Can Honest Copywriting Succeed?

I confess--I'm a marketing heretic! I've built my career on breaking all the rules--and one of the rules I break is that I don't hype.

Do I put the best possible "spin" on the truth? Of course! But I refuse to deceive my readers into action.

What are some of the common copywriter tricks that I *leave on the table?*

Here are a few to start:

* If you order in the next 24 hours, you get... (face it. If you come back tomorrow, the offer will almost always still hold)

* Get all these bonuses, valued at $999, for FREE with your $100 order (yeah, right! And who set the value of these gifts? And are they for sale, anywhere, on the open market at these prices?)

*Here's the information you requested (a GREAT statement--IF it's true-- but I get five or six a day in my e-box, from companies I've never heard of)

* Hi there, long-lost friend (and you sent it BCC?)

So why don't I like the copywriter's lies? And how do I write copy without resorting to these deceits?

Well, first of all, I believe that if I want my words to sell a product, that product should be strong enough to do so without tricking the buyer. I know that if I trick someone, I may make a sale--but I've lost a customer for life! Whereas if I show the merits, back up my claims, and focus on the way this product solves a problem, eases a hurt or fear, or satisfies a need, I will build that lifetime relationship.

Oh, and one more thing. I like to look in the mirror and see someone who is doing good for the world--and I don't think lies and trickery will accomplish that. I happen to have a gift for writing, and I use that gift to make the world better. That includes being honest with my self and with my readers.

Much of the work I do is in the publishing industry. And here, the competition is fierce. Roughly 175,000 new books are published in the U.S. each year. Most of them will fail. My job is to help my clients' books stand out in this dense crowd.

Example: I wrote a press release for a book on electronic privacy issues. Here's my headline and lead. (Another rule I broke--never use the headline as the lead sentence. It's the only time I've ever done it that way, but in this case, I think the repetition made the point stronger. Names have been changed to protect the author's privacy.)

It's 10 O'Clock--Do You Know Where Your Credit History Is?

HIBBING, MN: It's 10 O'clock--Do you know where your credit history is? How about your employment records? Your confidential medical information?

How would you feel if you found out this sensitive and should-be-private material is "vacationing" in computer databanks around the world-- accessible to corporate interests who can afford to track down and purchase it, but not necessarily open to your own inspection.

According to electronic privacy journalist and technology consultant Mortimer Gaines, this scenario is all-too-common?

No falsehoods, no hype--but a whole lot more captivating than the usual "New Book on Electronic Privacy Released by Publisher."

Without tricking people, I want to capture interest...move the reader to action...and still feel good about myself in the morning.

Yes, it can be done! I do it for clients every day, and have done so for more than 20 years.

Shel Horowitz, author of *Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First,* *Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World,* and four other books, offers affordable, effective copywriting and strategic marketing planning to clients on three continents. He is the originator of the Ethical Business Pledge Campaign to change the World at http:// www.principledprofits.com/25000influencers.html. His sites at http:// www.frugalmarketing.com and http://www.principledprofits.com offer hundreds of useful articles for entrepreneurs and marketers, including the complete back issues of his FREE Monthly Frugal Marketing Tips. Shel will be glad to help you create your next press release, sell sheet, web site, or other marketing material. He can be reached at shel@principledprofits.com, 800-683-WORD.

Project Leader Copywriting
Oneworld, Netherlands - Jul 18, 2008
The department is responsible for six projects: Public Relations, Advertising, Publicity Stunt, Copywriting, Online Media and Website. ...

Business Intelligence Middle East (press release)
Website overseers, a natural trend in the Internet world
Business Intelligence Middle East (press release), United Arab Emirates - 16 hours ago
When web professionals give quotations for a new website, they may include design, graphics, SEO, SEM and perhaps even copywriting. ...

Freelance UK
Tweaking your way to copywriting hell
Freelance UK, UK - Jul 15, 2008
Definition of tweak: “I read a book on copywriting over the weekend and wrote my own copy. It sucks. I desperately need your help, but I’m too cheap to pay ...

Leap to the top with new in-house web copywriting service from ...
Response Source (press release), UK - Jul 15, 2008
From today, Leapfrogg is offering customers the use of another great search marketing service: In-house web copywriting. Leapfrogg works to ensure your ...

Which Computing? Magazine journalist joins Prompt Communications ...
SourceWire (press release), UK - Jul 15, 2008
Terrie will be based in Prompt’s Copywriting division in its London offices, working with technology-based clients and alongside consultants in the ...
Prompt Launches Analyst Relations Practice for Technology Vendors MarketWatch
all 10 news articles

The Copywriting Institute Announces New Media Marketing Package ...
PR-CANADA.net (press release), Montenegro - Jul 11, 2008
The Copywriting Institute, a training and resources company for copywriters, announced the launch of their New Media Marketing Package. ...

Cape Peninsula University of Technology Advertising Students Use ...
Emediawire (press release), WA - Jul 17, 2008
Over 200 Advertising students are using the 19 "New" Rules of Social Media Copywriting as part of the National Diploma in Marketing, at Cape Peninsula ...

Pakistan-Based MSCopywriters Achieves Outstanding Growth as a ...
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - Jul 8, 2008
Com currently provides copywriting, editing and journalism projects for clients in more than fifteen (15) countries. Available services range from feature ...

Best Syndication
Search Engine Optimization and Copywriting Will Help Your Business ...
Best Syndication, CA - Jul 1, 2008
This is where Professional Copywriting and SEO comes in. Working hand in hand these 2 industries will now produce amazing results for your website. ...
Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves: Ethical SEOs and Search Engineers ... Inside CRM
Guaranteed Search Engine Optimization - Is it a scam? Promotion World (press release)
all 3 news articles

Web copywriting: setting the record straight
Bizcommunity.com, South Africa - Jun 30, 2008
As it turns out, web copywriting is a contentious issue - peppered with strongly differing views and hotly defended opinions. At this kitchen of contention, ...

Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Tech-writers: A Necessary Evil