred percent. Copywriters use creative woo-ing devices that help you to build a relationship with your audience (like Cupid and his bow and arrow). Words are the most precious tools you’ve got for this, so it’s worth putting money into getting it done professionally.
2. Word-Digestion
A good web copywriter understands the way people’s eyes scan when they come to a website. They know how much text the eye can take in one sitting and use special tactics to keep them happy to hang around and read more.
3. Happy skeleton, happy days
Words, benefits and the creative concepts are the starting points for all the website architecture to hang on - like the skeleton. That’s why you should always take the copywriter with you to that first meeting where the architecture gets discussed. The copywriter can help you build in creative devices that grab attention, build relationships and make sales.
4. Objective eyes
You might be very close to your product, but it’s difficult to stand in your own audience’s shoes without help. The best person to do this is a word-smith with a marketing background. Copywriters are experts when it comes to working out what your audience wants to hear. They understand what messages work best and where to put them so that the audience stays interested.
5. Technology Psychology
Web copywriters know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to marrying technology with words. There’s lots of technical psychology when it comes to user-experience design, so you’ll want someone who knows what their doing.
…That’s not to say that you can’t let them go for DIY copywriting, there’s alot they can do by themselves, or that you can help them with. Some research and web marketing theory will go a long way if they do decide to tackle it alone.
Comments and your previous experiences with this are useful, and greatly appreciated. :)
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking any of these things…
‘I want to write a poem or a song’
‘I’d love to be more creative’
‘I’d love to understand poetry better’
…then this workshop will get your creative juices flowing.
What’s going to happen? You’ll…
* get experimental and inspired with eye-opening writing tasks
* think about what poetry is and why it’s important to you
* look at some modern day poems
* perform your poem (if you want to)
* think about the things you could do with your poems
N.B
Bring your lunch box!
If it’s a sunny day we’ll make full use of the good weather and do some work outside - so be prepared!
How much? £10 (It’s practically free and you get to keep the skills for life)
When: Saturday the 21st of June
Where: The Werks, 45 Church Road, Hove, England BN3 2BE
What time: 11am until 3pm
Sign up here, now, before you forget.
A day retreat on Saturday 28th of June, 10.30am until 5pm @ The Werks.
This is a seriously valuable, hands-on writing workshop for website owners, bloggers, start ups and anyone else who wants to get their message heard.
So how do you get your audience to care about what you say?
The workshop helps you answer this question and gives you an insight into some of the handy formulas that professional copywriters use to attract people’s attention.
What do you get to take away?
- A clear marketing message blueprint to keep and use
- A bank of creative words to describe your business
- Confidence that your clients care about what you’re saying
- Expert guidance, training and critique
- Awareness of presentation and how to keep people’s attention
- Free cake, which we might eat on the beach at lunchtime
When? Saturday the 28th of June
Where? The Werks (Where the ley lines of creativity and productivity converge)
What time? 10.30 until 5.00 (Bring your lunch box)
How much? £40 per person, or £20 for Werkers at The Werks.
Sign up now on EventWax.
