Last June, in “It’s So Easy to Be a Marketing Rock Star,” I described a “foolproof method for getting incredible value from the Content Bureau on virtually any project.” In this post, I’ll share best practices for web copywriting projects, in particular. Web projects are unique in that our clients often use different resources for [...]
"The Business of Copywriting" Archive
The scoop on what we’re reading, writing, and talking about in marcomm.
Case Study Approvals—Without the Hassle
You’ve started a customer reference program, and found the perfect customer to feature. The draft has been through all your organization’s approval layers. After the customer approves the draft, it’s ready for publication. Approval should be a breeze. A day or two seems reasonable, doesn’t it? After all, the customer did agree to participate. Actually, [...]
Be Yourself at Work
A beloved French boss, Bernard Miquel, gave me the best piece of business advice I have ever received: “If you can’t be yourself at work, change jobs.” When he shared this tidbit of wisdom, I was a twenty-something American in Paris, aspiring (pushing! shoving!) to move from customer service to sales in the shipping container [...]
Content Bureau Credits: to Share, or Not to Share?
Surprise! You’ve just received an email saying that you have a credit with the Content Bureau. It’s a nice problem to have, n’est-ce pas? Except that you are now wracked by guilt. When you opened the PO for that project that went under budget, and for which you now have a credit, you were in [...]
When TMI Is Absolutely, Perfectly, the Right Amount of Information
On October 27-28, it was my great honor and pleasure to walk 39.3 miles in the Charlotte, N.C., Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. One might argue that I was a little too excited (nervous) about this activity in the weeks that led up to it, and told too many people that I would be walking. [...]
The Creative Brief: Step #1 in Great Marketing Campaigns
Work in marketing long enough and you’ll feel it: the pit in your stomach when you and your creative team start talking past each other. “The creative team isn’t giving us what we want,” you assert. “Marketing doesn’t know what it wants,” the creative team counters. There’s an easy way to avoid this too-common marketing [...]
Five Ways to Find Great Case Study Prospects
Starting (or reviving) a B2B customer case study program is often easier than keeping one going. You know two or three perfect customers, and they’re eager to help. You and your case study writing team breeze through the interview, drafts, and approval process. It’s awesome. The boss is thrilled. Your new BFFs in the field [...]
How to Run a Great Corporate Blog
Blogging is fun! Running a high-quality corporate blog, however, is a huge pain in the a$$ (and expensive, too). It should be. Your corporate blog may be your single most important marketing asset, after your search-engine-optimized website. Chances are, your posts land in front of your best customers more frequently than your best salespeople. Your [...]
It’s So Easy to Be a Marketing Rock Star
Life is filled with tricky decisions. 54% or 72% cacao? Brick or fire-engine red lipstick? Miette, Chantal Guillon, or La Boulange macarons—all in Hayes Valley? The choices can be overwhelming, really. Fortunately, it is very easy to choose the Content Bureau for all your B2B marketing copywriting needs. And there is a foolproof method for [...]
Content Bureau Hiring Key Account Manager
To my trusted network—I am looking for a seasoned account management contractor to support strong growth at our high-quality Bay Area-based copywriting agency. The ideal candidate will be someone you know personally and can very highly recommend. We want perfection! This person will be on the front lines, working directly with our top clients, team [...]
