One of the differences between copywriters and creative writers is that creative writers use fiction skills in their writing. Using the five senses in their writing is one of those fiction skills.

Don’t panic with the thought of using “fiction” skills. Using the five senses isn’t hard to do. Let’s try it.

For example, it’s fairly easy for a real estate agent to describe a home for sale by stating that it has hardwood floors, a winding staircase, and an impressive entry way.

But let’s add in the five senses:

Before you ever step foot in this turn-of-the-century home, you’ll realize you’ve found a true work of art.

Inside the entry way, the crystal chandelier lights up the newly refinished hardwood floors. You can almost envision Clark Gable crookedly grinning at Scarlett O’Hara as she glides up the winding staircase, the sounds of her girlish laughter and the swish of her green velvet gown echoing behind her.

The smells of the home are a mixture of old and new. Fresh paint and hardwood floor stain mix with the smells of antique furniture and old rooms.

As you walk up the winding staircase yourself, feeling the solid banister under your fingertips, you almost feel as if you’re taking a step back in time. Better yet, you’re going on an adventure.

* * *

We were able to add in sight, sound, smells, and touch, but not taste. We could have had Clark smoking a cigar.

You don’t have to add characters to your content to add in the five senses. They just  seemed to fit in this scenario.

Try using the five senses in your Web copy and you just might discover that your content is much more vivid and alive, bringing your potential customers into the content with you.

And that, my friends, is your goal.

Robin

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Did you know that there’s an agency who decides what the color trends are going to be several years in advance?

It’s called the Color Marketing Group, the leading international association of color professionals.

What does this mean to you? If you have an online (or offline) business that has anything to do with colors, you’ll definitely want to be aware of what colors are in style for the current year.

For example, Web design firms, Webmasters, clothing stores, department stores, advertising agencies, SEO/SEM companies, marketing companies, interior decorators, wallpaper and paint companies, etc., need to be aware of what colors are “in” for the current year.

So what are the hot color trends for 2008?

According to the Color Marketing Group, here are your colors for 2008:

1. Green and all colors of nature

2. Blues that remind us of the sky and water as well as a navy that’s so dark it’s almost black

3. Coppery, bronze-y tones of metallic

4. Ethnic accent colors like Moroccan reds, sunny golden yellow, and turquoise.

For more detail, read the entire article at:

http://www.colormarketing.org/Media.aspx?id=784&

Be sure to visit the Color Marketing Group every year to learn what colors are hot for the current year.

Robin

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If you have a site that sells clothing, you may think that having pictures of the clothes with a brief description of them is enough content for your site.

Wrong.

What about adding content on what constitutes the latest styles for this particular season?

What about tips for accessorizing for this season? Are scarves in? What type of pants are in style? Cuffs or not?

What about accessorizing each outfit with jewelry, shoes, etc.? You may make more sales if you do.

What colors are in style this season?

You could create content focused on different body shapes. For larger people, what tips would you offer?

What about creating an interactive area where your potential buyers could match tops with pants and add jewelry, shoes, etc., to the mix to see how it looks as a complete outfit? Let your buyers get creative with their own outfits.

With the idea above, you could even have a ”wish list” area where your buyers could save their clothes, then direct family members to the area for gift ideas.

You could set up greeting cards for family members/friends to send out when they purchase clothes as gifts.

What about setting up an expert Q&A on your site, so that your visitors could send in questions and a fashion expert could answer them. Post a new question each week on the main page of your site.

Consider creating a newsletter that offers style tips, what’s “hot” in the clothing industry this season, and other items of interest to your buyers. Offer a discount once in a while. Encourage your potential customers to sign up and list their birthdays. On their birthday, offer a nice discount as a gift.

Any other ideas?

Robin 

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Here’s a typical scenario:

You have a Web site, and you know you need content.  Your Web site’s success depends on it. You’re trying to follow Matt Cutts’ advice (video here)on the three points of a successful Web site: crawlability, quality content, and a hook to get someone to link to you. But the “quality content” is giving you problems. A lot of them.

The dilemma is, you can’t think of any original content to write for your site. You sell used books online. Other than the books, what else is there to write about?

Plus, you’re a entrepreneur, not a writer. This presents a small problem too.

Let’s take this “problem” and come up with a solution. 

Our goal: original content for a used online bookstore and some help in writing it. 

What are the steps we have to take in order to come up with creative content ideas?

First, what do we need to know about the Web site?

1. What is the focus of the site? This is fairly easy in the case of the used bookstore, but it’s not so easy if the Web site sells a highly specialized piece of equipment. We need to understand what products or services the site offers. The more you understand, the better off you’ll be when you try to brainstorm for content. In the case of the bookstore, we assume this isn’t an affiliate store, but never assume. Know for sure.

2. Who are the target audiences? Every Web site has more than one target audience. Each target audience can be addressed with specific content just for them. Collectors are willing to pay a lot of money for first edition copies in excellent condition, and so are fans who are looking for autographed books. Writers are also a target audience for a used book store, and those who don’t want to pay full price for new books. Who else?

(more…)

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Image Courtesy of
www.dogloverdesigns.com

First, notice my beautiful Easter bonnet with the little bunny juggling Easter eggs? How cute is that? The graphic artist is Hilary Rinaldi, who creates all of hats I wear on this site. Thank you Hilary! You are the inspiration for today’s post. One of Hilary’s site’s, Dog Names Woof, is where you can go to help find a name for your new pet.

I think it would be fun to come up with ideas for pet sites, since we have Hilary’s little bunny up there to inspire us (and me in the Easter bonnet, of course).

My idea is quite simple, really.

What if (which is a GREAT way to start idea generation, btw) Martin created a little technical gadget for us on our pet Web site. Our visitors could simply fill in the blanks.

This idea is all about your dog’s bark.

My dog, __________’s, (dog name) bark (and leave a lot of blank space for the person for fill it in). ________________ (dog name) is a ________________ (dog breed).

For example:

My dog, Captain Hook’s, bark could be bottled and dropped off in Iran as weapons of mass destruction. Captain Hook is a Miniature Pincher.

My dog, Tinkerbell’s, bark reminds you of the Energizer Bunny. Once she gets started, she won’t quit . . . ever. Tinkerbell is an English Bulldog.

Have a contest, send out a press release, have winners and give them gifts, but give everyone who enters a 10% discount to products you sell, etc. Let everyone send in pictures of their pets to go along with their contest entries, etc. This would make it even funnier. This little technical gadget becomes content, viral marketing, traffic, a hook, builds link popularity, adds cash to your back pocket, etc. Wasn’t the gadget worth building?

Now, tell me about YOUR dog’s (or dogs!) bark. I have six dogs, so I have a lot more to go.

You can also give me more ideas for pet sites, whichever way you want to go. I’m open to any and all ideas. Just keep those ideas coming!

Robin

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