Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

a note to the moderator---where do i find such a team for such a brief copy write...i have no problem involving professionals...so help me out and point me in a direction

larry

There are several of us here on the MarketingProfs Know-How Exchange who are copywriters and/or art directors, or who work closely with people who do whichever of these we don't do.

You can look through the profiles of the top experts and see if any of them look like they might be right for you. Or you can post a project in the "Hire an Expert" section of this site. Just click on "Post a Project" in the column at the right. Or contact me directly (through my profile information) and I can suggest a few possible resources for you.

Note, though, that a "brief" copywriting assignment is usually more difficult than a longer one. If you're thinking that "brief" means fast or cheap, you've got it backwards. Brief means you have to make every word count ... no room for sloppy wording (or sloppy thinking).

And don't restrict the project to just copywriting. Good advertising involves both words and pictures, and they have to go together. Trying to force fit one of them to match the other usually doesn't work. You need a TEAM that can deliver a comprehensive finished product.


P.S. While I know it says I'm a "moderator," I'm really an independent marketing/strategy consultant and a regular contributor to this forum. The "moderator" label was to allow certain functionality when I took on a project for MarketingProfs.

thank you all for directing me to hire a professional firm. this is my next step.

but here is my problem, i need ideas to bring to the table....so i am looking for different reaction concepts that maybe someone has used out there. i have offered my FREE floor plan book on past campaigns...but i am looking for other possible ideas of something that would benefit the recipient to either call or keep the card. i am trying to get outside my box----so throw ideas at me.

once i have a hand full of ideas, my next step is to meet with a copywriter to create the long term campaign

larry

Let your creative team be creative. You, as the client, should focus on the STRATEGY: What do you want to communicate? Who is your primary target audience? What do you know about their mindset and values? What emotional benefit are you offering them?

Instead of trying to come up with solutions to the problem, direct your energies to really understanding your target audience, the various sub-segments, the attitudes and biases of each, and what it would take to get them to take whatever action you're seeking.

If you can interview a half dozen folks in your primary target audience, they will almost certainly give you better input than we will. Talk to them. Ask them a few high-gain questions, and listen to their responses. Take good notes. Don't try to sell them anything. Just ask, listen and take notes.

Once you've finished at least 6-8 good interviews, step back and review your notes. You'll be amazed at how much you will have learned. Then you include the most important nuggets from your research in the Creative Brief and let the creative team figure out what the copy and the offer should be.

You're trying to do their job, and nobody is tending to the important up-front strategic stuff.


Full disclosure: That "up-front strategic stuff" and preparing Creative Briefs are what we do, so this is a little bit of "when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

i am still looking for any ideas anyone has out there.
thanks larry

David has hit the nail on the head! Follow his advice.