Why Web Copywriting is a Bit Like Plastering

…. it looks easy, but try it yourself and you’ll struggle to get a perfect finish.

You’re looking at your website and thinking …it’s time it had a makeover, so you happily hire a web designer to do the design and development work for your new site.

You quickly realise that web design work is expensive so you try and reduce the project cost by writing the copy for the new website yourself.
  Does this sound like you? Happy to spend lots of money on web design because you can’t do it yourself, but keen to write the copy because that’s the easy part, right?

Wrong!

The uncomfortable truth is that too many business websites fail to meet the basic expectations of their customers and it’s often poor writing that is to blame. If the information on a website is poorly written, badly organised or just hard to find this is a sure-fire way to drive potential customers away.

Writing website copy is best left to a web copywriting specialist such as Purple Bubble Writing because it requires creativity, structure and considerable care and attention to detail. There are also a quite a few tricks of the trade, just as there are with plastering!

But I don’t want to go giving all my secrets away now, do I?! Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....

The Dorset Art & Craft Show, Dorchester welcomes Lyn Lewis of Wood Craft Creations

I hope you don't judge me, but one of my favourite things to do this time of year is to make a cuppa (milk, no sugar), get some biscuits (just a few..although........given half a chance..... let's be honest!), a DVD and my PJ’s and be all cosy with the heating on.

Oh, I do love a biscuit love-in!  Yeah, OK I admit it- I love the blustery winter nights of November, but on many a day, I wish was somewhere nice and hot like......hmmm, let me think about it......South Africa maybe?

South Africa; a country boasting beautiful scenery and a wide range of wild animals, and the home country of Lyn Lewis of Wood Craft Creations of Dorset.

Here at Purple Bubble Writing, I am so excited about Lyn as a new craft creator and gift maker .  Lyn makes impressively finished, original decoupage jewellery, decoupaged tissue boxes and trinket boxes, all focusing on themes about South African animals and landscapes. Simply put, they make for the perfect gifts.  Also on offer and just in time for Christmas, Lyn offers a wide range of beautifully decorated Christmas candles, all highlighting the stunning art of decoupage. All items are handcrafted at her home in Burton Bradstock near Bridport, Dorset.

As well as the obvious influences of South Africa, Lyn also draws inspiration from vintage and floral themes as seen in the wildlife and countryside here in England.  Creating a naturalistic yet quirky feel with her work by denoting animals, flowers and birds, her designs reflect the beautiful scenery of nature of both South Africa and Britain.  Sourcing all of her materials from the UK and as locally as she can, Lyn’s dream is to devote all of her time to designing, developing and making her decoupage ranges (whilst having a menagerie of animals to look after, a husband and three children!)

Lyn explains that her aim is to: ‘create a truly crafted collection of stunning decoupage pieces with a focus on detail that makes my decoupage gifts truly unique’.  Price is also an important factor for Lyn who strives to deliver handcrafted decoupage products that are affordable to all and which should last a lifetime.  Here at Purple Bubble Writing, I love, and I mean seriously LOVE, all manner of homemade and handcrafted gifts, especially jewellery, and I am super duper excited about my new friend, Lyn Lewis at Wood Craft Creations.  An original, quirky and fun artist using the French art of decoupage to deliver sensational products for family and friends, alike. What more could you wish for?

Want a chance to see Lyn’s collection of stunning decoupaged items?

Why not pop along to The Corn Exchange in Dorchester, Dorset on Saturday 8^th December 2012 and meet Lyn in person.
Entry is free and Lyn will be available between 10am- 4pm to help you find a perfect treat for yourself or a truly unique gift for a friend or loved one.Enjoy.....

Contact: www.wood-craftcreations.co.uk to view a range of items available to buy online.

Bye for now, Hannah xxx

Volunteer to write for another blog to get your blogging mojo back

Do you ever struggle to come up with ideas for a blog post?

If you're like me, you probably suffer from ebbs and flows in inspiration and motivation. Even when I have a good idea, I don't always have enough writing mojo left at the end of the day to translate it into great copy.

On other days I can put 500 or more words on the page before I realise I haven't really said anything, or anything that hasn't already been said about a million times. It's not writer's block; it's more like blogging fatigue.

If you're going through a rough patch with your blog, why not volunteer to write for another blog?
Guest posting or contributing to a crowd sourced blog is a great way to generate enthusiasm for blogging again. I find when I'm writing for a different audience, I'm more alert to what I'm doing and I spend more time refining my ideas.

There's almost always collaboration with the blog owner or an editor which helps, too. Blogging is often a solitary exercise but working with other people on a post often pays dividends in the motivation department.

Consistently producing quality content on your blog can wear you out. The best bloggers employ special techniques to get them back into a blogging groove.  Maybe guest blogging will get your blogging mojo back!?
Good luck and good night,

Hannah Chesterfield,

Dorset Copywriter and Website/ SEO writer

Tips for writing a winning case study

7 tips to creating a winning case study

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that writing a case study is simple. It isn’t. There are a lot of bad ones out there so I’ve put together a few tips for you to help you create a winner.

1. Tell it from your customer’s perspective otherwise it will just come across as a piece of hype. Readers will be able to relate to your customer, after all they may well be facing the same problems. Let’s face it they probably are – if they weren’t why would they be reading your case study?
2. Use real people in your photos if you can. Not everyone will be willing to do that but it adds weight to your case study if you can and makes it more personable.
3. Include as many facts and figures as you can. And give specific examples of what you did to solve their problem. Wishy-washy information will get you absolutely nowhere. Trust me.
4. People love pictures so use shots of your customers premises, machinery or whatever is relevant to your case study. This will add a sense of realism that you can’t achieve by using stock images.
5. Let your client speak directly. Include plenty of relevant quotes and make sure you attribute them to the right person (including their full name and position). This is a great opportunity to present a new voice to your case study – try and use their language to add authenticity.
6. Give it a good structure – a brief introduction to your customer, what their problem was, how you solved it, what the outcome was and future implications for them/their business.
7. Make sure it is clear how they benefited from your product/service/expertise. This is crucial. If you tell your reader how your customer benefited they will associate that with how THEY will also benefit.

Thanks
Hannah @ Purple Bubble Writing XX

Where has free copywriting got me?

Hi, it has been a little while since I have had the time to write a blog, but here I am!

Today I will discussing whether offering free services can be a positive development for a copywriter? When I began my copywriting company Purple Bubble Writing from my home here in Dorset I thought about the best way to promote myself and develop my testimonials.  I began by joining UK Business Forums and offered free copywriting services to anyone who felt they would benefit from my writing skills.

To be honest, I think I opened the floodgates- I was inundated but wasn't complaining! So, for a couple of months I wrote for free and gained many testimonials which are now posted on my website www.purplebubblewriting.co.uk if you want to take a look.

In addition, I have written for many mediums and for various clients who are all over the moon with the copywriting services I have provided.  Please just ask for examples of my work and I will happily provide them.

Anyway, enough about me- lets get back to the statement I made originally: Where will offering free copywriting get you?

Obviously offering free services not only has benefitted me but also the client too.  I gain more experience, can show off my copywriting skills, built contacts and positively help someone in need.

But choosing to work for free is something I needed to consider very carefully as the time that I spent on working for free for a client is time that I could spend on a paying project or marketing myself so that I can land my next big project. One issue I was conscious of was by offering free services maybe I was putting myself in danger of underselling myself and my rates?

But I need not have worried as people I have done free copy for have gone onto pay me for my time- very encouraging for me.  Also, it reinforces the fact I am a great copywriter and have a bubbly personality which is something I pride myself on.  I am enthuastic, down to earth, easy going, and like a giggle and don't worry; that will never change!

So, with this in mind there is a fine line between a giveaway that help you and one that can set you back.

When is Giving Your Time Away Worth Your While?

Time is money. Just like me, if you’re giving away your time, it had better mean that doing so will bring in some money in other ways. It’s not impossible to set up:

• A giveaway will lead directly to paid work. If, for instance, by giving away an hour of free work to land an additional hours of work means a win, win situation for everyone!
• For people or businesses offering a product or a service, get big attention from your ideal client. Putting a gift certificate for a couple hours of your time into a silent auction for charity can help you build at least a little awareness among people who hadn’t heard of you before, although it’s crucial that you make sure that at least part of the audience would be interested in paying you for your work.
• Pair your giveaway with a paid purchase. If you have a product to sell — even if you’re an affiliate for a product and didn’t create it yourself — you can offer up some of your time for free to help buyers make up their minds. A web developer might sell a website template and offer up an hour of customization for free, as an example.

Limiting Requests for Unpaid Work

If you don’t see the benefit of donating some time, it’s likely to be something you don’t want to do. I support a fantastic local organisation in Wellington, Somerset called The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation www.weddingwishingwell.org.uk, run by the beautiful and courageous Naomi Thomas who helps people with life limiting and life threatening conditions have the wedding of their dreams, and gladly offer my copywriting services for free. So far I have helped Naomi with suggestions for her website and have created a 2000+ word article for use in a local magazine. (Soon to be published apparently!)

There are times that, even without a clear financial benefit, you, just like me, can choose to give away your services just the same. With The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation, for instance, I am willing to help out for free because it’s a way that I can support the organization, which is important to me.

In all, the important thing with offering free copywriting services is being able to recognize where the benefit is and make the decision with your eyes wide open.

Hannah @ Purple Bubble Writing, Bridport, Dorset xxx

Purple Bubble Writing supports The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation's 1st Christmas Stall, Exeter, 2012

The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation invites you to attend their Christmas Fundraising Stall on Saturday 22^nd December 2012.   If you're planning to do your Christmas shopping in the majestic city of Exeter, then don't miss our Christmas Stall at the Guildhall building, next to Prezzo, between 9.30am- 2.30pm.

An opportunity for the tired shoppers of Exeter to come in and Refresh and Revive from a hard day of shopping (or to prepare yourself for a long day on your feet!), our stall will be offering a range of refreshments including tea, coffee, non-alcoholic mulled wine, festive biscuits and delicious cakes.

Plus, there will be a range of Christmas and craft type stalls offering a stunning selection of gifts, and ideas for those extra special stocking fillers.

Naomi Thomas, the founder of The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation, and leading the fundraising team said, ‘We would like as many people as possible to attend our Christmas Stall and share some festive spirit with us, as Christmas is less than four weeks away now. We are proud to announce that the event will be opened by the Mayor of Exeter and hopefully Father Christmas will make a surprise visit too, which is really exciting for both children and adults alike!’

‘This is our first year as an organisation and our first Christmas charity event and we want to make it a storming success so we can continue this event year after year, if possible.  The funds raised from the event will contribute towards giving people with terminal illnesses and life threatening conditions the wedding day of their dreams before it is too late, so come along and support your local good cause!’

So, how can you help or become a part of the fundraising team on the day?

Nearer the date, perhaps you have some spare time to bake or provide a tasty cake, some buns or biscuits? Or maybe you have some home-made pickles or preserves?

If so, please bring your treats with you early on the morning of the event or get in touch to see if we can arrange local collection!

Also, if you are interested in having a stall and selling an array of quality crafts and gifts for a worthy cause, get in touch by emailing info@weddingwishingwell.org.uk


Whether you fancy a natter, a nibble or to find a gift for someone special or for someone who has everything, come along to our fantastic Christmas stall.  You’re sure to find something!

See you on Saturday 22^nd December......

Please visit: www.weddingwishingwell.org.uk for more information about this fantastic organisation, based in Wellington, Somerset

What is copywriting?

What better way to start a blog about the art of copywriting than with the definition of copywriting?
Almost every time I talk to someone about what I do I get asked the same questions : What is copywriting? What does a copywriter do? What do you write about?….So I decided to clear things up:).

The simplest definition I have found so far is that copywriting is the use of words  to promote a business, a product, a person, an idea or opinon (or anything you can think of).  While I agree with it, I still feel like this definition is like a recipe that’s missing the main ingredient. Yes, copywriting refers to promoting certain things, but what’s the purpose of all that promotion?

That’s right! The purpose is to persuade readers into buying what we sell, make them click on that banner, read our article and afterward e-mail it to their friends saying how great it is and so on. Copywriting is all about being persuasive and delivering a message!

That being said, here’s my own little definition of copywriting:

Copywriting is both the art and science of promoting in writing: a person, a business, a product, an idea or opinion  with the purpose of delivering a message to its target audience and persuading the reader into taking a specific action.

There you have it! Now tell me what you think about it or, even better, what’s your definition of copywriting?

Thanks

Hannah @ Purple Bubble Writing XX