Making the Best of Generic Copy
| I've been rolling my eyes over this statement from a website that offers "pre-written" articles: We offer longer articles that are perfect for those large spaces that you have to fill.
As though communications were no different than home decorating, this vendor proposes written articles as if they were lampshades, wall art, or little side tables.
Now, I agree that filling a large blank screen can be daunting, and the low prices of pre-written material can be seductive.
But writing is just not like home decorating. In fact, it's not really like anything else in the world. It's using words to show who and what you are.
And if you try to fit generic, one-size-fits-all material into your communications, you will have the same effect as replacing a real human with a life-size cardboard cutout: sometimes  amusing, but always odd and out of place (as here), and at a price that reflects the value.
If your newsletter feels like an oppressive, empty space, these suggestions may help:
- Remind yourself how much your organization contributes, either as a business or a community service.
- Put together an editorial calendar, helping you to prepare your content.
- If your topic is truly generic, such as "10 Ways To Avoid a Heart Attack" use the world-wide web to pull together an article that matches your tone, and in a reasonable amount of time.
If you must use generic content purchased at a dollar a pound, try one of these techniques:- Take the copy and make it sound more like your voice. Lengthen or shorten sentences, and add or delete words.
- Let the copy stand as is, but set it off in some way. Put it in a box or use a different font. Frame it with heavier lines, or some other graphic.
Here's wishing you a productive and truly original new year!
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New Blog: "Marketing with Newsletters"
| Burdened by newsletters?
Seeing big, blank spaces everywhere?
Try my new blog, with tips for engaging readers and sparking action.
Join the conversation!
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| Jane Sherwin is a professional writer specializing in marketing materials for health care and wellness. In addition to in-depth articles, brochures, newsletters and web content, she also provides e-mail marketing services. Visit WordDriveCommunications.com for more information. |
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You did an absolutely wonderful job on our new web content. We really appreciated the way you listened to us talk about what we do, and then accurately reflected our messages in your writing. Key users of our website are very positive about the new site. Newer customers, especially, benefit from our more concise program descriptions. You even helped us to streamline internally what our key messages were, enabling our staff to best articulate all of our offerings. We certainly recommend you to colleagues!
--Sally Trnka, National Rural Health Resource Center
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Social Media Snapshot
| Social media continues to grow as a very useful tool for hospitals. To start your year off, here are some blogs you shouldn't miss:
Lee Aase's blog
Lee is director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Social Media and a pioneer in the field
Ed Bennett's blog
Ed is famous for tracking which hospitals (around the world) are using social media.
Have another blog you'd like to recommend? Let me know and I'll post it next month.
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One more week for "1000 Words for $100"
Call in the Editor!
Do you have many good things to tell your market
but no time to make sure your copy is clear and free of embarrassing grammatical errors?
Get started with WordDrive's "1000 Words for $100" package. Receive a complete, once-through edit of up to 1000 words.
For only $100, you'll get the polished, persuasive language you need to impress a whole new world of clients.
Offer now ends Friday, January 14, 2011.
For more information contact Jane.
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