SWIPE FILE
Throughout my marketing career, I’ve kept a Swipe File (inspiration file) of my favorite marketing ideas: tweets, thoughts, articles, podcasts, ads, Tiktoks and our favorite, memes.
Every week I’ll be sharing 3 of my favorites from my archives + what I’m adding to my swipe this week.
1. Short copy or long copy?
Insight from: Eddie Shleyner (Follow Eddie on Linkedin here)
“People don’t read long copy” is a common statement, but the truth is people don’t read boring copy that isn’t relevant to them.
Instead, focus on getting your point across in a clear and effective way:
“Copy should be long enough to cover the essentials but short enough to make it interesting.”
This is one of the main topics in the book, The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman.
Sugarman also makes the point that, “Copy should be long enough to cause the reader to take the action you request.”
The simple rule of thumb is your copy should be as long as necessary, and not a word longer.
And, if you’re not sure how long to make your copy, settle the argument: A/B TEST IT.
2. Don’t Make Assumptions
Insight from: Ashley Cummings (Follow Ashley on Twitter here: @ashleyrcummings)
Too many marketers make the mistake of thinking they know their audience without actually having had a conversation with them.
And, getting to know you buyers isn’t just listening to a Gong call or looking at data.
It’s about having REAL conversations with ACTUAL buyers and potential buyers with the goal of finding out what they care about, what keeps them up them up at night, where they spend time, etc.
Doing this will help you:
Level up your marketing game
Zero BS. Just fun, unfiltered, industry insights with the game-changers behind some of the coolest companies from around the globe.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time.
- Know which channels to advertise on
- Know what content your customers will actually care about
- Understand what copy will resonate with them
- Learn the everyday language that they use
Take the shortcut here, take the long road later. This matters!
3. Story TIME
Insight from: Chantelle Marcelle (Follow Chantelle on Twitter: @ccmarce_writes)
Why does storytelling matter?
It’s because we REMEMBER stories. Humans have been telling stories for centuries. That’s how we passed down information, and that’s how we connect with each other.
Stories create emotions. Stories bring people together.
One of my favorite storytelling frameworks is written by Andy Raskin (which I learned about on Dave Gerhardt’s Course – Laws of Copywriting):
- Show the undeniable shift happening in the world
- Show that there will be winners & losers
- Tease the future, what’s possible in the new world
- Win on aspiration
MEME OF THE WEEK
A meme in a meme. Is this inception?
Or is this a high school reunion? Either way, this is epic.
